A TANTANOOLA sporting history buff has dedicated his time to documenting the history of country football in the Limestone Coast and is calling on clubs and players to aid him in his research.
Jeremy Peters is a former Mount Burr footballer and has been an active member of the club for almost two decades, with his love of statistics and the game driving his goal to one day write a history book on the Mozzies.
He also keeps the match records for the Mount Burr Cricket Club in order to preserve the history.
Alongside those endeavours, Peters’ latest undertaking has seen him join forces with South Australian country football historian Peter Lines on a quest to determine the leading goal scorers in the state at country level.
“I am trying to put together enough stuff to do a history book for the Mount Burr fov doing that, I have been in conversation with Peter Lines, who wrote the South Australian Football Digest.
“We were talking about goals for players around here (Limestone Coast) – Peter Lines is on the west coast, so I said I would help him with any players around here.”
The list of the Limestone Coast’s most prolific goal scorers is impressive to say the least and is made up of many household names of the last half a century and beyond.
It includes the likes of Robe great Michael Timms, who Peters said was ranked as the second highest goal kicker in the state at country level.
“We have him on about 1600 goals, but we are missing a few gaps of information there,” he said.
Peters also listed the likes of Robbie Scott (Robe / Hatherleigh), Jamie Walker (Penola), Phil Smith (Robe), Leigh Capewell (Nangwarry / South Gambier), Neil Nankivell (Glencoe), Rick Stephens (Mount Burr and Millicent), Adam Merrett (Penola), Dion Pannenburg, John Bronca and Dennis Mansell.
“They are the ones I have who are over 500 (goals) so far and most of them have some big gaps in their career,” Peters said.
“Justin McConnell is another one I have not got tallies for yet, but he would be up there too.”
Peters said the main issue faced was filling in the gaps in players’ careers, whether they still be playing or long retired, as several had played for more than one club during their journey.
Mansell is the perfect example of that dilemma.
“He played for nearly 30 years and I only have about six years of his career – and he is at about 300 to 400 goals – so he is someone who is probably going to be fairly high up,” Peters said.
“The hardest thing we have found is we were not sure where all these guys played (during their careers).”
He also said many players flew under the radar who did not win goal kicking awards, but consistently scored goals during long careers.
It is for that reason Peters is calling on the aid of football clubs and players who may be able to fill in some blanks through club game records, hall of fame plaques or their own personal archives.
“I know Leigh Capewell and Neil Nankivell both contacted Peter (Lines) and provided some pretty good information on their careers – they had scrapbooks and stuff like that,” he said.
Through his involvement with Mount Burr, Peters has been able to obtain game records and statistics for his own club, with Scott Bevan ranking among the scoring greats with over 700 goals in his career.
“I know what years Scott Bevan played and I can look it up quite easily, but for someone like Michael Timms, I do not know when he played and things like that,” Peters said.
Peters is especially interested in any help from within the Western Border and Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara football leagues, as his knowledge is more scarce on their histories.
“Pat and Noel Seebohm – they are life members of Mount Burr – since 1956 they have pretty well kept every Mid South East budget,” he said.
“They gave them to me to use for my research and things like that, which makes things for Mid South East quite easy.”
Peters also swapped notes with former The Border Watch sports editor, the late Rod Morris, but there still remains some holes in his records.
For anyone able to help Peters on his mission, he can be contacted on 0456 482 856 or via Facebook.
