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How did you come to support Footscray?


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#1 Elsternwick Pierre

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Posted 21 October 2007 - 04:54 PM

I thought I’d start a new blog because I’m, well, not to put too fine a point on it, a sticky-beak. I’m interested in people’s history and in this particular aspect of it.

This is for folks who weren’t born or brought up within a Ted Whitten drop kick of Western Oval or those whose mothers or fathers, sisters or brothers, aunts or uncles or some other significant person didn’t have an influence on their choice of team to support. This is for those who came to Footscray with a clean slate as it were. That’s not to suggest that those who fit the afore-mentioned criteria shouldn’t participate. No, everyone is welcome.

I’m interested in how people chose Footscray rather than the more famous, more popular clubs – Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon. Or if you are around my age (over 60) Melbourne, and for those somewhat younger, I’d throw Hawthorn into that mix as well.

Here’s how it happened for me.

I was born and brought up in a country town in western Victoria. I was going to be coy about it and not mention which one, but thought what the hell. It was Nhill. We all, of course, supported the local team but, as there was not the constant media coverage of the VFL then (indeed this was before TV hit this country), there wasn’t an initial interest in the Melbourne teams by we young folk. By the time we were about 10 years old we started to take an interest in the “big football”. Most in town chose Geelong or Richmond. Geelong, because we were in its feeder area, and Richmond because we were also the Tigers (but with a different jumper – a gold V on a navy background. Far nicer that Richmond’s, I think).
I decided on a different strategy. In spite of being a founder member of the Wimmera Football League, to that point Nhill had not won a premiership. Looking for some success, I decided to follow a good team in the VFL. My method of choosing that team was to see who were premiers the year before. They must be a good team. The year before being 1954.

We came to Melbourne in 1959, to Oakleigh. Coincidentally, the guy who lived next door to us was a rabid Footscray supporter and a member. He went to each game and when he found out I also supported them he asked if I’d like to go along with him. I think he was happy to have some company on the (then) long drive from Oakleigh to Footscray (and other grounds a long way from home). As it turned out I saw two of the three wins for the year (Melbourne, who were eventual premiers, and South Melbourne). Those wins in an otherwise dismal year (I saw only some of the second half’s games) sparked my interest and I saw pretty much every game from then to the end of 1963. I was there for the 1961 Grand Final, full of hope. After all, we had beaten St Kilda and Melbourne along the way. No one expected that to happen (apart from us Footscray supporters). Oh well.
My neighbor moved away in 1964 and I went to University and discovered girls, music, wine, protesting and the like. Actually, I already had a passing acquaintance with most of those already.

Although I’ve been to few games since them, one or two a year, my support for Footscray has not wavered. I was disappointed when the name changed occurred. I would be ecstatic to see the Western Bulldogs win a premiership. I would be even more delighted to see Footscray win a premiership.

Had I used my method to select a team a year later I’d’ve ended up with Melbourne. A year earlier and it would have been Collingwood (oh lordy, no). It’s been an interesting ride with Footscray so far, a lesson in humility, perhaps.

Incidentally, not long after we came to Melbourne, Nhill won three premierships on end and a couple more later. I tried this strategy for Footscray and went to San Francisco in 1970 for a while. It didn’t work.

Elsternwick Pierre.

#2 Caveman

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Posted 21 October 2007 - 05:24 PM

Thats a great story there Elsternwick Pierre- just think the criteria you used meant that unfortunately you were to inadvertedly select the wrong time to pick a team. :roll:

But then again as you say the lesson in humility is a very important one and we all have that following the Bulldogs- because we have to.

It was a very thoughtful gesture of you to move to San Francisco in the hope that Nhill's achievements might have been replicated by Footscray. However the character building humilty is always at the forefront of the Footscray experience and our lack of success means that we have grown up as individuals with better scruples. There are no spoilt brats amongst us.

One day that may change- it did for the Country Cats or Geelong as their President Frank Costa was told their name must always remain as. Their 44 year wait is over- we are now waiting 47 years for a Grand Final let alone the Premiership.

Next year 2008 is 54 years since the 1954 Premiership : "It's 54 since 54".

In 2022 the catchphrase may be "It's 61 since 61" should we still be missing from the Grand Final since being runner-up to Hawthorn in 1961.

#3 Lisbon

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Posted 25 October 2007 - 11:03 PM

I can tell you how I came to support Footscray as a Portuguese who probably will never set foot in Australia, as it would be just too bloody expensive.
I got to know Australian football, which is a task in itself where I come from, thanks to good old ZX Spectrum, back in the eighties. There was an Australian rules game for the ZX Spectrum and a copy of it somehow ended up with me. I remember finding the cover a bit odd, it showed a bunch of men in bizarre sleeveless shirts and it seemed to me that they were trying to form some kind of human pyramid. Now I know it was a picture of Hawthorn and Carlton players contesting a mark and I apologize for my former ignorance. I found the game entertaining, though, and especially liked the 6/1 ratio between goals and behinds, even if I thought that "behind" was a weird name to give to the minor score.
As it was impossible to find out more about the sport at the time, I had to wait until the late nineties, when I had access to Sky TV for a short period, to get reacquainted with it. I caught a few highlights shows and even watched the Adelaide v St Kilda Grand Final. After watching actual games, as opposed to playing on a pre-historic computer, I got to like the sport even more. Luckily, we Portuguese usually like a bunch of sports (and usually play none of them) so although our favourite sport normally is soccer (it's my favourite sport, the one I grew up with), we tend to take an interest in several other games and follow them as well.
When I finally got access to the internet, one of the things I did was to check were I could get information about Australian football and I began to learn about leagues, clubs, personalities, etc. I supported no club for a while. Collingwood reminded me to much of my soccer team's (Sporting Lisbon) great rival (Benfica). Like the Magpies, the Lisbon Eagles are always going on about how they are the greatest club, have more fans than anyone else, are universally revered... It's not that I hate either club - I just find that clubs that are so grand don't need my modest support. I didn't find Carlton and Essendon much appealing. Sure they're great clubs with heaps of Flags, but winning almost seemed too easy for them (well, not recently), for me, in a way, they lacked drama. I could have gone for Richmond, with their reputation for passionate/ manic support and the advantage of boasting a club legend known as Captain Blood.
I liked Footscray from the start. I thought their impact on the game was far superior to their trophy haul. They had great, legendary players, a bucket load of Brownlow Medal winners and Mr. Football himself. Also, they too had a reputation for passionate support, even if Premierships were usually out of their reach. Still, what made me support them was having learned about the events of 89, by buying (thanks again, internet) a copy of To Tough To Die.
We of the "World Game" know many tales about clubs in distress and their loyal fans, but I would have to look long and hard for a story to rival the Footscray Fightback. Firstly, the merger was presented as a done deal, backed by the might of the League. To undo a "done deal" by fighting and beating the League was a memorable feat in itself. Secondly, everybody became involved, seemingly every man woman and child who supported the club. I was amazed by the amount and the depth of feeling the club generated, and felt great respect for the fans, the players who risked their careers and livelihoods by sticking with the club and the people who, selflessly, organized everything.
After having got to know that story, there was no other club I could support in the AFL. I also bought a copy of Year of the Dogs - the books and videos guide in this site has been a great source of information - and got my wife interested in Footscray's survival as well. After watching the "elephant walk" she said she hoped the club didn't fold, as its demise would mean the players had gone through all that for nothing!

#4 Elsternwick Pierre

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Posted 28 October 2007 - 07:49 AM

Ah, Lisbon, that’s a more considered approach than the one I took. Of course, I was about 10 years old at the time, not an age conducive to rational decisions. Although, I suppose, one could argue that wanting to support the top team is a rational one. It was only the timing that was interesting.
I imagine there are others in this country who made the choice in a similar manner to the way I did. I know my companion did the same (but some years later). She is stuck with Essendon. Our differences are interesting: each new year I’m hopeful whereas she EXPECTS a premiership. Maybe this is why Essendon has been so successful, they expect to be. Food for thought.

#5 Amelia Jane

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Posted 01 November 2007 - 07:16 AM

I supported Footscray mainly because my father did. I am a great believer in family loyalty though, so I am proud that I am a Footscray supporter. I have lived almost all of my life amongst mainly Bomber fans yet I have never been tempted to ditch Footscray for the bombers, even though they were more successful and most of my friends supported them. I miss going to the Western oval and still hope that we will again be named Footscray. My father has always followed Footscray and also is horrified that we are now called the Western Bulldogs. I remember going to the football as a young child with my father, brother and aunts and uncles. My mother was a Hawks supporter, as she lived there when she first came to Melbourne from far away and would walk with her sister to their home games when they played in Hawthorn. However despite having that keeness for the Hawks, still always wanted Footscray to win so that my father, brother and me would come home happpy on saturdays.

#6 max469

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Posted 01 December 2007 - 08:52 PM

I grew up in a North Melbourne household in Gippsland.

Liked the Doggies and then went to the same school as Geoff Jennings - rest is history.


The world stopped as he went past. :D :D

#7 Caveman

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Posted 02 December 2007 - 08:58 AM

Great man Geoff Jennings- between 1971 and 1994 he was one of only 3 Footscray captains who did not leave the club and go elsewhere and thus play against us (Ricky Kennedy and Steven Wallis were the other two)- they all did it although Doug Hawkins was different in that regard because he wasn't captain when he left for Fitzroy.

Or looking at it from another angle between 1971-1986 he as WAS THE ONLY CAPTAIN not to leave the club and play against us

Gary Dempsey - 1971-1972 replaced by David Thorpe for 1973 season

David Thorpe - 1973 moved to Richmond for 1974 season

Laurie Sandilands - 1974 - 1977 moved to Collingwood for 1978 season

Gary Dempsey 1978 moved to North Melbourne for the 1979 season

Geoff Jennings - 1979-1981 one club man

Kelvin Templeton - 1982 moved to Melbourne for 1983 season

Jim Edmond - 1983-1985 moved to Sydney for 1986 season

Brad Hardie- 1986 moved to Brisbane for 1987 season#

Ricky Kennedy - 1986-1988 One club man Captain 1986-1988

Steven Wallis - 1989 One club man Captain 1989

[b]Doug Hawkins
- 1990-1993 replaced by Scott Wynd for 1994*


# I have included Brad Hardie because he captained the team in Rick Kennedy's absence in 1986 for the game against Melbourne at home on August 16th 1986. The next week was the infamous game against Carlton at Waverley where he and coach Mike Malthouse fell out irretrievably. He took poart the following week at home to Hawthorn and that was his last game ever for Footscray.

* As mentioned earlier - Hawkins left the club at the end of 1994 and played with Fitzroy in 1995. He was not the captain in 1994 as Scott Wynd was.


So Geoff Jennings underrated player- kicked some ripper goals like the North Melbourne one at the Western Oval in 1979 which can be viewed here.




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