North Melbourne will celebrate one of its greats on Sunday with Allen Aylett named the Round 8 ‘Homecoming Hero’ when it takes on Sydney.
Aylett has arguably had more impact on the club on and off the field than any other person. A champion player between 1952-1964 and inspirational club leader as North’s president from 1971-1977 and 2001-2005, Aylett has won many awards.
Aylett played 220 games and booted 311 goals over a distinguished career that also yielded three Syd Barker medals (1958, 1959, 1960), two All-Australian selections (1958, 1961), held the North captaincy from 1961-1964 and was selected in the club’s Team of the Century.
After his playing days, he became a powerful football administrator and as president of North for seven years from 1971, he was credited with transforming the club landscape by introducing sponsorships and corporate entertainment.
He was also an aggressive recruiter and chased star players during the controversial ‘ten year rule’ which enabled North to lure stars such as Doug Wade from Geelong, Barry Davis from Essendon and John Rantall from South Melbourne.
With its prized recruits, the Roos leaped from last place in 1972 to sixth position in 1973, missing out on the finals by just half a game. In 1974, the club finished second with 16 wins and six losses, before losing to Richmond in the Grand Final.
Wade became the first North player to top the VFL goalkicking table in that year. In 1975, North finished in third place with 14 wins and eight losses, culminating in its first premiership with Davis captaining the side. North won its second flag two years later.
Aylett also introduced the Mazda North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast, which has become an institution on the game’s greatest day of the year.
In 1977, he was elected president of the VFL and established the night series in 1977. He was the man behind the push for a national competition and began setting up plans to have a team in Sydney before South Melbourne elected to relocate there.
He was also a Director at the Swans, hence the reason North has chosen this game to celebrate his incredible contributions.
