The Football Hall of Fame WA has lost one if it’s finest footballers. On 20th May 2026 Ron Adair sadly passed away at Fiona Stanley Hospital peacefully with his loving family present.
Born in Londonderry (Northern Ireland) in 1931, Ron disembarked in Fremantle in 1949. He soon joined Victoria Park and in the following eleven years played for North Perth, Maccabeans, Azzurri and Swan Athletic.
Barely a year had passed since Ron landed in Perth when he made his State debut at the age of 19 against an Australian eleven. He won First Division titles with North Perth (1952) and Swan Athletic (1957) and recipient of the Ledger Medal for the ‘Fairest and Best’ player in three successive seasons – 1953 (North Perth), 1954 (Maccabeans) and 1955 (Azzurri).
As a defender he was known as the ‘Iron Man’ and, though less than average height, made up for this with a prodigious leap. He has the distinction of playing in every State match during his WA career, being selected on twenty-three occasions, eleven of those as captain.
Only injury prevented Ron from going on to possible further glory both at Club, State and probably national level. He was in charge of WA when it came runners-up to New South Wales in the Inter-States carnival in Adelaide in 1954, where he was named the tournament’s ‘Best player’.
He represented Australia on thirteen occasions, making his debut in Adelaide in a 5-0 win over China and topped off a fine performance by being named the ‘Find of the Match’. He was the first Western Australian to Captain Australia leading the team against Vienna Rapid (1955) and Hearts (1959).
Ron was the first player selected to be Inducted into Football Hall of Fame WA, the Hall of Champions in 1996, and one of the first elevated to Hall of Legends in 2005.
To think, he could have been lost to another sport soon after disembarking the SS Maloja in July 1949. “Everyone was so sport mad here I just had to play something and I picked soccer,” he said to the Sunday Times.
Ron is without question, a true legend of Western Australian football.
