Full Name: Albert Constantine Pannam
Date of Birth: 19/04/1914
Height: 169 cm
Weight: 66 kg
Guernsey: 12
Debut: 19/04/1947, Round 1, North Melbourne
Last Game: 26/04/1947, Round 2, Fitzroy
RICHMOND SENIORS
Seasons: 1947
Total Games: 2
Total Goals: 6
Honours:
RICHMOND SENIOR COACH 1953-55
RICHMOND RESERVES
Seasons: 1946-52
Total Games: 119
Total Goals:
Honours: Premiership 1946, Captain/Coach 1946-52.
BIOGRAPHY
Alby was a champion rover and forward-pocket who was recruited from Collingwood. He was a cheeky player, who never stopped talking, and had the ability to twist and turn away from opponents, leaving them grabbing at thin air. He was highly skilled and very dangerous around the goals particularly with his ability to snap goals from any angle. He originally played his early football with Abbotsford Brewery before crossing to Collingwood. He was nearly lost to Collingwood early in his career when he applied for a clearance to Carlton, due to a lack of senior opportunities. It wasn’t long after that he made his senior debut and never looked back. He was a member of Collingwood’s 1935 and 1936 Premiership sides and their 1937 and 1938 Grand Final sides. He twice kicked 5 goals in Finals games, once against Footscray in the first semi-final of 1938, and the other time during his best-on-ground performance in the 1936 Grand Final against South Melbourne. He won the club Best and Fairest in 1942 and captained the side in 1945. He also won Collingwood’s Goalkicking award in 1941, 1942 and 1943 as well as representing Victoria twice. He was awarded Life Membership of the Collingwood Football Club in 1944.
Alby crossed to Richmond as a playing-coach of the Reserves in 1946, after Collingwood considered he had not recovered from a leg injury. He led the Reserves to the 1946 Premiership and the 1947 and 1948 Grand Finals. The reserves also finished third in 1949 and fourth in 1952. Alby finished up playing 119 games with the reserves and two with the seniors, in 1947. He coached the reserves in 138 matches, for 96 wins, one draw and 41 losses. He then coached the Richmond Seniors between 1953 and 1955 and later coached Oakleigh for five seasons, winning the 1960 VFA Premiership.
He was a member of one of the greatest football families ever to play in the VFL. His father Charles Senior played 194 games with Collingwood and Richmond, his brother Charles Junior 142 games with Collingwood and South Melbourne and his two nephews, Lou Richards 250 games with Collingwood, and Ron Richards 143 games with Collingwood. They played in a total of 17 VFL Grand Finals for eight Premierships. Alby’s son, Graham, was also a member of Oakleigh’s 1960 Premiership side, which Alby coached. A former council worker, he died in 1993.
PRE RICHMOND
Richmond Amateurs 1928-30 ; Carlton Brewery 1931 ( Honours- Best & Fairest 1931 ) ; Abbotsford Brewery 1932 ( Honours - Best & Fairest 1932 ) ; Collingwood 1933-43, 1945, Games 181, Goals 431 ( Honours - Premiership 1935-36, Captain 1945, Best & Fairest 1942, Leading Goalkicker 1941 Goals 42, 1942 Goals 37, 1943 Goals 41, Victorian Representative Team Games 2 Goals 6.
POST RICHMOND
Kew Amateurs Senior Coach 1956 ; Fitzroy AYC Senior Coach 1957-58 ; Oakleigh Senior Coach 1959-63 ( Honours - Premiership 1960 ).
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