A great thread which really made me think.

I have decided my support is unconditional. I can't imagine life not being a Demon supporter. The club has certainly tested my loyalty over the years, but over nearly 60 years I have just kept coming back for more - I must be a masochist!

Perhaps one secret to survival as a demon is to have a second team to follow - it can be different in different years and the reasons can vary - maybe they just play good footy, maybe they have a great player... Anyway, it seems to work for me.

Thanks BH.

Unconditional. I will never follow another club and to be quite honest I'm not interested in watching other teams play; sometimes I'll watch a quarter or two but usually if there's something else on I'll watch that.

I've followed the side since we moved to Victoria from WA in 1951, I was nearly 3 at the time and I have absolutely no interest in any other side. If we disappeared from the scene so would I.

No, I'm entirely the one to blame. As a greedy teenager, I grabbed all those premierships leaving none for later on and you guys. Once a Demon always a Demon. I shifted over to live in Perth in 1976 and a few of my old mates in Melbourne ask me if I've adopted the Eagles or Dockers. I laugh and answer, " Mate, I put the Weagles on the same level of hate as I have for Collingwood. My weekend is made when they lose. Go Dees!!!!!

So who are you going for tonight?

I prefer Eagles, especially in swooping season. Eagles like nothing more than a diet of Seagull, Pigeon or a good Pie!

cheerio!

If I had a crystal ball and we dont win a premiership, I would stop supporting. But I don't. And I never will. Therfore my support is unconditional.

Let us be realistic - IF MFC had a crystal ball, they would probably have broken it by now. Maybe there was a fake one in the recruiting department 2000-2010?

I'd prefer to see the pies win

I've got 4 cartons riding on it and I HATE west coast

Your acting where the worst team ever made in the afl.

At least we go don't barick for St.Kilda or the Bulldog they have only won 1 flag.

Where have won 12 flags.

Where the longest running club, we founded the game for god sakes.

I'm only 27 but I would never dream of going for another team.

Red and blue is in my blood and will be forever.

Unlike a lot of people, I wasn't born a Melbourne supporter, I chose to become one when I was 12.

I have never ever regreted that choice and as fed up as I get with the club sometimes, I have never contemplated ditching it.

I can't think of anything that will make me stop following the club. I may be jaded, but I'm also blinded by faith that one day my choice will pay off.

So I guess I'm stuck here forever.

Yes, I'm a DEE until the day I die, through thick and thin,

I will be burnt with my Dee's jumper on and scattered ova the ocean, so even after death, I guess i'm unconditional!

my support is unconditional so long as we keep the same theme song and stay the Demons.

Edited September 15, 201213 yr by thaipantsman

Oh dear

What do you mean by unconditional support?

The only unconditional love is your mothers.

I couldn't see myself supporting any other AFL club, but I haven't been tested as I never fell in love with a ravishing fanatical supporter from another club.

For me football is a passion not mere entertainment.

Having said that my passion has been sorely tested and has waned over the years given the incompetence of the club at every level, its lack of success,the tyranny of distance . the wankiness of so many of its supporters and other alternatives to watching a group of incompetents on TV, to mention a few tissues.

The other question, to sort out the journey-driven supporters from the flag or bust variety, is whether you'd remain a Dees supporter if you knew that we'd never ever win a premiership?

Your acting where the worst team ever made in the afl.

At least we go don't barick for St.Kilda or the Bulldog they have only won 1 flag.

Where have won 12 flags.

Where the longest running club, we founded the game for god sakes.

I'm only 27 but I would never dream of going for another team.

Red and blue is in my blood and will be forever.

what about if someone wrote you a cheque for 50K to follow GWS?

Thought provoking OP there

Melbourne is the only club I have any passion for and I thought it was unconditional- but I just realised that they can certainly lose me.

So I guess that means my support for the club is conditional Does that make me a bad person or just a rational one?

It will be very hard for them to lose me as my tipping points are not likely to happen.

Unconditional is a word that is too absolute for me. I'm sure my devotion and support has a bottom somewhere, but it hasn't come in to view yet. I've had moments where I was sick of watching, and this year for the first time in my adult life found myself not caring whether or not I managed to catch our game, but I find it hard to imagine walking away altogether.

In answer to the question would I still follow if I knew we'd never win a premiership, the answer is no. If we're unable to reach the absolute definition of success in this game then I don't see the point in playing or following.

My support for a club is similiar to someone's belief in a religion, it's not something that you can choose to believe in or not like flicking a light switch on or off, it's something within that I don't really have a choice. At the risk of sounding corny it's in my blood. There is no possible way I could follow another club, if Melbourne ceased to exist then I would follow a different code.

what about if someone wrote you a cheque for 50K to follow GWS?

Mmmmmmm, 50k is a lot of money.

I would deffently have a long hard think about that one.

The other question, to sort out the journey-driven supporters from the flag or bust variety, is whether you'd remain a Dees supporter if you knew that we'd never ever win a premiership?

Yes.

Your acting where the worst team ever made in the afl.

At least we go don't barick for St.Kilda or the Bulldog they have only won 1 flag.

Where have won 12 flags.

Where the longest running club, we founded the game for god sakes.

I'm only 27 but I would never dream of going for another team.

Red and blue is in my blood and will be forever.

At the very small sum of 27 Yrs, no one would expect any different from you.

I moved out of the city at the start of the year and after being unable to attend the first month I then ended up only going to one game for the year. It's the lowest tally of my life as a Demon. I've got two small kids and I just can't watch the shite we served up the last 2 years. I'd prefer to watch the professionals play. If we draft poorly this year and play similar football next year I'll probably go to zero games. If this group of players and coaches plus some quality pick ups over the next few years can't take this club to seriously competing for a Premiership and we slide back into the doldrums I'll probably hang up my hat. Sydney have proved that a well run club doesn't need to finish last before climbing again. I've got much better things to do than watch the club get spanked in an empty stadium on a cold winters day.

Many people would be feeling as you do Roost. The Club just has to get better. In all areas orherwise people will just not care.

I used to be in the unconditional camp...Up until that day in July last year.

I could not take a pain like that again.

When I consider i would have to learn to play golf good enough to possibly win when I gave it a good go or that I might have to enjoy lawnmowing, I realise Im stamped for life. I would lose interest if i didnt support a club and i cant change.

I pay membership, MCC and give up on Sportspages, footy tipping and any proof I know about football in conversations where Im asked who I barrack for.

I invariably answer that I support Melbourne and accept that many people think they are smarter because they barrack for a team they dont pay for but has won premierships. Some times I get road rage about it and other times I just scare the dog.

I think Malthouse going to Carlton would be easier than me trying to appreciate a different jumper.

This is a very interesting thread, very thought provoking.

A few issues I'll address;

1 - If I knew we would never ever win a flag again I would probably give up. I watch in the hope of seeing the team develop, challenge for and then win a flag. If I knew the whole thing was futile what would be the point?

2 - I don't understand people that don't watch games other than MFC games, for a couple of reasons. Firstly I love the game and love watching it played at the highest level which for most of my life has not included games which MFC have competed in. Secondly, I love the competition as a whole and the jockeying for places betweenall teams on the ladder, how they are developing, the different game styles they are implementing and how the game is evolving. I love watching other individual players in the competition, how they are progressing and/or dominating, how they compare to MFC - although admittedly this has waned in recent years, particularly this year mainly due to the over officiating and tactics used by the coaches to take all instinct out of the game (or perhaps just because MFC are currently rubbish). But I still love the best matches, the Geelong/Hawthorn match a couple of months back with Hawkins kicking the winner after the siren was an absolute beauty and had me buzzing especially the last quarter.

3 - I've seen a few people from interstate say they have never changed sides despite living interstate for many years, particularly those in Queensland/NSW where there have been new teams created in a non-football environment. Obviously the data is skewed as those posting here are obviously MFC supporters so there may be others who did change or lose interest but I've always wondered whether the fact that MFC has such a limited supporter/financial base plays a role in these decisions? Perhaps even sub-consciously? Because I feel supporters of clubs like Essendon or Carlton who live on the Gold Coast for instance may be more likely to change allegiance as they don't feel the same obligation to continue supporting the club as they know the club will be fine without them.

Due to the MFC's position I feel more obligated to continue supporting, buying premium memberships, turning up to games I know we will lose even when I just can't be stuffed and would rather watch on the couch etc because I know that as a smaller supporter base it is up to me to turn up to twilight games against interstate sides otherwise it will contribute to poor crowds, poor income, poor media coverage etc whereas supporters of bigger clubs I assume wouldn't feel the same obligation as they know someone else will pick up the slack if they don't turn up.

I guess the biggest consolation I take from being a MFC supporter and knowing there is no other option is that I am a big fan of Nietzschean philosophy and knowing that nothing in life worth anything is easy and the biggest triumphs come from the biggest struggles - in fact the struggle is often where the joy comes from - which kind of contradicts my first point however I guess there is a difference between the struggle of revolt (as described by Camus) and the futile struggle (as portrayed in the tale of Sisyphus.)

Edited September 15, 201213 yr by Dr. Gonzo

I moved out of the city at the start of the year and after being unable to attend the first month I then ended up only going to one game for the year. It's the lowest tally of my life as a Demon. I've got two small kids and I just can't watch the shite we served up the last 2 years. I'd prefer to watch the professionals play. If we draft poorly this year and play similar football next year I'll probably go to zero games. If this group of players and coaches plus some quality pick ups over the next few years can't take this club to seriously competing for a Premiership and we slide back into the doldrums I'll probably hang up my hat. Sydney have proved that a well run club doesn't need to finish last before climbing again. I've got much better things to do than watch the club get spanked in an empty stadium on a cold winters day.

Your right 'Roost It', re the bottoming out, but once we had let the list go so Sour, we had no culture & no list to speak of except some tired old players who wouldn't chase or tackle.

Sydney never got it's list to it's knees.

So we had very little choice.

Our recruiting & development has been shite since at least, when Daniher arrived.

Our club stuffed itself through poor decisions, off field leadership & therefore onfield as well, & wrong appointments.

10 or 12 years of poor football admin' finally started to show itself around 2006 onwards. Until it was up in our face.

This is a very interesting thread, very thought provoking.

2 - I don't understand people that don't watch games other than MFC games, for a couple of reasons. Firstly I love the game and love watching it played at the highest level which for most of my life has not included games which MFC have competed in. Secondly, I love the competition as a whole and the jockeying for places betweenall teams on the ladder, how they are developing, the different game styles they are implementing and how the game is evolving. I love watching other individual players in the competition, how they are progressing and/or dominating, how they compare to MFC - although admittedly this has waned in recent years, particularly this year mainly due to the over officiating and tactics used by the coaches to take all instinct out of the game (or perhaps just because MFC are currently rubbish). But I still love the best matches, the Geelong/Hawthorn match a couple of months back with Hawkins kicking the winner after the siren was an absolute beauty and had me buzzing especially the last quarter.

For me the gamestyle, (your enjoying it, & the defensive variations,,, & others who don't like it) To me is like my love of motorsport.

I love motorsport in environments where we have tracks in beautiful surrounds, like Phillip Island or Bathurst, or Albert Park, or the F1's generally are on attractive race tracks.

And the Moto Gp's as well.

But I have absolutely No Interest in American circuit racing at all, round & round in circles of never ending mindless drudgery.

Wouldn't waste my time because it's not about the competing so much for me the viewer but more about the Wow factor, choosing a side or driver & then wanting to win.

I don't give a toss about winning a game of crap or a horse race, for me it's about the team competing & getting success. Achieving it's goals. And the pleasure of being involved with that team.

If the team is continually making the stupid decisions, or is of the wrong character fit, (too exclusive) unrepresentative of it's whole supporter base, then some will move on.