"Dicky" Langford from the Hobart Railway Club debuted in the VFA in 1894 for Collingwood and the Argus reported on his first game with the following quote " Tasmanian Langford is a great gain to the team, he is cool, knows every wrinkle in football, and there is a charming finesse about all he does. "
Unfortunately at this time Australia was experiencing a particularly severe depression which saw betting on sporting events become rampant and many footballers were guilty of ' playing dead ' or ' squaring '. Langford who had a large family to support was unjustly caught up in this aspect of the game.
After a game against Port Melbourne the club suspected him of ' squaring ' and asked him to return to Tasmania, something they had to do quickly as threats were being made on his life.
After spending the balance of the 1894 season on the sidelines Dicky Langford went on to become the best footballer in the TFL competition until the end of the 1912 season. He retired at the age of 40. After the Railway club dropped out of senior football Langford played with Glenorchy until 1900. Then he became captain of Wellington, who, under his leadership, won back to back premierships in 1903 and 1904. He was best on ground in the game that gave Wellington the 1903 title and he won the trophy for "Best All Round Player of the Season", the equivalent of todays William Leitch medal.
The final stage of Dicky Langford's career was spent with the North Hobart Football Club between 1908 to 1912, a club he served with great distinction.
Frederick "Dicky" Langford photographed at New Town ground at his testimonial match between North Hobart and Oatlands. From the Tasmanian Mail 22nd September 1923.
In 1910 he represented the TFL in games against the NWFU and VFL team Melbourne and after a game against Lefroy the Mercury newspaper reported " it is a remarkable testimony of endurance that after 19 years of active football, the "noblest Roman of them all" and best on ground was the bald pated R Langford. The ground conditions suited the veteran but the one thing that described him was the finesse of his game. "
Dicky Langford came from a family of footballers. He had four brothers with colourful nicknames who had all played senior football in Hobart. They were Albert 'Porpoise', John 'Nigger', George 'Benny' and 'Norge', and William 'Turkey'.
His son Fred Junior was with his father at North Hobart in his final two seasons and another son Jack played with New Town.
Langford worked on the Hobart waterfront and had a family of nine sons and five daughters and was surely a legend of Tasmanian football who has never had the recognition due to him.
Back to Top
Dicky Langford - A Tasmanian Football Legend
