Hundreds of mourners — or 8972, depending on who you ask — gathered on Tuesday morning at Henson Park Oval in Sydney’s inner-west to celebrate a man they say is “simply the best”.
The number 8972 is a decades-long in-joke referencing a dreary 90s home game where attendance figures were made up on the spot. It has been ingrained in the hearts of supporters ever since.
Newtown Jets club legend Barry Noel Vining OAM, 85, died of a heart attack while cheering on his team following their 28-22 victory over the North Sydney Bears on September 29.
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His memorial service on Tuesday did not carry a sombre tone, but rather one of pride. A pride one can only imagine comes from knowing someone who lived and breathed his community.
Vining is credited with pouring life back into the inner west club, and it was evident throughout his memorial just how much life the club gave back to him.
A small podium set the stage for family and friends to deliver their favourite anecdotes about the club great with a photo montage sharing some of their memories.
Family was credited as the most important thing in Vining’s life.
After losing his mother when he was just 13 years old, Vining went on to become a loving father to five daughters.
His oldest daughter, Jodene, sharing in her eulogy: “My Dad was cool. Because he knew who he was and what he represented.”
Known as Popsy to his grandkids, his penchant for cars — specifically his pride and joy Jaguar — was a popular talking point.
Long-time friend Terry Rowney, who joined the Jets’ board alongside Vining in 1981, told the group he often played bad cop to Vining’s good cop. It was a roleplay Rowney said worked well because neither of them had an ego, instead they simply enjoyed working together.
“We lived by the statement, if it’s not good for Newtown, it isn’t the right decision and Newtown’s a good place to be,” Rowney said. “We’ve lived by that all our lives.”
“Everyone was welcome and everyone was equal. Him and I decided on policies, just the two of us. What suited our families and what suited everyone.”
Vining stepped down as president in 2018 — a full 32 years after stepping into the role while they were expelled from NSW Rugby League.
He helped the club survive and was in charge for Metropolitan Cup premierships in the 1990s prior to their admission to the first division.
Two devastating grand final losses followed in 2006 and 2008 before Newtown finally tasted success in 2012.
“The Jets’ story is one of the great survival sagas of modern rugby league. Barry Vining’s presidency and administrative capabilities surely share that legendary status,” the club wrote when he stepped down.
A key moment of the service was volunteer John “Traddy” Trad honouring the tradition of riding a celebratory lap on his bike around the oval as he held the team’s blue and white flag high in the air.
A live cover of Tina Turner’s classic Simply The Best rang out during his ride, as supporters clapped.
Vining’s final lap of the oval was flanked by those closest to him, the Bluebags chant loud and clear before club song 13 Men All Dressed In Blue was played.
In the words of the club, once a jet, always a jet.