Past Player Birthdays: 29th-30th July

Alan Mangels: 29th July

Career : 1974 - 1980
Debut : Round 15, 1974 vs Richmond, aged 17 years, 348 days
Carlton Player No. 847
Games : 88
Goals : 25
Last Game : Round 9, 1980 vs Essendon, aged 23 years, 300 days
Guernsey No. 10
Height : 179 cm ( 5 ft. 10 in.)
Weight : 80 kg (12 stone, 8 lbs.)
DOB : 29 July, 1956

Alan Mangels was a gifted footballer who seemed born to play for the Old Dark Navy Blues, although ultimately, his career didn’t do full justice to his ability. Prior to playing 88 games over seven seasons from 1974 to 1980, Mangels made history as the youngest player ever to sign with the Carlton Football Club when he was recruited at the tender age of 10 years and 314 days on June 9, 1967.

At that time, Mangels was in the midst of a close association with the Blues through his grandmother Margaret, who was the sister of Carlton’s legendary 1945 Premiership captain Bob Chitty. As well, Alan’s father; Alan senior, had represented the Blues at Under 19 level, and played in successive Premierships for the thirds in 1948 and 1949 – the latter as captain. Therefore, much of the Mangel’s family’s social life revolved around the club, and Alan was coached in the skills of the game by his father almost as soon as he could walk.

In 1967, Alan officially wore the colours of Carlton onto the field for the first time as captain of our inaugural Little League team. That same year, his family moved house from the northern suburb of Merlynston – in Carlton’s recruitment zone – to nearby Oak Park, in North Melbourne’s territory. So, to ensure that Alan played his future football at Carlton, the Blues took the extraordinary step of registering the promising youngster as an Under 19 player before he had even reached the age of eleven!

Mangels played his first game with the Under 19’s two years later, and soon dazzled some good judges with his ability. Thanks to his father’s diligence, Alan could drop-kick with accuracy and penetration off both feet, was strong in the air for his size, and had plenty of tenacity. The only drawback to his game was that he wasn’t naturally quick, but he read the game well and was a consistent ball-winner.

Ron Stone: 30th July

Career : 1965 – 1969
Debut : Round 11, 1965 vs St Kilda, aged 19 years, 338 days
Carlton Player No. 775
Games : 60
Goals : 13
Last Game : Round 20, 1969 vs Essendon, aged 24 years, 31 days
Guernsey No. 44
Height : 187 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 85 kg (13 stone, 5 lbs.)
DOB : July 30, 1945

As at 2011, only seven players have worn the number 44 guernsey in a senior match for the Blues. The first was Maurie Sankey in 1959, and the second was Ron Stone, a versatile all-rounder from Wangaratta who made his way up through the Under 19 and Reserves teams to make 60 appearances between 1965 and ’69.

Remembered for his awkward but effective kicking style, Stone played as a ruckman in Carlton’s Under 19 Premiership team in 1963, his first season at Princes Park after being recruited from Wangaratta Combined Churches. A year later he was impressing at Reserves level, and in round 11, 1965 he made his senior debut as 19th man for the Blues in a milestone match against St Kilda. That game was Carlton’s first foray to the Saints’ new home ground at Moorabbin, and it finished in melodramatic circumstances when an ex-Blue, Bruce McMaster-Smith, kicked the winning goal for the home side with only seconds left on the clock.

While Carlton headed toward a mid-table finish that year under the coaching of former Melbourne champion Ron Barassi, Stone was given opportunities in a variety of positions during the latter half of the season, including centre half-forward, ruck, and full-back. He proved capable in all of them, and his versatility was a real advantage to a team on the rise.

In round 11, 1966, Stone enjoyed one of the highlights of his career when he kicked the winning goal for Carlton against Collingwood at Victoria Park, and in 1967 the Baggers made the finals for the first time in five years. Stone was stationed in the back pocket to pick up the opposition’s resting ruckman in both of Carlton’s lacklustre efforts that September; a 40-point Semi Final loss to Richmond, and a 29-point defeat by Geelong in the Preliminary Final.

From then on however, Ron’s opportunities at senior level began to dry up. After 11 games during 1968, he was left out of the Blues squad when the finals rolled around again. Carlton was the outstanding team of the competition that year, and duly claimed the flag after a tight scrap with Essendon in a wind-effected Grand Final.

Stone added the last seven games of his career to his tally in 1969. Overlooked again for the finals, he was somewhat inevitably delisted at the end of the year after Carlton’s loss to Richmond in another torrid Grand Final. His last match in navy blue came in round 20, 1969 at Windy Hill, when Carlton staged a stirring comeback from 41 points down in the first quarter, to beat Essendon by 11. Alex Jesaulenko and Brent Crosswell led the revival by the Blues that afternoon, and kicked 11 goals between them.

Past Player Birthdays: 28th July

Greg Kennedy

Career : 1972 - 1975
Debut : Round 1, 1972 vs Fitzroy, aged 22 years, 247 days
Carlton Player No. 833
Games : 48
Goals : 143
Guernsey No. 16
Last Game : Semi Final, 1975 vs Richmond, aged 26 years, 46 days
Height : 187 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 76 kg (12 stone, 0 lbs.)
DOB : 28 July, 1949
Club Leading Goalkicker 1972

Greg Kennedy was a rangy, high-leaping full-forward from Eaglehawk (via Wycheproof), whose brilliant debut season showed why he was courted by Carlton for five years before he arrived. But like so many others, his career was blighted by injury, and his career at Princes Park was another example of unrealised potential.

Bendigo League powerhouse Eaglehawk has been fertile ground for Carlton over the years, with Ollie Grieve, Rod Ashman and Des English (as well as Kennedy) among the stars to have graduated from the Two Blues to the Navy Blues. In Kennedy’s case, he was first approached by Carlton in the late sixties, when the teenager’s regular bags of goals for Eaglehawk began making football headlines throughout the region.

A fast-leading, athletic forward with safe hands, he was equally adept at jumping over opponents for his marks, and his kicking for goal was often deadly. The Blues were determined to get him to Princes Park, and kept up the chase. Eventually, we got our man when Greg was added to a strong Carlton squad in 1972. Enjoying silver service ball delivery from the likes of Trevor Keogh, Barry Armstrong and Syd Jackson, he had a stellar year.

Andrew McKinnon

Career: 1989–1990
Debut: Round 1, 1989 vs Footscray
956th Carlton Player
Games: 15
Goals: 7
Last game: Round 22, 1990 vs Fitzroy
Guernsey No. 47 (No.60 in 1986)
Height: 175cm
Weight: 79kg
DOB: 28 July, 1968

Andy McKinnon came to Carlton from outer-eastern Olinda as a solidly built, promising rover-forward, and spent almost two seasons with the Blues’ Reserves team before gaining senior selection in 1989.

After showing promise in his first dozen games, he suffered a serious foot injury that prematurely ended his career in just his second year.

McKinnon was a Premiership Player at Reserves Level in 1990.

Greg Sharp

Playing Career: 1981 - 1983
Debut: Round 4, 1981 v Footscray
Carlton Player No. 892
Games: 11
Goals: 3
Last game: Round 11, 1983 v Essendon
Guernsey No. 29
Height: 192 cm
Weight: 88 kg
DOB: July 28, 1959

Greg Sharp was a solid, wingman and key defender in the early 1980's.

Sharp was recruited from NSW side Western Suburbs in 1978, after he had played in their 1977 premiership and was runner-up for NSW Rookie of the Year in 1977. He was recommended to the Blues by former Carlton U/19's and Reserves player Ian Harry who was Sharp's coach whilst playing for Western Suburbs, ironically, both players would wear the No.29 guernsey at Carlton.

Sharp debuted in 1981, playing 9 games in our Premiership Year, but only managed 2 thereafter for the Blues. He also played in the losing 1981 Escort Cup Grand Final against Essendon, where Tim Watson's leap over Doull is stuck in footy folklore.

Sharp was later transferred to St Kilda for the 1984 season where he played a further six games and kicked one goal. Sharp debuted in round 1 of the 1984 season at full-back for the Saints, later that season another debutant for the Saints who would take the full-back role for many years to come was a young Danny Frawley who would play 240 games for the Saints.

Past Player Birthdays: 26th July

Trevor Keogh

Career: 1970-1981
Debut: Round 4, 1970 vs North Melbourne
819th Carlton Player
Games: 208
Goals: 191
Last game: Round 15, 1981 v St Kilda
Guernsey No. 8
Height 175cm
Weight 71kg
DOB: 26/7/1949
Premiership Player: 1972, 1979
Best and Fairest: 1976, 1978
Victorian Representative: 1976, 1978
Team of the Century

Trevor John Michael Keogh was originally from the Mallee town of Wommerlang. Later the Keogh clan, including his five brothers, moved to Bendigo, it was from here that he was recruited by the Blues from Sandhurst in the strong Bendigo League, where he played 58 games and in 1968 won the club's best and fairest. Keogh's senior coach at Sandhurst was Nildo Munari, a cousin of Carlton rover Dennis Munari. The irony here, is that when Munari left the Blues to play in Tasmania, Keogh took over his number eight guernsey.

Keogh played his first senior game in 1970 wearing the guernsey number 45 and later cemented his position in the senior team in 1972 as a fast evasive onballer who was able to find space. A clever player, Keogh was not a penetrating kick, but rarely wasted a possession able to pin point players and put the the team to a better advantage with smart disposal.

Keogh was a fine big game player. He was instrumental in kick-starting the Blues in the 1972 Grand Final kicking the first goal and booting 3 on the day whilst providing drive out of the middle.

Generally a fair player, Keogh was only reported once in the 1979 Grand Final for hitting Russell Ohlsen. Many astute judges agree that this was the turning point in the game as the pies were 28 points up at the time and Ohlsen was BOG.

Keogh scored nearly a goal a game and was more than handy up forward. He is without doubt one of the most underated players to wear the navy blue. He played at a time of great success yet with all the stars at Princes Park still managed two best and fairests.

Jim Plunkett

Career: 2001-2003
Debut: Round 5, 2001 vs St Kilda
1044th Carlton Player
Games: 37 (Carlton)
Goals: 14
Last Game: Round 21, 2003 vs Hawthorn
Guernsey No. 40
Height: 179cm
Weight: 79kg
DOB: 26 July, 1978

Jimmy Plunkett was a small right-footed inside midfielder with the ability to find the ball. Wearing the #40, Plunkett would come to Carlton through the Rookie Draft, after being delisted by the Bulldogs after 10 games through 1999 and 2000.

Plunkett, a red-head, would play 15 games in 2001 including a magnificent 34 possession game against the Crows in the finals. With 22 kicks and 12 handballs, Plunkett - or simply "Jimmy" or "JP" as he was known, was dynamic as the Blues crunched the Crows with Whitnall and Lappin also starring. Although we lost to the Tigers in the following week, Plunkett's performance was eye-catching and we thought we had stolen a centreman through the Rookie List.

Plunkett played 18 games in 2002, with a number of high possession games (up to 24 on 3 occasions), although he had a few low ones also.

Plunkett did not have the size or pace of your standard AFL player, he earned the ball through burrowing in and out of packs. Good with his hands, Plunkett also had a limited kicking distance.

Thanks to the Blueseum for the player bios and pics.