Southern Football League officials reflect one of the competition’s longest-serving volunteers, Noarlunga Shoes’ great Clem Hurst

A STICKLER for perfection who was as community-minded and honest as they come. A Noarlunga Shoes’ legend is remembered.

A STICKLER for perfection who was as community-minded and honest as they come.

That is how southern Football League officials have remembered one of the competition’s longest serving volunteers, Noarlunga Shoes’ great Clem Hurst.

Hurst died on May 1 after a short illness. He was 90.

Hurst began his association with the Shoes as a tough-as-nails full-back in 1951.

Six decades on, he was still there — as an interchange steward.

SFL president Craig Warman said Hurst’s passion for the league and the Shoes was matched only by his meticulousness.

“He was a stickler for the rules and everything had to be done just right,” Warman said.

“He and a group of others used to bring their home mowers down and mow Noarlunga Oval for each home game.

“He’d also mark all the lines with a paintbrush and every one would be immaculate and straight.

“He was a stalwart of our league for many, many years.”

Hurst held several off-field roles at the league and Noarlunga, including president of both, after playing for McLaren Vale and then 240 games for the Shoes.

A builder by trade, he was the Shoes’ resident handyman.

He made their scoreboard, built their changerooms and laid their cricket pitch.

Hurst also built his house, overlooking Noarlunga’s home ground, and the neighbouring former squash centre, which he once owned.

“He could lay bricks, do carpentry, do electrical work, do plumbing work — and he would do it all perfectly,” former SFL president Chris Leahy said.

“He was terrific and a real community-minded person.”

As a tribute to Hurst, Noarlunga’s juniors wore their socks up and guernseys tucked in for games on May 3.

“Clem actually wrote to Neil Kerley when he was manager of the Crows (in the early 1990s) to tell him he ought to do something about the Crows leaving their jumpers out,” Leahy said.

“He was an absolute stickler for perfection.”

During games Hurst could usually be found trying the home team’s pasties.

“He could tell the best pasties in the league and which clubs had the best ones,” Leahy said.

Hurst was an inaugural member of the SFL’s Hall of Fame in 2007 and the league named its under-16 best and fairest medal for him.

Noarlunga delegate Kieron Irvine said Hurst was “really old school” and difficult to please but a giant of the club.

“Every Sunday at 3pm Clem and all the old fellas from the club would go down and suck a few ales,” Irvine said.

“He’d always have his two cents.”

Away from footy, Hurst was a volunteer caretaker at Old Noarlunga Uniting Cemetery, where he would lay pavers and tidy graves.

He was buried there last week. The wake, of course, was at the football club.

Hurst is survived by his wife Lorna and children Maxine, Harvey and Silvana.