The Sydney Swans are today mourning the loss of former General Manager Barry Rogers who passed away last night following complications during heart surgery. He was 69 years-old.
A lifelong supporter of the Swans Barry Rogers grew up in Melbourne and held the position of General Manager during the tumultuous period in the early 1980’s when the club relocated from South Melbourne to Sydney.
He had earlier started his working association with the club in an accounting position in the 1970’s but the young Barry Rogers was an “official Swan” many years earlier having led the team out as mascot on numerous occasions as a youngster.
Despite death threats hanging over his family Barry Rogers remained staunch in his support of the move to Sydney and was amongst the proudest of the 1800 in attendance at last years Anniversary Dinner which celebrated the Swans 25 years in Sydney.
For him, winning the premiership in 2005 was one of the biggest days of his life.
“After so much energy was spent moving the Swans to Sydney Barry became disillusioned in the early years of the move as he felt there were promises broken and the club was never really given the support it needed to succeed,” former Swans chairman/president Peter Weinert said.
He left soon after the move north but a quirk of fate had him back at the club late in 1990.
After leaving the Swans Barry Rogers worked for St George Leagues Club and along the way met Basil Sellers.
“Basil was part of the private ownership consortium at the Swans and was also involved with St George; he suggested Barry would be a good man for the job of running the Swans,” Peter Weinert said.
“I interviewed Barry and the wheel turned full circle when he came back as General Manager late in 1990.
“Barry remained as General Manager for four years before the private ownership ceased and there was a changing of the guard.”
More recently Barry Rogers had been living on the Gold Coast and was working in management for no.1 ticket-holder Peter Weinert.
A Swans Life Member Barry Rogers is survived by his daughter Lee and his twin brother John.
At the request of Barry, and supported by his family, no funeral will be held.
Notes of condolence should be sent to: Lee Rogers, 3 Boorala Court, Tugun Heights, QLD 4224
