How do you know?

[Bulldog Revolution]

TWoDogs posted something in another thread that got me thinking: How do you know your a bulldog?

For me I got no choice, wouldn't want it any other way and won't give my kids any choice in the matter either - this is their club, it means something, it's real (not constructed in a focus group - thanks Danny)

For me it's in everything - a bulldog garden gnome named Dougie - the fact when I'm sick or down I watch bulldog 2016 finals, that a month after the grand final I had everyone over to basically re-do grand final day

And that in primary school I spoke at show and tell about the game where we almost held the blues goalless - I've never forgiven Mark Arceri

How do you know your a bulldog?

What are some of the ways this shines through in every day life?

[GVGjr]

I'm similar to BR, there was no choice on who I had to support and I'm very happy it panned out that way. My grand parents in particular would never have accepted a grandchild in the house that didn't support the dogs. I regularly visited my grandparents place in Couch Street Sunshine and I can't ever recall a visit that didn't have an element of talking about the Bulldogs. During the footy season it was dissecting the game, during the summer it was stories on years gone by. Being born in the west just reinforced my support for the club as well.

From refreshing AFL.com.au to get scores when I working interstate to driving 20 minutes out of my way on a Monday to get the Victorian Sunday papers so I could read more about our win on a Saturday and to eventually starting a forum with a group of internet friends who were all drawn together by our love of the club it's all part of how I know I'm a Bulldog through and through.

We've had a hard ride over a long period but I can honestly say that I didn't love the club more even after a grand final win and I think that's how I know.

[Twodogs]

It just makes sense to me. I'm a Footscaray boy, my parents were Footscray people, my grandparents were Footscray people, my kids are Footscray people and so on.


A favorite story of mine that kind of explains the mind set;

A lot of years ago the clan gathered at Footscray General hospital. Aunty Thelma was on her last legs and it was time to come and say goodbye. The clan is big and we all couldn't fit in the hospital room at the same time and I found myself out in the corridor with her son Bear (I don't actually know my own cousins real name-he has always just been Bear) Anyway Bear was very emotional sitting with his back to the wall shaking his head on the verge of tears. I sat next to him and said "it's sad isn't it Bear" and he said "I know. I still don't know what Wheeler was thinking taking Grant of the ground"

[ledge]

I was born in the UK red,white and blue , bulldog is British, my brother was born In a place in the UK called Foots Cray and we settled in braybrook ( bulldog territory) pretty much a destiny. From there its just continued Totty nth primary , braybrook high, mates,engagements,(yes a few) wedding, all associated with something to do with the FFC.

[Twodogs]

I was born in the UK red,white and blue , bulldog is British, my brother was born In a place in the UK called Foots Cray and we settled in braybrook ( bulldog territory) pretty much a destiny. From there its just continued Totty nth primary , braybrook high, mates,engagements,(yes a few) wedding, all associated with something to do with the FFC.

Your brother was born in Foots? That's awesome, I have a big print out of the village and the cray in the river from back in the day. It's funny that Maidstone is just around the corner from Footscray in Australia and the UK.

[ledge]

Your brother was born in Foots? That's awesome, I have a big print out of the village and the cray in the river from back in the day. It's funny that Maidstone is just around the corner from Footscray in Australia and the UK.

Probably not so funny as when places were named they named them after English towns and probably wanted to set up areas of the same nature.
Most of Australian cities are based on the Uk so they felt more at home I guess.

[Twodogs]

Probably not so funny as when places were named they named them after English towns and probably wanted to set up areas of the same nature.
Most of Australian cities are based on the Uk so they felt more at home I guess.

Another thing that occurred to me when I was looking at my picture of Footscray in the UK one day is that the word cray must mean the same thing in the word 'crayfish' as it does in the word 'Footscray'. So I looked it up. A 'Cray' is a spot where a river bends and that's where the village of Footscray is, it's in the cray of the river Foots, hence the name.

And a cray must have been the best spot to go fishing for lobsters! So they became crayfish, the type of marine creatures that you catch in a cray.

[ledge]

Another thing that occurred to me when I was looking at my picture of Footscray in the UK one day is that the word cray must mean the same thing in the word 'crayfish' as it does in the word 'Footscray'. So I looked it up. A 'Cray' is a spot where a river bends and that's where the village of Footscray is, it's in the cray of the river Foots, hence the name.

And a cray must have been the best spot to go fishing for lobsters! So they became crayfish, the type of marine creatures that you catch in a cray.

You should meet my mother . She is full of history. 87 years old in an aged care centre with dad and the memory of an elephant , just sucks in everything still. Just yesterday she says she was thinking of buying a house, just because bank interest and shares are terrible at the moment ( 3000) in commonwealth bank at the moment aren't good , although she did buy them at $5 I think they are around $80 now.
The woman's a miracle in a wheelchair teaches scrabble, cards and creative writing and is smarter than anyone running the place.
She can tell you a lot about world war 2 in London as she was young and evacuated into the country as well.
Remembers wearing gas masks etc

[Twodogs]

Your mum sounds like the sort of person I could happily spend the whole day talking to ledge.

With your brother being born there does that mean your mum lived in Footscray in England?

I wouldn't be selling stick in the Commonwealth at the moment. Bank stock is about to take off.

[Eastdog]

Started supporting the Bulldogs from around the early 2000s. I'm the only one in my family who is a Doggies supporter and proud to be flying the Bulldog flag. Been a Doggies member since 2013 will be my 6th year as a member in 2018 3nd year social club member with the first year being the year we made the Grand Final how lucky is that.

2016 what a year. That final series was brilliant. All the games were great. Will never forget that last few minutes of that prelim final last year was in tears and emotional at home watching that and the Grand Final win itself absolutely special. Whitten Oval truly our home was something special the next day been great to get there in recent times and hoping to go the family day in 2018 again if the weather isn't too hot.

Love going to the games each week meeting the some group of people where I sit at the games discussing all things Bulldogs. We have the best supporters in my opinion in the league and just keeping on fighting and never giving in and sticking as supporters through the good times and bad times.

Love the club

Go Bulldogs!!

[ledge]

Your mum sounds like the sort of person I could happily spend the whole day talking to ledge.

With your brother being born there does that mean your mum lived in Footscray in England?

I wouldn't be selling stick in the Commonwealth at the moment. Bank stock is about to take off.

She would drive you nuts , my mother comes from Kent my dad Portsmouth, two of us Boys were born in cosham nth Portsmouth the third in Foots Cray , I was only 6 when I came out so have very vague memories .