“ Like the Tiger of old, we’re strong and we’re bold”

St Bedes/Mentone Tigers is fortunate to have its very own “Tiger of Old’ in centenarian Bill Bignell. Bill commenced his career with one of the founding clubs of SBMT, the Mentone Football Club back in 1942 with the Mentone Thirds.  He was a wonderful servant of the club over the next twenty-five years playing his 200th game in 1958, and his 300th game in 1966 and also in that year playing in the same Reserves team as his son, Norm.

Bill retired on 311 games and is one of just two players to play more than 300 games for the Mentone Football Club the other being incredibly his son Norm who played his 300th game in 1982. Bill was described as a Collingwood six-footer playing at centre half forward and was recognised as being a very fair player in what was often a rough and tumble Federal Football League.

During his career Bill is best remembered as being the backbone of the Mentone Reserves team. He won the MFC Reserves Best and Fairest four times including twice in Premiership years, 1954 and 1960. In 1954 he added to his Premiership, Club Best and Fairest award by also winning the Federal League Reserves Best and Fairest and having his son Norm as the team mascot.  Bill also went on to both coach (1962 and 1963) and captain (1966) the Reserves in a highly successful era.

He was made a Life Member in 1960 and was one of the inaugural inductees into the Club’s Hall of Fame in 2004 when his son Norm was also inducted as one the club’s initial ten Legends.

Bill is the original Mentone lad and has had a lifelong connection to the Mentone area. Attending Mentone State School, in summer finding his way to the Mentone Lifesaving Club and the Mentone Athletics Club, winters were spent at the Mentone Football Club and in latter year he joined the Mentone Bowling Club.  Bill of course married a Mentone girl in Dorothy with whom he enjoyed 76 years of marriage before her passing in 2022. The family home was in Williams St, Mentone (of course).

It’s incredible to think of Bill’s connection to our club stretching from the 1940’s through to the 1980s when his son Norm was still playing and coaching at the club. Bill still enjoys good health and we sincerely wish our very own “Tiger of Old” a wonderful 100th birthday celebration for Monday 28th July.

1960 Reserves Premiers

1957 Reserves

The Bignell family at the 1967 Premiership Reunion in 2007, Pic courtesy of Rob Hess