The Skåne League Rd 2 between Limhamn Lions and GV Rebels saw Paul Persson became the 9th Mauler and second Swede to reach the 50-game mark. He follows closely in the footsteps of his younger brother who achieved the feat during the IC last year.
Pauls first game was the 98-98 footballing feast between Sweden and Denmark at Farum and with such an introduction it comes as little surprise that he has been an integral part of the club ever since.
Having been used as a forward initially, Paul kicked arguably one of Port Malmö’s most important goals in the dying seconds of the regional league game against Landskrona. The Maulers were staring down the barrel of a most embarrassing defeat before the big man marked and goaled meaning a 5-point win and the 10th straight for Malmö during the record equaling run of 11 consecutive victories.
He has played the last two seasons as a backman and excelled. With his ‘man-o’-glass’ brother out for the whole of 2008 Paul filled in at full-back to such great effect that he was awarded Port Malmö’s most improved award for the year. With the fragile ones return, Persson the elder has settled in to centre half-back and is arguably playing the best football of his career, with his size, aggression and superb hands working fantastically well in DAFL’s meanest defence.
Much like the majority of those who have passed the half-century, Paul has become ever more involved in the runnings of the club establishing himself as the link between Port Malmö and Malmö Rugby Club which the club is part of. He has also been one of the driving forces behind the latest edition to the Malmö family, Limhamn Lions. A dedication to the encouragement and improvement of local talent lies high on the Persson agenda.
The most affable of characters off the field and a never-say-die attitude on it, Paul is a credit to the football club and it can only be hoped that he’s around to celebrate the 100 in a few years time… even better if he has a few premierships under his belt by then.
Congratulations Paul! Port Malmö would be a much lesser club without you!
PLAYER PROFILE
Name: Paul Persson
Date of Birth: 750928
Teams: Port Malmö, Limhamn Lions, Sweden Elks
Home town: Malmö
Family: Wife Cecilia
Profession: Mantinence Engineer
First game: Sweden vs Denmark 2005
Most memorable moment: First goal
Most forgettable moment: Loss against Farum 2005 Grand Final
Favorite position: Centre Half-foward
Biggest influence: Port Malmö Maulers
Best AFL-Player: Brendan Fevola
Best DAFL/SAFL-player:
Best non-Australian in DAFL/SAFL: Daniel Scotford
Worst Player seen: Dragan
Toughest Opponent: The wife
Match Day Routine: None
Favourite non-DAFL team: Geelong
Sporting hero: Dominek Hasek
Favourite book: Ondskan
Favourite movie: The Boondock Saints
Favourite TV show: Futurama
Favourite musician: Bruce Springsteen
Favourite food: Thai
Favourite drink: Beer
Well done big fella and well written Taff, who was the best none aussie player……
it was me! ha ha… but I forgot to add it
sorry… completely lost. I did add me. I’ve forgotten who he said. Will look it up! Or perhaps Paul can enlighten us…
Great write up! I second all that is said. The Persson pair are excellent ambassadors for the Swedish battalion in the Maulers and Swedish AFL