Whitten Oval - Your Unique Memory

[The Coon Dog]

For those of us old enough & lucky enough to watch games at the Whitten Oval, what is a memory that is unique you have of the ground?

I'm not so much looking at action on the ground, but of the ground itself.

Lets start with one each, see how we go.

- Looking to the right from the EJ Whitten Stand & seeing the 'broken' Westgate Bridge.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

For me it has to be the old guy selling Peanuts!

[LostDoggy]

Great memories:

- The players kicking those crappy fluro footballs into the crowd after a win sometimes and the money collecting blanket going around the ground
- Getting Stuart Wigneys' signature in the Whitten stand and asking him why he left (i was only young and innocent) :)

[mighty_west]

So many great memories, to try & pin point one [could easily write an essay]...

- The Hyde Street Band walking around the boundary trumpeting out Sons Of The Scray, flinging coins over the fence, pinging a few heads [by accident..:D]

[The Coon Dog]

So many great memories, to try & pin point one [could easily write an essay]...

- The Hyde Street Band walking around the boundary trumpeting out Sons Of The Scray, flinging coins over the fence, pinging a few heads [by accident..:D]

There are many, that's why I thought I'd get one each, see just what we can cobble together.

Loved the Hyde Street Band; BOOM BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM BOOM....

[bornadog]

Use to meet about ten mates in the same spot every game, ie between the players race and umpires race. The unique thing was seeing so many other people that I didn't know personally in their same spots.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

There are many, that's why I thought I'd get one each, see just what we can cobble together.

Loved the Hyde Street Band; BOOM BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM BOOM....

From memory they were not kind on the eyes......... as a young fella:D

[The Coon Dog]

the money collecting blanket going around the ground
In 1975 & 1976 I used to play for the Little League. We used to train on a Sunday morning & the aim was to get there early & walk around the inside of the ground & collect coins that had been missed the day before!

[Doc26]

Getting towelled up each week playing in the red, white and blue whether at Whitten Oval or away in what was in my era the 'Staminade' Little League.

[aker39]

Being part of the last game ever played there.

[The Coon Dog]

Getting towelled up each week playing in the red, white and blue whether at Whitten Oval or away in what was in my era the 'Staminade' Little League.

When I played I think it was the SSB (State Savings Bank) Little League.

[LostDoggy]

I remember half time at the Rising Sun....Took my very young at the time Daughter who promptly dobbed me in, telling her Mum that her first footy exprience was great...mostly playing the piano in the pub!!

[LostDoggy]

Always walking to the ground getting that buzz as you get closer. I used to live in Cross st so it was not far at all, but it was always slower getting back due to dad having a few beers. We always used to stand at the Cross St end near the hot jam dough nut man on the hill right up top. Always good on a cold day. Great view of the ground.

Waiting for the players to come out of the change rooms around the back waiting for an autograph. And of course following the players into the change room and singing the song with them.

Im only 25 and I have so many strong memories of the beloved Whitten Oval.

And who can forget the last game at the Whitten Oval.

[LostDoggy]

Holding up the banner for Doug Hawkins record breaking game and seeing EJ doing the flick pass to him.

[LostDoggy]

When I was in the cheer squad I was out on the ground helping to hold up the banner for Peter Fosters 200th(?) game. Most excited I was!! :D

[LostDoggy]

An average memory, at a training session. Went there during school holidays. Players were having goal kicking practice at the Geelong Rd end. I stood behind and kicked a ball back to an assistant, just a little chip, and the goose managed to get split webbing from it. He had a go at me, another assistant told him to pipe down.

Fool, lol.

[LostDoggy]

For me it has to be the old guy selling Peanuts!
They were GOOD peanuts, used to see the same guy when we played away at Windy Hill & Princess Park.

[LostDoggy]

Many, but one that sticks in my mind, the day Glen Copleman broke the point post (Barkly Street End) and stood there holding it up.

[LostDoggy]

They were GOOD peanuts, used to see the same guy when we played away at Windy Hill & Princess Park.

Wonder if that's the old guy who does the circuit of most VPL grounds.

[mighty_west]

In 1975 & 1976 I used to play for the Little League. We used to train on a Sunday morning & the aim was to get there early & walk around the inside of the ground & collect coins that had been missed the day before!

I can't remember if it was '76 or '78, but it was the year the Hawks & Roos played off in the Granny when i played in the little league, although i was pretty young, only managed the 3 or 4 games, we all recieved our free North or Hawks t-shirt & got to walk around the G before the game to let off the balloons.

[Mofra]

Use to meet about ten mates in the same spot every game, ie between the players race and umpires race. The unique thing was seeing so many other people that I didn't know personally in their same spots.
I used to stand in a similar area with my dad & his mates, but right next to the Bulldogs race. Destroyed 4 jackets over the years due to the sleeves getting eaten by the barbed wire on top of the race (standing on the concrete bit, I was the same height as the adults).

Some of my favourite memories:
Peter Cameron walking around the boundary line Q4 during the reserves match, to umpire his first game in 3-4 months after being kicked by a horse. Before he even reached the entrance to the umpires race, someone screamed out "the horse should've finished you off Cameron!"

The guy whose job it was to stop the crowd going into the player's room after the game (for 10-15 minutes). After a certain amount of time a clubn rep would come out and yell out "let em through" so the crowd would rush in to meet the players. One day one of my dad's mates yelled out "righto, let em thorugh" aftera couple of minutes and the guard did, only to realise what he'd done a split second later. The look on his face was priceless.

Tony Campbell beating Lockett one day at WO. At halftime as he was approacing the player race, someone screamed out "you're killing him - ya big poof!"

Choco Royal getting a crowd cheer as he went out onto the field one last time, on crutches, prior to a match. He was stuck on 199 games, 299 goals.

Osborne's torpedo goal after a siren. He kicked from close to the player's race - booming kick.

Jason Watts' winning goal against Freo

The Fightback day when the expected crowd turned out to be bigger by thousands, with supporters of different clubs lined up to speak on the podium (my dad bought an "Up Yours Oakley" sticker and it was on the car for years).

[Mofra]

Many, but one that sticks in my mind, the day Glen Copleman broke the point post (Barkly Street End) and stood there holding it up.
That was brilliant - especially watching the ground staff trying to jam the little league post into the ground as a makeshift.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

Barkly St goals

[Doc26]

When I played I think it was the SSB (State Savings Bank) Little League.


I can't remember if it was '76 or '78, but it was the year the Hawks & Roos played off in the Granny when i played in the little league, although i was pretty young, only managed the 3 or 4 games, we all recieved our free North or Hawks t-shirt & got to walk around the G before the game to let off the balloons.

I can't quite nail the year when I played with the Dogs Little League, funny I thought it was '75 or '76, maybe we were team mates, but it was definitely sponsored by Staminade in that year. I can recall it changing to Big M not too long after. I do remember Richmond's Little League dominating in that season. We didn't make the finals.

Just had word from my father who tells me that I played in '77.

Another memory I have of Whitten Oval is being alongside Mick Malthouse as he put a mighty hit on a more than deserving Pies supporter as Mick made his way through and up the Hawkins Wing race after either the half time or 3rd qtr time break.

[Greystache]

Staying back late one day after the game when my parents were in the social club I found the bulldogs discarded banner behind the Barkly St goals, so I hitched it up against a gap in the fence and with my footy under my arm charged at it as if I was running onto the ground before a game. Unfortunately as an 8 year old kid the banner proved to be tougher than I expected and rather than bursting through it in all my imaginary glory, I bounced off and proceded to knock myself unconscious on the concrete.

When I regained consciousness I went back into the social club and didn't say a word because I didn't want my Dad to know I wasn't "man" enough to run through the banner!

[LostDoggy]

staying back late one day after the game when my parents were in the social club i found the bulldogs discarded banner behind the barkly st goals, so i hitched it up against a gap in the fence and with my footy under my arm charged at it as if i was running onto the ground before a game. Unfortunately as an 8 year old kid the banner proved to be tougher than i expected and rather than bursting through it in all my imaginary glory, i bounced off and proceded to knock myself unconscious on the concrete.

When i regained consciousness i went back into the social club and didn't say a word because i didn't want my dad to know i wasn't "man" enough to run through the banner!

ahahahahahaahahahahahahaahaha:d

[OLD SCRAGGer]

Watching EJ play his 321st & last game...cried my eyes out :) :) :)

[Desipura]

Super lining up for goals and a loud roar from around the ground as the Hawk comes on the ground for the first time since his knee injury. Loved it when it was wet and Petraglia was playing.

Darren Collins kicked some nice goals in the wet. Also enjoyed going to watch John Bennett kick a bag in the ressies.

I played in the Big M little league for the dogs in 1980 out at Waverley. I played a half a game (7 minutes) had one kick and scored our only goal from the boundary line. I was strangely named in the best, we lost by 2 points. I still have the footy record.
The seniors lost by 70 odd points, and it was bucketing down at Waverley with the lights on.

[Grantysghost]

I used to love getting my membership card clipped as a kid, and i always remember the kind old fella wearing the traditional blue overcoat with the big VFL badge (sans a couple of fingers from memory) notching up another game attended on my old cardboard membership... Simple things ay!

[LostDoggy]

Staying back late one day after the game when my parents were in the social club I found the bulldogs discarded banner behind the Barkly St goals, so I hitched it up against a gap in the fence and with my footy under my arm charged at it as if I was running onto the ground before a game. Unfortunately as an 8 year old kid the banner proved to be tougher than I expected and rather than bursting through it in all my imaginary glory, I bounced off and proceded to knock myself unconscious on the concrete.

When I regained consciousness I went back into the social club and didn't say a word because I didn't want my Dad to know I wasn't "man" enough to run through the banner!

Pissed myself that is a classic story.

[The Coon Dog]

Did anyone else slide down the bannister rail on those steps between the EJ Whitten Stand & The John Gent Stand?

[Mofra]

Did anyone else slide down the bannister rail on those steps between the EJ Whitten Stand & The John Gent Stand?
I did that at a training one day, during the 85 finals series. It was also when I used to say "Rickedy Kennedy" instead of Rick Kennedy, and my word of encouragement to the boys out on the field as a kid that night caused a few of them to crack up (aparently),

[LostDoggy]

Tony Campbell beating Lockett one day at WO. At halftime as he was approacing the player race, someone screamed out "you're killing him - ya big poof!"



Only at Footscray - priceless :D

Bill Gunn (grand-father of Callan Ward) kicking one for Sth Melb from the centre through the goals at the score-board end thanks to a howling gale. EJ kicking one the next quarter from 10 yards further out.

Beasleys mark over Phillips from the Allen pass.

EJ running down Bobby Skilton - holding the ball

EJ breaking Neil Roberts ribs with a fair bump

EJ rubbing mud into Dick Clay's face and his argument with Tommy Hafey the next day on World of Sport.

EJ running over to Alec Gardiner and asking him his second name after being held up for the start of play by Skilton.

[The Coon Dog]

I'll do another thread another time about stuff you remember that happened on the ground during a match, but I'm primarily looking at the ground & its 'uniqueness' in this thread.

[bornadog]

When the Can bar opened we abandoned standing between the races. The can bar was a dive but great vantage point.

[Ozza]

I remember that a family friend's father (now deceased) worked on the gate on match days - and we'd go in the gate and stand just inside and chat to him about how we might fare that day. I can picture all the old guys working the gate, wearing those long blue coats.

[LostDoggy]

I have another off the ground memory. Mid 80s when I was a teenager. Me & a friend saw Doug Hawkins & Michael McLean up in the social club stand after the game. Dougie was recovering from his knee surgery, Magic was suspended. I have a feeling they'd been drinking all day, Dougie couldn't get down the stairs on his crutches. Me & my friend had to help him down. Magic was no help whatosever, was just laughing at him. :D

[Doc26]

Always felt like I'd struck pay dirt on a cold wet windy day when i managed to land the premium spot of a bench seat that streched the boundary perimeter on the Hawkins side. The shielding from the advertising hoardings was gold when combined with an umbrella.

[Hotdog60]

I used to warm the old timber bench on the half forward flank, on the fence. after watching the under 19's through to the seniors the backside got quite numb. The one thing that held it all together was the hot donut van. If memory is right I think it was $2 bucks for 1/2 a dozen.
Best donuts ever.:D

[Scraggers]

Waiting for Dad to quickly down two (steel) cans of Fosters so I could stand on them to watch the game.

Leigh Matthews standing out the front of the changerooms having three quick smokes before the game.

the Hyde Street Band ... loved it loved it loved it

Sitting in the Cheer Squad in the early - mid 80s

My Duffle Coat with Dougie's name and number on it

Buying a Social membership the first year I worked full time, and sitting near Russell Gilbert and Ernie Sigley

The last game at Whitten Oval versus the Eagles

[Remi Moses]

In reflection the memories are more enjoyable. Visiting the Essex st milk bar and fish and chip shop at half time. We went as kids before the reserves getting in line in front of the pensioners for a seat between both races.Later memory of giving that Crook Elliot a gobful,the day they kicked 1.10.:D
Listening to the colourful language at the Barkly st end

[mighty_west]

Myself, Flamethrower & the old man used to stand in the forward pocket, Barkly street end, and a Saturday arvo would never be complete without a walk way down the other end of the ground, waking under the coaches box, down to the scoreboard end, to grab a bag full of hot jam donuts that would never NOT ooze out hot jam on the front of he footscray jumper.

[LostDoggy]

We always stood at the Geelong Road end and the standing areas had those stepped terraces. We stood on the top one.

Dad would drink his beer and each goal celebration would see him stagger down a step. If we won he would almost be over the fence by the end of the game.

[gohardorgohome]

I used to love standing at the Geelong Road end with a few mates....

I remember one day when I went with four mates when we played North. Well North was well up during the third quarter and the North supporter with us went away for a while.

We presumed he was off with some other North supporters comparing each other’s body abnormalities.......


Anyway this guy was not back by half way during the last quarter so the remaining blokes in our group each put in a $5 bet at what minute mark are Kangaroos colleague would return.......before we knew it 10 other people who were standing around us also put $5 into the kitty ...........we ended up having 14 to 15 people with $70-80 riding on when this bloke would triumphantly return.........each finding another funny spin on the situation......


10 minutes after the game our mate had not returned so our group and the other people who we did not know before 3/4 time all headed to the Rising Sun Hotel for a post game discussion......


Footy was so much more fun and social at the old suburban grounds..........


Having said the I am not sure how my kids would like that type of stuff these days.


I also remember a group of ethnic fellas who used to love Duperouzel....they love a good Dupa, Dupa, Dupa chant whenever the handy veteran recruit got near the ball..

[LostDoggy]

Fightback in 97 will forever be with me. Came down from Sydney for it. Also came down for last game vs Weagles. Gone dark before I finally left.
An earlier vivid memory, I knew how to get into scoreboard and had put a little stash in there of blanket, candles ciggies and matches. Just the place for a preteen boy to take a preteen girl for preteen romance.

[Danny the snakeman]

Did anyone else slide down the bannister rail on those steps between the EJ Whitten Stand & The John Gent Stand?

No but used to slide down the back of the geelong rd end hill between the 2 toliets on a piece of cardboard.

[bornadog]

Fightback in 97 will forever be with me. Came down from Sydney for it. Also came down for last game vs Weagles. Gone dark before I finally left.
An earlier vivid memory, I knew how to get into scoreboard and had put a little stash in there of blanket, candles ciggies and matches. Just the place for a preteen boy to take a preteen girl for preteen romance.

Adam, you mean 89;)

I will never forget that day as well as the day the board announced they were merging with Fitzroy. I was so gutted, but I knew attending fightback and seeing all those supporters that we would never ever die.

[Mofra]

I also remember a group of ethnic fellas who used to love Duperouzel....they love a good Dupa, Dupa, Dupa chant whenever the handy veteran recruit got near the ball..
Frost's mates used to get a "Frooooosty, Froooooosty" chant going when he played for us. I think we should have kept him a little longer as the extra beer sales would have helped us wipe out our debt

[Mantis]

As a youngster I used to love the rainy days when I could grab the old chip boxes and make a tobaggan to slide down the mud hills next to the EJ Whitten stand. I was always carefully not to get too much mud on the pants otherwise the old girl would go nuts... There is only so many times you can use the 'I was pushed over excuse'.

As I got older I used to sit on top of the umpires race... Gee it used to be funny at 1/2 time or after the game if we were getting a rough deal. Those ump's used to get a drilling and I learnt many a new word sitting up there. :D The umps also got a free shower on the way in in the form of soft drink, beer or if the 'ferals' were really upset it was spit...

At 1/2 time I used to also collect cans such to buy some donuts... We used to stand on the terrace in between the 2 players races and have cans pelted at us by the beer swillers. A couple of bags were full in a matter of minutes and then we used to battle thru the crowd to the receival station. If we were a little light on we used to fill the cans up with gravel to add some weight, more weight = more $$'s = more donuts.... Smart hey. ;)

After the game my folks used to head to the social club, the kids used play on the ground til way were stuffed trying to replay the exploits of our heroes. We used to also walk around the boundary line picking up any coins that were missed by the Hyde St bands blanket... That was taken straight into the social club for more fuel, normally raspberry & lemonade's.

Good days.

[LostDoggy]

I think the peanut man, and the Hyde Street Band would have to be my fonest memories of the Whitten Oval. On a negative note, the "facilities" in the early days left a lot to be desired and it was always a challenge to wash my hands in the freezing water and go back and sit in the freezing rain!

[LostDoggy]

Adam, you mean 89;)

I will never forget that day as well as the day the board announced they were merging with Fitzroy. I was so gutted, but I knew attending fightback and seeing all those supporters that we would never ever die.

Thanks, had the last game on my fingertips at the time. :o

[stefoid]

I used to love standing at the Geelong Road end with a few mates....

I remember one day when I went with four mates when we played North. Well North was well up during the third quarter and the North supporter with us went away for a while.

We presumed he was off with some other North supporters comparing each other’s body abnormalities.......


Anyway this guy was not back by half way during the last quarter so the remaining blokes in our group each put in a $5 bet at what minute mark are Kangaroos colleague would return.......before we knew it 10 other people who were standing around us also put $5 into the kitty ...........we ended up having 14 to 15 people with $70-80 riding on when this bloke would triumphantly return.........each finding another funny spin on the situation......


10 minutes after the game our mate had not returned so our group and the other people who we did not know before 3/4 time all headed to the Rising Sun Hotel for a post game discussion......


Footy was so much more fun and social at the old suburban grounds..........


Having said the I am not sure how my kids would like that type of stuff these days.


I also remember a group of ethnic fellas who used to love Duperouzel....they love a good Dupa, Dupa, Dupa chant whenever the handy veteran recruit got near the ball..

and...? what happened?!?!?

[cammo78]

As others have mentioned - being allowed into the rooms afterwards, seeing Dougie, Fossie, Tits, Super etc strolling round starkers signing autographs...

Pity the game's changed and kids can't have the same access to their heroes these days.

[cinder]

Being bored (as a 6 or 7 year old tends to get during the footy!) and making paper aeroplanes out of pages from the footy record, and proceeding to throw them only as far as the person in front of me's head!

[Remi Moses]

The peanut man is Boydy's great uncle,he passed away a while ago

[craigsahibee]

Such a spiritual place.

Fond memories of standing in the Drill Hall pocket.

Over the years got to know the regulars who were always there through thick and thin (lot's of thin in the 70's and 80's). One particular bloke called Bob who was able to make a can of beer appear as if by magic for my old man when we usually arrived at the start of the 3rd qtr in the ressies.

As I got older and was able to enjoy a few beers at the game I switched to the Geelong Rd end in front of the scoreboard where you could line up for an ale and not miss any of the game. It was also closer to the station than our original spot. The train ride home to Mooroolbark was always entertaining after a few drinks.

For the last game in 97 we went back to the Drill Hall pocket where all the regulars were there. Brilliant day made all the more enjoyable for a win over the Eagles and sideways rain.

[Remi Moses]

Missed the last game on holiday in the UK. Big regret

[BulldogBelle]

When we were kids and couldn't afford the entry fee we either would go so early that we would get in for free or we would squeeze in though the gap in those big wire gates. Once we just hopped over the fence.

Before the EJ Whitten stand was built the radio commentary box was about near where the north end of the Whitten stand is now. One set of toilets was at the back there and the commentators could look right down into the toilets. So we could look up at the commentators while having a pee.

They would let us into the change rooms in those days and I remember filling up my autograph book with all of the senior and reserves players. I shook Teddy Whitten's hand a few times, he had a real strong grip. Ouch!

When it rained we would get drenched. Our shoes would get saturated. It was standard practice to stand on empty beer cans to keep your feet dry and to also elevate yourself for a better view.

In the place where there was a space between the two stands there was originally a roadway onto the ground. This was before they built those steps between the Gent and Whitten stands. So there was an embankment either side. So kids would slide down the embankment on cardboard cartons (instead of watching the game). They later closed that piece of ground as the embankment was in danger of giving way.

It was OK to get your usual spot to stand in the outer unless we were playing Collingwood or Essendon who would crowd the ground out. Some foreign supporter would come in earlier and pinch your spot.

There was a technique to get your spot back though. You would stand close to the person who was in your spot and just inch ever closer to them. They would unconsciously move away. After only about 15 minutes of shuffling you would get your spot back.

Early on you could sit practically anywhere you liked in the Gent stand. It was on a first-come gets the seat basis. We were often the first there. Then they started charging for seats and so we moved to the outer.

On the night before games we would tear up newspapers into little squares and throw them up into the air when we got a goal. This was when the Gent stand was available. The cheer squad was also in the Gent stand. I remember that the cheer squad would spell out Footscray in one of their chants. It was two, four, six eight, who do we appreciate F-o-o-t-s-c-r-a-y Footscray! When we were on top and the opposition kicked a goal they would spell out then yell out CHARITY.

As a kid who was there quite often I wandered all about the rooms and even into the opposition's change rooms. Geelong at that time was a good team and I was quite upset at seeing them roughing up this little kid in a Footscray jumper. He must have been about 5 years old, younger than me. Dirty buggers, I would have liked to have smashed them. They will pay for that one day!

When television was introduced they put the camera on top of the function room next to the Gent Stand. The trucks just outside the ground connected to the cameras by cable. One of the channels had an almighty stuff-up one day when they turned up without cables. Later on that room became the Westerner's Room and I remember meeting Ernie Sigley in there quite often.

We would stand just to the north of the umpires race. The race was made from cyclone fencing wire and was flat on top and exposed to the crowd. We used to get crucified by the umpires on a regular basis. Cans used to fly at the umpires when they came off. They also got spat at. So the club put a guard there at the race. One day when we got a real hiding from the umpires about 10 people threw their full beer cans on top of the race so that the beer split over them when they walked in. Perfectly justified I thought at the time. My mate said that someone could get arrested, but no-one got arrested.

It was so cold that I decided to wear my wet-suit under my clothes. That kept me dry and warm and I enjoyed the footy even more.

That's all for now.

[The Coon Dog]

^^^^^^^^

Excellent stuff JC. Footy's certainly changed since those days.

[becmatty]

I remember reading the grafitti in the old concrete dugout interchange benches. Steve Macpherson's name was the name I recall most frequently listed, so I guess he was most admired by our female fans: "I love Steve #27", "I want to root Supa" etc.

The funniest however was "This bench is reserved for Mark Cullen for eva"

[Doc26]

A good read JC. Thanks for sharing the memories.

[BulldogBelle]

Before the EJ Whitten stand was built fans used to be able to go into the change rooms to watch the players get changed. Fans were also allowed in after the game. So you would see these naked footballers going to and from the showers.

Later on they built this kind of horse-shoe enclosure in the dressing rooms that limited the fans to the area behind the barriers. Every now and again a woman would get in and there would go out a cry that 'there's a women a in here' and all of the players would cover up. Later on it seems as though nobody cared.

I would get into the change rooms at half time sometimes and it was a shock to see some of the players having a smoke. I vividly remember Dave Darcy having a puff.

When we stood in the outer there was me and my brother-in-law and his mate and his two brothers. My other brother-in-law Doug and Sarge and about 20 of his Yarraville mates would stand just in front of us.

One day one of the brothers Paul, told the other Damien, that he loved eating quiche. (Quiche had just come in at that stage, some sort of yippy Scandinavian dish). So Damien, who was a real he-man told him that only poofs eat quiche. And so Paul punched Damien in the face and Damien punched him back. So that was our big fight on the terraces in the outer at the Western Oval. Paul ended up going home. Damien strengthened his argument that Paul was a poof because he saw him push a shopping trolley around in a supermarket.

Fights seemed to break out amongst Doug's Yarraville mates on a more regular basis. One day there was a serious fight and somebody got hurt and a St John's ambulance man attended and somebody got carted off but I never found out what happened. A week later the coppers turned up to ask questions but nobody saw anything.

The well-prepared fan would bring a cut lunch, a flask of coffee and a fold-up wooden platform to stand on. These guys with the wooden platforms were nuisances especially if they stood any-where near in front of you as they blocked the view. So the trick was to shuffle away from them. The old gentle push to move yourself across a few yards.

[LostDoggy]

No but used to slide down the back of the geelong rd end hill between the 2 toliets on a piece of cardboard.

Oh yes that was so much fun at half time!

[ReLoad]

The Donut Van at the Geelong road end :) they dont make em like they used to!

Like a lot of people here we used to always stand in the same place week in week out, ours was near the scoreboard, and as a kid id take along a milk crate so i could see the game :)

Most memorable game was the one where carlton only got the one goal for the match (was it mark arceri?) from a dodgy free kick in the last quarter.

And of course as a kid going up to see my grand parents at half time who used to sit in the whitten stand and Nana would always have a warm hug and cup of soup for me.

[strebla]

Lining up for beer in 84 I was 16 my woodwork teacher old rednose Smith tapping me on the shoulder asking me what I thought I was doing So i told him same as you having a beer and wathcing the footy thinking I wouldn't get served he had a huge grin on his face but it disappeared as quickly as i did with my beer before he could dob me in for being underage!!

[Flamethrower]

I can't remember if it was '76 or '78, but it was the year the Hawks & Roos played off in the Granny when i played in the little league, although i was pretty young, only managed the 3 or 4 games, we all recieved our free North or Hawks t-shirt & got to walk around the G before the game to let off the balloons.

It was 1978 that we wore the tricolours of Footscray m_w.

My first memories are from the late 1970s standing with my old man and his work mates at the Barkly Street end next to the opposition cheer squad. One of my dad's mates in particular loved to bait them and I remember many a brawl once the amber fluid took effect.

Later on I often walked down to the ground from the Western Hospital when I was doing a weekend shift. It was very handy to leave the car at the hospital and head to the game once my shift ended.

My other main memory is of when the Bulldogs took control of the Melbourne Monarchs baseball team - I was there for every game and remember seeing plenty of players who have now gone on to play or coach in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately I never got to play baseball there, but playing football for the Footscray Little League more than made up for it.

[The Coon Dog]

A friend of mine once leased out the old coaches box on the Dougie Hawkins Wing. I got to sit in it one game. Fantastic view, but bloody scary climbing up/down the ladder.

[BulldogBelle]

We would park our cars down Cross Street in the Olympic Tyres car park. Then the club took over the park and started charging money. Sometimes the attendants wouldn't turn up and we could get in for free.

We got Billy Goggin as a coach and he built this coaching box on the eastern wing that became known as the Hawkins wing. We called it Goggin's Folly as he had to walk all of the way over there from the Gent stand to get in the box and the sun would be in his eyes all of the time. We note that he stopped using it after a while. When we sold Quinlan to Fitzroy he spat the dummy and quit.

Geelong road used to be two lane and lined with palm trees it was really beautiful there just south of the Western Oval. At Gordon Street there were railway gates (as boom gates were not yet used) across Geelong Road. Then they built an overpass and called it Mt Mistake. Why it was named Mt Mistake I will never know, the only ones really complaining at the time were the Rising Sun Hotel who had most of their business chopped off by the overpass as people could no longer freely walk from the Western Oval.

There was a section on the boundary where the mounted police would park their horse. They would just open a gate and onto the ground would trot this horse. I didn't see a lot of the mounted police on the ground, or how the horse may have chopped up or pooed on the surface. Didn't seem to have lasted long.

[Scraggers]

I remember being there when we unveiled our reserves premiership flag (I'm not sure what year) and cheering on Zeno Tzaris in that ressys game ... I think he bagged 8 that game.

I remember thinking that that flag was going to be the start of big things (premiership-wise) for the club

[ledge]

[QUOTE=James Cuming;161179]We would park our cars down Cross Street in the Olympic Tyres car park. Then the club took over the park and started charging money. Sometimes the attendants wouldn't turn up and we could get in for free.

We got Billy Goggin as a coach and he built this coaching box on the eastern wing that became known as the Hawkins wing. We called it Goggin's Folly as he had to walk all of the way over there from the Gent stand to get in the box and the sun would be in his eyes all of the time. We note that he stopped using it after a while. When we sold Quinlan to Fitzroy he spat the dummy and quit.

Gee i didnt realize it was that long ago, I thought it was Malthouse era.

[w3design]

The ladies toilets under the John Gent stand were always flooded. You were never quite sure what you were standing in, and it didn't bear much thinking about. They were an improvement though on the ones near the drill hall, where at the last ever WO game, I saw a dead rat.

I think the biggest roar I ever heard was when the team came off the ground in 85 and we had beaten Hawthorn to finish 2nd on the ladder. It was bedlam. Drew Morphett exclaimed on the replay 'It sounds like the premiership has been won.'

The crowd chant of 'Footscray' at the fightback rally is still the most spinetingling thing I have ever heard.

Some great calls in the 80s: 'Emmett dunne, you are the only copper who can't kick!'

And another guy who muttered, 'Geez, Footscray, more passes than Bruce Ruxton on Mastermind!'

[dadsgirl16]

So many great memories but my earliest is running on to the field with my autograph book and being hit with an errant footy,book broke and I bawled!Must have been around 5 or 6 I guess.Also remember
playing outside the pub while Dad went in for one on the walk home(and never telling Mum)
Ah the good old days of the 60's!

[Desipura]

I remember being there when we unveiled our reserves premiership flag (I'm not sure what year) and cheering on Zeno Tzaris in that ressys game ... I think he bagged 8 that game.

I remember thinking that that flag was going to be the start of big things (premiership-wise) for the club
1987, dont think Zeno Tzatzaris ever got 8 kicks in a game!

[LostDoggy]

1987, dont think Zeno Tzatzaris ever got 8 kicks in a game!

Didn't our reserves win the 1988 Premiership? We beat North Melbourne. I was in the cheer squad then, helped hold up the banner & then stayed to watch Hawthorn smash Melbourne. :D

Or did we win both years? :)

[bornadog]

Didn't our reserves win the 1988 Premiership? We beat North Melbourne. I was in the cheer squad then, helped hold up the banner & then stayed to watch Hawthorn smash Melbourne. :D

Or did we win both years? :)

Yes, I went to that one in 1988 as my mate a Melbourne supporter insisted I go with him. He could only manage standing room tickets behind the goals and a cyclone wire fence. We got there to watch all three grandfinals, ie under 19, reserves and firsts.

[LostDoggy]

Collecting Mosley soft drink bottles and the refund (that's going back awhile).

The introduction of steel beer cans to stand on (as already mentioned earlier) which meant I could finally see the game when crowded.

The introduction of tiered steps at the Geelong road end - why didn't they do this years earlier - dam hard balancing on the tin cans on sloped ground

Being old enough to buy beer myself from the scoreboard bar - only to have to watch the guy behind the bar 'pop' the ring (as per the law).

The introduction of the aluminium cans - this meant my kids never had the experience of balancing on the tin cans.

I've progressed since those days, I now drink boubon & coke from a can - times have certainly change since the Western Oval hill.

[The Coon Dog]

Anyone remember the souvenir stall at the front of the EJ Whitten Stand?

I used to get there early & wait inside the entrance between the Whitten & Gent Stands & get the players autographs as they entered the ground.

[LostDoggy]

Some great calls in the 80s: 'Emmett dunne, you are the only copper who can't kick!'

!'

Or one of my favourites; "Hey Emmett, You should be charged with impersonating a footballer!"

[Bulldog4332]

My father used to drink with the groundsman of the Whitten oval at the Powell Hotel. The groundsman (Watty) lived in the red brick house that adjoined the oval. On game day we would visit the groundman and he would walk us through his house into his garage and then into the ground. His garage stored eqipment etc for the working on the ground and opened into the ground. I would then stand on the small hill behind the Police Horses and my dad would visit the can bar. Overall very very happy memories of father/son furtive behaviour getting away with something.

Have started to park at the Whitten oval car park to catch the train to work and still look at where the house was and remember.

[stefoid]

I have a few odd recollections of games at the WO

as a teenager, I was addicted to those flouro pink hotdogs. :eek:

another time as an 18yo, driving home after a win, got a bit excited and spun out on a corner near to the WO, mounted the curb and blew a front tyre. In dads car. :o

[Twodogs]

Then they built an overpass and called it Mt Mistake. Why it was named Mt Mistake I will never know, the only ones really complaining at the time were the Rising Sun Hotel who had most of their business chopped off by the overpass as people could no longer freely walk from the Western Oval.
.


I asked my dad why it was called Mt Mistake. He said that it was originally designed to be further down the road where Geelong rd, Somerville rd and Roberts st all intersect but somehow it ended up where it is now.

I've thought a bit about it through the years and his answer makes a lot of sense. That huge overpass looks like a massive overreaction to the problem of getting the traffic from Geelong rd over Gordon st. It would have made more sense to take Gordon st over (or under) Geelong rd rather than the other way around.

[Twodogs]

My favorite memory is training sessions back in the '70s and '80s. You'd head to the ground after school and talk to the players arrived and then watch them go through their paces on the field. Liker others have said though, it used to get cold!

There were always a bunch of old blokes watching, and if they didnt have a rumour about footy they'd just make one up, "such and such is coming to coach/play at Footscray next year, we are sure to make the finals with him aboard"

One day at training when I would have been 16 or 17 so it would have been late '70s or early '80s I remember really well. I was having a kick with my mate on the steps in front of the Gent stand. Ted Whitten and Charlie Sutton were standing about 30 metres away from us watching training and intently studying a clipboard that Charlie was holding up in front of the both of them.

My mate kicked the ball over my head and it went bouncing toward the two great men. I turned around and ran towards the ball and yelled out "Excuse me mister, can we have our ball back?" The lower part of Ted's leg reached out and kicked the ball and the bloody thing flew at me like a tracer bullet! It hit me on the chest and knocked me over. As I was climbing to my feet I could hear the two of them laughing and Charlie said to EJ "Ahhhhh, you've still got it Teddy my boy"

That's my Whitten oval story, and I laugh every time I think of it.