Vale Ernie Sigley

The South Adelaide Football Club is saddened to hear of the passing of entertainer and supporter Ernie Sigley.

Having arrived in Adelaide from Melbourne in the early 1960s to start his media career. Ernie, a Footscray fan, adopted South as his team.

He was known to host Adelaide Tonight in a South jumper and helped give the Club a profile during those times.

Ernie was a regular at Sunday mornings at Pinn Street, the South social rooms at St Marys.

He would perform and sing, and bring along some unbelievable talent including Anne Wills, and the Adelaide group The Viscounts.

It was £1 entry to get in, and as many pies and pasties and free beers as you wanted. The rooms were always full to the brim.

South Champion Peter Darley remembers Ernie and those days fondly.

"While I was a footballer, Ernie helped mould me as a person. He'd call me the "Greek Adonis" and have me on the Wheel of Fortune. They were really good times and he was great company."

One of Peter's most cherished possessions he says from his football career was initiated by Ernie.

"In 1964 many people thought I would win the Magarey Medal. However it was not to be.

"Ernie had a replica Magarey Medal made and presented it to me. It was a really special thing for him to do and it's still a prized possession."