Colin Northcott's forty three year association with football began at the small hamlet of Tintinarra, South Australia.  A thirteen year old in a town with no under age competition, he played with the under twenty- ones in the Tatiara Association for three years. At the age of fourteen he was selected in the Association combined under twenty one side.  Sent to Adelaide to finish his schooling at Findon High School, a chance encounter with Port Adelaide premiership player Neville Hays when buying a tennis racquet at the footballers sports shop was to send him to Alberton Oval. At centre half back with the Port under seventeens for the first half of the 1970 season, he was promoted to the nineteens for the remainder of the year, where he went to full forward.   Northcott came under notice in 1971. In booting a hundred goals for Port in the thirds competition, he became the first Port Adelaide player to achieve that feat in any grade since the formation of the club in 1870. Spending the following year with the reserves except for one league game, against a strong North Adelaide side, he played half a dozen more in 1973, as well as heading the SANFL seconds goalkicking list.  Port tried Northcott as a half back in 1974, but a lack of goalkicking alternatives forced him back to the forward line late in the season. It was in the same year that an approach from East Fremantle coach John Todd was rejected.  Back problems were to force a premature end to his SANFL career, and after struggling through half the 1975 season, he saw out the remainder of the year at Lyndoch, in country South Australia.  The interest from Western Australia didn't go away, and it was then that an offer from West Perth, instigated by Laurie Richards, who had played against Northcott while at Woodville, was accepted. “The offer came at the right time,” Colin said. “I had an opportunity to transfer with the Commonwealth Bank at the time, and I hoped the change might do my football and health good.” It took Northcott a few weeks to break into the Cardinals team, but with seventy two goals he helped West Perth into the first semi final, only to go down to eventual premiers, Perth.  After the first game of 1977, the back injury returned to haunt him, putting the forward out for half a season. Eventually playing six games, another episode with his back forced an operation on the eve of the finals.  After failing to shake the injury off in 1978, spending the year with the reserves, Colin set out on the third stage of his football career. Signing with the Greg Behaut-coached Wanneroo in 1979, Northcott took all before him, and was finally able to deliver on the promise he had always shown, but had hitherto been unable to deliver. In his four years at the Roos, he was a key factor in the club winning four flags. Heading the Sunday League goalscoring each season he was there, with a hundred each time, he was unstoppable in 1982, booting 170 majors and winning the League fairest and best from full forward.  “I did try league once again in 1981 at West Perth,” he said. “But the hard training was hell on the back, and after just the one league game I accepted that my league football days were over. But I have no regrets, those were great times at Wanneroo.” In 1983, Northcott accepted the playing coach position at Amateur side Nollamara.  After an eighty goal first season, he stepped down from the senior coaching job, and took on the colts mentoring role, while still playing in the top side. After kicking over a hundred in 1985 and 86, he retired  from playing at the age of thirty three.  But it was shortlived, with a series of injuries to leading players forcing Northcott's return to the action for the last three games of the following year.  After a break of four years, Colin pulled on the boots yet again, this time for Wanneroo Amateurs. In 1993,  at the age of forty, he kicked over eighty goals for Wanneroo.  Then “life after football”began for Colin Northcott.   Coach in 1994, President 95, vice president, treasurer, team manager, bottlewasher...he also managed to find time to write the Wanneroo Amateur Football Club's history.  “I got the new left hip in 2007, the right one in 2008, then there were a couple of back operations, I reckon I might make another comeback,” he laughed.  An accurate kicking, strong marking full forward, Colin Northcott reckons the longkicking Perth fullback, John Quartermaine was his toughest opponent. “A very good fullback,” he said. He had no hesitation when asked about the best he'd played with. “Russell Ebert, four time Margarey Medallist.” Still busily engaged as a courier driver, Colin and wife Deena get to South Australia as often as possible to visit his Mum, while a son, daughter, and  grand daughter keep them occupied here in WA. Son Craig played a hundred senior games at Wanneroo, and is now lining up with Gingin.  There is no doubt that a back injury which impaired his ability to train at the level required for league football was a huge factor in the inability of Colin Northcott to achieve the stardom that had been forecast for him in his early days at Port Adelaide. The blossoming of his game after the training requirements were lessened, easing the pressure on his back, is testament to this.  From Tintinarra to Wanneroo is a long journey over forty three years, and he can still be found down at the club on a Saturday arvo helping out.