The self-styled ‘Guvnor’ began his career at Cumberland but, in a way that would become familiar with the fans of the clubs he has played for, left the club under a controversy.

Governor The biggest name in Collegiate football, Bushe’s main attributes are passing, in open play and especially from free-kicks, a superb range of short-passing, vision, composure and a dogged determination which will always threaten to spill over. Disciplinary problems dogged the early stages of Bushe’s career at “the glamour” but he seems to have matured along with his success.

Early in 2001 things turned ugly when the association fined him for his involvement in the “hard men of football video, along with fellow glamour men.. Wes “Chocolate” Reid and the Bushby brothers (Loc and Juice).

Earmarked early in his career, (by the association referee’s), as a hot headed tackler and general midfield hard nut. He was building a reputation for boiling over and making Dave Samson look like a pussy. Controversy and yellow/red cards followed.

During this first fiery season (2000-01), he was already being groomed to eventually succeed the great Armin in the team and perhaps as captain, though his off-field indiscretions were making such an elevation highly unlikely. It came to a head in the summer of 2001, when he was involved in drunken banter at Heaven with a cocktail waiter named “Barry”. Only days later, after an incident involving a bouncer at the British Tavern in North Adelaide, Bushe, along with team-mate Joe “98” Windows and hard nut Simon Ward, he was charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

Told by club administrators, get clean, get off the booze, and clean up your act, Bushe went underground and spent the entire 2001-02 season in hiding from his adoring fans, teammates, and lady friends. Rumours were ripe, was the promising career already over?

Bushe spent 10 months in the Adelaide hills, in lock down – at a Betty Craig clinic fighting his demons.

Pre-Season 2002-03, Dan Bushe returned to the Collegiate league, and to public life. He had found religion, “the bible of the White”, he was clean, and he had Betty Craig to thank. As part of the healing process Dan had written a book (titled: Addicted), documenting his first year at “the glamour”, where he discussed his love for the whites, the girls, the booze and the glamour.

The road to the 02/03 Collegiate League final was paved by the silky passing, and his brilliant partnership with funky Armin. In a brilliant season, the reformed youngster was able to win back the fans and the players. In an amazing run, the former hard man of the league, went the entire season with out even a booking.

It had fellow teammates joking: “He attacks the ball a lot harder than he used to…”