Carlton Reserve Career: 1980 - 1981
Reserve Games: 23
Reserve Goals: 24
Carlton U/19's Career: 1978 - 1979
Height: 182 cm (5'11.5")
Weight: 84 kg (13.2)
Guernsey No. 55 (Reserves)
Guernsey No. 17 (U/19's)
DOB: May 26 1960
Under 19 Premiership: 1978 and 1979
Stan Gilday was a favourite of many a fan of the Carlton Football Club, but never reached the heights of playing senior footy for the Blues. Through 1978 to 1981, Gilday was a star at Under 19's and Reserves level but never quite cracked it for a senior guernsey.
S A Gilday was born May 26, 1960 and was cleared from Corpus Christi to North Melbourne on April 11, 1975 at the tender age of 14 yrs 319 days old, and then cleared to Carlton on May 6, 1977 when aged 16 years and 345 days old.
He was referred to as ‘Stan the Man’, and being 182 cm (5’11½”) and listed as weighting between 82.5 kg (13 stone) to 87 kg (13.10) at his time at Carlton, he was built like a tank bustled through packs, much like a young Wayne Harmes or Luke O'Sullivan.
During 1978 he is listed 15 times in the best players or scored a goal in the Under 19s (scored a goal in all 15 games and listed in the best players 7 times) he scored 29 goals for the season (*Note best players and goal scorers not listed for the Round 22 match). In 1978 he was used as a ruck rover and was named in the best players and scored a goal in the 1 point victory in the 2nd semi final against Collingwood and scored a goal in the grand final victory also against Collingwood. His best goal scoring effects was 3 goals three times in Round 3 against Melbourne, Round 14 against Essendon and Round 19 against Fitzroy.
During 1979 he is listed 13 times in the best players or scored a goal in the Under 19s (scored a goal in 12 games and listed in the best players 5 times in one game he didn’t score a goal) he scored 40 goals for the season (*Note best players and goal scorers not listed for the Round 22 match). In the finals he was used as a centre half forward and scored 10 goals in Carlton’s 3 finals matches, with 4 against North Melbourne in the Qualifying, 3 against Geelong in the 2nd Semi and 3 in the Grand final against Fitzroy. Wearing Number 55 he also played 4 games in the Reserves during 1979 and scored 4 goals and was listed in the Reserve best players once in Round 11 against the Swans when he scored 3 goals his other goal was against Footscray in Round 9.
He was listed in either of the best players or scored a goal in Carlton’s Under 19s 30 times between 1977 and 1979 and scored 70 goals and played in the last 2 Carlton Under 19s premierships.
In 1980 wearing number 55 he played 18 games and scored 23 goals in Carlton’s Reserves starting in Round 1 with 5 goals against Collingwood at Victoria Park and named in the best players in again named in the best players in Round 3 when he scored 2 goals. One of his best games was Round 10 at Waverley against St Kilda when playing on the half forward flank he starred during the 1st quarter when he scored 2 goals and along with the other half forward flanker in Mark Kerr (son of Laurie and brother of Peter in the 1960’s) who finished with 6 goals cut St Kilda apart.
In 1981 he played a further game in number 55 before being transferred to Williamstown in the VFA; despite a promising start to the season his form fell away in the second part of the season.
He is listed as playing at least 23 Reserve games and scoring 27 goals in the Reserves between 1979 and 1981. He was recruited from Corpus Christi.
Career Highlights
1977 U/19's - Encouragement Award1978 U/19's 6th Best & Fairest
1978 U19s Premiership Player
1979 U19s Premiership Player
1979 U/19's Runner-up in the club goalkicking 45 goals