Clarence to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its first premiership

It might be 50 years since Clarence won its first grand final but the taste of victory is just as sweet for Roos’ premiership players John Richmond and Kevin Palmer, who will relive their win this weekend.

John Richmond and Kevin Palmer who both played in the first premiership team for Clarence in 1970. Clarence Football Club is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the event. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

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IT WAS a day Roos’ royalty John Richmond and Kevin Palmer will never forget.

Nor will any fan of the Clarence Football Club as the class of 1970 delivered the Roos’ first ever premiership.

Ask ‘Ace’ and ‘KP’ what they remember most about the day, and the resounding answer – aside from lifting the cup – was the crowd, at the time a Tasmanian record 24,413.

John, 77, and Kevin, 78, remember the 55-point win over New Norfolk like it was yesterday.

“It was an unbelievable atmosphere and the people who had never witnessed a premiership before were so emotional,” Richmond said.

Palmer, a tough halfback, was having a casual morning at home until his wife spotted the swelling crowd on television.

“They were lined up right back up Argyle St and my wife wanted me to take her over to the ground straight away so she could get a seat,” Kevin said.

“So I took her over and I went to Lindisfarne RSL club, because they put on a breakfast for us, and later I went to the ground. It was an incredible day.”

The Roos got away to a great start.

“We led by six goals at quarter-time. Terry Mayne, our full-forward, kicked 10 goals, and it was one of those days when everything clicked,” John said.

The final siren bought as much relief as joy.

“It pleased so many people on the Eastern Shore,” Kevin said.

“There was a big parade outside the council chambers and 4000 or 5000 people blocked the streets, and when we got back to the club there were people crying.

“It will stick in my mind forever.”

Clarence’s premiership-winning coach and club legend John Bingley, who is almost 80 and living in Melbourne, is nothing short of a Roo legend.

‘JB’ said his players deserved the credit.

John Richmond and Kevin Palmer who both played in the first premiership team for Clarence in 1970. Clarence Football Club is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the event. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“It was just great when the siren went and we’d won our first premiership,” Bingley said.

“When we got back to Bellerive you couldn’t get into the ground there were so many people.

“We went to the hotel and we couldn’t get in for people, but we eventually got it. Then we went to the other one [Shoreline] and it was the same. It was a big night.

“The guys were all wrapped with the win, as I was, and I was so happy with the players and the way they played as a team.

“I always felt, and I told them, we will win the premiership if we play as a team and not for ourselves and that’s how it went.”

Bingley was famously photographed by the Mercury drinking from the premiership cup while the Clarence fans went wild.

“It was a big crowd alright,” he said.

“We could hardly get into the ground even before the game.

“They locked the gates because there were so many people.

“When the players tuned up, we had to prove who we were to get in.

“There were a lot of people there and they were loud.

“It will remember that day forever.”