Sir Arthur George AO

Sir Arthur George, knighted in 1972 for his services to the Greek Australian community, was born in Sydney as Athanasios Theodore Tzortzatos, but as was common in the era Anglicised his name as he forged a career as a solicitor and later a property developer.

While renowned for his generosity towards a number of charitable causes, it was his stewardship of football at a time when it was transitioning towards becoming a mainstream sport which was arguably his best known legacy.

Sir Arthur George was president of the ASF between 1969 and 1988, a period highlighted by Australia's first ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup finals (1974), and the subsequent formation of the National Soccer League (1977).

The NSL became the first national sporting competition in the country.

A strong, driven, personality, Sir Arthur George had many confrontations with officials, coaches and the media during his tenure, but can be credited with a number of far-reaching reforms.

Aside from the establishment of the NSL, Australia fielded its first national youth teams (1979), hosted its first FIFA competition (the 1981 World Youth Championships), and staged a hugely-successful Gold Cup tournament including then world champions Argentina and powerhouse Brazil to mark the nation's Bicentenary (1988).

Under Sir Arthur, the ASF established the first coaching education scheme in Australian sport, a visionary step in 1975.

During much of his tenure at the ASF, Sir Arthur George also served on the FIFA executive, the first Australian to do so. FIFA later awarded him the Gold Order of Merit, the world body's highest honour.

Sir Arthur George was also a long-serving member of the Oceania Football Confederation, and despite making three failed attempts to change Australia's membership from the OFC to the Asian Football Confederation, he ultimately became a life president of Oceania.

Sir Arthur passed away in 2013. 

Hall of Fame 1999 Inductees

Johnny Warren, MBE, OAM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Julie Dolan AM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Rale Rasic OAM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Frank Arok

Added: 1999
Find out more

Joe Marston, MBE

Added: 1999
Find out more

Charlie Yankos

Added: 1999
Find out More

Harry Williams

Added: 1999
Find out more

Connie Selby

Added: 1999
Find out more

Cliff Sander

Added: 1999
Find out more

Ray Baartz

Added: 1999
Find out more

John Perin

Added: 1999
Find out more

Harry Dockerty

Added: 1999
Find out more

Frank Parsons

Added: 1999
Find out more

Jeff Olver

Added: 1999
Find out more

Les Scheinflug AM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Sjel "Mike" De Bruyckere

Added: 1999
Find out more

Gordon "Bunny" Nunn

Added: 1999
Find out more

Attila Abonyi

Added: 1999
Find out more

Sergio Melta

Added: 1999
Find out more

Gary Marocchi

Added: 1999
Find out more

Tom Jack

Added: 1999
Find out more

Allan Johns

Added: 1999
Find out more

Jimmy Mackay

Added: 1999
Find out more

Manfred Schaefer

Added: 1999
Find out more

William "Bill" Henderson

Added: 2003
Find out more

John Kosmina

Added: 1999
Find out more

Jack 'Digger' Evans

Added: 1999
Find out more

William "Bill" Coolahan

Added: 1999
Find out more

Jim Armstrong

Added: 1999
Find out more

Peter Wilson

Added: 1999
Find out more

Jimmy Rooney

Added: 1999
Find out more

Ron Adair

Added: 1999
Find out more

John Watkiss

Added: 1999
Find out more

Zoran Matic

Added: 1999
Find out more

Ray Richards

Added: 1999
Find out more

Graham Jennings

Added: 1999
Find out more

Col Curran

Added: 1999
Find out more

John Nyskohus

Added: 1999
Find out more

James McNabb

Added: 1999
Find out more

William Maunder

Added: 1999
Find out more

Frank Loughran

Added: 1999
Find out more

Bob Lawrie

Added: 1999
Find out more

Alf Quill

Added: 1999
Find out more

James "Judy" Masters

Added: 1999
Find out more

Ron Lord

Added: 1999
Find out more

Bob Bignell

Added: 1999
Find out more

Reg Date

Added: 1999
Find out more

Sir Arthur George AO

Added: 1999
Find out more

Ron Wright

Added: 1999
Find out more

Sir William Walkley

Added: 1999
Find out more

Frank McIver

Added: 1999
Find out more

Graham McMillan

Added: 1999
Find out more

John "Martin" Royal

Added: 1999
Find out more

Peter Nikolich

Added: 1999
Find out more

Des Miles

Added: 1999
Find out more

Ron Smith

Added: 1999
Find out more

William Thomas

Added: 1999
Find out more

Joe Vlasits

Added: 1999
Find out more

Fred Barlow

Added: 1999
Find out more

Donald Campbell OAM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Harry Croft

Added: 1999
Find out more

Pamela Gilbert

Added: 1999
Find out more

Keith Gilmour

Added: 1999
Find out more

Tom Grimson

Added: 1999
Find out more

Tony Kovac OAM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Brian Le Fevre

Added: 1999
Find out more

Jack Logan

Added: 1999
Find out more

Eric Worthington

Added: 1999
Find out more

Laurie Schwab

Added: 1999
Find out more

Julius Re

Added: 1999
Find out more

Sam Papasavas OAM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Dieter Klose

Added: 1999
Find out more

Brian Corrigan AM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Ian Brusasco

Added: 1999
Find out more

Giacomo "Jim" Bayutti OAM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Michael Weinstein AM, BEM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Elaine Watson OAM

Added: 1999
Find out more

Vic Tuting MBE

Added: 1999
Find out more

Robert Telfer

Added: 1999
Find out more

Theo Marmaris MBE

Added: 1999
Find out more

Arthur Gibbs

Added: 1999
Find out more

John Walter Fletcher

Added: 1999
Find out more

Tony Boscovic

Added: 1999
Find out more

George Smith

Added: 1999
Find out more