What does it mean to reclaim a place?
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Attila’s deeds come to mind at a time when the national team is playing on the international stage. He was the son of Hungarian refugees. He arrived in Australia in 1957, when he was 10 years old, in the wake of an aborted uprising against totalitarian rule. He attended Princes Hill High in the 1960s, when the school was teeming with ‘reffos’ and immigrant kids.
Back then, we wore our ‘wog’ badges with pride. Our parents found work in the nearby factories of Brunswick, or a tram ride away in their Vic Market stalls or the garment district of Flinders Lane. We roamed the streets with working class kids whose families had lived in the inner suburbs for many years. We formed friendships across cultural divides. Bonds that persist to this day. And we attained a degree of equality on the sporting fields of Princes Park.
Attila Abonyi, with the cup, celebrating a soccer win in 1977.
Photo: Antonin Cermak
At 15 Attila debuted with senior side Hungaria in the Victorian State League. He debuted in the national team in 1967, appeared in 88 games, and scored 36 goals. He was a star of the first Socceroos team to appear in the World Cup finals back in 1974, and played in three World Cup campaigns. It was Attila who turned me on to the game. As I keep vigil, I see him running with grace over the open spaces of Princes Park, dribbling the ball effortlessly at his feet.
Joining the crowds making their way to the vigil, I recalled those Saturday afternoons when football was played in suburban grounds. The working week was at a blessed end, and at noon the fans streamed to the Carlton ground. In later years, Princes Park became a place to jog and walk, and to lie spreadeagled on the grass, warming my face on mild summer days.
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