He joined the Melbourne Football Club in 1894, but due to injury and medical studies, could not hold a place in the lineup until 1898, and became known as an often brilliant centre half-back. He played in the club's surprise 1900 premiership triumph and was elected as captain the following year, a position he filled for four seasons. Retiring at the end of the 1904 season with a total of 91 games to his credit, McClelland focused his energies on his medical career and he was medical officer to the Brighton City Council for more than four decades.
Administrator
Following his retirement as a player, McClelland served as the delegate for the Melbourne Football Club on the Victorian Football League (VFL) Board of Directors, and became president of the club in 1912, serving in that role until he resigned after being elected as VFL president in 1926, succeeding Baldwin Spencer.
In 1956, at the age of 81, he handed over the leadership of the VFL to Carlton President Kenneth Luke, who was a more vocal opponent of the hold exerted by cricket clubs over the finances of VFL clubs. McClelland continued as president of the MCC until he died in 1957.
Cool level-headed defender for Melbourne who was club president for 14 years before becoming VFL president from 1926 to 1955.
Trophy
In 1951, the VFL instituted the McClelland Trophy, which was awarded to the club with the most points across the three VFL grades - seniors, Reserves and Under-19s - at the end of the home-and-away season. With the transition to a national competition, the league was renamed the Australian Football League in 1990.
After the AFL announced the Under-19s competition would be shut down at the end of the 1991 season, to be replaced with a new Under-18s competition (the TAC Cup) featuring teams that were unaffiliated with the AFL clubs, the criteria for the McClelland Trophy was changed: since 1991, it has been awarded to the team finishing on top of the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season, thus merging the Trophy with the minor premiership.
At the end of 1999, the Reserves competition was shut down in favour of alignments with, or stand-alone teams in, the Victorian Football League and other state leagues.
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William C. McClelland.
^"Death of Dr W. C. McClelland". The Age. No. 31, 848. Melbourne, Victoria. 31 May 1957. p. 1.
^"No. 40498". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1955. p. 3298.
Ross, John (1999). The Australian Football Hall of Fame. Australia: HarperCollinsPublishers. p. 141. ISBN0-7322-6426-X.
Melbourne FC Honour Roll
William C. McClelland's playing statistics from AFL Tables
January 14, 2023
william, mcclelland, william, caldwell, mcclelland, february, 1875, 1957, medical, doctor, australian, rules, football, player, administrator, born, buninyong, victoria, goldfields, irish, born, father, david, victorian, born, wife, mary, mcclelland, went, bri. William Caldwell McClelland CBE 9 February 1875 30 May 1957 was a medical doctor and an Australian rules football player and administrator Born at Buninyong on Victoria s goldfields to an Irish born father David and his Victorian born wife Mary McClelland went to Brighton Grammar School and then to the University of Melbourne where he was awarded a BA in 1899 MA in 1901 and MB BS in 1905 William C McClellandCBEMcClelland in 1903Personal informationFull nameWilliam Caldwell McClellandDate of birth9 February 1875Place of birthBuninyong VictoriaDate of death30 May 1957 1957 05 30 aged 82 Place of deathBrighton Victoria 1 Original team s Brighton GrammarPosition s DefenderPlaying career1YearsClubGames Goals 1894Melbourne VFA 16 8 1898 1904Melbourne75 3 Total91 11 Representative team honoursYearsTeamGames Goals 1901Victoria 1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1904 2 State and international statistics correct as of 1901 Career highlightsVFL premiership player 1900 Melbourne captain 1901 1904 Australian Football Hall of Fame Melbourne Hall of FameSources AFL Tables AustralianFootball com Contents 1 Playing career 2 Administrator 3 Trophy 4 ReferencesPlaying career EditHe joined the Melbourne Football Club in 1894 but due to injury and medical studies could not hold a place in the lineup until 1898 and became known as an often brilliant centre half back He played in the club s surprise 1900 premiership triumph and was elected as captain the following year a position he filled for four seasons Retiring at the end of the 1904 season with a total of 91 games to his credit McClelland focused his energies on his medical career and he was medical officer to the Brighton City Council for more than four decades Administrator EditFollowing his retirement as a player McClelland served as the delegate for the Melbourne Football Club on the Victorian Football League VFL Board of Directors and became president of the club in 1912 serving in that role until he resigned after being elected as VFL president in 1926 succeeding Baldwin Spencer He served in this capacity for 30 years and from 1944 was also the president of the Melbourne Cricket Club thus simultaneously holding the two highest profile sporting positions in Victoria for 12 years He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire CBE for services to sport in Australia in the 1955 Birthday Honours 2 In 1956 at the age of 81 he handed over the leadership of the VFL to Carlton President Kenneth Luke who was a more vocal opponent of the hold exerted by cricket clubs over the finances of VFL clubs McClelland continued as president of the MCC until he died in 1957 McClelland was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame as an administrator in 1996 His citation read Cool level headed defender for Melbourne who was club president for 14 years before becoming VFL president from 1926 to 1955 Trophy EditIn 1951 the VFL instituted the McClelland Trophy which was awarded to the club with the most points across the three VFL grades seniors Reserves and Under 19s at the end of the home and away season With the transition to a national competition the league was renamed the Australian Football League in 1990 After the AFL announced the Under 19s competition would be shut down at the end of the 1991 season to be replaced with a new Under 18s competition the TAC Cup featuring teams that were unaffiliated with the AFL clubs the criteria for the McClelland Trophy was changed since 1991 it has been awarded to the team finishing on top of the ladder at the end of the home and away season thus merging the Trophy with the minor premiership At the end of 1999 the Reserves competition was shut down in favour of alignments with or stand alone teams in the Victorian Football League and other state leagues References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to William C McClelland Death of Dr W C McClelland The Age No 31 848 Melbourne Victoria 31 May 1957 p 1 No 40498 The London Gazette Supplement 3 June 1955 p 3298 Ross John 1999 The Australian Football Hall of Fame Australia HarperCollinsPublishers p 141 ISBN 0 7322 6426 X Australian Football Hall of Fame Melbourne FC Honour Roll William C McClelland s playing statistics from AFL Tables Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William C McClelland amp oldid 1133499520, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
