On Friday morning, we all awoke to the sad news that the legendary Neville “Nifty” Glover, Eels player 340, had passed away late on the previous night.
A life member and Eels Hall of Fame inductee, Neville was 70 years of age.
The passing of most former players is felt deeply by their family, their loved ones and of course the fans. When it comes to Neville Glover, that loss will impact the much wider community.
For as much as many of us have memories of Nifty as a player, Neville’s life beyond pulling on the Eels jersey touched the lives of countless others.
That goose step electrified crowds
As a footballer, Neville was a local junior graded by the Eels in 1975. His rise to first grade was meteoric, as he went on to make his Premiership debut in that same season. His form across his thirteen game rookie season, mostly as a centre, led to him receiving the Club Rookie of the Year Award.
In 1976, Neville switched to the wing, where his elusiveness and signature goose step would bamboozle opponents and electrify crowds. History was made that season when the Eels qualified for their first ever grand final.
Scoring for Australia
Though victory eluded the Eels, and Neville copped the sting of a dropped pass, the heights of his football career still awaited him. In addition to pulling on the sky blue NSW jersey, Nifty earned two caps for the Australian Kangaroos, scoring two tries. He will forever be Kangaroo 511.
Neville ultimately celebrated a title as an Eel when he was part of the Tooth Cup (midweek competition) winning team in 1980. His career in the Blue and Gold wrapped up with nine first grade appearances in the 1981 Premiership winning season.
In total he played 121 first grade games for Parra, scoring 55 tries. He was a personality player, a character of the club and the game.
A genuine character of the game
After 13 games across two seasons with Penrith, Neville retired as a player then took on coaching roles, mostly in regional football. Following his passing, I have received numerous messages from those who valued the mentoring they received from him.
A life beyond football also awaited Neville, as a family man, a police prosecutor and a tireless worker for various charities including Family of League (formerly Men of League), Ronald McDonald House Charities, Camp Quality, Cystic Fibrosis initiatives, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, and Make-A-Wish Australia.
Recognitions followed. Neville was the recipient of the New South Wales Police Medal in 2013 and Police Prosecutor of the Year in 2008. He was also awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and ultimately the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2018 for service to rugby league and the community.
From a personal perspective, Neville was an all time favourite Eel. Even long after his footy career had ended, I named pets “Nifty” in his honour and used that name in various forms in passwords.
Neville in his later years
Then, through The Cumberland Throw, I was finally able to meet and spend time with Neville. As a Legend Ambassador for the Eels, he was our guest at a number of Parra Leagues Club appearances. He was such a fun bloke to spend time with, had so many yarns to share, and he loved the Eels and importantly the fans.
On behalf of The Cumberland Throw, I extend our heartfelt sympathies to Neville’s family, friends and loved ones.
Neville Kenneth Glover, OAM, touched the lives of many people. His passing has been mourned, but more importantly his life will be long celebrated.
Craig Hawkins (Sixties)
Thanks for the tribute to Neville he was an outstanding player and human being, I ran into him about a 18 months ago at the local shops, I was wearing an EELS shirt and he said “I like your shirt do you know who I am” my response was “of course you are Neville Glover” who could forget you. we stood in the supermarket for ages yaking about the EELS, life and his football. Oddly enough I had recently attended a school reunion and Graeme Atkins and I were chatting and I asked him who was the best player he ever played with and he responded Neville Gover. Out of all the legends Graeme played with he nominated Neville. R.I.P. Neville Glover.
I grew up in Housing Commission house 18 Fourth Avenue Seven Hills. We did not have our own Rugby League club; I rode my push bike over the hill to play for Toongabbie. I think Brad Arthur played for Seven Hills when that club was formed.
In my eighteen years in that little house the Jenkins family loved in the house diagonally opposite ours. After I left home the Jenkins family moved out and the Glovers moved in
Son Neville attended Seven Hills high school. I don’t know who he played his junior football for. Like Geoff Gerard be was a stand out for The Eels reserve grade side of, I think, 1975.
Unlike some outstanding young footballers, Neville always enjoyed the reputation of being humble, friendly and helpful to the elderly people who lived near him in the Seven Hills Housing Commission settlement. This was his reputation before he emerged as an elite footballer.
Didn’t help him with Jack Gibson. Jack took a set against Neville and at times left him in reserve grade when some of us thought he deserved to be in the ones. Neville signed with Penrith mid season and tried to keep the fact secret. Jack, of course, learner; his prank was to send message to Neville that he,’d had a change of heart and offer him a contract for the following year – double the money that he’d already signed for at Penrith.
It was always pleasing to hear of Neville’s elite success in life after football. The dropped pass in the Grand Final? A bad rap – the pass was high and behind his left shoulder, the sort of thing that happens a dozen times in a game of football and passes without comment.
Yeah. A fine man and very good footballer. Vale.
Very sad news. As a kid me and my friends always tried, unsuccessfully, to mimic that goosestep. Loved watching him play.
Good on you Nifty, you were a beauty in and out of footy. You were to good a bloke to say John Moran should never have passed that ball in 76. See you down the trail.
Very sad news, condolences to Neville’s family and friends.
Way too young, RIP Neville, thanks for the memories.
As Jack would say “you done good”
Very sad news a true parramatta legend RIP
Cumberland on a Sunday afternoon,you couldn’t miss it ..Neville you were a big part of my and my family’s earlier years. Thank you and rest in peace.
Vale Neville Glover.
My Dad and I probably saw every game Neville played for Parra and he always gave 100%. In 1975, Neville was part of that fabulous tie for 5th place in the semi finals so instead of for and against deciding who came 5th, Parra went into mid week playoffs with Balmain , then Wests and then Canterbury in the first semi final. That pass in 1976 was definitely shoulder height and behind him and I also think that if John Moran goes himself, he scores, as he was nearly over the line when he passed it.
Neville scored a try the first time he touched the ball on his debut for Australia. Just like Apa did on his debut in Neville’s tribute game on the weekend. I would love to hear that from this point on, if you score a try on debut with your first touch of the ball, it is called a “Neville Glover”.
I have a great mate in Granville whose family name is Glover (no relation), and to this day, Tony is always called Neville and nothing else. That’s how big an impact Neville had on the area.
Here is a highlights package and for me, one of the absolute highlights is Neville breaking through a Ron Coote cover tackle, which almost never happened. I would have loved to have met him.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ip+neville+Glover+1955-2026