What do you think?
Rate this book
Glory, Glory: My Life
I hid in the dressing-room toilets and pushed my broken jaw back into place. No one would stop me. I ran back on before anyone could.
This is the authorised biography of John Sattler, a rugby league luminary, the hardest of hard men and the last person to captain South Sydney to a premiership, 43 years ago in 1971.
For all his many achievements, which include being named in the Australian Rugby League’s list of 100 greatest players, Sattler is best remembered for playing the last 73 minutes of the 1970 Grand Final with a broken jaw. For four decades that moment has defined him, as a footballer and as a man, and it secured his place in the code’s folklore. Sattler was and still is revered by his contemporaries, and his reputation has remained strong in the modern era.
Humble and shy, Sattler has declined many approaches to document his remarkable life story. Now, having turned 70, he feels the time is right.
This, then, is the compelling story of ‘Gentleman John’ Sattler, a rugby league deity, the kid from Kurri Kurri who became the ultimate paradox: softly spoken and adored off the field, but feared and hard as nails on it. He was the heart and soul of the glory years of rugby league’s oldest and most glorious club, the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
With foreword by prominent Souths supporter Ray Martin.
This is the authorised biography of John Sattler, a rugby league luminary, the hardest of hard men and the last person to captain South Sydney to a premiership, 43 years ago in 1971.
For all his many achievements, which include being named in the Australian Rugby League’s list of 100 greatest players, Sattler is best remembered for playing the last 73 minutes of the 1970 Grand Final with a broken jaw. For four decades that moment has defined him, as a footballer and as a man, and it secured his place in the code’s folklore. Sattler was and still is revered by his contemporaries, and his reputation has remained strong in the modern era.
Humble and shy, Sattler has declined many approaches to document his remarkable life story. Now, having turned 70, he feels the time is right.
This, then, is the compelling story of ‘Gentleman John’ Sattler, a rugby league deity, the kid from Kurri Kurri who became the ultimate paradox: softly spoken and adored off the field, but feared and hard as nails on it. He was the heart and soul of the glory years of rugby league’s oldest and most glorious club, the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
With foreword by prominent Souths supporter Ray Martin.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2014
4 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
John Sattler
3 booksJohn William Sattler was a professional and national representative rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He was a rugged Prop forward who captained his club, South Sydney to four premiership victories from 1967 to 1971 and who played four Tests for Australia – three as national captain. - Wikipedia
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 19, 2020
Got this a while back and just finished reading it. Great trip down memory lane with some interesting insights into the history of the club through some of it's best and worst years. And can't tell you how proud I am to own a signed copy!
December 12, 2018
Not a Souths fan, but I liked this book by the great John Sattler. One of the game's gentlemen off the field, but a hard man on it.
January 28, 2015
I have been a fan of John Sattler since my school days when I would catch trains all around Sydney to watch my beloved South Sydney play. At the time John Sattler was Souths’ captain. John came from Kurri Kurri in the Hunter Valley, where they breed them tough!
The book recounts John’s early life and football career. He tells of games he played, the life long friendships he made (especially Bob McCarthy and Ron Coote.) He discusses at some length at the punch that broke his jaw in the 1970??? Grand final. He also mentions the despicable behavior of the Souths committee.
After his football career in Sydney finished he moved to Queensland where he played for a few years before becoming a publican. Sattler then relates to work and football things that crossed his path over the last forty years.
Naturally, he writes of his family and notes his son Scott’s achievements, especially the famous covering tackle in the 199 Grand Final.
The writing has an easy reading style and it simple tells the story of a sportsman from a past era.
I have seen John Sattler at a few Souths’ games. He has aged very well and is still a strong upright looking man. I remember as a young boy admiring his massive thighs.
It is a bit of a cliché to mention this, but if only many of the footballers of today had the maturity and dignity of John Sattler in his day.
The book recounts John’s early life and football career. He tells of games he played, the life long friendships he made (especially Bob McCarthy and Ron Coote.) He discusses at some length at the punch that broke his jaw in the 1970??? Grand final. He also mentions the despicable behavior of the Souths committee.
After his football career in Sydney finished he moved to Queensland where he played for a few years before becoming a publican. Sattler then relates to work and football things that crossed his path over the last forty years.
Naturally, he writes of his family and notes his son Scott’s achievements, especially the famous covering tackle in the 199 Grand Final.
The writing has an easy reading style and it simple tells the story of a sportsman from a past era.
I have seen John Sattler at a few Souths’ games. He has aged very well and is still a strong upright looking man. I remember as a young boy admiring his massive thighs.
It is a bit of a cliché to mention this, but if only many of the footballers of today had the maturity and dignity of John Sattler in his day.
September 23, 2014
Interesting to hear the well known tales of strength and heroism from the Rabbitohs legend himself.
A must for every South Sydney fan.
A must for every South Sydney fan.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews