West Perth have been well served by many fine centre half backs over the years.Brian France, Peter Steward, Ken Ashdown, Fred Buttsworth, Ross Kelly and Norm McDiarmid are among many outstanding exponents of the position who have contributed immensely to the club’s success over different eras. It was a masterstroke by coach Clive Lewington that produced another one, David Dyson.Dyson had played all his junior football as a centre half forward, and had impressed in the role for West Perth since debuting in 1963, but Lewington sent him to defence in the last qualifying game of the 1964 season, a season-defining match against Claremont, which decided which of the two sides would play in the first semi final a week later. Unfortunately, West Perth lost by three goals in front of twenty one thousand people, but in the process had unearthed a centre half back of class.The long kicking, close checking Dyson went on to play State football in the 1969 Adelaide Carnival, lining up on South Australian Peter Marker alongside eventual Tassie Medallist Peter Eakins on a half back flank, and in 1968 toured Ireland, England, Romania, and the United States with the Galahs, an All Australian side which was the forerunner of the current Australia- Ireland Internationals.  He became a premiership player when playing at full back in the 1969 grand final victory over East Perth, his miserly performance on full forward Phil Tierney contributing to the blow out seventy three point margin the Cardinals enjoyed. “Polly Farmer engineered that one, after we’d gone through the previous season with just three home and away losses, only to crash out in the finals,” David said.”He did his homework and made the necessary alterations.”  Two years later Dyson was in attack at centre half forward when West Perth repeated the dose on the Royals, after having been beaten in the second semi final by their old rivals. “We looked gone in the preliminary final when East Fremantle’s Gary Fenner lined up for a deliberate shot on goal in the closing seconds but put it out of bounds,” he recalled.. West Perth scrambled in by three points, and went on to a comfortable thirty two point win in the grand final.David Dyson was also a more than useful cricketer, who could well have achieved much more on the cricket field had he not decided to concentrate on the winter sport. He played State Schoolboys cricket with Ashley Mallett and Tony Mann before making his first grade WACA Pennant debut at the age of fifteen with North Perth. A more than useful allrounder, Dyson was a handy batsman as well as sharing the new ball with State player Hugh Bevan, and notched up 5645 runs including five first grade centuries, taking 364 wickets from 296 appearances with North Perth in a career that lasted until 1986.It was cricket that virtually brought the curtain down prematurely on his football career.“I had always wanted to play in England or Scotland, and in the summer of 1972 Bruce Yardley rang advising me he’d be unable to travel to Perthshire in Scotland to play with them and wondered if I’d like to take his place,” David recalled. “I jumped at the opportunity, and stayed for the 1973 season, which saw me miss that footy season over here.”“Returning for pre season training in 1974, I did the preliminary work, but new coach Dennis Jones let several of the older players be aware that he was intending to rebuild, and it would be tough to be selected on a regular basis. Among others was Brian Pleitner, who was also lost to league football as a result. “Just turning twenty nine I felt I had plenty to offer, and Brian and my experience would have been of benefit to the club,” David added. In 1975 Dyson played with Inglewood-Bayswater, and hung the boots up at the completion of that season.     It was then that 6KY disc jockey Bob O’Brien rang David, asking if he’d be interested in working with the station’s football coverage. Thus began an involvement with the media that would last for two decades, with Wally Foreman enticing him to the ABC after 6KY’s withdrawal from the football scene. Working with Foreman and George Grljusich in 1976-77, he returned to Scotland for a holiday in 1978, and was then back at the ABC for the following seventeen years.  The early days of radio football broadcasts were beset by technical difficulties and other mishaps. Dyson recalled a couple of occasions when things didn’t quite go to plan. “My car broke down on Canning Highway one day, and I was well and truly stuck,” he recalled. “The bloke in the studio kept saying: “We’ll be crossing to David Dyson at East Fremantle oval any minute now.”“I was doing the live scores at another game, in which John Vukman was to give the wrap up of the match. John had another engagement, as MC at a wedding, and got delayed. Rushing in just as the game finished, he grabbed my notes and gave a masterly description to the TV audience of the previous two hours’ events at East Fremantle Oval, after having been far far away during the whole proceedings.”A life member of West Perth, Dyson still gets to some games, and admires the work President Brett Raponi is doing in involving the past players of the club. “Brett is a lifetime supporter of the club and is doing a great job,” he told Footygoss. David Dyson is heavily involved in the Joondalup area and is a partner with Prime Realty, where the staff  are committed to providing all clients with ongoing value added service which includes such things as knowledge of property values, real estate legislation and current and future trends. “The secret to success in buying, selling and leasing commercial or residential property is primarily about surrounding yourself with great people,” he said. “We endeavour to provide a level of service that ensures the continued association with our customers achieved through a process of amicable negotiation based on experience, courtesy, communication and respect.”David loves a yarn with loyal West Perth supporters and would like nothing better than a chat over a coffee if you’re in the vicinity of 140 Grand Boulevard Joondalup. Joining many past players, directors and supporters for a coffee every fortnight brings back many wonderful memories.He is involved with cricket at Scarborough, where son Adam, who played junior football with West Perth, is currently playing. David and Jillian Dyson also have a daughter, Michelle, and two grandchildren, Taj and Chase. Formerly a Claremont supporter, Jillian had to be converted to the Cardinals. Although David was a great admirer of the coaching styles of Clive Lewington, Arthur Olliver and Bob Spargo, he paid wonderful tribute to Polly Farmer as a mentor. “Poll was a bit of a culture shock when he set foot on Leederville Oval,” he said. “We were accustomed to two nights a week on the track but he had us out there five days a week. “If you don’t like it, just think of how you’d feel holding up the premiership cup,” he’d say.”David’s attitude to training wasn’t as keen as Polly’s, and his excuse of “church” for missing a Sunday morning run soon wore thin, while “attending night school” during the week wasn’t swallowed either, and “Where’s Dyson” became a familiar call on training nights. Claremont full forward Wayne Harvey( “strong, good on the ground and a fine aerialist”) was the player David had most trouble with, and his choice of best team mates has been echoed by many a West Perth player in this column, the legends,“Dempsey, Whinnen and Farmer.”David Dyson was a gifted sportsman and later a clear and concise radio commentator. While his career ended prematurely, the 148 league games and 2 state games he played stamped him as a fine player, and a defender who can be ranked alongside those who graced Leederville Oval before and after him.