Most of us had our childhood heroes. Mine were mainly sporting stars. People who had me transfixed to the television representing Australia at soccer, cricket, league or tennis. Or others who I was lucky enough to cheer on at our local sporting fields and stadiums. Adrian ‘Noddy’ Alston fell into that category.
I first saw Noddy in action soon after he came to Australia from England as a young soccer player in the late 1960s. He was recruited to play semi-professionally with South Coast United and my parents (who also brought us to Wollongong from England in the late 60s) wouldn’t let us miss a game at the old Balls Paddock in Woonona.
The entertainer
As a player, Noddy was exciting. With the ball at his feet, you always expected something special to happen. He was an entertainer both on and off the field (he had that classic English gift of the gab) and he went on to represent the Socceroos in what was a golden era for Australian soccer.
That stellar period, and much more, has been captured brilliantly in the new book Noddy: The Untold Story of Adrian Alston. On February 6, I joined nearly 100 other Noddy fans to celebrate the book – and his 76th birthday – at the historic Jamberoo Pub. The pub itself is a shrine to those ground-breaking Socceroos of the 1970s when Noddy played alongside legendary Australian captain Johnny Warren. Warren’s family continues to operate the popular hotel and they made the launch night super special.
A sporting fairytale
At the heart of Noddy’s story is the fairytale sporting success story of when our semi-professional national team defied all the odds to become the first Australian team to reach the 1974 World Cup. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that amazing feat.
The book is a tell-all account by journalist Philip Micallef of the flamboyant striker who lit up the local soccer scene and of a career that took him from the tiny ground at Woonona to the imperial Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
That section of the book brought so many memories flooding back as the Socceroos did battle against some of the best teams in the world, including the ultimate World Cup winner, the host nation West Germany, captained by another legend of the sport, Franz Beckenbauer. Sadly, Beckenbauer passed away earlier this year but as Noddy explained in his book, he has a treasured souvenir from the man they called ‘The Kaiser’, having swapped shirts with him after Australia was beaten 3-0 by the star-studded Germans.
“Beckenbauer said after the game that the team was surprised with our determination,” Noddy said. “I would like to think that our overall performance had changed a few people’s minds about our football, especially those who questioned our right to be in the competition in the first place.”
A memorable career
Noddy, who received his nickname for his uncanny ability to score goals with his well-targeted headers, played 43 matches for Australia before a serious injury ended his playing career early.
Before his retirement, Noddy had stints playing professionally in England (Luton Town) and in the United States (Tampa Bay Rowdies), where he played against two of the greats, Pele and George Best.
Once his playing days were over, Noddy returned to the place he loved, Wollongong, and over the next nearly 25 years he took on a coaching role with Wollongong City (1983), Corrimal Rangers (1984-1989), Port Kembla (1991-2004 when the club won 26 trophies), Wollongong Wolves (2004-2005) and Bulli (2006-2007).
Supporting those in need
Noddy found another passion in his post-football career, working with people with intellectual disabilities at the Disability Trust. At age 76, he’s still there and is now their longest-serving employee.
“I just love my job which allows me to get close to these people and through trust and understanding teach them to be independent with support, without which they would struggle,” Noddy said.
“I would like to think that I have made life much easier for many people, but I tell you working with them has made me a better person too.”
Noddy: The Untold Story of Adrian Alston by Philip Micallef is published by Fair Play Publishing (2023) and available at all good bookstores.
