With the tragic events of yesterdays results now well and truly sunk in and many questioning their faith I thought some reflection and confessions might be in order. I get on demonland to connect with fellow sufferers/supporters because quite frankly I don't have too many demon supporting friends. Thats just how it is. grew up that way, went to school that way and its still that way. But you know what, this team got in my blood, got in my soul and became a part of me I can't let go. So I don't care where we are. Im a demon through and through and I believe you guys and girls are too. In the hope that we can all get to know each other a little better and perhaps even get along better I suggest the following for anyone who is game. What I would like to know is the following.

1. How did you start following the Demons?

2. Who was your very first favourite player and why?

3. Best moment as a fan?

4. Worst moment as a fan?

5. Anything else you would like to share?

Okay lets see what you got.

1. My dad.

2. Gary Lyon. Loved watching him kick bags on the 'G. The final against the Bulldogs in '94 was amazing.

3. Making it to the Grand Final? I've forgotten any success we may have had. Being there for the Geelong win a couple of weeks ago was pretty special.

4. I was there for 186. I was there for 147 too, but was numb to it by then. 186 was incredible.

5. It's character building being a Melbourne fan and half my family struggle to sit with me at the footy. I get far too emotional.

1. Grandfather played for them.

2. David Neitz. Loved watching him play and was a great leader. Him and Schwarz came to a family BBQ in 1994. They sandwiched my cousin (who was a pain in the ass) in between two couches and used his head as a handball target.

3. 2000 prelim.

4. When Schwarz went down with his third knee.

5. Answer to question two is closely followed by Farmer. I spoke to the guy at the bottle shop yesterday. I told him I was a melbourne supporter and needed something strong. He said he was a Fremantle supporter but doesn't mind melbourne. A lot of people over in the west say the same thing. At first I thought it was nice, now I see it's just pity. I want people to hate us.

Yeah, Jeff Farmer was my next favourite. Loved him. I was shattered when he left and then to have him kick the winning goal against us... it was hard.

1. No idea, just picked them as a kid. Had a brief stint as a Bummers supporter thanks to the brainwashing attempts of an uncle when I was 5 or 6 but eventually landed back with Melbourne. My parents barracked for other clubs and made no attempt at brainwashing. It was solidified when my older player started playing junior then senior footy with a club who also wore Melbourne colours and we went to watch them play every week.

Seems hard to imagine being a Bummers fan now. Especially this week. I truly despise that footy club.

2. Greg Healy, because he had the same last name as my favourite cricketer, Ian Healy. Once I was old enough to actually get it, Stynes and Lyon because they were awesome, and the Febeys and Lovell because they were Tasmanian.

3. Finals in 2000, excl. the granny.

4. I remember watching a game in the 90s where we got hopelessly thrashed and bawling my eyes out. Can't remember who it was against or exactly when it was. Adult me reacts with anger or just mute frustration, but the inner feelings haven't changed one bit since I was 10.

5. I too use Demonland as my only avenue for mingling with other MFC fans. It's definitely been a lonely path, I hardly know any other MFC fans at all. There's one other bloke at work who I share a grin or cringe with depending on the result, who also occasionally posts on here. G'day "Monty"

1. No idea, just picked them as a kid. Had a brief stint as a Bummers supporter thanks to the brainwashing attempts of an uncle when I was 5 or 6 but eventually landed back with Melbourne. My parents barracked for other clubs and made no attempt at brainwashing. It was solidified when my older player started playing junior then senior footy with a club who also wore Melbourne colours and we went to watch them play every week.

Seems hard to imagine being a Bummers fan now. Especially this week. I truly despise that footy club.

2. Greg Healy, because he had the same last name as my favourite cricketer, Ian Healy. Once I was old enough to actually get it, Stynes and Lyon because they were awesome, and the Febeys and Lovell because they were Tasmanian.

3. Finals in 2000, excl. the granny.

4. I remember watching a game in the 90s where we got hopelessly thrashed and bawling my eyes out. Can't remember who it was against or exactly when it was. Adult me reacts with anger or just mute frustration, but the inner feelings haven't changed one bit since I was 10.

5. I too use Demonland as my only avenue for mingling with other MFC fans. It's definitely been a lonely path, I hardly know any other MFC fans at all. There's one other bloke at work who I share a grin or cringe with depending on the result, who also occasionally posts on here. G'day "Monty"

Glad you came back to us, mate. You don't sound like a Bummer.

And I was too young for Healy, but I loved Jimmy too.

1. A kid in my street followed the Dees when I was very young and I blindly followed.

2. Robbie Flower, he was just an artist. I tell my kids he was like Nate Fyfe and Steven Hill combined and then even better. And he was.

3. The John Northey years of 87 and 88, Prelim win over Carlton in 2000 final quarter only, interviewing David Neitz with a rolled up footy record in the rooms after a big day on it at the G.

4. Waverley, Preliminary Final 1987. We deserved that win and we will have our revenge in this life or the next.

5. Im hoping my business interests go so well that I can become a major sponsor sooner rather than later. That way I can use my influence to select the side I like and sit in the coaches box. Current status Unemployed.

1. Grew up in Fitzroy...it was either Roys or Pies...I liked the song

2. Wilson - crazy good

3. 2000 final series

4. Both Grand Finals

5. I have a crush on Bernie Vince

1. from my Dad. He would take me and my sisters to the footy and we only got chewing gum if we went for the dees, he won me and one sister but the other goes for the Tiges. He is dees due to his father and so on back through the generations.

2. Ox

3. 88 prelim

4. Sitting in the rain with my old man at the 88 granny.

5. Is it child abuse to push my 18 month old towards the dees? She has the dummy, scarf, beanie and doll already. Should I be reported to the authorities?

Yeah, Jeff Farmer was my next favourite. Loved him. I was shattered when he left and then to have him kick the winning goal against us... it was hard.

Took my young sons into the rooms after one match in which the WIZ had blitzed. When I introduced my kids to him he picked up my youngest and gave him a massage on one of the massage tables. Such a humble guy for the superstar he's was. When we left my son was asking why he hadn't done any magic when he was called the wizard. Too young to realise the magic he produced on the field. My son cried for hours when he left for Freo and even followed Freo until the Wiz retired. He's now a Demon

With the tragic events of yesterdays results now well and truly sunk in and many questioning their faith I thought some reflection and confessions might be in order. I get on demonland to connect with fellow sufferers/supporters because quite frankly I don't have too many demon supporting friends. Thats just how it is. grew up that way, went to school that way and its still that way. But you know what, this team got in my blood, got in my soul and became a part of me I can't let go. So I don't care where we are. Im a demon through and through and I believe you guys and girls are too. In the hope that we can all get to know each other a little better and perhaps even get along better I suggest the following for anyone who is game. What I would like to know is the following.

1. How did you start following the Demons?

2. Who was your very first favourite player and why?

3. Best moment as a fan?

4. Worst moment as a fan?

5. Anything else you would like to share?

Okay lets see what you got.

1/ Grandmother life member.... obsessed doesn't cover how she was. And the whole Uncle being a 3 time premiership player and captain bit. But I think it was my nanna. She would have left me to be eaten by Collingwood supporters if I chose another path.

2/ Steve Smith. I've always been a fan of an honest backman.

3/ 1987 Elim v Nth

4/ Two weeks later

5/ Being a Dees fan has taught me resilience.If I don't get a pay rise I don't cry. I go home and kick the dog. Or at least try to. I usually miss, fall over, and do myself a 4-6 week injury. But it doesn't stop me thinking that I'll get that pay rise next year.

As a kid I was cloned to barrack for the magpies from birth,Des Tuddenham did a number on a Dee player in a footy match since then I decided to change teams,what a fuc.ing mistake that was.At the time It was good to watch a team win

most of its matches and in 1964 win a flag.Most impressive player was Hassa Mann followed by Ron Barassi. The biggest disappointment was the refusal of Darryl Baldock and Polly Farmer, we thought our existing players were good enough

to produce results without the vision of recruiting class players. History repeats itself,you fail much like the sides pre-ROOS. I do not associate the word MIGHTY when it comes to the Dees.

1. Grew up in Fitzroy...it was either Roys or Pies...I liked the song

2. Wilson - crazy good

3. 2000 final series

4. Both Grand Finals

5. I have a crush on Bernie Vince

Wilson and Vince would go very well in the clubs.

As a kid I was cloned to barrack for the magpies from birth,Des Tuddenham did a number on a Dee player in a footy match since then I decided to change teams,what a fuc.ing mistake that was.At the time It was good to watch a team win

most of its matches and in 1964 win a flag.Most impressive player was Hassa Mann followed by Ron Barassi. The biggest disappointment was the refusal of Darryl Baldock and Polly Farmer, we thought our existing players were good enough

to produce results without the vision of recruiting class players. History repeats itself,you fail much like the sides pre-ROOS. I do not associate the word MIGHTY when it comes to the Dees.

I understand. Thanks for sharing.

1/ Grandmother life member.... obsessed doesn't cover how she was. And the whole Uncle being a 3 time premiership player and captain bit. But I think it was my nanna. She would have left me to be eaten by Collingwood supporters if I chose another path.

2/ Steve Smith. I've always been a fan of an honest backman.

3/ 1987 Elim v Nth

4/ Two weeks later

5/ Being a Dees fan has taught me resilience.If I don't get a pay rise I don't cry. I go home and kick the dog. Or at least try to. I usually miss, fall over, and do myself a 4-6 week injury. But it doesn't stop me thinking that I'll get that pay rise next year.

Steven Smith a very solid citizen. Poor Dog. Who's your Uncle?

1 - in 1965 , the year after our last grand final , I started to take the game seriously when everyone else in my area was following the Saints , I decided to be a rebel , and look where that got me in the last 50 years

2 - my favourite player was always Ross Dillon , but David Schwarz and Robbie Flower will always be remembered with great fondness.

3 - winning against Footscray at Footscray to make the finals for the first time in my Demons supporting life.

The highs and lows of that day were of the most extreme forms imaginable , and when the crowd erupted with ecstasy at the ground upon hearing the result of another match that allowed us to make the finals, we knew that the cosmos had aligned and we'd attained the ultimate high

4 - So many lowlights as a Demons supporter for 50 years I wouldn't know how to separate them

5 - my children hate me for bringing them into this world as Demons' supporters , but they had the freedom to change but chose not to.

Steven Smith a very solid citizen. Poor Dog. Who's your Uncle?

Hassa.

He'll probably be be [censored] at me for saying it here as he's such a good bloke and I'm pretty disreputable, but then again I don't think I've ever seen him be anything other than one of nature's nice guys, so I guess I'm safe.

Just unlucky i guess

1 - in 1965 , the year after our last grand final , I started to take the game seriously when everyone else in my area was following the Saints , I decided to be a rebel , and look where that got me in the last 50 years

The silver lining, if you can call it that, is that you wouldn't have been much better off at all if you'd backed the Saints.

As a kid I was cloned to barrack for the magpies from birth,Des Tuddenham did a number on a Dee player in a footy match since then I decided to change teams,what a fuc.ing mistake that was.

Did things suddenly just become a lot clearer for anyone else?

1. How did you start following the Demons? About 10 years old, everybody else went for Tigers or Blues. Mu junior footy coach took us to a game at the G - Melbourne v Carlton. The Demons lost narrowly to a very good Carlton team and I was hooked. Big Carl was C/C.

2. Who was your very first favourite player and why? I had the duffle coat with Gerard 3 Healy emblazoned on the back circa 1982. He was a star, shame he didn't hang around. Number 2 was on my footy jumper.

3. Best moment as a fan? Round 22 1987 - I was in Year 12 and went to the game with my school groundsman who was a mad Demon fan as well. Best day ever. Caught the train home and never had a better ride on the old iron horse!

4. Worst moment as a fan? 1987 Prelim final - a game we had many chances to win and only one chance to lose and the rest is history.

5. Anything else you would like to share? My son is 13 and has been following the Dees since birth. He has only vague recollections of our last finals appearance. I told him not to feel too bad - I had to wait until I was nearly 18 before I got to see the Demons in a final!

Uncle who played for them. Froggy Crompton lived around the corner, Ray Nilson lived up the street.

Barassi. Best player I've ever seen.

1964 was there.

Scully's performance and media's approach to it. ( Oops that's two things) Healy's defection makes it three.

Loved Bluey Adams and Donny Williams charging up the ground, Big Bob Johnson was a star, but could miss them from 5 metres out.Went to a match against Richmond one day when we were terrible and every kick in went to Robbie Flowers wing, where it was just him and his opponent ( who wasn't a bad player, think his name was Palm). Don't know how many marks he took, or how many possessions he got but it was

amazing.

1. Family all were Demons....

2.Rodney Grinter. I loved a player who had no fear and gave all for the team. And smashing Terry Wallace's nose helped too.

3.1987. Do it for Robbie gee that was what what sealed my fate and kept me watching this era of football and also making my girlfriend think that

I suffer from weekend induced tourette's.

4. The last four years have been like watching battlefield earth with John Travolta's commentary turned on. Sad Panda.

5. I want this team to play like Demons.

1. Family

2. Paul Hopgood. Lol jks, Jeff Farmer

3. 2000 qualifying final, upsetting Carlton. Close second, 2006 Elimination Final, upsetting St Kilda and ending Grant Thomas' career

4. Far too many to choose from. 186? Watching what Schwarz was capable of and having it ruined. Ditto Jurrah. Ditto Clark. Possibly ditto Trengove.

5. One day, this club is going to become successful and will demand the respect of others. I cannot wait until that time comes, because in the interim, we will continue to be bullied and made fun of simply for our choice of football club. I hate how little respect this club gets (not that it deserves it). I hate that every week people laugh at playing Melbourne, or pity us for yet another loss. Nobody gets excited about playing Melbourne, nobody cares about what is happening to us. That's going to change at some point, and whenever it happens, those of us who stuck through everything will be well within their rights to be smug-ass knobs.

1. Third generation Demon supporter. My great uncle played for the Dees.

2. Robbie Flower - say no more.

3. Like most of the above posters - 1987.

4. Until we played Geelong this year, I had not moved on from 186.

5. My daughter was wearing a Demon's jumper on her first day of life, she converted to Collingwood as a teen and this year has seen the light, dumped Collingwood and is now back in the fold. We both have a major crush on Bernie Vince! Both of my dogs are pet members and I proudly walk them with their Melbourne leashes.