Former Collingwood captain dies

Former Collingwood captain and coach Neil Mann has passed away. Source: HWT Image Library

COLLINGWOOD has lost one of its favourite sons - champion big man Neil Mann.

The player and one-time coach of the Magpies died early today, aged 88, after battling ill health in recent years.

Few men have given as much as Mann gave to Collingwood over many decades.

Universally liked and loved by Magpies fans and respected by opposition players and supporters, Mann was a man with big hands and a big heart.

In one famous photograph taken for the Herald, Mann held 24 eggs in one hand.

Former Collingwood captain and coach Neil Mann in 2002 with a photo of an article featuring him that featured in the Herald. Picture: Peter Ward Source: Herald Sun

His 12 seasons with Collingwood as a player yielded 179 games from 1945-1956, and he was the ruckman in the 1953 Magpies premiership side.

He won the Copeland Trophy in 1954, took over as captain after Lou Richards' retirement and finished second (1954) and third (1953) in the Brownlow Medal.

Mann was also coach of the club from 1972 to 1974 after serving as reserves coach for 14 years.

You're reading an article about
Former Collingwood captain dies
This article
Former Collingwood captain dies
can be opened in url
http://aflnewstop.blogspot.com/2013/02/former-collingwood-captain-dies.html
Former Collingwood captain dies