HALL OF HONOUR

Peter Keenan

Peter Keenan is the inaugural Byron Bay FC Hall Of Honour inductee. Peter joined the Club in 1979 and for 34 years worked tirelessly doing every job that is possible. Peter started played seniors in his first year with the club and it was his persistence and passion in the early 1980s that saved the senior club from folding.

He been Club President four times and has held so many positions on the committee member that he cannot remember them all. He has just always been there.

Peter played several Premier Division Grand Finals and over the years worked his way down the grades until his final championship came in 2011 as he was part of the team that won the Men’s Division 6 Pointscore Championship.

A bad injury sustained while playing Division 5 in 2013 forced his fifth – and final – retirement but his service to the club did not stop. Retirement from playing simply meant Peter handed in his jersey and began his new career as Division 5 assistant manager alongside his great mate Kenny Baynes.

Over the years Peter was also been Premier Reserves coach, Premier Division manager, a junior coach, canteen coordinator and field coordinator.

Keenen Electrical has sponsored the club on countless occasions, as did his parents beforehand. Peter is first person to put his hand in his pocket to fund the club [or a player in need] and the first person to put his hand up to do a job.

The club was delighted to see Peter awarded the Bill Turner Award for Outstanding Contribution to Football in Northern NSW and is very proud that Peter is the inaugural member of the club’s Hall of Honour.

Vlad Knaus

At the time of his induction, Vlad had been with Byron Bay FC for 25 years.

One of the most passionate men you will ever meet, Vlad played with great success and made a successful transition to coaching. He coached the Premier Division side on three occasions and coached other senior and junior teams six times. Perhaps the most notable being when he guided the U16 Boys to the treble as winners of the Pointscore Championship, Grand Final and ANZAC Cup.

Vlad was the Brunswick Valley District Junior Development Squad Coach, has been a FFNC representative coach twice, a Northern Brand coach twice, and took the U15s to the Country Championships.

Vlad also organised holiday coaching clinics in Lismore, Alstonville, Byron Bay and Brunswick Heads. He was an inaugural member of the coaches association and its treasurer. He worked very hard to secure Graham Bird as Byron Bay’s first professional coach.

As a player, Vlad has been captain coach of the Premier Division side and was an ANZAC Cup finalist. In 1996 and 1997 he played Division 2 with his son Todd, which is still one of his fondest memories. He hung up the boots after winning the Division 6 Pointscore Championship in 2011.

In his spare time Vlad has been Club President four times and held various other positions, including manager of the Premier Division team. He is of course a life member.