Robin McVee was a premiership player in arguably Swan Districts' greatest era, serving the club well in a league career spanning eight years. But his value to the club didn't end with his retirement in 1969.  McVee has been a tireless worker at Bassendean, as a key mover with the “Swansmen Association.”  Formed in 1984, on the instigation of a group of dedicated Swans people, including John Cooper, Percy Bright, and McVee, the Swansmen have raised three quarters of a million dollars, through auctions and other fundraising means, and have been the lifeblood of the club in recent times. A South Fremantle supporter, whose hero was John Todd, McVee was courted by most league clubs as a junior at Collie. The six foot one high marking ruckman came under notice through his efforts with the Centrals club in the coal mining town, but unlike team mates Harry Bentley, Terry and Trevor O'Brien, and Barry Annandale, who headed to East Fremantle, McVee decided on Swan Districts. “Tom Moiler and Lou Armstrong, from Swans, paid me a visit, and I liked the atmosphere at the club. It  had a country feeling about it,” he recalled.  It was to be the start of a life time association between Robin McVee and Swan Districts Football Club. Walking through the gates of Bassendean Oval in 1960, McVee would have had no idea of the exciting times that lay ahead. Robin spent his first year in the thirds under the coaching of John Cooper, whilst the league side slid to bottom on the ladder. As McVee learnt the ropes, languishing in the thirds and reserves in 1961, the club staged an exhilarating climb to the finals, culminating in one of the most memorable grand final wins in WANFL history.  With the emergence of Keith Slater, Cyril Litterick, and Fred Castledine, McVee's prospects of filling a ruck spot were looking decidedly shaky, but he made his league debut on a half forward flank in the 1962 season opener against East Fremantle. “I didn't get a kick,” was Robin's summation of his first taste of the big time. “And I didn't improve much the following week,” he added. Swan Districts persevered with the young ruckman, and his fourteen appearances that year, mainly as back up ruckman, half forward or half back, were promising enough for him to be awarded “Rookie of the Year.” 1962 was a terrific year for the Swanees, with one of their best ever sides, a premiership, Sandover Medallist(Haydn Bunton), and Prendegast Medal for best in the reserves competition(Eric Sarich).  It was also the first time the club had won the Walter Snooke Trophy(later to become the Rodriguez Shield) as winners of the WANFL minor premiership.  A solid-marking ruckman, who was agile enough to play as a ruck rover, McVee combined with Slater, Litterick, and Tony Nesbit to form a ruck- rover foursome in 1963, which complimented to a tee the roving excellence of Bunton and Billy Walker, and Swans romped to another flag, completing an awesome hat trick. But on grand final day, Robin found himself warming the reserve bench with half back Peter Downey, joining the action for the final ten minutes. The defection of Slater to Subiaco, where he had been appointed coach, opened the door to a permanent ruck slot for McVee in the season of sixty four, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.  In 1969, time out with a broken jaw and the difficulties of attending training  while working at Fremantle were significent considerations in Robin McVee's reluctant decision to retire from league football. “At twenty seven I thought I had a bit more time left, but my personal circumstances had to take priority at that stage of my life,” he said. McVee illustrated that his retirement was premature by taking off the Sunday League fairest and best medal the following year with Metropolitans, who were coached by former East Fremantle forward, Len Anderson. His six year stint with that club brought to an end a fine football career. Unable to separate the many good players he played against, “they were all hard to beat,” he was more forthcoming when it came to the best he'd played with. “Billy Walker.” McVee enjoys reminiscing about the good times off the field, and the great friendships football brought him, sharing an incident with us. “It was during a training camp at Lancelin, where the publican was former S A S man, Richie Thomas,” he recalled. “At some ungodly hour of the morning we bought a keg and buried it. Despite much frenzied shovelling and scraping next day we were unsuccessful in finding where it was hidden.” An accountant, Robin later started his own printing company, and is still working full time. He and wife Marie enjoy travelling, but not during the footy season, when McVee is a familiar figure at Steel Blue for the black and whites home games.  Robin McVee was a fine servant of the Swan Districts Football Club on the field, playing in the shadow of some outstanding ruckmen in arguably the greatest ever Swan Districts combination, with his dedication to the black and whites continuing half a century after he first walked through the gates at Bassendean. His loyalty has been recognised with a well deserved life membership of the Swan Districts Football Club.