By No32
Admitted To Hospital: Thursday 27th September 2007
Symptoms: Severe puncture wounds to his back, arms and legs
Time of Death: Sunday 29th August 2010
Cause of Death: To stubborn to take medicine required to stop the bleeding

Matthew had coached an amazing club even though his tenure was rather short (under breath, not short enough). Matthew was bullish, the kind of coach that would stand by you when you needed to be dropped to Bendigo even if you made it into the Best’s in Sunday’s Herald Sun, and your dropped for some pasty Milky Bar Martian from Killoe… eeh hem. He once saved a career, for some reason it happened to be the same pasty little bastard from Killoe. Those decisions are in the past, we were all young once like our list (under breath, still) and they weren’t very close, I mean Jobe and Hilley said they were close

Matthew turned out to be a really nice person, I would have been happy for him to stay however inner peace is what he sought and the club needed

OKAY OKAY, enough shenanigans however we had to sign off A Knights Tale appropriately. The club called me after the match because he didn’t select Jarrod Atkinson AGAIN and left Dempsey in the backline AGAIN and allowed Hocking to wear our jumper AGAIN he had lost confidence in the man driving KnightTrain (ME), so he had to go. So the board based on my review convened an 8:00am special meeting to sharpen the sword and lop of the head.

If the poor humour is in bad taste, as an avid supporter of Knights from Day 1 and I have earnt the right to make comments either for or against Matthew Knights. To a point I still had belief it could be turned around. Call it blind faith? however I can say I supported our coach through thick and thin and in 2010 I started to fire shots across the bow, however they appeared to not be heard. Where did he lose me? There are a few instances….

1) The day he dropped David Myers after he was forced to play across half back again Geelong. Sure he had a bad game against Sydney, but he just played 3 ripping games… He was played out of position, yet the real funny thing is that the last 2 games Myers off half back has help straighten us up.
2) Heath Hocking being left on LeCras after the 3rd goal.
3) Selecting Michael Quinn in a MUST WIN game vs Adelaide, and Myers and Atkinson left in the 2’s…..

Upon hearing of his sacking via text message before 12pm (nowhere near a web browser to post it), I pondered while driving through Moonee Ponds, Tullamarine and Essendon before getting home around 4:00pm. So all the RAGE was gone, in fact I don’t think I felt any. More relief I am not going to have to take 3 steps down the pitch to the short ball and take a swing at the calls for Knights head, I was broken and have had enough of the sick people to continued to attack Matthew Knights, and many from DAY 1.

Have the last 3 years been wasted? I think not as Knights did a few things that were not popular yet they were necessary. Moving on JJ, Pev, Lucas and Lovett… Lloyd didn’t want to play mentor, he wanted to continue yank up his shorts from the goal square. He knew that was not best for the Essendon Football Club.

What we have no is a raw and visible view of where our list really is. The youth, inexperience and still long journey to develop the next AFL Dynasty. For those who would like to slag Knights for his stubbornness, should applaud him for the manner in which he has handled himself under the immense pressure as Essendon Coach from the external/internal snipers. He stayed strong, held his nerve and his conviction. His head can be held high. Much will be debated about how he didn’t develop the list, however keep your eyes on just a few players who have shown something under his charge and ones he has challenged… where Knights can take credit for laying the foundations

Essendon FC Backline : Pears, Hooker and Hurley. In 2009 he challenged them to make it their own, this Trio will be looked upon as one of the best defensive units going around in 3-4 years much like the Trio of Scarlett, Harley and Milburn.

David Myers / Leroy Jetta : THE PENNY’S HAVE DROPPED…..so many times both have come in and out of the side, in the end it was for a reason. Both may not have known or understand what it took to be an AFL footballer, it started with their work rate which was not there in game day, no urgency. There is now urgency, purpose and attitude!!! Both are now backing themselves!!!

Kyle Hardingham : Michael Who?…. Kyle is mobile, powerful and has a massive leap and passion for the game. Kyle could be anything as he can play back, forward and near the ball

When they come on as I believe they can, I will salute Matthew Knights and say thank you as these 3 Pillars will help deliver us a premiership or 2 in the next 5 years.

So as Can of Coke Kid rides off into the sunset there should be one image in your head. His reaction after the Zaharakis goal on Anzac Day 2009… The Jizz Face and one of the greatest comebacks by this great great football club http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr1l-MLu07s

This day should have been the building block for the future, it’s now just a distant memory.

All The Best Knighter

XXXII