BIO
Michael Holliday played just five senior games with Norwood before succumbing to knee injuries like those which had ended the football career of his prodigal father, Ivan, three decades earlier.
Born at the Burnside War Memorial Hospital on 28 September 1957, Michael played school football with St Morris Primary and remembers flying to Port Lincoln with a Combined SAPSASA side at 11. He was a member of the Norwood High School team which, coached by Norwood player Ron Bland, won the SA Knockout Cup at Norwood Oval in 1975.
Michael played junior football with Norwood Union up to Under 15 and then two years with Kensington Gardens Under 17s because Norwood Union did not have an Under 17 side. He was invited to train with the Norwood Under 19s and played with them in 1975 and 1976 under coach Malcolm Smith.
“Hiram was my nickname, after the TV show . . . Hiram Holliday - Private Investigator. Given to me by John Wynne when I was 19,” Michael said.
He was a member of the Reserves team from 1977 to 1979, with Ross Dillon as coach, and played in the 1978 Centenary Premiership double-header. Michael was promoted to the league squad in 1979 and made his league debut under coach Bob Hammond.
“I played every game leading up to the 1980 season under new coach Neil Balme,” he said. “All pre-season Escort Cup games and trial games, when I tore an anterior cruciate ligament and medial ligament after hyper-extending my knee in a marking contest at Alberton Oval, our final trial game before season start.”
While still on the playing list, he spent the next three years having knee reconstructions. ”I qualified as a teacher at that time, so decided to give football away and spent the next five years in the country teaching,” he said. “I played cricket and golf after football. I’m still playing golf and am lucky enough to watch my son play football on most Saturdays.”
Michael taught for almost 40 years, retiring at the end of 2018 due to complications with knee replacement surgery. He is married to Jenny and they have two children, Isabelle, who works at the RAH as an ICU nurse, and Jack, a physiotherapist.
M. Holliday, P. Robins, D. Cox May 2024