The 2020 SANFL Super League drew to a close at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday and it will be a season to remember for former Mount Gambier goal umpire Michael Button.

After persevering in the state system for four years, the 23-year-old finally waved the flags in his first SANFL Super League final earlier this month.

The big game was the semi-final between Woodville-West Torrens and North Adelaide and Button has plenty of fond memories from the special occasion at the Adelaide Oval.

“Nerves, excitement and all of those emotions were involved,” Button said.

“But from the moment I arrived at the ground there was a really supportive environment because the umpires are a team and we were there to do the job collectively.

“The crowd was probably not as big as it would’ve been before COVID, but the joy about the Adelaide Oval is it doesn’t matter how many people are there and the 4000 in attendance certainly made their presence felt. “It was just a really nice day.”

Button was introduced to the football umpiring world through his brother Chris, who was a boundary umpire.

After pleading with his parents for weeks, Button was finally given permission to join up and chose goal umpiring because there was a far less amount of running involved as the other two facets.

In a matter of months the then 11-year-old found himself umpiring the 2008 Under 16’s Western Border grand final and his professionalism grew each game.

During Button’s first full season of umpiring he secured an A Grade debut before being appointed his first top-level grand final in 2010.

He said his first experience of signalling each score on the big day was the moment his passion sparked.

“Being appointed to my first A Grade grand final came as a bit of a shock because I was only 13,” Button said.

“That was when it hit me how cool it was with a huge crowd in one of the closest games ever.”

Button continued to develop as each season passed and impressively officiated six consecutive Western Border A Grade deciders.

After finishing school and achieving everything possible in the Limestone Coast umpiring arena, Button moved to Adelaide to study at university and chase his dream.

It did not take long for the Mount Gambier product to make an impression and he made his SANFL Super League debut during his maiden 2016 season.

But Button would have to wait another two years before he could umpire the SANFL reserves decider after being restricted to the bench.

During 2018 Button also got a taste of life at the height of the football world when he umpired at the AFL National Under 18 Championships.

He said the opportunity opened the door to the biggest game of his life umpiring the likes of Matt Rowell and Fischer McAsey at the MCG.

“The 2018 season was one of my most consistent years and when I got the phone call from the AFL saying I was one of three goal umpires to do the curtain raiser to the Collingwood and West Coast AFL grand final I was very excited,” Button said.

“It was pretty much an empty stadium at 10 o’clock, but it didn’t matter because it is such a Colosseum.

“We were also fortunate enough to stay for the big game afterwards and Jeremy McGovern’s intercept mark was right in front us, which is now footy folklore.”

Button said the unforgettable experience only fuelled his ambition of one day waving the flags on the biggest stage of all.

“It is a dream to get to the AFL, but now it is just about continuing to refine what I do,” he said.

“To umpire at the Adelaide Oval every week would be nice and to be at the MCG on the last day of September would be very special.”