The Adelaide Football Club’s Interim Board has been inducted in the Club’s Hall of Fame.

Although the Interim Board only existed for 128 days, in that time, it created and shaped South Australia’s first AFL club to be ready to take the field for the beginning of the 1991 season. 

The directors that made up the Club’s interim board were Max Basheer (chairman), Bob Lee, Adrian Sutter, Rick Allert, Ed Betro, Leigh Whicker and Bob Hammond.

There was so much work to do in a short time. The new club needed a coach to select players to start training in late October and make key staff appointments, including the first General Manager Bill Sanders. 

Club colours, guernsey design and emblem, administration facilities and a gymnasium were a priority. Support staff had to be found, finances and agreements negotiated, contracts signed, sponsors secured and membership planned and then promoted. This was on top of dealing with numerous administrative and operational matters.

At dozens of official and unofficial meetings, challenges were accepted and numerous essential decisions were made by this Interim Board that set the foundation for the future success of the Adelaide Football Club.

Inaugural Crows coach Graham Cornes said the Board delivered on its mission. 

“They had to build that club from scratch and they did it with enthusiasm, optimism, there was never any negativity,” he said.

“It was always about positivity and how much greater South Australian footy could be.

“It had to start from somewhere, and this group started it.

“They were people with football history and they totally deserve to be honoured and recognised and remembered.”