While his umpiring story began in Victoria, Brian Stirling’s contribution was conducted as significantly in the nation’s capital where he was a longtime umpire, coach and official.
Born Brian Godfrey Stirling on 11 June 1940 he umpired on the VFL List between 1967 and 1970 following his promotion from the Victorian Amateur Football Association. He had begun umpiring at the amateurs following a successful junior and senior playing career with Brighton Football Club then competing in the VFA.
Season 1969 proved his most successful with the VFL and included promotion to the VFL Reserve Grade and grand finals in the Hume and Kyabram District competitions. That same year he joined the VFLUA Social Committee where he would also serve in 1970, his final VFL season.
At the VFL he umpired 19 VFL Reserve Grade and 62 VCFL games. His final match was the 1970 Gippsland Football League Grand Final. While much had happened in his football life over the ensuing three decades, Brian became an associate member in 2006 and qualified for AFLUA life membership in 2012.
Moving to the VFA for 1971 he was umpiring senior matches by Round 8. In a five-season career he would umpire 50 senior matches including two First Division preliminary finals and the 1973 VFA First Division Grand Final between Oakleigh and Prahran. He later recalled, “In my last VFL reserve game, I got such a bad report I looked at it and said to myself, I’m out of here and went to the VFA.” Clearly the association’s gain.
Work took Brian to Canberra in 1974 where he immediately became involved in the local umpiring scene. First as an umpire (1974-77) and then as umpires’ advisor (1982-84). Along the way he served as president of the ACTAFL Umpires’ Association in 1976 and 1977.
Brian’s other major football involvement was with Masters football. He served as AFL Masters National President from 1996–2000, later becoming a Hall of Fame inductee in 1997, life member in 1998, and long-time Chair of the Hall of Fame Committee. He also umpired more than 50 national carnival matches, continuing to officiate until 2003. He was named Umpire of the Carnival in 1992.
Brian Stirling passed away on 27 October 2025 after a brief illness, aged 85, and will be sadly mourned by every part of the football community for which he did so much.
Vale Stirlo.