Vale Angus McKernan
AFL NSW/ACT: 2017 XBlades AFL Sydney Premier Division Grand Final. Sydney University vs Pennant Hills Demons. September 16, 2017. Blacktown International Sportspark, Blacktown, NSW, Australia. Photo: Narelle Spangher, AFL NSW/ACT
AFL Sydney is saddened to learn of the passing of Pennant Hills club legend and popular AFL Sydney figure Angus ‘Gus’ McKernan. We would like to pass on our condolences to the McKernan family, the Pennant Hills Demons and the wider AFL Sydney community.
Gus grew up in Euroa, a small country town in North East Victoria, after World War II. There was no junior competition in the town until Gus was 13 so the opportunity for him to play was limited to the occasional match for the local primary school and inter-house games in high school.
Nevertheless he fell in love with Australian football, collecting cards, watching his heroes in the local team and devouring any history he could get his hands on. At school he spent any available time in kicking ‘end to end’ and on Tuesday and Thursday evenings he would often watch the men train and to have the occasional kick.
Following a brief senior career with Euroa, he found himself in Sydney where he played with the St George club before moving over to Pennant Hills in the twilight of his career as a 28 year old in 1973. His tenure with the Demons remained being a Club Patron for many years. All of his family have participated in some way over many years of involvement with the club with wife Shirley filling the Club Secretary role in 1980 – 1982.
Gus loved nothing more than attending Penno home games at Ern Holmes Oval before in recent years the move to Mike Kenny Oval and meeting up with the many friends from the opposition club along with the occasional wager on the game. Gus was a fountain of information on the history of Sydney football, he worked with the late Kevin Taylor in reporting on games and results in newspapers and on radio. Gus was a member of the NSW Australian Football History Society for many years and his collection of Footy Records with precise details of results, best players and goal kickers was maintained to season 2017.
Gus earned the respect of many players and officials from all clubs in the Sydney competition and would often be seen at games in deep conversation discussing and always embellishing the results of games for past years. Gus was a dedicated Collingwood supporter and with a group of colleagues attended the AFL Grand Final for many years.
Funeral details will be provided in the near future when finalised by the family.
Our thoughts are with Shirley, Glenn, Todd, Justine and grandchildren at this very sad time.
Relatives and friends of Gus are warmly invited to attend his Funeral Service to be held at Toongabbie Anglican Church, Corner of Binalong and Burrabogee Roads, Pendle Hill on Friday 2nd March, 2018 commencing at 11.00 am.
