Alan Mangels

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I had cause to visit somewhere today in the course of my work.

The contact person I had was Alan Mangels. Probably a coincidence I thought and I wouldn't recognise him anyway so would have to have a guess at age and wonder if I should ask him or not. I was showed into a room and straight away saw a photo on the wall of a No 10 for Carlton taking a screamer against Collingwood. I knew it was indeed the former Blue then.

In amongst our business, I said that I just have to ask, and he confirmed the photo was of him.

We talked about that mark which was a Scanlens mark of the round in 1979. Alan said it was the last H&A game vs Collingwood, but we played the Pies in Round 21 and he did not play, so it is either the first game that year against the Pies or the first in 1980 perhaps. He said he got $25 and a box of Scanlens bubble gum for it. I made a remark about Robert Klomp getting more for doing less.

He said this mark happened in the game where Stan Magro knocked Jezza down. The photo also has Curly Austin, Denis Banks and a young Tony Shaw in it.

He talked about being traded in 1980 and how the club wanted to send him to Melbourne but he was set on going to Geelong.

We talked about modern day drafting and young kids having to go interstate, and we talked about Fev's problems and the fact that clubs are forced to honour the duty of care they have unlike the old days.

Distance is a problem so he doesn't get to Carlton functions but did go down to the Cats 150 year celebration.

He does still get people sending him Scanlen's cards to autograph but has well and truly moved on in life, as he pointed out, only a few get to stay in the game and live off their playing days. Dipper was an example he gave.

I just checked out his profile on the Blueseum and was interested to know that he was the youngest ever player signed in 1967 when we got his signature when he was still 10 years of age.

Anyway, this is one for 'where are they now?'

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Found the mark on youtube. The photo he has is from a different angle,from the boundary with number 10 on the back facing the camera.

[YOUTUBE]v/hYdwLn8w74o?fs=1[/YOUTUBE]

 

[TOPBLUE_25]

[youtube]hVG1A5Ow9k0[/youtube]

The days when you had a full time job and played football on the weekends.
I never knew how he did it all, condsidering his vocation.

Not sure about that dog tossing incident though

Damn it! beaten to it, well played sir.

 

[The Blueseum]

Great find TODN, from memory you must have been in Queensland?

We've had the luxury of Tony De Bolfo (on behalf of the Club, who put together the 10 year old article below) and one of our main writers 'Wazza' each making contact with Alan over the years:

http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=56

Whilst Alan is pretty happy to leave football in the past, it is still a fascinating story and he's still an old Blue; so worth the catch-up. Thanks for the details of the meeting,

From the Blueseum

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Yes, your info is correct. He is still settled in Queensland.

 

[gardiner stand]

i remember him well he was a favourite of mine but was a victim of the mosquito fleet,just not enough midfield positions to go around he had to compete with marcou,sheldon,buckley,johnston,armstrong,keogh,harmes,francis,catoggio,collins, pickett,even young and jezza had a run on the ball,thats a lot of mid field options and a heap of talent to compete with

 

[sherb]

i remember him well he was a favourite of mine but was a victim of the mosquito fleet,just not enough midfield positions to go around he had to compete with marcou,sheldon,buckley,johnston,armstrong,keogh,harmes,francis,catoggio,collins, pickett,even young and jezza had a run on the ball,thats a lot of mid field options and a heap of talent to compete with

Tony lives back in Tassie these days (has done so since leaving Carlton at the end of 79) and still gets over to a Carlton match or two each year I believe.

Anyway, slightly off topic.....

 

[mediumsizered]

Tony lives back in Tassie these days (has done so since leaving Carlton at the end of 79) and still gets over to a Carlton match or two each year I believe.

Anyway, slightly off topic.....

He kicked 4 goals on debut in 1976, Pickett & looked like he was going to be a world beater. Had good pace & reasonable skills, but he fell away relatively quickly.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

He kicked 4 goals on debut in 1976, Pickett & looked like he was going to be a world beater. Had good pace & reasonable skills, but he fell away relatively quickly.

He used to have his Tassie mate, Leigh McConnon on the other wing, pace to burn, ended up running the Shamrock in Tassie somewhere (dunno where, was a footy trip thingy back in the day).

Off topic. smiley face.

 

[mediumsizered]

He used to have his Tassie mate, Leigh McConnon on the other wing, pace to burn, ended up running the Shamrock in Tassie somewhere (dunno where, was a footy trip thingy back in the day).

Off topic. smiley face.

McConnon spent some time at Williamstown in the VFA, along with another Tasmanian Blue, Greg Towns. We've always had a soft spot for Tasmanians at Carlton (Crosswell & Percy Jones being two of the best).

 

[Sin City]

He kicked 4 goals on debut in 1976, Pickett & looked like he was going to be a world beater. Had good pace & reasonable skills, but he fell away relatively quickly.

The old sports teacher at St Marys High, his wife used to teach me at St Helens a bit.

 

[Juddys_navy_blues]

Didnt Alan go close in the Brownlow one year?

 

[les22]

I went to high school with his father
He is a nephew of the legendary BoB Chitty

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I went to high school with his father
He is a nephew of the legendary BoB Chitty

I read that on Blueseum. Alan's grandmother is Bob's sister.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

I locked horns with Alan Mangels in 1968 when we played a local PS semi final. He was captain of Oak Park PS and I was captain of Glenroy PS. Oak Park won the game and I'd be certain AM played a part.

I saw him a couple of years ago at a wedding but didn't have the courage to have a 'remember when' conversation. We're related now as his neice was the bride and my nephew was the groom. Funny how things happen.

The happy couple have just had their first child, a boy.

The genes are pretty good and the dad is a Blues supporter. I'll post something in 2028 if he's drafted.

 

[BeligerentBlue]

I don't remember the year that I saw my first live Carlton game (it was in the mid seventies) but I do remember it was at the G against Richmond and Alan took a huge screamer on the wing right in front of me, standing on the shoulders of his opponent. It is all that I can remember of that game other than that the cheer squad was not behind the goals but up on the second tier of the southern stand in the pocket for whatever reason.

 

[Desmodromico]

A little bit off topic, but a very good mate of mine works for Warren Ralph.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

A little bit off topic, but a very good mate of mine works for Warren Ralph.

If only we got to see the best of Ralph a bit more. That 1984 debut was exciting stuff, 9 goals in a 137 point flogging of North. 6 the following week. 8 in the Qualifying final. He just didn't get it going often enough but those games alone meant he should have persevered and we should have seen him through his injury in 85.

55 goals for a debut season is pretty good, even if he was in his mid 20s.

 

[Desmodromico]

I agree with you ODN.
I was very excited when Carlton picked him up in 1984.
He topped the WAFL goal kicking in 1981 (127), 1982 (115) and 1983 (128).
He came back to Claremont and kicked another tonne in 1987.

 

[Shambolic]

DIdnt he win Lotto?

 

[Verbeek 15]

Yes he did.

Alan Mangels good solid player was probably a tad slow.