Money, Money, Money… no it’s not the 1976 ABBA song, it’s the VFLUA Treasurer who looked after our finances in a professional manner. Yes I speak of David ’Flags’ Mitchell, heritage goalie 178 who for 8 years controlled the Association’s books. With David’s experience working the floor at the stock exchange, our finances could not have been in better hands.
Acting as Treasurer it meant David served on the Executive Committee for most of his time on the senior list. Where money was concerned you would find David watching the dollars; he served and participated as Treasurer on the Fiji Trip in 1972. Twenty months of hard work to raise the money for the umpires’ tickets for that trip. He also managed the South East Asia Tour in 1983 controlling over $75000. When you consider the year that was BIG dollars.
Apart from football David’s number one passion is test cricket. With his mate for over 60 years, Kevin Andrews, he’s attended many Ashes test series within Australia and at Lords England. David attends all tests in Australia every year no matter the opposition. He has travelled the world to watch cricket in places like England, the Caribbean, South Africa, India and New Zealand just to name a few.
Born on the 10th May 1944 to Geoffrey & Hilma Mitchell at Bethesda Hospital Richmond, the family with brother Craig lived in Glen Iris before deciding to move to Croydon where he attended the Glen Iris Primary School before moving on to Croydon High. David played football with Croydon & Olinda F.C. in the Mountain District F.L. and during the summer months cricket with those clubs where they won premierships in the 70’s.
In 1962 David worked for the A.N.Z. Bank that lasted one year before transferring to Mitsubishi Australia in 1963.
After seeing an advertisement in the Sporting Globe for umpires with the VFL Reserve Grade in 1967, David applied as a field umpire. His first game was at Bentleigh, officiating the under 15’s. David tells he ran all over the ground, no correct positioning and by the end of the day was looking for petrol tickets. Despite the shaky start he was promoted to the senior list in 1969 with 35 other field umpires training at Royal Park. His first senior game was in the Alberton League: Welshpool 15.12 d. Stony Creek 11.6. Over the next few years David represented the VFLUA on the Executive Committee as the Treasurer and sat on the Social Committee. David found it difficult to balance the demanding travel required by country umpiring whilst also giving his employer Grant Reed full attention at the stock exchange. Not wanting to give up his umpiring, David had to change employers and joined another stock broking firm, ORD Minnett.
In 1971 David was attending a social function in Camberwell and met a lovely lady named Ekko who was attended Bendigo Teachers College. After courting for two years the couple married on 6th October 1973 and today they have two daughters Keryn & Renal and 5 Grand Children.
David retired in 1975. His last game as a field umpire on the senior list was in the Western Border FL: West Gambier 12.17 d. Sth Gambier 6.13. His tally of VCFL games were 104 with 4 finals. In 1972 David and his brother Craig went into business in a supermarket in Bundoora for 6 years and then an East Malvern supermarket for 8 years.
David was also a participant in the Umpires Cricket Club and in 1972 was elected Vice Captain to Captain John Morgan.
After 6 years on the list David decided to returned to the Reserve Grade in 1976 where he became a goal umpire, when after 4 years in the goals with many plum appointments was appointed to the 1980 Reserve grade Grand Final Geelong Res. 24.15 d. South Melb. Res. 19.12 his Goal Ump. partner on the day was Kevin Andrews. Promoted back onto the Senior List in 1981 Heritage Goal umpire 178 his first game was at the Junction Oval Collingwood 22.27 d. Fitzroy 20.13. In 1982 David was appointed to the Final of the Inter-league series with Kevin Andrews his partner in the goals with Peter Cameron & John Morgan the field umpires. Ballarat F.L. 13.16 d. Ovens & Murray 8.20.
1983 the brothers decided the long hours running a super market was too much so they decided to sell and David went back to ORD Minnett at the Stock Exchange. 1984 saw David receive his Life Membership of the V.F.L.U.A. (6 Field and 4 Goals), then in 1985 the brothers purchased a Tattslotto Agency in Croydon for 1 year.
His goal umpiring was slowly making it’s mark when in 1987 David was appointed to an exhibition game in Japan at Yokohama Stadium. It was played on artificial grass under lights and it rained all night making it hard to see the boundary lines. Bill Pryde was David’s goal ump partner on the day.
In 1987 with the encouragement of Brian Turner David took on the role of Association Treasurer once again a position he held for 6 years. It was the same year that David was appointed to the night series Grand Final at VFL Park (Melbourne 8.10 d. Essendon 8.6). The 1988 season represented the peak of David’s goal umpiring career with his appointment to the V.F.L. Grand Final where Hawthorn 22.20 d. Melbourne 6.20 at the M.C.G. in front of a crowd of 93,754. His partner that day in the goals was Leigh Keen.
1991 saw David awarded the VFLUA Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to the Association and goal umpiring. Two years later David decided to retire. His last game was at Princes Park, Carlton 16.15 d. Sydney 16.14. His partner in the goals was Roger Selwood. Thirteen years in the goals saw David chalk up 182 games which included 1 Grand Final, 1 Preliminary Final, 1 Night Grand Final several night game appointments, 1 VCFL Inter-league game and 7 VFL semi finals.
In 2008 David was awarded The AFLUA Hall of Fame and that same year Life Membership of the VFUA as a foundation member. The highlight of his career was definitely the 1988 Grand Final in the goals and his representation at an exhibition match in Japan. Asked David what he thought of today’s game he said it was “too crowded” and had been affected by “too many rules.”
For many years David has been a volunteer at the Box Hill Hospital in the emergency department where he helps to direct visitors, pointing them in the right direction in the hospital. He exercises 3 times a week walking around the botanical Gardens Tan Track and is a collector of sporting memorabilia.
Today David is retired but keeps an interest in the stock exchange and looks after his finances managing his own super fund.
After a career in umpiring David he tells me he owes a lot to boardmen Doug Lamb, Norm Price, Tom McKenna and Jack Irving, great men for umpires. Look after yourself in retirement David and watch the board at the stock exchange very closely.
Graeme ‘Wizzer’ Fellows