I'm going back a few years and tipping my hand re my age but one of my earlier memories of footy was wearing number 2 on my duffle coat. Ah yes the height of fashion...the duffle coat.

The Vfl was a fascinating time with our different grounds and the parochialism. It wasn't fun visiting another ground. I also miss state of origin. Cigarettes adds on the fences and mud covered toilets at Moorabbin. The wind at Arden street. The tram and two bus trips to get to Waverly.

Floor is open for reminiscing about the good old days......

Edited January 15, 20223 yr by leave it to deever

As a youngster new to the game I was fascinated with all the quirks of an away day at a suburban ground. Windy Hill was interesting with it's croquet club in one corner and a bowling green on the outer wing that barely allowed enough space for a spectator to get from one flank to the other during a game. Then there was the art deco Showers Stand that I think has now been knocked down. 

Although we never won there I liked Arden Street for the fact it had a dozen rows of seats all the way around the ground which I read used to be a greyhound track. The area had a real industrial ghost town feel about it on a weekend. The Western Oval was another favourite that had a hot dog shape with completely straight wings and a weird viewing platform on the outer wing that Mick Malthouse used to access by climbing a ladder on match days. 

Grounds I didn't like were the completely soulless VFL Park and dumps like Moorabbin and Victoria Park with their rabies infested supporters. The Junction Oval and Lakeside Oval were ramshackle and not fit for purpose whilst Princes Park still has that Hawthorn Stand and it's weird rollercoaster shaped roof that has always bugged me. More so after the extended it into the outer end. 

I'll always remember walking into the MCG before all the new stands and lights were put in.
Through the turnstyles, across the road, up the steps and popping out of the tunnel to see the ground.
Dunno if it was cause I was a kid but got a sense of awe when seeing the ground near everytime.
Seems to have lost that with the design now.

Also remember it being really just a huge tin shed.
Get 50-60 thousand in there and the place would dead set shake when the crowd got going.
Has lost that atmosphere too IMO.

Mainly watched MCG and VFL park games as we lived close.
Now and then we'd slum it and go to opposition grounds.
Never went to the Western oval or Kardinia Park though.
Victoria Park was a real eye opener for a kid.
Walking in there with my old man we were greeted with a row of retarded blokes in black and white wheelchairs outside the gates telling us to "Fork off Melbourne." 😱
Honestly, you didn't hear that sort of stuff at the G.


 

Edited January 15, 20223 yr by Fork 'em

1 hour ago, leave it to deever said:

mud covered toilets at Moorabbin.

Are you sure that was mud 🤔

I was lucky enough to witness the end run of the suburban grounds before ground rationalisation though never got to see Arden st, junction Oval or Lakeside Oval and Punt Rd and Glenferrie were long gone by the late 80s when I started watching. I visited Princes Park and Waverley many times, Western Oval, Moorabbin, Kardinia Park and Windy Hill 2-3 times each and Vic Park once in 1992. I think Windy Hill is the only place I never witnessed a victory at (I missed out on 1990 for some reason).

I agree the old Olympic Stand at the G although run down still had the feel of a footy ground, now it's just another stadium with a lot of the soul ripped out.

Windy Hill was pure Evil. In 1990 we beat Essendrug in the last Quarter. 
fantastic game. But getting out of the ground and getting to my car was not fun at all. Seriously. At Windy Hill they would want a fight. At Victoria Park they spat, and would threaten a fight. 
Moorabbin was scary if The Aints kicked a few…

Princes Park was Liberal HQ (Menzies watched from his Rolls in the early days!!)

Never went to Jeelong and never will

Remember the WWII US military signs stenciled around the old Southern Stand.

TBH you have to wonder if other than the row of superboxes whether the new Southern stand was an improvement on the old one.

 

Ardern St - standing on empty steel beer cans so I could see

Moorabbin - my uncle yelling abuse at Ross Smith the entire game

Vic park - watching someone get their head kicked in

Western oval - having our car broken into and groceries stolen

Waverley - cars bogged up to the axel

Junction Oval - indecent exposure

Princes park - I asked my son what was that strange lighting arrangement on the other side of the ground; he said that it was the electronic scoreboard.  Had the worst pies and even on a non match day there would be a queue for the ladies toilets.  Absolute disgrace.

2 minutes ago, Jontee said:

Ardern St - standing on empty steel beer cans so I could see

Moorabbin - my uncle yelling abuse at Ross Smith the entire game

Vic park - watching someone get their head kicked in

Western oval - having our car broken into and groceries stolen

Waverley - cars bogged up to the axel

Junction Oval - indecent exposure

Princes park - I asked my son what was that strange lighting arrangement on the other side of the ground; he said that it was the electronic scoreboard.  Had the worst pies and even on a non match day there would be a queue for the ladies toilets.  Absolute disgrace.

Yep its incredible what people paid for.

3 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

I'm going back a few years and tipping my hand re my age but one of my earlier memories of footy was wearing number 2 on my duffle coat. Ah yes the height of fashion...the duffle coat.

The Vfl was a fascinating time with our different grounds and the parochialism. It wasn't fun visiting another ground. I also miss state of origin. Cigarettes adds on the fences and mud covered toilets at Moorabbin. The wind at Arden street. The tram and two bus trips to get to Waverly.

Floor is open for reminiscing about the good old days......

errrr..... re "the mud covered toilets at moorabin".......it wasn't mud 🥴

Edited January 15, 20223 yr by daisycutter
oops....saw gonzo beat me to it

I have seen us win at every VFL opposition home ground in Victoria.  
 

Yet to see a Premiership live ♥️💙 🏆 

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Windy Hill was pure Evil. In 1990 we beat Essendrug in the last Quarter. 
fantastic game. But getting out of the ground and getting to my car was not fun at all. Seriously. At Windy Hill they would want a fight. At Victoria Park they spat, and would threaten a fight. 
Moorabbin was scary if The Aints kicked a few…

Princes Park was Liberal HQ (Menzies watched from his Rolls in the early days!!)

Never went to Jeelong and never will

It wouldve been worth going to the Kitty Litter in 2021 if we could get in 🙂

27 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

It wouldve been worth going to the Kitty Litter in 2021 if we could get in 🙂

That’s the point. You cannot get in, even though it is entirely paid for by Victorian Tax Payer…

55 minutes ago, Jontee said:

Princes park - even on a non match day there would be a queue for the ladies toilets.  Absolute disgrace.

Yep, my brother used to tell me to make sure I’d been to the loo before we left home for Princes Park since there was no way he was gonna wait ‘two lifetimes’ for me queuing up for the ladies’ room. Pretty harsh of him since I was only 7 or 8 years old. 😐

26 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Yep, my brother used to tell me to make sure I’d been to the loo before we left home for Princes Park since there was no way he was gonna wait ‘two lifetimes’ for me queuing up for the ladies’ room. Pretty harsh of him since I was only 7 or 8 years old. 😐

My son and I went to see our home game vs Eagles at princes park.  There was 7000 and a dog there  and the queue for the ladies went 50m.

Absolute disgrace.

2 hours ago, Jontee said:

My son and I went to see our home game vs Eagles at princes park.  There was 7000 and a dog there  and the queue for the ladies went 50m.

Absolute disgrace.

Matches the home team there perfectly.

Dark as, recall Neita kicking 5 in a quarter that Eagles game

I went to all these grounds. I remember seeing Hassa Mann‘s goal in 1964 at Glenferrie; I certainly remember the final round in 1987 at Western Oval. But strangely, one golden day was at Arden Street, the last round in one of the late 70s, we were getting thrashed and were expected to, and a North player attempted a dropkick. He flubbed it but it was still interesting. The weather was perfect, very early spring, and the day was just golden despite the result. 
 

I loved the old football. At 2.10 on a Saturday afternoon something like 10%  of Melbourne’s population would go to the footy, which I think is extraordinary.

Ah yes the old suburban footy grounds. I have vague memories of Glenferrie oval but I was young back then, My favourite ground was the lakeside oval. Can srill remember the freezing days watching the mud splash standing near the Melbourne grog squad behind the goals or being camped under the channel 7 rickety stand on the wing. 

The 2 I hated the most were Kardinia Park and the Western oval. Don't know why it is just the way it was.

Vic park, Windy Hill and Moorabin were a breeding ground for the most despicable urchins to be bred in Melbourne but they did have that interesting factor to them. Yic park was definately the end of the sewerage grounds in Melbourne.

I have a fond memory of the Junction oval especially as it was the only place I saw a live premiership. Prahran in 78

Princess park was the most soul less and boring place as well. 

I do miss the suburban grounds.

9 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

That’s the point. You cannot get in, even though it is entirely paid for by Victorian Tax Payer…

You can if you want to when it's Covid free Book when tickets are first available !!!

Where there is a Will there is a way!!!

2 hours ago, 58er said:

You can if you want to when it's Covid free Book when tickets are first available !!!

Where there is a Will there is a way!!!

It's an extra long drive back from Geelong when we used to lose.

I was never brave enough to go to Vic park. At the age of 12 ( I cant believe even before that age then how much freedom to wonder, I had. ...my parents were irresponsible but it was great) my mate a crazy tigers fan wanted me to go with him but we chickened out.

Edited January 15, 20223 yr by leave it to deever

Lets not forget the old Fitzroy ground in Brunswick where we had to train into town then tram to the ground lugging banners/cut up paper etc. Was also at the old Coburg ground, playing North I think, after Norn Smith's sacking. [censored]-ed down raining and we were soaked.

Hated with a passion Windy Hill as you just were not safe there and if you used the urinals at Vic Park you stood opposite a person on the other side and you were about a foot and a half (old lingo) from the other person.

Always liked going down to Geebung as you caught the "country trains" down and that you could run up and down the carriages. The other ground that was always a problem was Moorabbin as the "animal cage" was too close to the goals where we sat and sometimes the animals would get out and try to intimidate us. Overall some great memories from the suburban grounds.

 

 

Joining the throng of Melbourne supporters in the change rooms immediately after a win at the ‘G’, chatting to the players as they rehydrated with cans of VB, and joining them in rousing renditions of both verses of the Grand Auld Flag. There were plenty of wins back then too. Of course, it was a male only domain.

2 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

I was never brave enough to go to Vic park. At the age of 12 ( I cant believe even before that age then how much freedom to wonder, I had. ...my parents were irresponsible but it was great) my mate a crazy tigers fan wanted me to go with him but we chickened out.

I went with a great tigers mate too and watched Mark? Lee punch Peter Moore in the back of the head at every marking contest but...

Half way through the 3rd I looked down and saw 4 tinnies had come adrift from the bogans in front of us.  Every now and then I pushed them closer and closer with my feet.  Late in the 4th it was obvious that they had been forgotten so I casually bent down and put them in my mates bag. As he packed up to go he looked in and I could see his brain ticking over.  (Please dont say anything).  On leaving the ground he said 'Dont you ever do that again'.  Tasted divine.

1 hour ago, Deeoldfart said:

Of course, it was a male only domain.

To a certain extent.  My cousin used to regularly take his younger sister into the rooms after a game. Dressed in footy gear and with her long locks hidden under a beanie in they would go.....never stopped....