Vale John Fairbrass

By Ken Casellas

Unassuming, mild-mannered, gentle and kind are just some of the characteristics which made John Fairbrass a much-loved character.

And now Claremont players and officials, past and present, members and supporters are mourning the death at the age of 82 last Friday of this charming, softly-spoken gentleman who was an outstanding footballer for Claremont throughout his 94 league appearances for the club between 1962 and 1966.

 And since 2006 he has been a member of the club’s voluntary maintenance crew.

Fairy, or Pacer to his teammates and many fans because of his long-striding bursts out of defence, suffered a stroke during a cruise on the Mekong River in Vietnam in November.

Though generally recognised as a quality defender, Fairbrass played as a ruck-rover and forward flanker in Claremont’s league side in 1962 and 1963 before he was switched to defence after 41 matches to take over at centre-half-back from the injured Lorne Cook in the match against South Fremantle at Claremont Oval on July 11, 1964.

He shone at centre-half-back and on a half-back flank for the rest of his career which ended with the round 21 match against Perth at Lathlain Park on September 3, 1966.

Fairbrass made two appearances for Western Australia in interstate matches --- against South Australia at Subiaco Oval in 1964 and against the VFA at Subiaco Oval the following year. He was a member of Claremont’s 1964 premiership side, with oldtimers still fondly reminiscing his many full-blooded charges out of defence to set up attacking moves against East Fremantle.

It was in 1964 that Fairbrass was awarded the Claremont One Hundred Club’s trophy as the Best Team Man. He finished in fourth place in the league side’s fairest-and-best award in 1964, 1965 and 1966.