Books about the Demons

[lampshade 0]

Alright guys, can any1 suggest books I can read to tell me about the Demons and the history of the club?

Also, how does the season ticket thing work?

I had a look on the club's website and it looked like $150 for a season ticket for myself and my boy (cant be right surely)

Bit of background information for ya,

My name is John and I'm moving from the U.K to melb' next month, and whilst my first love is soccer getting to the games is going to be a bit difficult when we move .

We have some Aus rules on TV here and my lad says he's really like to support/follow our local team and would like a season ticket to the games.

cheers

johno

[deanox 9,620]

gday lampshade and welcome to the forum. congrats on picking the demons as your team, the oldest football team in the world.

i can't really help you on the books, but there will be someone around here who can help you out.

membership of the mfc generally includes entry to all victorian home games. you can get upgrades to include entry to away games, interstate games, reserved seats at the ground (generally in prime viewing positions) etc. it costs $160 for the basic package for an adult (entry to 11 home games). the cost for your son depends on how old he is. i think if he is under 15 there is a package that gets him into all games for about $55. if he is older than this it costs about $110.

the full details are on the club website here:

http://shop.afl.com.au/demons/mcategory.as...cookie%5Ftest=1

it is amazing how affordable it is to become a member of your football club in australia, especially in victoria. i have spoken with brits before, and they just cant believe that they can go and watch every week for just a fraction of what they pay for the soccer back home.

hope this helps lampshade, and carn the dees!

[Whispering_Jack 29,075]

Firstly, congratulations on your choice of club Lampshade.

The good news is that you can follow both the Melbourne Demons AFL football team and the Melbourne Victory soccer team because their seasons don't co-incide.

There's a good history which was put out recently by club historian Lynda Carroll and I'm sure you'll be able to get a copy from the club (unless it's out of print in which case no doubt it's available in all good libraries).

I have a few other books at home which are about the MFC and I'll post their names and details when I get home from work tonight.

[Harcourt 146]

Welcome aboard mate. When I went to England a few years ago I was in a similar position and ended up really loving the EPL and getting along to quite a few Arsenal games. I think it's more about the whole day - meeting at the pub for a while before the game and then screaming for 2-3 hours. Great fun and a good release. Hope you enjoy the game.

If you want more info on the MFC have a look at wikipedia.com as well.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Welcome Lampshade.

May I suggest the following website for starters.........

http://melbournefc.com.au/default.asp?pg=history

Good luck

[gsmith12 491]

Alright guys, can any1 suggest books I can read to tell me about the Demons and the history of the club?

Also, how does the season ticket thing work?

I had a look on the club's website and it looked like $150 for a season ticket for myself and my boy (cant be right surely)

Bit of background information for ya,

My name is John and I'm moving from the U.K to melb' next month, and whilst my first love is soccer getting to the games is going to be a bit difficult when we move .

We have some Aus rules on TV here and my lad says he's really like to support/follow our local team and would like a season ticket to the games.

cheers

johno

Welcome lampshade, you have chosen wisely as the Melbourne Football Club have more rich history and tradition than any other team playing Aussie Rules. My family have been passionate supporters since 1910.

I won't steal Whispering Jack's thunder with details of Demon books however a must read for you is "Football's Forgotten Tour" by John Williamson which is the story of the British Australian Rules venture of 1888. The book is difficult to come by however if you email me on [email protected], I will pass on the author's details as I know he has a small supply. Good luck.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

If you care to purchase a DVD, have a look at "Red & Blue: The History of the Melbourne Football Club 1939-2005." It's only a couple of hours long and it covers most of the highlights of the club in living memory, from the golden era in the 50s right up until the Daniher era, including the dark years in the 70s. All the good stuff is there like the 5 flags in 6 years, interviews with all the club greats like Percy Beams, Ron Barassi and Robbie Flower, and some of the bad stuff is there too, like the sacking of Norm Smith, the shift of Ron Barassi and the infamous Jim Stynes 15 metre penalty.

All good stuff, and a brilliant eye opener for the uninitiated dees fan.

Available online at www.melbournefc.com.au

[wackojacko 25]

I have this book all our history . was published in 97 or 98 i think

[iw_s 0]

Welcome lampshade,

the club's official historian Lynda Carroll wrote The Grand Old Flag in 1999 - she may be able to help in tracking down other books for you.

The club celebrates its sesquicentenary (150yh) next year and it looks like Grand Old Flag will be republished with new information and additional chapters to bring it right up to date. You can probably still find the 1999 book around in second hand bookstores - there's a very good sportsbook store in Flinders Street, near to the Phoenix Hotel.

There was also a history written for the club's centenary in 1958 - it's very hard to find. And there are several books by past players including Jim Stynes, Garry Lyon, Ron Barassi and Ian 'Tiger' Ridley.

For general info, the AFL produced two great books in 1997 for the centenary of VFL/AFL football - one on the history and development of the game, the other on the history of each club. There's also a history of the game by Geoffrey Blainey (and another by two RMIT students/staffers), and a history of Tom Wills by Martin Flanagan.

cheers,

Ivor

[Whispering_Jack 29,075]

Apart from Lynda Carroll's The Grand Old Flag mentioned above I have the following:-

The Story of the Melbourne Football Club 1858-1958 written and edited by E.C.H. Taylor. I bought this book in about the first season I took out a club membership (circa 1962). I was 12 at the time and it was a real treasure. If Lampshade or anyone else gets a hold of this book they'll be hooked on the MFC forever. I'd like to see it updated - perhaps for 2008.

125 Years of the Melbourne Demons by Greg Hobbs (1983)

Running with the Ball by A. Mancini and G.M. Hibbins - this is the story of HCA Harrison, one of the founders of the game and a man who had a great deal to do with the Melbourne Football Club in its formative years. It's interesting in that it's virtually two books in one being a biography of the man and a history of the game and the early years of the colony.

Then there are biographies and autobiographies on Ron Barassi The Life Behind the Legend by Barassi & McFarlane, Whatever it Takes by Jim Stynes, Demon Within by Garry Lyon (also co-author of the Specky McGee children's fiction books), Crackers The Peter Keenan Story by Crackers, a little Robbie Flower biography, Diamonds & Demons The Joseph Gutnick Story by David Bernstein and just to show how fair and balanced my library is Urge to Merge The Power, the People, the President and the Money by Ian Ridley with John Ridley.

The MFC has won 12 premierships. Hopefully, in time a book will be written about #13 and more to come. In some ways I think I'm writing that book on our Demonland blog entitled A Highway of Demons (not currently accessible due to technical problems*)but I've only written three chapters. Like everything in football I'm writing it one chapter at a time.

[* A Demonland contributor The Professor has also written a history of the club which is on the Demonland Blog as well.]

[True Believer 1]

I was on ebay having a sticky, and had alook under Melbourne Football Club.......some items for sale including books.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Apart from Lynda Carroll's The Grand Old Flag mentioned above I have the following:-

The Story of the Melbourne Football Club 1858-1958 written and edited by E.C.H. Taylor. I bought this book in about the first season I took out a club membership (circa 1962). I was 12 at the time and it was a real treasure. If Lampshade or anyone else gets a hold of this book they'll be hooked on the MFC forever. I'd like to see it updated - perhaps for 2008.

I was given a copy of this book as a kid and still have it and treasure it greatly.

A book on our eventual 13th premiership would also be valued highly as memory of the achievement!

[DemonDave 1,079]

Another handy small book to have is the "Enyclopedia of AFL Footballers" Melbourne edition. Its nice and pocket sized and has a bio where possible on any player thats ever played for the club. Often a copy floats up on ebay for around $8, well worth it.

[lampshade 0]

G'day again all....

Well about 5 months since I last posted and I've been here now about 3 months (arrived 1 week before the season started), before I arrived in Aus I had a look at the AFL website and TBH didnt know where Essendon,ST Kilda, Geelong etc was. So when I saw Melbourne Demons I thought "right that's your local team john, and that's who you are going to follow" as I thought all the other teams were interstate

All the guys at work found this really funny and have been on my back for week's now sayine "ahh, why not follow St Kilda/bombers/tigers etc..... change your mind before it's too late" But there is no way I could ever go back now. My only regret is that I never discoverd the game years ago as it really is a beautifull game.

GO DEMONS

[deanox 9,620]

fantastic to hear your enthusiasm lampshade, there are a few people around here who could learn from you

we have had a terrible year thus far, but dont despair we will bounce back soon (and if we dont make a late run for the finals this year you can bet we'll get their next year).

have you been getting to home games? if so well done. how are the rules treating you? i guess you arent having as much trouble with some of the new 'interpretations' as us because you never knew the old ones!

have you been following the forum at all? we'd love to hear your thoughts on our game as a foreigner.

[Nasher 33,607]

Well, you certainly chose the route that leads to the biggest adventure! Welcome to the rollercoaster ride that is the Melbourne Footy Club.

Please check your sanity at the door.

[gOLLy 401]

Welcome Lampshade to the mighty Melbourne Football Club

Can I suggest you fork out a little more if you can and get a ticket into the social club. Great atmosphere, Cheap beer, Great for the family