VALE ARTHUR RANSTED

The Perth Football Club has lost one of its longest serving and best loved members with the death of former property manager, Arthur Ransted, on April 28. 

Arthur, who was described in 2018 as “the spirit of the club”, had been among the guests at the Life Members’ Lunch on April 1. He enjoyed catching up with many of the club champions he had helped over the years, and was looking forward to the new football season. But he fell over and broke his hip in mid-April and never fully recovered.

Arthur’s association with the Demons began in 1965 when he was invited to become the Boot Studder. This involved ensuring that players’ boots were properly fitted with the aluminium or leather sprigs being used at the time.

The players’ boots were inspected by the umpire before each game to ensure no nails were protruding which could injure opposing players. Arthur had an impeccable record.

But leather soled boots started to be phased out and the role of boot studder became redundant as moulded soles took over. So when the position of Property Manager became vacant, Arthur was the logical replacement.

He became a permanent fixture at Lathlain Park during the football season ensuring all players were smartly turned out and footballs pumped to the appropriate pressure on both training nights and match days.

Not only was Arthur responsible for washing all players’ jumpers and shorts after each game - trainers’ gear, towels and blankets went into the washing machine as well.

Loading up the club van for away games was a Friday night Ransted family affair, with Arthur having to be at the ground by 7.30am next day with all the gear for the Colts, Reserves and League games.

Remarkably Arthur never played football. But he loved the repartee with the generations of players over the years, enjoyed their big wins and shared the disappointments of the losses. When Arthur stepped down in 2020, son Doug took over.

Arthur was awarded Perth Life Membership in 1986 - nephew Steve gained the same honour in 2012 – and his great contribution to the game was capped off in 2022 with Life Membership of the WAFL.

The Perth Football Club extends its sincere sympathy to the Ransted family on the loss of their patriarch. And the Club has lost its longest serving and much loved servant.

RIP Arthur Ransted