Born Newcastle, England
8 June 1903 – 10 May 1995
One of the great names of Australian Football in the years following World War 1, John Leonard was a champion rover for Subiaco from 1923 to 1931 and the winner of the 1926 and 1929 Sandover Medal.
Arriving in Australia in 1907, he played soccer as a junior before opting for the Australian game as his senior sport and joining Subiaco. Leonard was a member of Subiaco’s 1924 Premiership team. His career hit a high spot two years later when he won the Sandover Medal. He was also runner-up in 1927 and 1929 (when he polled the same number of votes as the winner but was beaten on the casting vote of the league president).
In 1932 Leonard moved to Victoria and played with South Melbourne in what proved to be his last season as captain-coach.
Two years later he started his coaching career in WA with West Perth and was an instant success. West Perth won the 1934 and 1935 premierships.
Leonard took 1936 off from football, playing golf instead, before returning to coach West Perth in 1937.
The following year Leonard joined Claremont as League coach and prepared the teams for Grand Final wins in 1938, 1939 and 1940. He coached Claremont again in 1941 and his last official association with football was in 1946 when he coached Claremont for the last time.
His sporting versatility continued after his football career when he became foundation president of the WA Amateur Basketball Association and president of the Royal Kings Park Tennis Club.