John ‘Meatloaf’ Calthorpe is still celebrating the Doves victory over Narre Warren in the Casey Cardinia grand final on Saturday.By Glen Atwell
ANYONE who has ever been to Doveton’s Robinson Reserve during football season would most likely have witnessed the unique supporting style of a chap called ‘Meatloaf’.
The big bloke’s loyalty and passion for the Doves is legendary and often a talking point among opposition players and supporters.
The Loaf, as he is affectionately known, is the walking definition of a club legend, stalwart and supporter, all rolled into a humble, lovable character.
However, few inside or outside the club would know his given name, and for the record, the official moniker is John Calthorpe.
John, 47, moved to Doveton when he was two years old and has been part of the local furniture since, playing junior football at the club and working for Castricum Brothers meat suppliers in Dandenong.
Pakenham Gazette sports editor Brad ‘Tangles’ Kingsbury had an interesting introduction to Meatloaf, much the same as other local footballers have had over the past 30 years.
While playing for Bonbeach reserves in 1995, Kingsbury was bowled over the boundary line in front of the Doveton clubrooms, landing about six feet below the famous open window that Mr Calthorpe sits behind. Kingsbury looked up and was confronted by the fearsome sight of Meatloaf leaning out of the window and ‘advising’ him of his failure as a footballer.
The sensational spray had even the Bonbeach players and supporters laughing at the passionate nature of the Loaf.
On the origins of his nickname, John says it was in reference to the popular and burly singer of the 1970s and it was given to him at a birthday party, thanks to his trendy dress sense. “When I was 21, I had long hair and I was the same size as I am now,” he recalled.
“At my 21st birthday, I wore a white shirt and black pants and everyone started calling me Meatloaf.
“It just stuck since and now everybody calls me Meatloaf – even my mum.”
Meatloaf has been caught up in the celebration of Doveton’s droughtbreaking premiership victory over Narre Warren last Saturday.
Every hour at the Prince Mark tavern on mad Monday, Meatloaf halted the drinking and launched into the Doveton theme song, to be joined by fellow supporters and enthusiastic players.
