| Syd McGain | |
| Fullname: | Sydney John McGain[1] |
| Birth Date: | 5 February 1917 |
| Birth Place: | Fitzroy North, Victoria |
| Death Place: | Strathmore, Victoria |
| Originalteam: | Mathoura |
| Height: | 174 cm |
| Weight: | 73 kg |
| Statsend: | 1945 |
| Years1: | 1938 |
| Club1: | Essendon |
| Games Goals1: | 1 (1) |
| Years2: | 1940–1943 |
| Club2: | Fitzroy |
| Games Goals2: | 12 (0) |
| Years3: | 1943–1945 |
| Club3: | North Melbourne |
| Games Goals3: | 12 (0) |
| Games Goalstotal: | 25 (1) |
Sydney John McGain (5 February 1917 – 23 November 2008) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon, Fitzroy and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[2] [3]
McGain was born in Fitzroy North but played his early football for New South Wales club Mathoura, after moving to the state to become a horse-breaker.[4] A wingman, McGain played for Pascoe Vale when he returned to Melbourne, then joined Essendon and made one appearances for the club in the 1938 VFL season.[4] [5] Due to a pay dispute, McGain left Essendon for Fitzroy.[6] McGain played eight league games for Fitzroy in 1940, but added just four more games over the next three years.[5] He was convinced to cross to North Melbourne during the 1943 season, after their captain Dally O'Brien offered to send a car to take him to training from his army base in Maribyrnong.[4] At North Melbourne he played 12 senior games, six each in 1943 and 1945.[5]
From 1947 to 1949, McGain was a member of the VFL Umpires Association and officiated in various leagues across the state.[4] Also a professional runner, he won the 1947 Maryborough Gift and reached the semi-finals of the Stawell Gift in 1948.[4] He won the Moyhu Gift in 1951.[7]
He was one of the founders of the Strathmore Football Club in the 1950s and acted as their first ever coach.[4] The Syd McGain Oval in Strathmore is named in his honour, renamed from Lebanon Park in 1997.[4]