Chris Lethbridge


Christopher Francis Lethbridge was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the VFL.

Family

The son of Christopher Montague Lethbridge, and Alice Maud Lethbridge, née Emmerson, Christopher Francis Lethbridge was born in Brighton East on 24 May 1890. The family moved to Wagga Wagga in New South Wales very early in his life.
He married Bertha Lillian White on 18 March 1916.

Football

Lethbridge was originally from New South Wales and played in defence for Fitzroy.
Granted a clearance from Y.M.C.A. Sydney on 23 May 1913, he made his debut, against South Melbourne, on 7 June 1913; and was a member of Fitzroy's premiership side that year.
In 1921 he took over the captaincy from Percy Parratt and in 1922 he captained Fitzroy to another flag before retiring at the season's end, thus becoming one of the few players in league history to be a member of premiership sides in his first and last season.

Non-playing coach

Lethbridge returned to the Fitzroy in 1925 and — replacing Vic Belcher, who had gone to coach the City Football Club in Launceston — served as its non-playing coach for the 1925 season.