Alan ‘Ollie’ Matthews reaches mammoth milestone of 1500 games umpired in Riddell Football League

Alan “Ollie” Matthews has dedicated himself to the Riddell Football League since first stepping out with Craigieburn in the 1970s and after 46 years he’s reached a mammoth milestone.

RDFL president and goal umpire Alan “Ollie” Matthews.

Some records were made to be broken, Allan “Ollie” Matthews’ isn’t.

The Riddell Football League president and veteran umpire reached 1500 games last weekend, a herculean feat.

As if running the league doesn’t keep Ollie busy enough, the 70-year-old goal umpires senior football on Saturdays and field umpires the juniors on Sunday.

It’s an extraordinary achievement given Matthews also has more than 400 games to his name as a player.

“The league’s going along pretty well at the moment,” he said.

Riddell president and umpire Alan “Ollie” Matthews.

“When you’re 70, every year they seem to build the grounds bigger, which makes it harder to get around.

“I’ve been involved with the league since the early 70s — 1973 I think — so that’s 46 years.

“I was first involved when I shifted up to Craigieburn, I was president in their first premiership year in 1979, and I also played for Wallan.”

Craigieburn was a member of the RDFL from 1972 until 2001 when it moved to the Essendon District Football League.

In reaching 1500, Matthews goal umpired the Romsey-Rupertswood clash before backing up in under-11 and under-13 games between Woodend-Hesket and Gisborne Giants.

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Matthews has been RDFL president for the past 18 years and has seen plenty in his time.

However, there are plans to hand the reins over at the end of the season.

“Sometimes you have to make sure you don’t have a pecuniary interest, one way or the other,” he said.

“It can be interesting to look after the two and we also have netball and women’s football, which has taken off.

“(The players) quieten down a little bit once they know I’m the president.

“There’s been some interesting conversations when people have a go at the league when they don’t know the full story, then when I explain the circumstances and I’m the president of the league, they shut up a bit.

“I think 18 years in the role of president is long enough.

“I’m probably looking at handing over the reins at the end of the year.”

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