SA Footy

Ok, now it's been made official (on http://www.nafc.com.au Barrie's Corner), it's with a great sense of sadness that the NAFC announces that Premiership player & Jack Oatey Medallist, Mike Parsons, is gravely ill with a Brain Tumour.
This is as much as I can divulge, as that is the official club release.

I was fortunate enough to have a photo taken with Mike at the 1987 Premiership Reunion- something I will now treasure.
People may also remember the fact that Mike played Basketball for the Adelaide '36ers, & played in the VFL, for the Sydney Swans.

Deepest sympathies are extended to Mike & all his family, friends & North team-mates.

Very sad news punky...

I heard this mentioned on KG & Cornsey tonight and was very shocked to hear the terrible news...

I really enjoyed when Michael did the boundary rider job for the ABC covergae of televised games and of course I'm a fan of his basketball ability.

Very sad, all the best to Michael and his family in this terrible time...

Great bloke Bristles, hell of a lot of fond memories of a great guy, never forget him hanging out the passengers window of my car after a G/F victory as we left the club and headed into the town along Main North Road. Keep fighting big fella, we are all thinking of you

He was my teacher in year 10 - very bad news that. Hope he finds peace.

Punk Rooster wrote:People may also remember the fact that Mike played Basketball for the Adelaide '36ers, & played in the VFL, for the Sydney Swans.

He actually played in the NBL for Launceston, then the West Adelaide Bearcats.

A very good basketballer and footballer, and a top bloke to go with it, a very sad time for sports fans in general, "Bristles" will be sadly missed by many. Best wishes to his family, watching a loved one suffer from a brain tumour is one of the worst things possibly imaginable.

Anyone got any idea as to what he has been doing in Sydney, as per Barrie's report? ie - living and working there or was he forced to go there for some special treatment?

Squawk wrote:Anyone got any idea as to what he has been doing in Sydney, as per Barrie's report? ie - living and working there or was he forced to go there for some special treatment?

Living/working

Parsons VFL & NBL records

sad just very sad & i can i say that despite all the stirring up we all give each other i know that the whole football community would be hoping & praying for a miracle in any case like this

on a more pleasant note i think that mike parsons was the player that broke the boundaries being in the forefront of clubs getting players from 'outside the square' meaning basketballers & athletes playing the game & not just the kids coming through the ranks as was the norm

Yes very sad.

Does anyone know how early the tumour was picked up?

GWW wrote:Yes very sad.

Does anyone know how early the tumour was picked up?

You'd think it was too late by the time it was discovered if he is gravely ill and an announcement has only just been made - Punky may know more given he said that it had now become public knowledge (suggesting inner circles have known for a little while at least).

Punky?

Taught me at school also and after a rocky start after I accidentally sconed him with a soft-cross ball, we got along really well as Im sure most people would have with him ... Good bloke and seemed pretty down to earth to me, so am sad to hear of this news.

Thoughts are with him and his family, friends and Rooster brethren.

Squawk wrote:

GWW wrote:Yes very sad.

Does anyone know how early the tumour was picked up?

You'd think it was too late by the time it was discovered if he is gravely ill and an announcement has only just been made - Punky may know more given he said that it had now become public knowledge (suggesting inner circles have known for a little while at least).

Punky?

I believe the news reached Prospect Tuesday morning (at earliest), & became public knowledge vai Barries Corner on Wednesday.

In short, no I don't know anymore than that- this isn't info i've been sitting on or anything, I daresay only those in his inner sanctum would be more knowledgable.

Parsons loomed large throughout the 80's for North...

I hope he continues to fight for as long as he can...this is very sad news for someone so young...

He'll live on as a key member of that 87 Premiership side, particularly after the disappointments of the previous few years before this breakthrough flag.

Did Mike do some time with the ABC on the SANFL coverage, seem to remember him on the 2002 GF.

CUTTERMAN wrote:Did Mike do some time with the ABC on the SANFL coverage, seem to remember him on the 2002 GF.

He did heaps of work as boundary rider for the ABC before Soders IIRC.
Mike was fit and well and in great spirits last year, such a shame for a larger than life personality at such a young age.

CUTTERMAN wrote:Did Mike do some time with the ABC on the SANFL coverage, seem to remember him on the 2002 GF.

Big Phil wrote:Very sad news punky...

I heard this mentioned on KG & Cornsey tonight and was very shocked to hear the terrible news...

I really enjoyed when Michael did the boundary rider job for the ABC covergae of televised games and of course I'm a fan of his basketball ability.

Very sad, all the best to Michael and his family in this terrible time...

He sure did Cutterman, I mentioned that in the my post after Punky started up the topic...

Really enjoyed his boundary riding, was only watching a few old VHS tapes of Centrals games in years gone by with "Bristles" on the job, was thinking I wonder what he is doing now ??? Such a sad time for him and his family. Terrible thing to happen to anyone, let alone a nice guy of footy.

Big Phil wrote: Terrible thing to happen to anyone, let alone a nice guy of footy.

Thats a pretty good summation Big Phil...

I was lucky enough to sit next to Mike at a Magarey night many years ago, and he was certainly one of the nice guys.

Sad news.

terrible news.

I remember him on the ABC.

I trust he gets better, soon.

Sad news

my thoughts got to him and his family