Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Thursday 18 April 1940, page 20


SWAN'S MANY

COACHES.

ÇylX years of league football has seen

Swan Districts with five different coaches. The early coaches, all with firmly established reputations, did not meet with great success. But in those days the team was only just being moulded. These early coaches made it into a team, and introduced a style of play which has helped

the team forward. After several quick ? changes. Jim Ditchburn came along to take the club from its position near the - bottom of the list, and bring it into third

position for two successive years.

When the team was first formed, the coach was "Judder" Bee. Bee had played in the Swan Districts as a junior, had won much fame in league football firstly with West Perth, then with East Fremantle. Es was many years with the latter team and was well versed in the "do's" and "dont's" of football when he came to give Swans a shove on the way towards league premier-ship. It was Bee who first introduced the team to the value of rugged play. Bee continued to coach the side at the begin-ning of 1935. He was followed in that year by Russell Grive. East Perth had been tne proving ground for this skilful player and he was vice-captain of Swans when he took over from Bee. Followed then George Margitich. Things looked promising when Margitich arrived on the scene. Famous player in South Australian college and league football, brilliant goalgetter for Melbourne league team, Mar-gitich seemed the ideal man for a side such as Swans. But business reasons caused Margitich to leave and his place was taken by Bert Chandler.

Chandler, cool tactician and brainy player, brought Swans to a higher pitch of efficiency and the team played many fine games while he was in command. Then came Ditchburn and third place on the premiership list.

His own outstanding play inspired Swans to perform marvellous feats of foot-ball skill and there is no one who could have led the team more ably. Ditchburn's play was an inspiration to his team, and his knowledge of coaching made him in-valuable. He was also associated with both

I Subiaco and South Fremantle, and played

grandly in State teams.