COLLINGWOOD team of the century player Billy Picken has died, aged 66.
The Magpies great, who played 212 matches for the club after debuting in 1974, was a two-time EW Copeland Trophy winner and All-Australian in 1983.
Renowned for his high-marking, the defender’s career spanned 11 seasons.
News of Picken’s death was doubly sad for the Magpies, with the AFL club also mourning the death of another ex-player in Con Britt.
Recruited from the Ballarat Football League before debuting in 1966, Britt played 110 games for the Magpies before he was forced into retirement at just 26-years-old by a knee injury in 1973.
“Billy was a spectacular player, a dashing defender who could take a big grab and a player who performed extraordinarily in finals matches,”Magpies president Jeff Browne said in a statement.
“Soon after making his debut, Billy became a fan favourite with many Collingwood supporters wearing the number 25 on the back of their Black and White jumpers and duffle coats.
“He will be remembered as one of the best-ever players to represent the Collingwood Football Club and one of the greatest centre half backs of his generation.
“Con Britt was a skilful player who spent most of his career across the half forward line and along the wing. He was fast and strong with his attack on the football impressing Collingwood supporters.”
The Magpies will wear black armbands in honour of both players in their match against Essendon at the MCG to be played on Sunday.
The champion centre-half back played 207 games with the Magpies between 1974 and 1983 before spending two seasons with Sydney in 1984 and 1985. He then returned to his rightful home at Victoria Park to play five games with the Magpies in 1986.
A brilliant performer in finals, Picken played in five grand finals including the 1977 draw and replay but did not play in a flag being part of losing grand final teams in 1977, 1979, 1980 and 1981.
The high-flyer was a character famous for commentating “here comes Billy” while on the field as he prepared to launch for a mark and despite an ungainly kicking style was good enough to win two Copeland Trophies and be named in Collingwood’s Team of the Century.
His aerial ability put him alongside St Kilda’s Trevor Barker, Hawthorn’s Peter Knights and Essendon’s Paul Vander Haar as players who regularly took spectacular marks in the ’70s with Picken winning mark of the year in 1974 and 1976.
Picken’s son Liam had an outstanding career with the Western Bulldogs, playing a key role in their drought-breaking 2016 premiership having starred in the finals series.
Another of his three sons Marcus played 25 games with the Brisbane Lions and was on the Bulldogs list for two years without playing a game.
He was also the uncle of Lions’ champion Jonathon Brown, with Picken’s wife Brown’s mum’s sister.
Picken grew up in Macarthur, a small country town near Hamilton, before joining the Magpies as a forward in 1974.
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