View source for Stan Alves

{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1946}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Stan Alves
| image = 
| fullname = Neil Stanley Alves
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1946|5|22}}
| birth_place = 
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = Edithvale-Aspendale
| height = 178 cm
| weight = 78 kg
| position = Wing
| statsend = 1979
| coachstatsend = 1998
| repstatsend = 1975
| years1 = 1965–1976
| club1 = {{AFL Mel}}
| games_goals1 = 226 (160)
| years2 = 1977–1979
| club2 = {{AFL NM}}
| games_goals2 = {{0}}40 {{0}}(14)
| games_goalstotal = 266 (174)
| sooyears1 = 1968–1975
| sooteam1 = [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria]]
| soogames_goals1 = 4 (?)
| coachyears1 = 1994–1998
| coachclub1 = {{AFL StK}}
| coachgames_wins1 = 115 (55–59–1)
| careerhighlights = *[[AFL Grand Final|VFL]] premiership: [[1977 VFL Grand Final|1977]]
*[[List of Melbourne Football Club captains|Melbourne captain]]: 1973–1976
*2× [[Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal]]: 1972, 1974
*{{AFL Mel}} Team of the Century–<small>emergency</small>
*[[Melbourne Football Club#Hall of Fame|Melbourne Hall of Fame]]
}}
'''Neil Stanley "Stan" Alves''', [[Order of Australia|OAM]] (born 22 May 1946) is a former [[Australian rules football]] player and coach.

== Playing career ==
===Melbourne===
Alves played 226 games and kicked a total of 160 goals for the [[Melbourne Football Club]] from 1965 until 1976. captaining them from 1973–1976 and finishing runner-up for the [[Brownlow Medal]] in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Stan+Alves/9765|title=STAN ALVES|access-date=10 January 2023}}</ref> 

===North Melbourne===
Alves joined [[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]] in 1977.  Legend has it that he chose to play for North Melbourne rather than [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] based on a coin toss.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/25/1027497382411.html | work=The Age | title=Sporting Life | date=26 July 2002}}</ref>  It proved to be a wise decision as North Melbourne met Collingwood in the [[1977 VFL Grand Final|1977 Grand Final]] and, after initially playing a 76-all draw, won the replay 151–124.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Stan+Alves/9765|title=STAN ALVES|access-date=10 January 2023}}</ref> 

Alves played 40 games for North Melbourne and kicked a total of 14 goals from 1977 until 1979 before retiring from his playing career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Stan+Alves/9765|title=STAN ALVES|access-date=10 January 2023}}</ref>

== Coaching career ==

===St Kilda Football Club senior coach (1994-1998)===

Alves became senior coach of [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]] in 1994, when he replaced [[Ken Sheldon]]. In the [[1994 AFL season|1994 season]], St Kilda under Alves finished 13th on the ladder out of 15 teams in a disappointing season. The following  [[1995 AFL season|1995 season]], St Kilda once again under Alves had another disappointing season as they finished 14th out of 16 teams.  St Kilda won the [[1996 Ansett Australia Cup|1996 pre-season competition]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://images.slatterymedia.com/image/?image_id=141080|title=AFL 1996 Ansett Cup Grand Final – St Kilda v Carlton – St Kilda holds up the trophy after winning the 1996 Ansett Cup|work=Slattery Media Group|date=1996-03-23|access-date=2009-11-07|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716090356/http://images.slatterymedia.com/image/?image_id=141080|archive-date=16 July 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In the [[1996 AFL season|1996 season]], St Kilda under Alves had another disappointing season, after a promising pre-season competition to find itself finished 10th after round 22. St Kilda won just 10 games for the season.

Alves however went on to coach St Kilda in the [[1997 AFL season|1997 season]] to finish as runners up and first grand final in 26 years in 1997, where St Kilda under Alves lost to [[Adelaide Football Club|Adelaide]] by thirty-one points in the [[1997 AFL Grand Final]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/st-kilda/stan-alves-reveals-his-biggest-mistake-in-1997-grand-final/news-story/e4d12eb35c9bcd614cb4aa5dc8605de2|title=Stan Alves reveals his biggest mistake in 1997 Grand Final|date=30 June 2018|access-date=17 March 2022}}</ref>  This earned Alves the AFL Coach of the Year award. In the [[1998 AFL season|1998 season]], St Kilda under Alves had a great start winning 11 of its first 14 games, but unfortunately an end of season drop of form saw St Kilda drop down the ladder. St Kilda again qualified for the Finals Series finishing sixth. In the 1998 Finals Series, St Kilda were eliminated by [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]] In the semi-final. At the end of the 1998 season, Alves was sacked as St Kilda Football Club senior coach.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/452104/strength-through-loyalty|title=Strength through loyalty|date=1 May 2013|access-date=17 March 2022}}</ref> Alves was then replaced by [[Tim Watson]] as St Kilda Football Club senior coach.

== Awards ==
On 24 October 2000, Alves was awarded the [[Australian Sports Medal]] for his contribution to Australian football.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stan Alves|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/978432|publisher=[[Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)|Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet]]|access-date=31 December 2012}}</ref> On 26 January 2008, Alves was awarded the [[Order of Australia|Order of Australia Medal]] for "service to Australian Rules football as a player, coach and commentator, and to the community as a supporter of charitable organisations".<ref>{{cite web|title=Neil Stanley Alves OAM|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1137563|publisher=[[Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)|Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet]]|access-date=31 December 2012}}</ref>

==Statistics==

===Playing statistics===
:<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/S/Stan_Alves.html Stan Alves' Player Profile at AFL Tables]</ref>
{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1965 VFL season|1965]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 12 || 1 || 2 || 115 || 13 || 128 || 32 || {{n/a}} || 0.1 || 0.2 || 9.6 || 1.1 || 10.7 || 2.7 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1966 VFL season|1966]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 18 || 2 || 12 || 254 || 44 || 298 || 63 || {{n/a}} || 0.1 || 0.7 || 14.1 || 2.4 || 16.6 || 3.5 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1967 VFL season|1967]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 18 || 7 || 5 || 296 || 48 || 344 || 83 || {{n/a}} || 0.4 || 0.3 || 16.4 || 2.7 || 19.1 || 4.6 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1968 VFL season|1968]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 18 || 20 || 17 || 278 || 70 || 348 || 74 || {{n/a}} || 1.1 || 0.9 || 15.4 || 3.9 || 19.3 || 4.1 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1969 VFL season|1969]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]]
| 15 || 20 || 16 || 20 || 317 || 72 || 389 || 89 || {{n/a}} || 0.8 || 1.0 || 15.9 || 3.6 || 19.5 || 4.5 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1970 VFL season|1970]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 20 || 3 || 16 || 318 || 84 || 402 || 98 || {{n/a}} || 0.2 || 0.8 || 15.9 || 4.2 || 20.1 || 4.9 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1971 VFL season|1971]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 18 || 9 || 17 || 276 || 81 || 357 || 92 || {{n/a}} || 0.5 || 0.9 || 15.3 || 4.5 || 19.8 || 5.1 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1972 VFL season|1972]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 21 || 22 || 14 || 373 || 62 || 435 || 136 || {{n/a}} || 1.0 || 0.7 || 17.8 || 3.0 || 20.7 || 6.5 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1973 VFL season|1973]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 22 || 29 || 27 || 318 || 83 || 401 || 120 || {{n/a}} || 1.3 || 1.2 || 14.5 || 3.8 || 18.2 || 5.5 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1974 VFL season|1974]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 21 || 11 || 24 || 343 || 114 || 457 || 123 || {{n/a}} || 0.5 || 1.1 || 16.3 || 5.4 || 21.8 || 5.9 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1975 VFL season|1975]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 20 || 26 || 19 || 320 || 97 || 417 || 105 || {{n/a}} || 1.3 || 1.1 || 16.8 || 5.1 || 22.0 || 5.5 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1976 VFL season|1976]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 15 || 18 || 14 || 19 || 225 || 120 || 345 || 73 || {{n/a}} || 0.8 || 1.1 || 12.5 || 6.7 || 19.2 || 4.1 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | [[1977 VFL season|1977]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 2 || 16 || 3 || 11 || 223 || 81 || 304 || 84 || {{n/a}} || 0.2 || 0.7 || 13.9 || 5.1 || 19.0 || 5.3 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1978 VFL season|1978]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 2 || 6 || 2 || 3 || 74 || 22 || 96 || 27 || {{n/a}} || 0.3 || 0.5 || 12.3 || 3.7 || 16.0 || 4.5 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1979 VFL season|1979]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL NM}}
| 2 || 18 || 9 || 14 || 210 || 84 || 294 || 66 || {{n/a}} || 0.5 || 0.8 || 11.7 || 4.7 || 16.3 || 3.7 || {{n/a}}
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 266
! 174
! 220
! 3940
! 1075
! 5015
! 1265
! {{n/a}}
! 0.7
! 0.8
! 14.9
! 4.1
! 18.9
! 4.8
! {{n/a}}
|}

===Coaching statistics===
:<ref>[https://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Stan_Alves.html Stan Alves' coaching profile at AFL Tables]</ref>
{{AFL coaching statistics legend}}
{{AFL coaching statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1994 AFL season|1994]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL StK}}
| 22 || 7 || 14 || 1 || 34.1% || 13 || 15
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1995 AFL season|1995]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL StK}}
| 22 || 8 || 14 || 0 || 36.4% || 14 || 16
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1996 AFL season|1996]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL StK}}
| 22 || 10 || 12 || 0 || 45.5% || 10 || 16
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1997 AFL season|1997]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL StK}}
| 25 || 17 || 8 || 0 || 68.0% || 1 || 16
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1998 AFL season|1998]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL StK}}
| 24 || 13 || 11 || 0 || 54.2% || 6 || 16
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=2| Career totals
! 115
! 55
! 59
! 1
! 48.3%
! colspan=2|
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{AFL Tables}}
*{{AFL Tables coach ID}}
* [http://www.stanalves.com.au Stan Alves' website]
* [http://demonwiki.org/Stan+Alves DemonWiki profile]

{{1977 North Melbourne premiership players}}
{{Melbourne Football Club captains}}
{{St Kilda Football Club coaches}}
{{Melbourne Football Club Team of the Century}}
{{Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy winners}}
{{1997 All-Australian team}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alves, Stan}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Melbourne Football Club players]]
[[Category:Melbourne Football Club captains]]
[[Category:North Melbourne Football Club players]]
[[Category:North Melbourne Football Club premiership players]]
[[Category:St Kilda Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:All-Australian coaches]]
[[Category:Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy winners]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL premiership players]]