Barry Capuano has been inducted into Essendon Football Club's Hall of Fame on Thursday afternoon at Crown Palladium.

Capuano was a dashing winger whose contribution to Essendon has spanned 50 years and continues today.

Barry Capuano arrived at Windy Hill in 1958 from North Essendon Methodists. He started in the U19s and in 1959 he was selected in the League Combined Second 18 team. He performed so brilliantly for that side that he was immediately elevated to the seniors where he made his debut in a round 12 win over Carlton. He played every remaining game that year and in only his 10^th senior game he played in the 1959 Grand Final while still only 18 years old.

It was to be another three seasons before he missed a game.

Capuano was a smart wingman who never stopped. Speed was Capuano’s main asset but he was also a magnificent deliverer of the ball to team mates through his pin point accuracy.

In 1961 Capuano was named the club’s best under 21 player, no small achievement considering his eligible team mates included Barry Davis and Russell Blew.

He was one of Essendon’s best in the 1962 premiership win over Carlton where he played on the wing and the following year Capuano was selected for the Victorian side and the same year was voted Essendon’s most consistent player.

Injury prevented him from winning a second premiership medal in 1965 and at the end of 1966 after 118 games over 8 season Capuano left and took up a captain/coaching role at Mitcham and later was appointed captain at Eltham leading the club to two flags.

Capuano returned to Essendon between 1974 and 1976, and served on the selection committee and after a business transfer to Stawell, where he coached that club to a flag in 1978, he was appointed Essendon’s general manager in 1981.

In the 1981 annual report, and in recognition of the face changing face of football, Capuano wrote ‘The area of fundraising has become more important to clubs if they are to remain in the top bracket’ and that year Essendon reported its best fundraising results to that time.

Capuano was responsible for two of the most significant appointments in the club’s history when Dr Ian Reynolds and Dr Bruce Reid, two of the club’s best-loved and most loyal servants joined Essendon in 1982.

In the mid 1980s Capuano argued that the club should look at a move to the MCG when it was clear that Windy Hill’s size was restricting its ability to grow a move the club eventually made in 1992 and in doing so secured its long term future.

Perhaps his greatest highlight was being at the helm when the club won back-to-back flags in 1984 and ’85 breaking a 19-year premiership drought.

On his retirement from his role as general manager in 1988, incoming president Ron Evans wrote  ‘I record the club’s appreciation of his unselfish and loyal endeavours....He has earned the respect of his many friends and supporters at Essendon’.

As an indicator of the respect in which Barry Capuano was held, the League appointed him to a special projects role where he had the difficult task of helping the ailing interstate clubs Sydney and Brisbane and later Fitzroy and St Kilda.

Today Barry Capuano serves Essendon’s vast past-player network as president of the Essendon Past Players and Officials Association after serving as secretary for 11 years .

By any measure Barry Capuano’s contribution has been one of selfless commitment to this club.