Shepparton East servant Jamie Spencer to notch 200 senior game milestone for the Eagles

The round 13 Kyabram District League clash with Merrigum will be routine for most, but for Spencer, it’ll signify a banner day for a man whose legacy was moulded in blue.

Spencer’s grandfather Jock was a legendary North Melbourne forward who kicked 475 goals for the Kangaroos before moving on to Shepparton United, where he won the league goal-kicking award twice.

His son Marcus was also a Demons stalwart and later continued the family’s excellence at Shepparton East.

It was here where the soon-to-be 200-gamer first kicked his first footy.

“I remember growing up, I was around the club all the time,” Spencer said.

“Dad moved from Shepp United to Shepp East the year I was born, so I’ve been around the club ever since I was born to be honest.

“I didn’t start playing there until I was in the thirds in 2008 because I played junior footy at high school before East.

“The first year of thirds we won a grand final and then I went to Shepp United to play under-18s out there for a year and then I came back the following year to Shepp East.”

Like his grandfather and father before him, glory tailed Spencer like the feathers on Shepparton East’s crest.

After his thirds premiership, Spencer won a reserves grand final with the Eagles in 2010 and became a part of the club’s senior furniture from 2011 onwards, winning flags on two occasions in 2012 and 2016.

Trophy hunting isn’t why he’s stuck around at Central Park, though.

“Obviously the grand finals are what you play for; we went through the 2016 premiership undefeated, so that’s definitely a highlight,” Spencer said.

“It’s just great to be at the club. It’s a family-orientated club, all my mates are out there, so it’s always fun times there to play with your mates.”

Mates are the main reason why Spencer has stuck around at the Eagles for 15 years.

Though he conceded he “always probably would’ve been at Shepp East”, the nudge to further his father’s footprint at Shepparton United was a forethought during his formative football years.

“There was a bit of pressure to play at Shepp United where Dad played as well and everyone earlier on said I should give it a crack, but I’d always felt comfortable playing at Shepp East,” he said.

“It was a bit more laid back and all my mates were at Shepp East, so that’s probably why I stayed out there.”

Spencer and his Shepparton East mates ticked up the wins tenfold during the club’s Picola District Football League era.

In the KDL, his third senior premiership has proved oh-so elusive.

COVID-19, injury woes and the like have hamstrung the Eagles in champagne-on-ice campaigns where silverware has slipped through their fingers like sand.

Spencer hopes one more day in the sun is on the horizon soon.

“It’s been challenging over the years — we’ve fallen short the last two seasons where we’ve lost the prelim final,” he said.

“We’ve always been around the mark; we’ve probably been a little bit unlucky through injuries and stuff over the last few years, but this year I think we’ve shown we can be up there with the best.

“We drew on the weekend against Murch, who were the top team, and we get another crack at Lancaster at the end of the year, who beat us at the start of the year.

“That’s the last game of the year, so hopefully we can see where we’re at after that game, but I believe we can go all the way this year, definitely.”