The Blueseum's recent work into Blues who had remarkably changed their guernsey number 'Upwards', going against the grain, raised the obvious question as to why a Blue would do so. The most famous story of all of these players surrounded Blues legend Bruce Doull, who moved from #4 to #11 for the 1972 season. It was just something we had to look into...
Now at this stage we have nothing concrete whatsoever in this regard. What we know is that Bruce Doull commenced his career in Guernsey 4, played 27 games, and then changed guernseys and played a further 329 in 11.
We tried a number of our traditional sources and found only rumour. Some said that Doull did not feel comfortable in the low guernsey number, feeling himself not worthy of players like Nicholls who wore the low numbers at the time. Another more interesting theory is provided from the recollection of one of the Blueseum's most experienced volunteers:
"As I recall Bruce was mightily annoyed by an article about him that appeared in the Melbourne press sometime early in his career - prior to '72. It was a bit liberal with the truth and Bruce never trusted a journo again.
The reporter who wrote the story - I don't know who - apparently was well established, while Bruce was a shy youngster not a bit comfortable with the scrutiny that came with being a League footballer.
On match days at Princes Park, the press used to congegate in the locker room after games, and always crowded around Nicholls and Silvagni. Therefore, at locker number 4, he was always in the firing line, and forced to share his space with a journo that he really didn't like or trust.
So when Ragsy Goold retired, Bruce asked to take over number 11, and at least put some space between himself and the press pack.
It seems a simple explanation, but I have never come across any competing theory."
The Blueseum will continue to look into this one and try to resolve the truth about this piece of Footy Folklore.