Claude Toovey

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Claude Toovey

| image =

| fullname = Claude Henry St Leonard Toovey

| birth_date = {{birth date|1896|11|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Parkside, South Australia

| death_date = {{death date and age|1978|01|28|1896|11|24|df=y}}

| death_place = South Australia

| originalteam = Norwood, Ballarat

| height = 178 cm

| weight = 69 kg

| position =

| guernsey =

| statsend = 1927

| years1 = 1919–22

| club1 = {{SANFL Nor}}

| games_goals1 = 33 (3){{cite web |url=http://www.redlegsmuseum.com.au/ON_FIELD/PLAYERS/TOOVEY__Claude.aspx |title=Redlegs Museum: Claude TOOVEY |publisher=Norwood Football Club}}

| years2 = 1923 & 26

| club2 = South Ballarat

| games_goals2 = ?

| years3 = 1924-25

| club3 = Birchip

| games_goals3 = ?

| years4 = 1927

| club4 = {{AFL Fit}}

| games_goals4 = 15 (0)

| years5 = 1928

| club5 = Nhill

| games_goals5 = ?

| careerhighlights = *1922 Norwood premiership player

• 1924 - Birchip premiership captain-coach
• 1926 - South Ballarat premiership player

}}

Claude Henry St Leonard Toovey (24 November 1896 – 28 January 1978) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 |last=Holmesby|first=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim |year=2014 |edition=10th |isbn=978-1-921496-32-5 |publisher=BAS Publishing |location=Seaford, Victoria |page=889}}

In 1923, Toovey was captain coach of South Ballarat Football Club,{{cite web |title=1923 - Ballarat Incident |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204060176 |publisher=The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) |access-date=1 February 2025 |page=14 |date=27 April 1923}}{{cite web |title=1923 - FOOTBALL FIGHT |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/77762000 |publisher=Mirror (Perth, WA : 1921 - 1956) |access-date=1 February 2025 |page=1 |date=5 May 1923}} who lost the grand final by one point to Ballarat Football Club.{{cite web |title=1923 - Won By a Point Ballarat Grand Final |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/184812849 |publisher=Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954) |access-date=1 February 2025 |page=8 |date=3 October 1923}}

In 1923, Toovey was named the Ballarat FL's champion player by The Ballarat Star newspaper.{{cite web |title=1923 - THE CHAMPION PLAYER |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/213850771 |publisher=The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924) |access-date=1 February 2025 |page=2 |date=1 October 1923}}

In 1924, Toovey continued on as captain-coach of South Ballarat on a Saturday and then also accepted a position as coach of Birchip Football Club in the Wimmera Football League, as they play on a Wednesday.{{cite web |title=1924 - IN TWO TEAMS: Toovey to Coach Birchip |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246169734 |publisher=The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954) |access-date=1 February 2025 |page=3 |date=26 June 1924}}

Toovey went onto captain-coach Nhill Football Club in 1928.{{cite web |title=1928 - Nhill's Football Coach Has Had Experience in Two States |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224955361 |publisher=Weekly Times |access-date=1 February 2025 |page=77 |date=30 June 1928}}