‘The Prez’ John Elliott a true ladies man with a big laugh

John Elliott was the ultimate ladies man who claimed Princess Di had her eye on him, Margaret Thatcher had a thing for him and even his ex-wives adored him.

“Big Jack was a helluva man who was convinced all women liked him. I think most of them did. He reckoned Margaret Thatcher had a thing for him on one of Carlton’s end of year footy trips when she was British prime minister.”

“He also reckoned Princess Di had her eye on him when she and Prince Charles come out for the Foster’s Melbourne Cup when he was going to Fosterise the world.”

Carlton great Perc Jones, who played in four premierships for the Bluebaggers and was one of John Elliott’s rusted-on supporters when he was on the Carlton Football Club board remembers “The Great Man” back in the day.

Carlton football captain Stephen Kernahan with Elliott.

Elliott claimed Princess Diana had her eye on him.

“The Prez,” as he was also known back at Prince’s Park, was president of Carlton, president of the Liberal Party and a potential prime minister when he was running global beer giant Elder’s.

“He never did say, pig’s arse,” said Jones who will sink a pot or three when he reopens his North Fitzroy Arms pub and the Carlton mob meet when the lockdown lifts.

“But everyone reckoned he did and it stuck.”

The big ruckman, who shared many a long lunch with Elliott, remembers the big laugh and the Prez’s ability to rub shoulders with the great and the good as well as the ordinary blokes and their sheilas in the outer.

“They should never have taken his name off the Elliot stand at Prince’s Park. He won two flags and deserved better.”

When Elliott was blamed for the salary cap disaster at Carlton, his enemies “came out of the woodwork,” said Jones.

Kristy Hinze, Elliott and Anne Maree Cooksley.

Elliott with Steve Vizard and Eddie McGuire.

“Someone stood up at a president’s lunch at Carlton and said most people reckoned Elliott, Wes Lofts and I would have been better off still stuck in the lift at AFL Park when the power went off the week before.

“The Prez laughed louder than anyone else. He could take a joke against himself better than anyone else.

“He laughed in the lift and lit up another cigarette. It didn’t concern him that Lofts and I and a few other blokes on the board were gagging.

“He did everything his way and he reckoned even his ex-wives adored him.

“He was a helluva man!”