Bill Scott
I returned to School in 1962 for more study (my parents’ idea) and more football (my idea). Dropped Physics for Economics and managed to pass the subject in the leaving certificate despite never attending a class (Chemistry and Economics just didn’t fit into the NSBHS class structures).
In 1963 I enrolled in Commerce part-time at UNSW and joined a chartered accountancy firm. My employers however decided I should do the ICA course and forced me to drop Uni before I even started. It was probably a good thing however because at that time Rugby was number was number one priority and study was a long way behind.
I made the NSW under 21 side in 1963 and from 1964-66 played grade with the Gordon Rugby club making Wallaby trials in 1966. Unfortunately I ended up in hospital each year and injuries forced a premature retirement from the game. The injuries however did come in handy for the national service medical which I managed to fail. By strange coincidence Robin Winkler and I had our medicals on the same night and sadly it was the last time I ever saw him.
I followed a young lady overseas in 1971 (unsuccessfully) however I did have a great time working for a chartered accountancy firm in London and Jersey, in the Channel Islands. The firm had a substantial entertainment division with clients like Cliff Richard, The Shadows, Olivia Newton-John and Led Zepplin.
In 1972 I bought an old VW Kombi van and did the grand tour of Europe – up to the Arctic Circle in Finland and down to the Greek Islands. Saw some of the Munich Games including the terrorist crisis.
I returned in Australia in 1973 and rejoined the old firm, then somewhat larger due to the merger process. I married Lyn in 1975 which resulted in two daughters, Emma now 22 who has a B Bus and is working in Sports Management and Karen who is doing a BA at Macquarie.
In 1976 I became a partner of the firm but in 1985 had an offer too good to refuse and joined the Carringbush Property Group as Finance Director. The next few years were a blast - developments in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, lear jets, helicopters, marquees at the Melbourne Cup, French champagne (we even owned a few crayfish farms at one stage) then Paul Keating’s recession that we had to have, and the collapse of the property market.
At the end of 1991 I saw an ad in the Financial Review for the sale of St Ives Village Newsagency and to cut a long story short, bought it in 1992. The fact that it is directly over the road from my golf club (Pymble) may have been an influencing factor. I have just finished a seven year stint as Treasurer of the golf club and enjoy playing a couple of times a week at least.