Williamstown Football Club’s longest-serving president Trevor Monti is retiring after 17 seasons to spend time pursuing other passions.
A board member for 20 years and president for 17, Mr Monti said he wanted to return to some of the many interests he had sacrificed over a long number of years.
“A passion that I’ve got is racing my horses, which I breed, which I had to put on hold,” he said.
“I can’t get to the races during the football season.
“I’ve got a farm outside Shepparton where I breed the horses and run quite a big enterprise.
“I’ve got a beautiful old house there … I love going to the farm and so does my wife, and I can’t get up there during the footy season.
“I bought a place at Apollo Bay and can’t get there during the footy season either.”
Mr Monti leaves a big legacy, including an $8.7 million redevelopment of the club’s Burbank Oval home ground in 2011.
The Ned Kelly historian reveals another legacy close to his heart.
“I was the one who established that Ned Kelly actually played 11 games for Williamstown in 1873,” Mr Monti, a barrister who has represented Kelly family members, said.
But one of his fondest memories is defending his dog’s presence at a football match.
“A very dear memory I hold is getting my dog into the Port Melbourne football ground when dogs were otherwise banned, and having the pleasure of remaining in the ground with my dog, despite the fact that the president of the Port Melbourne Football Club called two lots of police to have me removed – but unsuccessfully.”
Board member Fred Hall is set to become president later this month.
