RIP Billy Picken and Con Britt

[Mostfamousclub_Pies]

Can anyone confirm whether or not Billy Picken was in ‘The Club’? I remember Kink and Wearmouth being in it.

 

[Daicos Torpedo]

Vale Billy and Con.
I loved Billy as a teenager. Amazing player.
My long past Grandpa rated Con highly as a player, so I know that he must have been very good

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Can anyone confirm whether or not Billy Picken was in ‘The Club’? I remember Kink and Wearmouth being in it.

Yep I think so, Ray Shaw too from memory.

 

[Mostfamousclub_Pies]

Yep I think so, Ray Shaw too from memory.

Thanks

 

[sandeano]

As a little kid in the mid-late 70s I reckon I knew the word "Picken" around the schoolyard before I even really knew what Australian rules football was (similar to "Lillee" with cricket). He was a genuine rockstar of the game at the time and later, as I began following the game I could see why. Kids adored him and so did adults because, although he gave all for the Pies, he still played with that genuine love of the moment like a boy kicking the footy around in the backyard.

I was lucky enough to venture out to Vic Park for a few games in the early 80s and up close you could see the gleam in his eye as the ball came towards him. And at that moment there was the sound that began as a murmur and increased to a roar that rattled the grandstands as the Collingwood fans savoured the moment. Will never forget that.

My condolences to all Collingwood fans. This one would really hurt.

 

[Maggie5]

I have tears welling up as I write this.

Billy was one of my favourite players and in addition to his high flying marks, I loved that he never took a step back. May he RIP.

Sadly I don't remember Con but condolences to both their families and to the Collingwood family.

 

[gordo2016]

Had a mate who used to drink in the Collingwood social club. He got a taxi home one night after a game and Billy got in the cab with a couple of others . Billy was a bit under the weather and didn't much sense when they asked him where he lived, so they could get him home in one piece. They spent about 2 hours trying to find his house, Billy was slurring so much he was hard to understand. Mate said they didn't care, they were just rapt to have a Collingwood legend in the cab. Taxi driver was a bit pissed off though. They eventually found his house and gladly paid his fare, even though it worked out a lot more than what they thought it would.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Condolences on the loss of the great Billy Picken.
A favorite of mine back in the day.

 

[Gabbo64]

Billy and Con were two of my favorite players in their time. I remember them both very well. Unfortunately both played in losing GFs so never tasted ultimate success. But boy did they give me a lot of pleasure watching them both. Billy's marking prowess was second to none and Con was not only skillful but he was one of those 100% guys that are so rare these days. I am so saddened by their passing. I think I'll just spend the rest of the day reminiscing.
RIP Con and Billy. Vale.

 

[Piestid]

I have tears welling up as I write this.

Billy was one of my favourite players and in addition to his high flying marks, I loved that he never took a step back. May he RIP.

Sadly I don't remember Con but condolences to both their families and to the Collingwood family.

You’re not the only one, Maggie. If they have a pre-match tribute today it’ll be so bittersweet. They may not have enough time to show all his highlights.

 

[anshell]

Terrible news.I don’t remember Con Britt but I certainly remember Billy Picken.An absolute star in his time.It’s hard to believe that he’s gone at such a young age.

RIP Con Britt and Billy Picken.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

It’s funny how few people recall Britt yet everybody knows picken when they were only a few years apart. My personal theory….. colour tv. This sport only took off when it went colour and the tv channels realised the more they showed the more people would watch. Maybe it’s the Countdown effect… same thing happened with music. Diversion I know……

 

[jimmy35]

Shattered. Just saw this, in the impressionable years of the 70’s Billy was an idol. Vale Billy

 

[Roverjg]

It’s funny how few people recall Britt yet everybody knows picken when they were only a few years apart. My personal theory….. colour tv. This sport only took off when it went colour and the tv channels realised the more they showed the more people would watch. Maybe it’s the Countdown effect… same thing happened with music. Diversion I know……

Why is it? People born late 60's and early 70s will remember Billy because he played until 1986. Yet Con had retired at the end of 1972

On SM-N975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Why is it? People born late 60's and early 70s will remember Billy because he played until 1986. Yet Con had retired at the end of 1972

On SM-N975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Billy’s best years were mid 70s and Britt was early 70s. It’s just a theory. Football definitely became more of a tv sport around that time.

Obviously your date of birth comes into it as well…..

 

[raymond35]

Why is it? People born late 60's and early 70s will remember Billy because he played until 1986. Yet Con had retired at the end of 1972

On SM-N975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Correct. I was born late 60s and saw Con play but can't remember unfortunately as I was too young and was focused on my heroes Thompson McKenna and Price.

 

[gouki88]

Both before my time, but nonetheless both heroes of our club. RIP.

My father tells a story of Billy and his remarkable physical attributes. Everyone can see his hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills through footage of his ridiculous high marking. However, the tale dad tells involves no football, nor is it part of any kind of athletic pursuit.

Sitting in the Collingwood social club, one of the more salubrious sites in Melbourne in the 70s and 80s, my father was having a beer with Billy and some others. Nothing unusual in that.
And then, quite suddenly, Billy falls backward off his stool with a freshly poured pint in hand. Such an occurrence usually ends in disaster, with 500mls of beer being strewn across one's clothes. Not for someone as talented as Billy Picken.
As the story goes, according to my father Billy was able to carefully manoeuvre the glass as he was descending towards the ground at speed, ensuring that not a drop was spilt. Not a single drop - he clambered back up to the bar with a full pint in hand. Not only did he manage to somehow balance that glass perfectly, but he was quite nonplussed about it. I guess when you have the natural reactions of a superhero, it would just be quite normal to pull off feats like that.

I wasn't quite sure whether I would comment on this thread, having not seen either of these champions play. However, I just spilt some beer of my own walking up a flight of stairs. Immediately, this tale came flooding into my head, mixed in with some postgame emotion - Billy kicking the game winner after the siren was almost too fairytale. Seeing the immense impact this has had on plenty of people in this thread, and my own family, I just felt some kind of obligation to put in my stupid 2 cents.

The gods do walk amongst us, and they wear black and white stripes on the weekend.

 

[raymond35]

I was doing stuff before the Essendon game, could someone tell me what mention was made of Billy and Con on channel 7 and at the MCG please.

 

[Len Smith Medallist]

Billy was brilliant and one of the many who made the period 1959 - 1989 such a joy to follow Collingwood. Despite the lack of premierships.... Despite the many runners-up.... I wouldn't choose to follow anyone but Collingwood through that period. What a ride.

 

[Len Smith Medallist]

This is the report on Collingwood's team selection from Melbourne Age 3 May 1974 prior to Billy Picken's debut game Round 5 1974 vs. Carlton.

 

[Len Smith Medallist]

And on Saturday 4 May - again in the Age by Mike Sheahan:

 

[Countrypie]

Peter Daicos pays tribute to the late Billy Picken

The Collingwood great joins us to pay tribute to the late Billy Picken. He also has plenty to talk about in footy with his sons flying … and the Ginnivan situation flaring.

player.whooshkaa.com

 

[JuniorB]

Both Con & Billy should have been premiership players.
I missed most of Con's career because my family lived overseas at the time.
One of life's great pleasures was watching Billy fly - he was one of our all time greats.

Here's a tribute from Mark Maclure:

“A great player, but a better bloke”: Maclure pays tribute to Bill Picken

Mark Maclure pays tribute to an on-field adversary and off-field friend, Billy Picken.

www.carltonfc.com.au

A fine tribute (apart from the mention of Collingwood losing a lot).

Billy Elliott provided perhaps the ultimate tribute on Sunday.
"Here comes Billy!"

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

This is the report on Collingwood's team selection from Melbourne Age 3 May 1974 prior to Billy Picken's debut game Round 5 1974 vs. Carlton.
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Yeah but they dropped Ronnie.

Sack Rose.

 

[Len Smith Medallist]

Yeah but they dropped Ronnie.

Sack Rose.

Bob was at the Doggies in '74. Neil Mann was the culprit.