Your Bulldogs Spectator Relationships, Past & Present.

[bulldogtragic]

I've been reflecting this week over the people that I've had a spectator relationship with over the journey (ie as I've aged, who I went to the footy with, family, friends or other doggies folk).

Early, it was my grandmother who used to sit along the fence at the WO with a handful of other lovely ladies that were called 'aunty'. I have it imprinted on my brain, 'just kick the bloody thing'. :)

As I got older it was my old man, I tried the cheer squad in the early 90's but didn't enjoy it.

Then in 2008-2009 I had some regular seats, and game in, game out it was with two really good older gents sitting behind me that I remember with great fondness.


So as an open question, who did you used to go the footy with? Who was any person that reminds of a particular place or time? Who do you currently go to the footy with?

[1eyedog]

My Dad used to drive up to the Western Oval with my three Uncles from Geelong in the late 70s early 80s. Ever Saturday morning they would jam into my Dad's little Suzuki 4WD. The far back of the car had 2 steel bench seats in it and I would sit next to my Cousin and had my other two cousins on the other side. We would make the journey up every home game, 4 adults and 4 kids packed in like sardines. Dad would play the Footscray theme song over and over and over on cassette on the way up. My cousins and I would spend most of the afternoon on the basalt rocks at the Geelong Road end sliding down on cardboard. We watched the games from the Geelong Road 'hill'. My Uncle Brian had nick names for all the players - he was funny to go to the footy with. Whenever I think ofthe Bulldogs I think of my Uncle Brian.

I sit in Aisle 37 Level 2 at Ethihad with the same 3 Uncles, unfortunately Dad can't get to the games anymore. I think he's given up hope to be honest. He will be sad when my three Uncles and I watch us play in a Grand Final.

[Eastdog]

I go solo to see the Bulldogs play as I'm the only supporter of the club in my family but last year being a first year Dogs member I got to know a few supporters on my left of where my reserved seat on Level 1 Aisle 34. Also know some people in the standing room area on Level 1 Aisle 33,34 at Etihad. So even though I go solo to the footy when I'm at the games I don't feel I'm alone at all. Are there any woofers that go solo?

[AndrewP6]

I'm generally there by myself. Occasionally go with mum, have taken my nephews a couple of times, but mostly solo. I've seen a few WOOFers, my new years resolution is to be brave and say hello :D

[Eastdog]

I'm generally there by myself. Occasionally go with mum, have taken my nephews a couple of times, but mostly solo. I've seen a few WOOFers, my new years resolution is to be brave and say hello :D

Are you on Level 1 Andrew?

[AndrewP6]

I only have a GA membership, usually upgrade to level 2 though.

[Eastdog]

I only have a GA membership, usually upgrade to level 2 though.

That's ok. Level 2 along with Level 1 are very good. I'm not a big fan of Level 3.

[bulldogtragic]

My Dad used to drive up to the Western Oval with my three Uncles from Geelong in the late 70s early 80s. Ever Saturday morning they would jam into my Dad's little Suzuki 4WD. The far back of the car had 2 steel bench seats in it and I would sit next to my Cousin and had my other two cousins on the other side. We would make the journey up every home game, 4 adults and 4 kids packed in like sardines. Dad would play the Footscray theme song over and over and over on cassette on the way up. My cousins and I would spend most of the afternoon on the basalt rocks at the Geelong Road end sliding down on cardboard. We watched the games from the Geelong Road 'hill'. My Uncle Brian had nick names for all the players - he was funny to go to the footy with. Whenever I think ofthe Bulldogs I think of my Uncle Brian.

I sit in Aisle 37 Level 2 at Ethihad with the same 3 Uncles, unfortunately Dad can't get to the games anymore. I think he's given up hope to be honest. He will be sad when my three Uncles and I watch us play in a Grand Final.

I love the romance of your tales, I can easily picture that in the Western Oval days. Sounds like a series of great memories, now for that grand final win to top it off.

[SonofScray]

Great question, we've had many interesting people sit with us or go with us to the footy over the years.

Primarily its a family thing. At the height of of our family's support and cohesiveness, allowing for people being alive and well we would have had up to 25 people that made an effort to sit together at home and away games. The early days at Docklands were the pinnacle and we had reserved seats in bay 42 Level one. The tribal elders sat in a row, younger members in front and assorted hangers on and parents on the sides. Thermoses and home made rolls, biscuits and bags of snakes were hand balled around as much as the Sherrin was over the fence. It was all held together by my Nan, Joycey, a devout Scragger whose last words to me were that she'd crawl on her hands and knees to see the boys just one more time before cancer struck her down in the preseason. Great Aunties, uncles, grandparents, uncles, aunties, 1st, 2nd and 3rd cousins, lifelong friends the Club was the opportunity for us all to be together. As a kid I always felt really safe in that space to express myself as a fan, everyone would join in the banter and cheering.

It broke down a little after Joyce's passing, and we moved from our reserved seats to Level 3. The Peter Street Pocket. Our family group shrunk to immediate family and Nan's best mate and daughter who still sit with us to this day and might as well be family themselves. Half a dozen characters from various Doggies forums joined us, attracted by our over the top support for Streety and the banners we hung up. My good mate Shaun Kelly started brining his Nanna and our tribal elders quota was starting to fill again.

Most of the PSP sit together still, a few of my best mates have joined me and we have occasional visits from blokes I know through soccer, ice hockey and local footy that get to games a few times a year join us. My wife and brother in law and his wife have made a habit of sitting with us, I can't wait for my little nephew to start coming along so we see the wheel go full circle and that little fella can go nuts over his Doggies. Since I started the El Scraggo stuff for a joke we get a few people come past for a photo and chat and I've noticed a few more flags and banners pop up around us. I think we've started a bit of a thing up there again.


The Whitten Oval days remain my favourite, though I was only a young bloke then, heading into my early teens when the Club moved to Optus Oval. We used to sit in the pocket near the kiosk and scoreboard all the time, getting there for the start of the reserves and having different people, usually opposition supporters near us every week. It was a bit feral out there! I used to get a 3/4 time Cherry Ripe with my dad, a tradition that lives on today. Though I get it for him now and then get told off because its no good for his diabetes etc. I was always fascinated by the can collectors. We then moved over to the reserved seats in front of the Gent Stand, I think it was because I started playing jurors and we would often get to the games a bit too late to secure a seat on the outer. Being a pretty extroverted kid I gained a bit of notoriety for being loud and going berserk when we kicked a goal, or when the chime for the PA system went off "Shut Up mate we're trying to watch the footy" got a chuckle every game. There was an old lady that sat behind us that every Easter bought me an Egg for being a great Footscray fan, her grandchildren played footy for Werribee juniors and while I never knew their name we would quickly tell each other how we went before the Seniors started. One year the whole bay gave me a birthday card signed by at least 100 people, it made my day. We skipped reserve seats for a year I think, whenever it was that Darren Pritchard kicked a point to draw a game v Hawthorn. Then we spent the remaining years in the Whitten Stand with the Clan which slowly built up to a huge group at Optus Oval and the whole lot at Docklands.

I've had opportunities to go and watch the footy with a group made up more of mates than family, enjoy the game over a few drinks etc but really enjoy the fact that footy is what ties us together and remains a constant over the years as people come and go. Most of the blokes that I low that love the Scray have come into the fold now anyway. I mostly love the first game of the year for that welcome you get from strangers that sit near us and remember bits and pieces of your life, friends without any effort, or depth but friends and an authentic feeling all the same. I only get that through footy.

[Twodogs]

My dad first took me to the footy in 1970. Teddy's last game was my first.

Years later it's still my dad I go with although he finds it hard to walk these days so it's the coffee shop around the corner with Foxtel on the big screen that we go to more often than not to watch games.

But back in the late '80s and early '90s I reckon dad got us the best seats in the house and we were payed to sit in them! He worked for Footscray Council and one of the perks was positions on the ground staff. I started working on he turnstiles then after a few years we got a job 'on the ground' as a blue coat. We spent 4 years at the Geelong rd end sitting on the inside of the oval on little stools watching the game and chatting with the regulars who always sat in the same spot on the seats that run around the fence. That was the best job I ever had. I still have no real idea what my duties were.

[The bulldog tragician]

Great question, we've had many interesting people sit with us or go with us to the footy over the years.

Primarily its a family thing. At the height of of our family's support and cohesiveness, allowing for people being alive and well we would have had up to 25 people that made an effort to sit together at home and away games. The early days at Docklands were the pinnacle and we had reserved seats in bay 42 Level one. The tribal elders sat in a row, younger members in front and assorted hangers on and parents on the sides. Thermoses and home made rolls, biscuits and bags of snakes were hand balled around as much as the Sherrin was over the fence. It was all held together by my Nan, Joycey, a devout Scragger whose last words to me were that she'd crawl on her hands and knees to see the boys just one more time before cancer struck her down in the preseason. Great Aunties, uncles, grandparents, uncles, aunties, 1st, 2nd and 3rd cousins, lifelong friends the Club was the opportunity for us all to be together. As a kid I always felt really safe in that space to express myself as a fan, everyone would join in the banter and cheering.

It broke down a little after Joyce's passing, and we moved from our reserved seats to Level 3. The Peter Street Pocket. Our family group shrunk to immediate family and Nan's best mate and daughter who still sit with us to this day and might as well be family themselves. Half a dozen characters from various Doggies forums joined us, attracted by our over the top support for Streety and the banners we hung up. My good mate Shaun Kelly started brining his Nanna and our tribal elders quota was starting to fill again.

Most of the PSP sit together still, a few of my best mates have joined me and we have occasional visits from blokes I know through soccer, ice hockey and local footy that get to games a few times a year join us. My wife and brother in law and his wife have made a habit of sitting with us, I can't wait for my little nephew to start coming along so we see the wheel go full circle and that little fella can go nuts over his Doggies. Since I started the El Scraggo stuff for a joke we get a few people come past for a photo and chat and I've noticed a few more flags and banners pop up around us. I think we've started a bit of a thing up there again.


The Whitten Oval days remain my favourite, though I was only a young bloke then, heading into my early teens when the Club moved to Optus Oval. We used to sit in the pocket near the kiosk and scoreboard all the time, getting there for the start of the reserves and having different people, usually opposition supporters near us every week. It was a bit feral out there! I used to get a 3/4 time Cherry Ripe with my dad, a tradition that lives on today. Though I get it for him now and then get told off because its no good for his diabetes etc. I was always fascinated by the can collectors. We then moved over to the reserved seats in front of the Gent Stand, I think it was because I started playing jurors and we would often get to the games a bit too late to secure a seat on the outer. Being a pretty extroverted kid I gained a bit of notoriety for being loud and going berserk when we kicked a goal, or when the chime for the PA system went off "Shut Up mate we're trying to watch the footy" got a chuckle every game. There was an old lady that sat behind us that every Easter bought me an Egg for being a great Footscray fan, her grandchildren played footy for Werribee juniors and while I never knew their name we would quickly tell each other how we went before the Seniors started. One year the whole bay gave me a birthday card signed by at least 100 people, it made my day. We skipped reserve seats for a year I think, whenever it was that Darren Pritchard kicked a point to draw a game v Hawthorn. Then we spent the remaining years in the Whitten Stand with the Clan which slowly built up to a huge group at Optus Oval and the whole lot at Docklands.

I've had opportunities to go and watch the footy with a group made up more of mates than family, enjoy the game over a few drinks etc but really enjoy the fact that footy is what ties us together and remains a constant over the years as people come and go. Most of the blokes that I low that love the Scray have come into the fold now anyway. I mostly love the first game of the year for that welcome you get from strangers that sit near us and remember bits and pieces of your life, friends without any effort, or depth but friends and an authentic feeling all the same. I only get that through footy.
This is wonderful stuff, thanks for posting.

As well as the lifelong friendships, how about the one-off bonding? When we beat Essendon in 2000, I'd got into a mild dispute with a bloke behind us about where our seats were. In truth I thought he was a Bombers fan and just took a dislike to him. When the siren went I found myself hugging him- of course he was a Doggies man after all.

Our friends and family who gather at the footy often see pregnant women returning with their babies, then toddlers, and now little kids with Dalhaus number on their backs.

There are two women we talk to every week because they sit near us but we never learn their names, just discuss whos in, who's out, why can't we take a trick, there's always next week/ next year.I hope if that premiership ever comes we will see them back at the Whitten Oval.

[always right]

Growing up my father used to work as a barman at the Glen Waverley RSL Saturdays so we rarely went to the football together. As a teenager I regularly made ther long trek by myself out to the Western Oval (and other gorunds) by train from Glen Waverley, changing trains at Flinders St. Quite often I dragged a mate along who barracked for Collingwood but who was not really committed. I didn't mind the long train ride to West Footscray....hope and anticipation are great motivators. The trip home however was much longer on the occasions we copped a hiding, which was a regular occurrence. My fondest memory was coming home on the train after we kicked a record score and Templeton had a day out kicking 15. An old bloke on the train asked me who had won and who the best players were.........I could hardly contain myself.:D

When I married and had children I still attended most games with my parents and soon started taking the children. I recall taking my son to the Western Oval when he must have been about 4 or 5. The beauty back then was I was allowed to bring into the ground a small step ladder that he could stand on and cheer for Dougie Hawkins...always when he was nowhere near the ball.:)

Fast forward to post 2000 and we attend most games as an extended family and friends. My parents, my wife and children, my sister, my brother and his children and a number of my children's friends (some of who we converted to bulldogs supporters). We were very calculating....inviting my children's friends who may have barracked for another team but were not really committed supporters. We'd drag them along to games where they loved being amongst a big group of family and friends, sometimes as many as 20 people. It was easy when we were competing for a grand final berth but the last couple of years it has been difficult to maintain the number of friends. No-one wants to see their team get belted every week.

The tide is turning though. My son's girlfriend is a bulldogs supporter (what are the odds of finding one in Wheelers Hill where she lives?) One of my daughters has a boyfriend who is a Tiger supporter who doesn't go to games. Ripe for the picking. As our team's fortune's rise, the enthusiasm builds and I am hopeful of getting everyone to attend our games as a big group again.

As for other supporters we sit with......well it's more a case of who we won't sit with. We are all on level 3 (we like the perspective from there) and over time you manage to identify supporters who make the match unpleasant to watch. For a while there were a couple of older ladies who were so negative it became unbearable so we avoid them. There are two couples in their 50's we always see. One of them is a bald bloke with dark hair and glasses. Like the old ladies he sees negatives before he sees positives so we avoid him as well. Several years back we somehow always seemed to be sitting near an asian couple and their three young boys all decked out in their bulldogs gear. They were really cute. We haven't seen them for a good couple of years so I hope they haven't fallen off the bandwagon completely. Maybe we'll see them again this season.

My brother had a reserved seat on level 1 for a couple of years but moved after copping an old lady who spent the whole time bagging our players to the extent she started yelling out that our defenders weren't a patch on Herbie Henderson. That was probably the trigger for my brother to say enough is enough and he vowed never to have a reserved seat again. Shame the club misses out on the addtional money but it can be a bloody long season when you can't stand the person next to you, yet you know you're going to cop them every week.