Neil Button

Neil Button
Neil Button
Personal information
Full name	Neil Alexander Button
Nickname	The Bear
Born	28 July 1952 (age 74)
Original team	Ramblers (Murray Bridge)
Debut	29 May 1971, Norwood vs. Central District, at Elizabeth
Positions	Ruckman (1970s), centre half-forward (1980s)
Other occupation	Mathematics and physical education teacher
Playing career1
Years	Club
1971–1985	Norwood
Representative team honours
Years	Team
1972–1979	South Australia
Coaching career
Years	Club
1993	VSFL Under-18 (assistant)
	1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1985. 2 Representative statistics correct as of 1979.
Career highlights
	3× SANFL Premiership player: 1975, 1978, 1982; Ardath Cup: 1977; 4× Advertiser Team of the Year: 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981; 2× State Carnival Representative: 1972, 1979; Norwood vice-captain: 1978, 1979; Norwood Life Member: 1981; Norwood Hall of Fame; Norwood Team of the Century (centre half-forward); 3× Norwood Fairest & Most Brilliant runner-up: 1972, 1978, 1979; Flehr Trophy runner-up (best first-year player): 1971; Meritorious Service Award: 1973, 1981; E.A. Johnson Service Award: 1985;
	Source: Redlegs Museum

Neil "The Bear" Button (born 28 July 1952)^[1] is a former Australian footballer who played for the Norwood Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) between 1971 and 1985. He played primarily as a ruckman.^[2]

Early career

Button was recruited from Ramblers in 1970 and debuted the following year against the Central District Football Club.^[1]

SANFL career

Button made his senior debut for Norwood in 1971. He played a total of 283 league games and kicked 163 goals. In addition, he played 11 reserves matches and 19 under-19 matches and 9 state games. He retired in 1986.^[1]^[3]

Playing style

Button played primarily as a ruckman. After a knee injury during the opening of the 1980 Escort Cup, he primarily played as a centre half forward.^[2]

Honours

Among other honours, he was named as centre half forward in Norwood’s official ‘Team of the Twentieth Century’, and was inucted in the Player Life Members Award in 1981.^[4]^[5]

References

1 2 3 4 "Neil A Button". Retrieved 24 June 2026.
1 2 "REDLEGS MUESEUM". Retrieved 24 June 2026.
↑ "Neil 'The Bear' Button – champion footballer, quality human being". 10 January 2020.
↑ "Neil Button". Archived from the original on 23 October 2018.
↑ "Player Life Members". Retrieved 24 June 2026.

[Rowing-1] 1 2 3 4 "Neil A Button". Retrieved 24 June 2026.

[Red-2] 1 2 "REDLEGS MUESEUM". Retrieved 24 June 2026.

[3] "Neil 'The Bear' Button – champion footballer, quality human being". 10 January 2020.

[4] "Neil Button". Archived from the original on 23 October 2018.

[5] "Player Life Members". Retrieved 24 June 2026.

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