How You Became A Melbourne Supporter :)

[H_T 2,941]

Born.

Conceived.

When I was 5 or 6 years old, I recall it was easter and it was also April's Fools Day. Melbourne were playing St.Kilda that day and my dad told me that Robbie Flower had left Melbourne and was heading to St.Kilda. Fair to say he broke my heart that day, as Flower - along with thousands of other kids - was my favourite player. It was Easter and I was furious, until he told me about April Fools.

From that day on, I've returned serve to my dad on every April Fools.

Dad took me to a game out at Waverley - Melbourne v Footscray that same year. Managed to get me in the change rooms after the game and get a photo of me & Robbie. 15 years or so later on my 21st, dad presented me with this photo, only this time it was blown up. It's about 400x800 and framed. It was taken after Flower had a shower. Towel wrapped around him, with Robbie handing me my autograph book as we both are looking into the camera lens. It's awesome. My prized possession. That and a couple of Team of the Century items.

Really, I was Melbourne when born. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Edited September 10, 2009 by High Tower

[Rosso 59]

I inherited a love for the dees (it's in my genes!)

My fiance is a mad Bulldogs fan, I've told her when we have kids, the boys will be Demons and the girls get to choose.

[She Devil 64 21]

From Birth.

Grandparents had a hotel in Victoria Parade and used to board a lot of young players from the country - Stuart Spencer and others. Celebrated my First birthday with Norm Smith (& son Peter) and Jack Mueller in the birthday photo.

[Still Waiting 94]

I just loved Barassi, Lord and Townsend in the 60's.

Now my son has 3 reasons to follow the Demons.

1/ I told him to!!! Got him a jumper when he was 18 months old.

2/ Robbie Flower.

3/ Garry Lyon.

He also cant stand his mothers team That Black and White Scum------ Eddiewood! He is now in his 30's.

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

My dads side of the family has followed the club since the early 1900's so I didn't have a choice but I wouldn't have it any other way. My uncle played for the club in the glory years so I grew up meeting the greats and the fact that these legends are such good blokes just makes the bond stronger.

[The Big Ticket 94]

Born into it, attended my first game in 1995, but never really got into AFL at all. It was probably early on the '06 season I actually sat down and watched a game - the first time I'd done that in about 6-7 years. It was Melbourne vs Collingwood - where we thumped them by 47 points - Was totally addicted from there on in.

Hardcore Demon 4 Life :D

[QueenC 74]

Over the last few generations of my family we have had Collingwood, Carlton and Hawthorn all represented........

My dad became a Demon after moving to Melbourne from Brisbane when he was a kid, because of their success at the time and because he went to school with Norm Smith's son.

I am the first second generation Demon supporter being my dad's eldest, but even my younger brother did the apparent standard family thing and now barracks for Essendon.

So that is five different clubs in five straight generations, which I think makes us a little odd !!!

[drdrake 3,049]

I supportered the Perth Demons in the WAFL and played there for many years, when the Eagles killed the WAFL, just when I started playing for Perth, I never really followed a VFL team and I hated the Eagles so the Melbourne Demons was the team for me. Unfortunately, the two Demons side have a lot in common, both had dominent clubs 50' and 60s, nothing since, I think the Perth Demons last flag was 1974.

Edited September 10, 2009 by drdrake

[John Dee 439]

My mum was from the country and my dad was from the city; they were dairyfarmers. My dad was a dedicated Carlton supporter. Football was a big part of our lives, but local football only. As football season is also milking season, I never saw a VFL match with my father just countless matches of country football. The first grand final that I can remember seeing on TV was 1964; it seemed a reasonable thing then to support a team that had won six out of the last ten Grand Finals. I took my kids to the football as soon as they were able and they are rusted on demons, as am I.

[JTR 2,667]

Hi all. Long time reader, first time poster.

I moved to Melbourne (from NZ) in early 1999.

Spent all of that years season without a team but managed to decide that I didn't want to go for Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Richmond... etc.

Basically the teams of all the bogans that were trying to 'recruit' me.

In 2000 I decided I better find myself someone to go for. I kind of liked the way Melbourne were playing, enjoyed watching Jeff Farmer, and loved the theme song, so found myself watching them most weeks.

Entered an online footy tipping comp that year and God knows how but I managed to win it! Got 4 tickets to each week of the 2000 finals series.

Melbourne ended up playing in 3 of those 4 weeks, so I decided it must have been fate. :D

Edited September 11, 2009 by JTR

[Hobbits's 17]

not a bad effort winning the comp jtr. have you won it since? I started supporting the demons when very young, mainly because of the entire family follows melbourne.

[Carn dees 108]

Whole family are passionate richmond supporters uncle aunties you name it.

I guess i just wanted to be different, loved our colors and loved watching robbo.

Now all my brothers are demons, starting a new generation Including my brother col=sk who posts here.

[biggestred 4,374]

cousins and aunty went for the dees, dad for the pies.

eventually convinced dad at age 6 to take me to the footy. dees v roos. johnny longmire kicked 14 that day. should have chosen them instead! (i jest).

love the dees. reckon ive averaged 15/16 games a year since then......that was 1990 so that makes it 20 seasons. 20x15= 300 odd games. crazy [censored]

[biggestred 4,374]

ps dad goes for the dees now

[JTR 2,667]

not a bad effort winning the comp jtr. have you won it since? I started supporting the demons when very young, mainly because of the entire family follows melbourne.

I've won the office sweep a couple of times, but no more of the bigger online ones.

I think in that first year I was completely uncorrupted by factors such as "team x doesn't travel well", "team x has this player out so probably wont win" ...etc etc.

Just picked based purely who (in my uneducated opinion) was in the best form. If both teams were going ok I went for the home team.

Nice and simple and it seemed to work! :D

[Swampfox 190]

Born in Colac (Hampden League back then) and living in Portland who both wore Richmond Jumpers i should have been a Tiger but Stuart Spencer and Clyde Laidlaw (both recruited from Portland) and the addition of Ian Ridley in the same league had me wearing a Demon Jumper instead

Only 2 kids supported the Demons at my school and i never knew anyone else did until i moved to the city in 1968

From what my parents (both Geelong supporters) said my red hair and being able to run like a rabbit a major influence was Frank Adams

Strange thing is Mick Twomey of Collingwood fame was the Portland Coach was a grumpy bugger so my passion to hate Collingwood was also born

[dreamin' man 0]

Went to Melbourne in 1986, didn't support a VFL team but, for reasons of geography -- & after much study -- decided to support Richmond. Went to a few games & had to admit I had no liking for them at all. Confessed this to a friend & that another team had turned my head. He asked "the Demons?" Told me to jump teams immediately as Warren Dean was (in his words) the best footballer on earth. So I was reborn as a Demon, have kept the faith & since coming back to WA two years ago have missed seeing them live most weeks. But I have hope for the future.

[Devoted Demon 0]

Hey all, just wondering if anyone has any interesting stories on how they became a melbourne supporter. My whole family support collingwood so thank God my uncle grabbed me when i was young enough to be influenced and took me to watch Allen Jakovich ( I was hooked from then on)

If I wanted a place to live when I first moved down I had to follow the dees or I wasnt allowed in the house so I had to support them. Fell in love watching wheelan tackle reminded me of league...

Also my mate became one when he lost a card game to me and the bet was follow the manly sea eagles if he one or he became a member of the Mighty Dees.

[beelzebub 22,282]

well.some already know this....still, I'll refresh

Came to Australia , a 5yo as part of the great unwashed relocation scheme otherwise known as a 10 quid tourist. ( Came as result of Parents deciding this was a far better place....thanks Dad )

Came in Dec 64, started school the next Feb. As is the way with newbies and kids the next but first question ..or might have been the first question was... "WHo do you barrack for ?? " me : Who do I barrack for in ?? kid: "the Footy ....football !!!!!!!!! " Well having only been on this soil a few months and it having been/still cricket season...how the f%$# did I know... The kid was pretty persisant for an answer and I sensed even then my whole school life might revolve around uttering a correct answer. Well, i now lived in Melbourne...so I thought theres bound to be a team called Melbourne.. so right there and then , in pure ignorance I niaively offered up.."MELBOURNE"... "'I barrack for Melbourne !!!! " This announcement was met with approval.... :D I cant even say I jumped on the band wagon as I had no idea we were reigning Premiers , was just dumb luck

Barracked for them then...barrack for them now....and every day in between Go Dees

[DemonWorshipper 296]

I was born into a family of Collingwood supporters and as such was expected to follow in that way. However, after the 1990 GF, as an 8 year old I made the bold decision that I didn't want to follow the filth anymore.

As it happened, my Mum's family was close to the Yeats family and as many would now, their youngest son Graeme was playing with the Demons at the time. As I had met him a couple of times as a young kid he seemed to have made an impression on me so I decided it was the Demons for me. By the end of 1991, I felt I had been vindicated in my decision as the Pies missed the finals and Jim Stynes had won the Brownlow!

From that moment on, I have never looked back and despite the ups and downs of the past 19 years for the MFC, I am a Demon for life. Much to the dismay of my uncles who still feel I betrayed the family !!

Edited September 14, 2009 by DemonWorshipper

[Jerry Lundergard 390]

I grew up for the most part of my childhood in South West Sydney, and having already spent time in Darwin and Perth I had an appreciation of Aussie Rules, but never really followed a team.

That changed when i was about 11 and my Mum came home one day from a garage sale with a 2nd hand Demons jumper. Not long after that i cried in my Sydney living room as Jim Stynes ran through the mark and we lost the Prelim on that infamous day.

I will admit they i was more a league follower than AFL for a large part of my youth, but when i finally made my way down to Melbourne 10 years ago, my love for the game was once again reignited and my passion for the Red & Blue grows stronger every year. So much so, that i have done my part for the club by spawning 3 new demons supporters, who will be show where the door is if they ever entertain the idea of possibly following another club.

[demonfanjezza 1]

I never really supported the AFL when i was younger.

But in year 12 we were studying a play called "The Club" by david williamson, not bad, we also hate to watch the dvd and it was based on collingwood. Since i didn't know any better, i stated supporting collingwood. (Please dont hit me!)

Then one night in kmart a saw for $4 the 2002 season highlights of the Melbourne Demons. I watched it and found this team to be a lot better than the filth, so i decided the MELBOURNE DEMONS are my team. This is about 2004

Since here in Sydney you dont find much melbourne gear i found a shop that did and bought as much melbourne supporter gear as i could.

I have been a member of this great club since 2008. I am also trying to convince my Geelong supporting mate to support the dees.

In addition i also support the Pennant Hills Demons of the Sydney AFL Comp

Go dees now and forever

[BVI Demon 26]

I grew up in Shepparton, which was in Melbourne's recruiting zone at the time. My old man supported Geelong, but I'm told he encouraged me to follow Melbourne "just in case" I was a footballer.

My own kids didn't have a chance - signed up as Melbourne members from birth. Although we live a long way from Australia, they know their Demons and I'm now teaching them to hate the Filth etc using footy cards as teaching aids.

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

Much to the dismay of my uncles who still feel I betrayed the family !!

There is a white sheep in every family. Your uncles need to get with the plan.

[Demon Tragic 0]

At age seven I was wondering in the football wilderness. My Dad cracked it and I was told I had to pick a team, I was given a week and told that once I picked my team I could never change. The main influences in my life at the time all barracked for different teams.

Mum - Sydney

Dad - St Kilda

Nana - Richmond

Papa - Carlton

Cousins - Colling%^& & Essendon

I told em all they were crazy and they should barrack for Melbourne coz that's where we live! I must have decided that if you can't please everybody, you might as well please nobody! It didn't really matter at that stage coz I wasn't overly interested in the footy.

It wasn't till after dad died and my step dad arrived (a footy nut) that I took a bigger interest in footy. In the early 90's I was nearly converted to Colling%^, my step dad started to take me along to the Collingwood game every week. Him & his parents and brothers worked on me for 2 years. I must admit I loved going along to Vic Park and watching BT, Barwick & Daicos light it up.

Then my step-dad's best mate, who was also a Dees fan, pulled me aside and told me that once I picked my team I could never change. From then on I was staunch, I had an unwavering and steely determination to honour the unwritten football code of ethics. I was a Demon through & through. My stap dad wasn't too impressed, but he loved my commitment so he started taking me to Melbourne games aswell.

Although I still have a soft spot for the Pies, nothing makes me feel better than walking away from the Queen's Birthday weekend singing It's a Grand Old Flag. Only these days I'm not outnumbered, I managed to recruit my wife, my brother-in-law & his girlfriend (all from NSW) and I have managed to start a breeding program with a 6 year old gunning for the Dees and a 2 year old who's about to start!

Edited September 17, 2009 by Demon Tragic