St Bedes/Mentone Tigers would like to acknowledge the peaceful passing of former player William (Bill) Bignell on the 23/3/26. Bill made a significant contribution to our Club and was a much respected member of the wider Mentone community. Bill celebrated his 100th birthday in 2025.
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.
Our condolences go to Norm, Barbara and the wider Bignell family on the passing of Bill, truly one of our “ Tigers of Old”.
