Norman Conquest was born in Kearsley in 1916, and, apart from a period as a small boy when his family moved to Sydney for work purposes, spent most of his childhood and adolescence there.
Norm began playing football as goalkeeper with Kearsley Juniors, and by the age of 14 was playing in the NSW Schoolboys team. Two years later he made his first grade debut with Aberdare. He also played for Grace Bros and then North Shore (NSW Division 1).
As an adult, he moved to Wollongong, and subsequently played for Goodyear and Leichhardt Annandale, where he made a total of 319 appearances.
His soccer career saw Norm become a goalkeeper of note. His citation in the Football Federation Australia Hall of Fame, into which he was inducted posthumously in 2002, states that he played 15 times for NSW and represented Australia nine times in A class internationals. With this induction, Norm was awarded the Medal of Excellence.
He first played for Australia against South Africa in the 1947 series, and toured South Africa and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) with the Australian team in 1950. He also played twice against England in 1951.
During his playing career, Norm sustained a number of significant injuries, but he was able to overcome these setbacks and represent his Australia in the sport that he loved.
Norman died in 1968.
Jack Gilmore was born in Alnwick in Northumberland, England, in 1894.
He migrated to Australia in 1913, when he was 18 years old, and settled in Kurri Kurri. His early life followed a path that was familiar to many young men at that time: working in the mines, playing local soccer and joining the Australian Imperial Force (the AIF) to serve in the Middle East and Flanders during the First World War.
Jack spent his family life in Abermain, and enjoyed playing soccer at the local level for Weston Workers Bears, and then at state and national levels. In its early years, the Weston Bears club was heavily influenced by its Geordie players, and Jack earned the nickname “Terror of the Geordies” for his attacking prowess.
As an outside or inside left with impressive ball handling skills, Jack represented North NSW on a number of occasions before his war service. Following the war, in the 1923 test series against New Zealand, he became the first Weston player to be selected to represent Australia. He was also one of the scorers in that game.
In total, Jack played four internationals for Australia during 1923/1924, and in two of the games, against China and Canada, he scored two goals.
In the same period, he also played for NSW, and for the South Maitland association when it played matches against state and visiting international teams.
In 2007 Jack was posthumously inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame, and was also recognised by the Weston Bears in the same year, its centenary, as one of the “Bears of the Century”.
Dayle Linnertson was born in Cessnock in 1971, and attended Cessnock West Public School, Cessnock High School and the University of Newcastle where she gained her degree.
Dayle showed early promise in golf, winning a NSW Combined High Schools title and also a Blue for Sport in 1988. She was also a member of the Australian Combined High Schools team from 1986 – 1989, and won the Australian Championships in 1987 and 1988.
Her expertise was further demonstrated in 1988 and 1989 when Dayle won the Jack Newton International Junior Classic Championship.
Her achievements were applauded when Dayle was awarded the Greater Cessnock Sports Person of the Year on 1987 and 1988, and in that year she was also awarded the Australia Day Medal for Sporting Achievement.
Dayle’s success in golf continued to flourish beyond high school. In 1990 she won the New Zealand Junior Championship, and the following year she was a member of the Australian Junior Team that won the Junior Tasman Cup in New Zealand. She contested the Australian Open Ladies Championship eight times in the 1990s, and in 1994 set a course record at the Royal Melbourne course. In 1996 she won the Rose Bay Cup at the Royal Sydney Golf Course, again, with a course record.
1996 was further enhanced for Dayle when she won the Australian Amateur Ladies Championship at Kingston Heath, Victoria.
In 2000 and 2001, Dayle was captain/manager of the Australian Amateur Ladies Team, and in both years the team won the Queen Sirikit Cup in Taiwan and then Hong Kong.
Dayle’s enduring commitment to golf has seen her working in a number of roles associated with golf, in particular supporting golf for women and juniors in Victoria, where her professional and family life is now based. She is currently in a communications role with Stuart Appleby Junior Golf.
Her accolades and achievements are many: locally at the Cessnock Golf and Country Club, The Oaks (where she is an honorary life member), at many major golf courses, in several states, nationally and internationally.
This citation was read on the occasion of Jack Lennard's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 30 November 2010.
Jack Warner Lennard was born in 1930 in Warners Bay, during the Hunter Valley miners’ lockout. He soon moved to Cessnock, however, and was a resident of the area for the rest of his life.
Playing soccer was Jack’s passion. At the young age of 17, in 1947 he joined the Cessnock City Hornets soccer team for a season, before joining Lysaghts Orb (Mayfield United). He later returned to the Hornets, with whom he played again from 1956-1964.
During his playing career with these local teams, as inside forward, he was also selected to play at the international level. He represented Australia a total of 16 times, including at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games (where he was one of two Cessnock players in the team).
His Australian debut game was in 1953 against China, and during the 1950s he played against New Zealand, South Africa, India, Japan and Austria. Jack, and his father, Perce Lennard, became the first NSW father and son to play for Australia.
He also represented NSW at district and state levels, and also played in a number of matches for NSW and Australia against major league teams from Europe and the United Kingdom.
His career in soccer saw Jack play 410 senior games, the majority of them with the Cessnock Hornets.
Following his retirement in 1964, Jack coached junior and senior teams for many years, including an Under 17s Police Boys side that reached the Grand Final, a Hunter Valley representative team and Cessnock City from 1969 to 1981, with the first grade team reaching the Grand Final, Reserve Grade Minor and Major Premiers.
Jack was made a Life Member of the Cessnock City Hornets Football Club, and in 2001 was inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame.
Jack passed away in 2003.
This citation was read on the occasion of Don Schofield's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 30 November 2010.
Donald Frederick Schofield was born in Cessnock in 1930. His life-long involvement with rubgy league began early, playing for St Joseph’s primary school, before graduating to play junior league for the West End Slashers, Cessnock Baths and South Cessnock.
Known affectionately as “Schoey”, Don quickly made his mark in grade football as a second row forward, and in a career spanning 18 years from 1949 to 1967 he played 265 games, most of them for Cessnock. He was a member of Cessnock’s winning premiership teams in 1950, 1954, 1955 and 1960 (in which year he was captain). The team was also grand finalist in a further five grand finals.
In 1952, a season when he spent a year playing with Sydney’s Western Suburbs team, he helped the team win the premiership by scoring two tries in the grand final. He also had a year away from the Cessnock Club when he coached Muswellbrook in 1957.
Don also played in many representative teams beyond Cessnock. He played in Newcastle representative sides in 34 games (four as captain), including several matches against Great Britain, France and New Zealand. He played for Combined Country on numerous occasions and for NSW five times. In 1957 he played for Australia in the World Cup against Great Britain and France.
Don was awarded the trophy for Newcastle’s Best and Fairest player three times.
His involvement in the game continued after his retirement supporting young players and raising funds for the Cessnock club. He was regularly the recipient of the Cessnock Best Clubman award, and was a Life Member of Cessnock Junior League, Maitland Junior League and Cessnock Senior League.
For his commitment to the sport and the wider Cessnock community, with his philosophy of playing for himself, his team and his town, Don Schofield is held in the highest regard.
Don passed away at Cessnock Sports Ground in 1999 whilst attending a football game, and his funeral, attended by 1,200 people, testified to his standing in Cessnock.
This citation was read on the occasion of Debra Beckett's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 25 November 2009.
Debra Beckett was born in Cessnock in 1954 and attended Cessnock High School.
Debra started playing hockey at the age of 11, and whilst at high school played in the high school’s B Grade and A Grade teams with two years as captain of the latter. She also played in the Cessnock-Kurri-Maitland weekend competition and for two years was selected for the NSW under 18 team.
In 1970, whilst still in Year 10, Debra was named in the Australian Junior Honour squad, and was also recognised as Cessnock City Council’s Sportswoman of the Year.
In 1972 Debra captained the NSW Combined High Schools team, vice-captained the NSW under 21 team and was selected for the NSW senior squad, where she was to remain for 12 years, playing in national championships in every state capital and Canberra. Debra also played for the Oxfords and Regals teams in Newcastle.
In 1979, as NSW vice-captain, Debra represented Australia in three internationals on a tour of Canada and the USA and was in the Australian team playing in the World Cup of that year which resulted in Australia qualifying for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Debra was selected in the Olympic squad, but as the team was withdrawn as part of the boycott of those Games she did not actually attend.
Debra was in the Australian squad from 1978 until 1981, retiring from representative play in 1983.
Subsequently, Debra has continued her commitment to hockey as a State selector, and with ongoing active involvement in club play, coaching and participation in Newcastle over-35 and veterans teams.
Debra was inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame in 2004.
This citation was read on the occasion of Clare McCarty's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 25 November 2009.
Clare McCarty was born in Cessnock in 1941. Clare attended West Cessnock Primary School followed by Cessnock High School, before she started working in Newcastle where she subsequently made her home with her young family.
From an early age Clare showed a great interest in athletics. She was a member of Little Athletics, and progressed through the ranks, first in running and then excelling in walking. She won several Newcastle and Hunter titles in walking and running, before winning numerous events at the State level.
Her athletics career reached its peak in the mid 1960s. In 1963 and 1964 she won the Australian Women 880 yards walking championship, and in 1965 became the Australian Women one mile track champion in a time of 7 minutes 53.3 seconds. At that time, walking was not an Olympic event, but had it been, it is quite possible Clare would have been a medal contender, given that her times were then amongst the world’s fastest.
In recognition of her achievements, Clare was awarded the key to the city by the then Council.
Clare continued her interest in athletics during her adult life, coaching athletes in walking and participating regularly in fun runs and the Sydney City to Surf. She also won many tennis tournaments in Newcastle competition tennis.
Clare died in 2006.
This citation was read on the occasion of Cliff Almond's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 26 November 2008.
Cliff Almond was born in Cessnock in 1930. He grew up to be employed locally as a colliery clerk, but it is for his prowess on the soccer field that he established is name and profile in the Cessnock community and across Australia.
Cliff played 464 games at the senior level, and more than 400 of those were for Cessnock area teams, predominantly the Cessnock City Hornets. Overseas, he played in the Scottish League’s First Division Championship for a year with Stirling Albion.
Cliff also represented Northern NSW, NSW and Australia during his career, and during the 1950s played in 21 matches in the Australian side against teams including China and South Africa.
His playing career spanned 23 years from 1946 to 1969, and he displayed great versatility by playing as both a winger and a defender at different times.
In recognition of his abilities and record, Cliff has received many accolades over the years. These include winning the Sydney Morning Herald’s Best and Fairest Award in 1952, his induction into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame in 2002 and his induction into the Football Federation Australia Hall of Fame in 2008.
This citation was read on the occasion of Bill Rorke's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 26 November 2008.
Bill Rorke was born in Cessnock in 1945, and grew up in Kearsley.
Bill played soccer from a young age, playing for the juniors at Aberdare and Kearsley.
In 1963, he moved to Sydney where he played first grade soccer for Bankstown.
In 1964, Bill first represented NSW, and at the age of 20 he made his debut for Australia as goalkeeper, when the team was attempting to qualify for its first soccer World Cup (the tournament held in 1966). Although Australia did not reach those finals it was victorious in the south-east Asian tour held later in 1965, with Rorke recognised as Australia’s number one goalkeeper.
Bill then signed with Leichhardt where he played in the Sydney first division. In 1966, Bill was a member of the teams that won the Premiership, the Ampol Cup, the Sydney Federation Cup and the Grand Final.
Throughout his career, Bill represented Australia in a total of nine internationals against teams such as Roma and Scotland before he retired in 1973.
In more recent times, Bill made is mark in business, when, in 2003, he established Pro-tech Corp a national company which supplies and installs synthetic golf putting greens, lawns and a variety of other sport surfaces for a range of residential, commercial and government purposes.
This citation was read on the occasion of Jim Wilkinson's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 26 November 2008.
James “Skeeta” Wilkinson was born in Weston in 1913, and lived in the town his entire life. His slight frame earned him the nickname “Skeeta”, and he grew up to work in the local coal mines.
Jim’s life as a soccer player began with the team Weston Bears, for whom he played 461 games. He later played for Kurri Kurri and Mayfield, reaching a total of 552 senior games (although his family records record 574 games). This is believed to be an Australian record.
His soccer career spanned 24 seasons from 1931 to 1955, during which he scored 167 goals as a right winger.
Jim’s representative roles extended to more than 20 appearances for the North, 14 occasions for NSW and 16 internationals (eight of which had full status) against New Zealand, England, Palestine and China.
Jim turned down many offers to play as a professional in England, maintaining his home in Weston. There are many testimonies recorded which indicate that he was held in high esteem, regarded as one of the finest soccer players Australia has produced.
Jim was inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame in 1995, and into the Australian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002. His accomplishments are also recognised in several locations in the Weston and Kurri Kurri area.
Skeeta died in 1984.
This citation was read on the occasion of Kevin O'Neill's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 28 November 2007.
Kevin O'Neill was born in Cessnock and attended Cessnock Primary School.
He played soccer for Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, West Wallsend, Lake Macquarie, Awaba and Weston in the Northern NSW competition.
He played a total of 512 first grade appearances, of which 410 were for Cessnock, in a playing career spanning almost 20 years from the 1940s to the 1960s.
Kevin was the first Northern NSW player to try his luck in Sydney when the Federation assumed control of the game, and played for two seasons with the Sydney club Prague.
He made his NSW debut in 1946, and played in a record 20 North vs South matches up until 1962.
Kevin also made his mark internationally, playing for Australia in 26 full Internationals and 10 Tests, including tours of South Africa in 1950 and New Zealand in 1958.
In several of these games, Kevin served as Captain and Vice-Captain.
Kevin was inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame in 1996.
This citation was read on the occasion of Robert Thompson's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 28 November 2007.
Robert Norman Thompson was born in Cessnock.
He commenced his horse riding career in 1973 at the age of 14 years 10 months.
Robert was apprenticed to his grandfather, Norm Collins, a local horse trainer, and rode his first winner (It's regal) one month later at Wyong. He rode 499 winners as an apprentice.
Since then, Robert has gone on to become one of Australia's most successful jockeys.
In 1987, he was invited to represent Australia in Singapore and Malaysia, at that time the only country jockey to achieve this honour.
In 1990, he rode six winners from six races at Newcastle.
In the 1990s he spent two years racing in Hong Kong for the Neville Begg stable, but apart from that period, Robert has always used Cessnock as his home base.
He rode his 3,000th winner on 12 July 2004, one of only a handful of jockeys to reach this milestone. At present, Robert is approximately only 70 wins short of the Australian record for the highest number of horseracing wins ever.
Robert has been previously honoured by Cessnock City Council as Sportsman of the Year, and the grandstand at Cessnock racecourse is named in his honour.
This citation was read on the occasion of Percy Lennard's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 6th December 2006.
Percy Lennard was born in Inverell in 1900. As a young child, he moved to Kurri Kurri where he attended Kurri Kurri public school.
Percy spent most of his career playing for Cessnock. He helped the club to honours that included the Stevenson, Kerr and Ellis Cups, and in 1928 and 1929 the State League Premiership Cup.
Percy represented NSW interstate and internationally, and in 1923, was selected to play for Australia in three tests against New Zealand, and scored two goals.
These tests were the first tour of Australia by an international football team, and the first full A Grade international football matches played in Australia. Given that he scored the first goal in the first match of this series, Percy Lennard scored the first ever Australian international football goal on home soil.
He played for Australia in nine further internationals.
Percy was the highest goal scorer for his team seven times between 1919 and 1931.
In his career, he played 492 senior games and scored 210 goals for Cessnock.
Percy has also been inducted into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame.
This citation was read on the occasion of Stewart Pike's induction into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame on 6th December 2006.
Stewart Pike was born in 1981, and attended Weston Primary School and Kurri Kurri High School. He began his swimming career in earnest when he was 16, and three years later was selected to represent Australia in swimming at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.
At those Games, Stewart was a finalist in a number of events:
He subsequently won the Gold Medal in the S12 4x100m Freestyle Relay in World Record time, and won the Silver Medal in the S14 200m Individual Medley.
Whilst at the Games in Sydney, Stewart achieved Personal Bests in six events, broke five Australian Records and one Paralympic Record.
He was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and the Cessnock City Council Australia Day Sports Award in 2001.
