North's First Captain

Jim Besley is not a name that would be familiar to many North Adelaide fans, but as he was the club’s first Captain and Interstate Representative it is a name that should be remembered.  The only issue is that the History Committee has not been able to determine with any certainty whether his surname is spelt "Beasly" or "Besley".  A case can be made for both, with the former being used more often in the media of the time but the latter appearing on his birth record (which is not definitive as it would have been transcribed from a handwritten certificate).  If there are any relatives of Jim’s who can shed some light on this, we would love to hear from you.

The first mention of Jim Besley turns up in match reports for Medindie from 1885, when Medindie were competing in the newly formed Junior Football Association.  His name was to become a regular feature in that Association over the next few seasons and in fact his form was so impressive that at the start of the 1887 season when Medindie were competing in the Adelaide and Suburban Association he was elected Captain of the side with Arthur Brown as his deputy.  Unfortunately for the ‘Dindies his form was so good it got the attention of South Adelaide (a league club in the SAFA) and he joined them.  This was common practice in those days - that a player from a “junior” club would join a “senior” club.

Besley spent the 1887, 1888 and 1889 seasons with South before re-joining Medindie who were by now a “senior” club also having joined the SAFA in 1888.

Besley’s form on returning was something of a godsend to Medindie who were struggling somewhat.  In fact his form was so good that during the season he was named in a combined team (from Adelaide, Medindie and Gawler) that took on Geelong in an Intercolonial match.  At the end of the season “The Advertiser” named him as Medindie’s second best player (after Arthur Brown). After another good season in 1891 he again earned high praise from the daily papers as being close to Medindie’s best.

Beasley played on “half left wing back” during the 1892 season for “The Dingoes” (Medindie) and not only earned the usual kudos from the daily papers but was also presented with a trophy as Medindie’s best backman at the club’s AGM.  That same AGM saw Medindie officially change its name from Medindie to North Adelaide.

When the red and whites ran out for their first game under the name North Adelaide (against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on the 6th May 1893) Jim Besley was their Captain.

Besley was consistently named in North’s best players during the season, so much so that when the season was analysed by “Goalpost” in “The Register” he was acclaimed as “their best man” and “a player with a rare turn of speed”.

The first North team to be published in the dailies showing their positions was for the 24th May clash against Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval (the first in a holiday double header).  Besley was named as full back, and also was high in the best players in what was North’s first ever win (4goals 8 behinds to Adelaide’s 3 goals 2 behinds).

He was named North’s Captain again in 1894 and his good form continued, so much so that when the South Australian team for the match against Victoria was picked he was named in the backline. The match was the thirteenth between the states and resulted in a resounding victory to the Victorians (13.15 to 0.6).  However Besley was mentioned in the match report as being “a prominent defender”.  After the state match his good form continued, and at the end of the season “The Register” again named him as the side’s best player.

Besley continued playing with North in 1895 and 1896 (despite no longer being Captain) and was regularly named in the side’s best players.  He retired from league football at the end of the 1896 season.

Nick Haines
History Committee