Charlie Tyson

Charlie Tyson (14 November 1897 - 1985) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League during the 1920s.

Recruited to Collingwood from Western Australian based Goldfields Football League side Kalgoorlie Railways, Tyson was a half back flanker and made his VFL debut in 1920. He was named club captain in 1924 and despite not making the finals in his first season in charge he led them to Grand Finals in the next two. It was in the 1926 VFL Grand Final that he found himself in significant controversy.

Collingwood lost the match to Melbourne by 57 points and Tyson was accused of 'playing dead'. To this day it is unclear whether the allegations hold water but what was known is that the Collingwood committee considered his relaxed and laid back demeanor as inappropriate for a club captain and were possibly looking for an excuse to get rid of him. Disgruntled with the allegations, Tyson received a clearance to move to North Melbourne for the 1927 VFL season. Tyson topped North Melbourne's goal kicking in his first season with the club and subsequently became captain-coach.

Tyson came from a leading Western Australian footballing family; his father Charles Snr, also played for Kalgoorlie Railways, as well as fellow Goldfields' club Coolgardie, and Western Australian Football League (WAFL) club East Fremantle. Additionally, Tyson had five brothers who all played football to a high standard:

• Edward with Kalgoorlie Railways and Victorian Football Association (VFA) club Prahran;
• George, Kalgoorie Railways and WAFL clubs Perth and West Perth;
• Jack, Kalgoorlie Railways and South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club South Adelaide;
• Sam, Kalgoorlie Railways and West Perth (coaching the club in 1931);
• William, Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie Railways.

Additionally, Sam's son Ted Tyson played for West Perth from 1930 to 1945, kicking 1203 goals.