It didn't take long to decide to dedicate a page to Eddie on my website, infact it was something I felt I should do. In our journey through life each of us will be touched by a particular person who we may not know and may never get to meet. In my case I've been lucky to know Eddie McGuire, President of the Collingwood Football Club. A passionate magpie, if ever there was one, a good bloke!

Our friendship is a result of a mutual passion for the greatest football club in the land.  I remember with excitement hearing that Eddie McGuire was planning to chuck his hat in the ring and lead the Collingwood Football Club at a time when it would have been tough to do so. At a time when once again the Collingwood Footy Club was in all sorts of strife both on the field and off the field. He was to be the new messiah of the Collingwood Football Club... he hasn't let us down. Today we are despised and hated, us Collingwood folk would not want it any other way as we are in our own right, the most successful club off the field. Of course some small minded folk will judge Eddie on the amount of premiership cups he brings to the Lexus Centre, they will come either under the McGuire led helm or some other future President reaping the rewards of the McGuire led administration.

The way I see things is, Ed saved my football club and I'm indebted to the bloke for as long as I live. He once gave me a funny colored jacket and its been a great journey, I hope i haven't let him down! What people should realise about Ed is, he is one of us and as passionate and diehard as ever, he is much more than a Versace suit, he is as genuine as they come. One week before the 2003 Grand Final, Ed had invited me to go back to Victoria Park with him from the MCG most probably with the Premiership cup, fancy that, it would of been what dreams are made of. A nobody from the Collingwood Terraces sitting next to the President with the cup, gold jacket to the Jock McHale Medal, to dinner at Copeland trophy night.. it's just been a wonderful time.I remember very early on how ed helped me out and that was when some reporter was hassling me, i rang ed's office told him the problem ,ed told me to get him to call him, suffice to say the reporter didn't ring back after speaking with ed.

In recent years whilst at functions or waiting in the supermaket line, people will come over and want to chat about the pies, mostly i must add non collingwood people offering opinions on what a great job the McGuire led administration has done for Collingwood, they make no secret of disliking eddie but deeply respect the job he has done. People from all walks of life have a deep fascination with the pies, i've stood next to doctors and business people, cleaners to bus drivers, everyone wants to know whats going on at pieland, whilst they hate us i deeply suspect they have respect for Collingwood, they love the magpie passion, they love to beat us, they love to talk about us, the infidels have even remarked that they wished thier club was similar to the Collingwood Football Club..what a great testimomy to all those hard working people at the club!

What happens to Collingwood when Eddie moves on ? i shudder to think, very high standards have been set in place at club level and more importantly at community level, it will take huge feet to fill the McGuire shoes, whilst ed may blush at reading this glowing testiomony, it should be pointed out greater testimonies await eddie in future history books, The day will come when eddie moves on, it wouldn't be fair to suggest anything else, Eddies life took a strange turn in 2007 it appeared he was under pressure, events at chanel nine were conspiring against him, their was a push for him to resign his Collingwood presidency, although no evidence whatsoever that came from within, it was media driven by people with a huge anti collingwood agenda, something at which the modern day press is fixed on.

He had the vision to move away from Victoria Park and save the club and save it magnificently recording record profits year after year whilst at the same time being unfairly savaged by some Collingwood supporters,  The type that would win two Gorillas at the races and come home bitching and moaning that they hadn't won four Gorillas, Ordinary leaders make popular decisions, Great leaders make the hard desicions. The same bloke without any fanfare dedicates his Christmas day with family feeding our most precious, The unwanted, The homeless, The battler doing it tough, He could be sitting on top of the trump towers in New York soaking up a white Christmas year after year, He would rather spend his time with the people, not only is this a sign of a good leader it's also a sign of a compassionate human being.

It is my opinion Eddie is the most important person in our post World War history and will and should go down into Collingwood's history as one of the most remarkable and successful Presidents of all time, his name reeks of Collingwood, he is in the same Collingwood class as Bob Rose and the great Jock McHale. The name McGuire will live on through many future generations of Collingwood people...what a chapter it has been in my life.. that I got to know the bloke, the bloke who like the rest of us bleeds for Collingwood. Respect to ya always Ed..two words mate FLOREAT PICA!

During season 2007 I was employed on a part time basis by the Collingwood Footy Club it was and always will remain one of my life's greatest honours.

The Man with a vision that saved the Collingwood Football Club, Eddie.  In the Gold Jacket, Pic taken in Boardroom at Victoria Park early 2003, Ed did give back the jacket!

Interesting to note that amidst all my photo archives and search on the internet I have never been photographed with Eddie something which we will have to get done very soon......

Finally!!!...

Ed makes his way down to the people when the Pies have the game in the bag. Great club. Great people just doing things the Collingwood way