Brian Cunningham

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**Brian Cunningham**
Personal information

Birth	August 14, 1952 (1952-08-14) (age 55),
Recruited from	Rosewater
Playing career¹
Debut	1971, Port Adelaide Magpies (SANFL) vs. , at
Team(s)	Port Adelaide Magpies (1971-1983) 256 games
¹ Statistics to end of 1983 season
Career highlights
4-times Premiership player 1977,79,80,81 Captain Port Adelaide Magpies 1979-1982 (including 3 premierships) South Australian State of Origin representative (6 games) Port Adelaide Football Club Life Member South Australian Football Hall of Fame

Brian Cunningham (nickname "Bucky") (born August 14, 1952) is a former Australian rules footballer in the South Australian National Football League, playing for the Port Adelaide Magpies. Cunningham was later CEO of the Port Adelaide Magpies football club in the SANFL, and Port Adelaide Power football club in the AFL.

Making his league debut in 1971, Cunningham played as a rover and small forward throughout his career. In 1979 Cunningham was appointed captain of the Port Adelaide Magpies, and captained the club until 1982. Port won 3 premierships in Cunningham's 4 years as captin. Cunningham retired at the end of the 1983 season, having played 256 games for Port (kicking 428 goals) and 6 games representing South Australia.

Cunningham was appointed CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of the Port Adelaide Magpies in 1992 and was part of the club’s successful bid to join the AFL. In 1996 Cunningham left the Magpies to become the first CEO of Port Adelaide Power, who joined the AFL in 1997. Cunningham retired as CEO after the Power's first AFL premiership in 2004.

In 2005, Cunningham was inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Between his playing and CEO days, Cunningham worked as a high-school teacher. Brian was appointed Chief Executive of the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science & Technology (DFEEST) in South Australia in 1995.