#24 Jamie Turner

[Magpie_Dan]

I wasnt going to post this but here goes.

After the North Melbourne game this year I was down at the Clifton Hill Hotel for a few quiet ones with all the boys I go to the footy with week in and week out when from across the bar I spotted Jamie Turner doing the same thing.

I was stoked, stoked to see that a 1990 Premiership player was in the same place at the same time having a few beers with hes wife because the Clifton isnt really the place where ex or current players would really hang out. I approached Jamie with my Pies hat on and I went up and introduced myself and he shook my hand but then turned away. I waited for him to turn back around towards me and he did. Now for those of you posters on here who never seen it, I am chasing up the 1990 premiership players because I have a footy to comemmorate the game and also an old jumper that I was getting signed at the same time and there was a topic on here just asking people if they knew where any of the boys were. Thanks to a few people on here I have gotten 6 or 7 autographs on my footy and jumper.

When I spoke to Jamie the second time, I asked him would there be a chance I could get hes autograph on my footy and jumper and if I could contact him somehow. He told hes mrs to give me a business card but she told me she had none but let me know to search Jamie Turner on Facebook, add him and we could work something out. I was happy with that and I told Jamie I would be in contact with him. During that week I made a Facebook account because I didnt have one and to be honest im a Myspace fan and never had even wanted to make a Facebook account, but I did. I added another member and messaged also but I never got a message back nor an add back. I didnt take this too personally and thought id just catch him there again sometime!

Last Saturday night I was at the Cliffy as its where I usually drink on a Saturday night and once again, I spotted him out. This time he looked like he was in more of a talkative mood so I went up to him and once again I waited for the dew people that were talking to him to stop so that I could have a chat to Jamie. I said "gday Jamie" and he returned the words but didnt at all look to happy to chat back. I said to him that I had searched and added him and hes wife to Facebook but I never got an add back and he said he never got an add from me. I said that I have the 1990 footy and the old school Collingwood jumper that I had asked you to sign last time and that it would make my day if he could sign it. I said to him would he mind if I got hes number so that I could contact him and get my footy and jumper signed or if he or hes wife had any business cards on them and he replied "NO, NO NUMBER OR NO BUSINESS CARDS" and turned away! This pissed me off. He turned away knowing I was still there trying to talk to him but then I just thought, well hes just one of them blokes that was probably never good with the fans and walked away.

I was talking to this bloke later who knew him from when they used to play footy together but is not a really good friend and he said to me that he could get it signed from him and I just said "nah dont worry about it" and plus why the hell am I going to trust someone i dont even know with my stuff?

Jamie is obvisouly a bloke who keeps to himself and is very selective from what I have seen about who he talks to and mingles with which is fine, its hes life and each too their own. BUT.... when I have met
Doug Barwick, Shane Kerrison, Michael Christian, Mick Mcguane, Gavin Brown and Peter Daicos not one of them shirked the issue of signing the footy or the jumper. When I went and seen Shane Kerrison at hes business in Northcote, he introduced me to hes sister and this other bloke I was working with and told me that I could come past anytime and get anything I needed signed. He also told me a story of a player but didnt mention their name about when he was down at training one day a few years back and he asked them to sign something I think it was for hes son and the player refused and said ive gotta run. When Bucks told that player who Kerro was, the player came back and said Ill sign anything that you need me to. Kerro said "Dont worry about it, you probably wont be at the club in a couple years". He said to me that players have to realise we are the people who help pay their wages and they have to realise they are just normal people, just like you and I!

I am very upset with the way Jamie was soooo arrogant towards me because all the players I listed above were alot better than him but not just because of that but because players like Bucks, Swanny and Burns just to name a few are all better than him and have always talked to me with so much respect its not funny. Then you have someone like Jamie Turner, a player who did play in a premiership side for the best and most famous club in the land but lets get it straight, wasnt the best player.

How have others experiences been in meeting him? I know he isnt a Collingwood footballer no more and isnt obligated to sign anything nor talk to fans but I mean its just an autograph, thats it!!! Ive got
Nathan Buckley's autograph 100's of times and Jamie Turner isnt even a quarter of the player he was!!!

Discuss.

[joffa corfe]

Very dissapointing to read that Dan, You'd reckon after all these years he'd be flattered that anyone recognised him.
Hope you do better next time as it might be third time lucky mate.

[sharrod_theiceman]

Bit dissapointing to hear an ex-player treating fans like that.

I've never had a problem getting things signed from any ex or current players and i assume this would be the experience of most supporters, i'm guessing your not getting these things signed for the purpose of selling them so just think, given whats happened your jumper/footy is probably better for not having his signature on it.

[Magpie_Dan]

[quote="joffa corfe"]Very dissapointing to read that Dan, You'd reckon after all these years he'd be flattered that anyone recognised him.
Hope you do better next time as it might be third time lucky mate.[/quote]

Yeah mate, I know alot people my age and younger wouldnt even recognise him if he was holding out a sign saying "Im Jamie Turner" and I only notice him because I am Collingwood mad! I dont know why hes like this mate and yeah if I was him I would be flattered if anyone was to walk up to me and say hey Jamie, how are ya? Who knows mate, might not even worry about it. Hes autograph might never be on my footy and jumper along with Millane's but he will never be in that great mans league!!!

[nulla]

Magpie Dan

I can understand your frustration and maybe reasons for drawing to the conclusion of calling Jamie arrogant.

My son inlaw played AFL, not for the pies though... always disappointed in that part. But I have met and still meet quite a lot of AFL and ex AFL players at various functions or at my daughter place.

All I can say mate is that some players do avoid like the plague autograph hunters, especially when they are socializing outside. Feeling and thoughts on this vary for some players

Talking points or subject matter on this issue is often spoken about when they are together... hence most of the time when socializing you find they group or usually socialize at the same spot. One reason being that the demands for autographs photos together etc wear thin. Players get asked for autographs in the strangest places believe me

As well mate sometimes all the attention going to them at times can get to their partner, especially if the occasion of the social event is her birthday or engagement, anniversary etc.

Some people are like that.

[GO RUPERT 10]

its a shame they cant all be down to earth and friendly as the rupe,he was as down to earth as you can get

[Mr. Chairman]

all these facebooks and things i find them rediculous.

[mudlark]

[Tannin]

He turned away the first time. Can't you take a hint?

[burnsy17]

Mate, i'd hate to be a current or ex AFL player.....

It seems stalking is a trend these days....

Let the bloke enjoy a beer with his wife in peace....

[DaicosMagic]

I proibably wouldn't want to give out my number to every tom dick and harry who wanted an autograph. If you know he frequents that pub, keep the stuff in your car and when you spot him, bring it out and hope for the best.

Who knows what he's going through. Family tragedy. Work pressures. Anything could be up. Or he could just be a private bloke. Just because someone plays football doesn't mean they are obliged to be a social wiz.

I know it can be hard when 'sports heroes' fail to live up to the expectation.

It sounds as if you kept badgering him about an autograph after being ignored a few times - this probably wouldn't have helped the cause either.

My two bob's worth.

[The Truth]

I would have told you to **** off.

I think he was pretty polite.

[mandy]

My only personal memories of Jamie Turner are from the late 80's/early 90's on Saturday nights at the Tunnel. He always seemed quite friendly then!

[STOKA35]

Mandy everyone was fairly freindly at the tunnel.
Dan sad he wont sign it for you but if you get everyones signature on it , it will be worth a bit of money in years to come who is to say you could sell it, not a bad profit in years to come maybe Jamie see's it that way.

[HAL]

Why not?