Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"ALAN FRANK STATTON, OAM...

Alan Frank Statton OAM, who became a stalwart of the SA Amateur Football League, was youngest and fourth son of Sylv and Myra Statton. As the son of a Methodist minister, Alan grew up moving from one country town to another every three years - Yacka, Booleroo Centre, where Alan started school, Clarendon and Nairne - before the family came back to the city, to Alberton. Alan decided the right thing to do was to barrack for the local football team, Port Adelaide, but later switched to Norwood. He attended Prince Alfred College and excelled at his first love, cricket. At 15, he left school to work at Phoenix Assurance Company. In 1943, at 17, Alan joined the Navy. After World War II, he was discharged in 1946, proud to have served his country. He remained a member of Payneham RSL.

Alan returned to his job at the Phoenix Assurance Company, climbing the ladder to assistant manager. He retired in 1983. When visiting his parents in Berri, Alan met Yvonne Plush. They married in February, 1950, and were to have five daughters. In 1974, Phoenix Assurance moved the family to Melbourne and then in 1976 it returned to Adelaide. Other than Yvonne and their family, Alan's love was sport, particularly cricket and football. In 1952, he became assistant secretary of the Adelaide Turf Cricket Association and was secretary of the PAC Old Scholars Cricket Club. In 1972, Alan was team manager of the South Australian Sheffield Shield team. In 1960, he began his involvement with the SA Amateur Football League, a union that lasted 38 years. He helped develop the Amateur League grade for players with an intellectual disability.

Alan once said amateur football produced some of the best AFL and SANFL footballers over the years. At one stage, amateur football was providing sport and mateship for 4000 young men every Saturday and giving young men something to focus on in life. "You deal with people and players from all walks of life," he said. "It doesn't matter wherever they are from or whatever they look like, because inside they're good people playing football and enjoying having a kick. "That's amateur football; it's different to anywhere else." Alan was SAAFL secretary from 1967-70, administration officer for several periods between 1972 and 1997, treasurer from 1970-77, general manager from 1998-99 and delegate to the AAFC from 1962-1996, including its secretary-treasurer 1986-1996. He was awarded SAAFL life membership in 1974. Alan did a great deal for the community, helping migrants learn to read English and serving on school councils. Much of his work was unpaid, knowing he helped make it possible for tens of thousands of young men to participate in sport he loved.

In 2000, Alan was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his service to the Kensington Cricket Club and to SA Amateur Football League. In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to the SAAFL and in 2002, he received his Order of Australia Medal for service to sports administration, particularly Australian football. Alan Statton is survived by his children Vicky, Cheryl, Wendy, Janice, and Trish, 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren." - from the Adelaide Advertiser Online 03 Dec 2011 (www.adelaidenow.com.au)