Nick Wilton (footballer)

Nick Wilton
Personal information
Full name	Nicholas Wilton
Date of birth	(1958-02-24) 24 February 1958 (age 66)
Original team(s)	Old Xaverians
Height	192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	86 kg (190 lb)
Position(s)	Key-position
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1978–1981	Hawthorn	13 (7)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1981.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Nicholas Wilton (born 24 February 1958) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Biography

Wilton, the son of a diplomat, spent much of his teenage life living in London.^[1] Although he boarded at Xavier College in Kew, inside Hawthorn's zone, as his residence was in London he was not affected by zoning.^[1] As a result, both Melbourne and St Kilda tried to recruit him to their clubs, in addition to Hawthorn.^[1] He was playing at this time for Old Xaverians in VAFA.^[2] In the end he opted for Hawthorn, as they were the more dominant side of that era.^[1]

A key-position player, Wilton started at Hawthorn in the 1978 VFL season, a premiership winning year.^[1] He debuted in Hawthorn's round nine win over St Kilda at Moorabbin Oval, his only senior appearance for the season.^[3] In 1979 he played nine games for Hawthorn in a season that was interrupted by a knee injury, which required an operation.^[4][5] Following a knee reconstruction, Wilton returned late in the 1980 season to play two games.^[1][4]

During his time at Hawthorn, Wilton was also a medical student, which by 1981 was proving too difficult a combination.^[1] In his fifth year, he was required as part of his studies to live in a hospital and work long shifts.^[1] He had to swap shifts with other students in order to attend training.^[1] In the 1981 VFL season he played just one senior game for Hawthorn.^[4] He was advised by the Dean of Medicine that he would have to give up football if he wanted to continue and he made the decision to retire from the VFL.^[1]

In 1983 he returned to Old Xaverians and spent five seasons at the club.^[1] He finished second in the Woodrow Medal in 1984.^[6]

Wilton now works as a radiologist in Melbourne.^[1]

References

1. AFL Record, Round 14, 2011. The Slattery Media Group. 24 June 2011. p. 20.
2. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
3. "Two matches highlight round". The Canberra Times. 27 May 1978. p. 41. Retrieved 4 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "AFL Tables – Nick Wilton – Games Played". AFL Tables. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
5. "Victorian Football League Hawks' high hopes". The Canberra Times. 16 March 1980. p. 24. Retrieved 4 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
6. Devaney, John (2008). The Full Points Footy Encyclopedia Of Australian Football Clubs – Volume Two. Full Points Publications. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-9556897-3-4.

External links

• Nick Wilton's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Nick Wilton at AustralianFootball.com