Life Member
Inducted 1953
Hall of Fame
Inducted 2017
Henry ‘Long’Un’ Wilson was head trainer of the AUFC for 29 years, from 1928 until his death in 1956.
As the name implies, he was a very tall, lean man
If you look back through the team photos for the period between 1928-1956 you will see one constant: the imposing figure of Mr Wilson, standing to one side, towering over most of the footballers he treated over such a long period.
He possessed a string of remedies of dubious medical origin.
His use of oil of wintergreen was a forerunner to the dencorub and deep heat compounds of today.
He had a habit of pouring a little bit of sherry into the cordial at ¾ time to liven the team up on cold days.
In 1953 he was awarded honorary life membership of the AUFC – just the 3rd person to be honoured in this way.
This was an honour he treasured, as university football was clearly a substantial part of his life.
The club was shocked at his death in 1956. The university newspaper On Dit reported that he was “a great friend, a person about whom you could say nothing was too much trouble. He did what he did for the love of sport and the people he met.”
Little else is, known of his life – and we have been unable to trace any descendants – but one can be sure that Long’Un would be utterly delighted to be just the 9th person to be inducted into the AUFC Hall of Fame.