Dees at the Western Oval

[Biffinator 2]

Comrades.

Akin to another thread, I would rather be transported back in time to the Western Oval, say, in 1982 when the weather was actually cold in winter, than watch most of the crap that passes for AFL football nowadays. Go Jacko !!!!

Which got me thinking about the Western Oval and the Bulldogs, who will be looming large in my thoughts today. To my mind, the Western Oval always seems to slope down to the non-city end - was I wrong in thinking this? There was also that bizarre walk-up-the-ladder "coaches" box on the DH wing. I am sure there was something living in it - God knows what.

It was always great fun standing behind the goals at the non-city end and hearing a dozen different languages in the vicinity. There was always a strong smell of naughty cigarettes in the air. At half time, they would bring out one of those brass bands in an appeal of whatever kind

I went there five or six times - sadly, not in 87, and I cannot recall us winning a single match, Tony Elshaug's efforts notwithstanding. This was the complete opposite of Morabbin, where it was 3-0 our way (Brian Wilson, you champion !!!).

I really long for those days, and the old Western Oval, VP, Windy Hill and the rest. Stuff the Telstra Dome.

Biffinator. Come on the Demons.

[45HG 1,539]

telstra dome can [Mod Edit].

detest it. i see the western oval every day, as its next to my train station, and it realy does make me miss suburban footy, and i hardly even got to live in it's time anyway! odd to have nostalgia over something you haven't really experienced. but yeah to see it's stands pulled down now ready for some stupidly expensive upgrade, it seems even suburban grounds are going the way of td.

td. Seven's Telstra Dome, a true STD.

[gOLLy 401]

Comrades.

Akin to another thread, I would rather be transported back in time to the Western Oval, say, in 1982 when the weather was actually cold in winter, than watch most of the crap that passes for AFL football nowadays. Go Jacko !!!!

ahhh the days.....i lived close by to the Western Oval. No real end was the city end. Our feral wing was the city end. Oh and remember cash a can

[deanox 9,924]

should start following sandy a bit closer? i think that we could see a resurgence in the vfl support if this kind of crap keeps happening at alf level..

[gOLLy 401]

I really enjoyed the Box Hill v Nth Bullants games yesterday.

That has passed my mind aswell. Just get a Sandy Membership

[deanox 9,924]

dont need a sandy membership - pretty sure you get into games with the dees membership?

[gOLLy 401]

I know but im just dirty on the AFL on what they have done to our once great game

[nomed 113]

I really long for those days, and the old Western Oval, VP, Windy Hill and the rest. Stuff the Telstra Dome.

Ah, memories. Playing junior football saturday morning and waiting for Dad to come home from work at 12.

Mum dropping us off at Clifton Hill junction, the train to VP, Glenferrie, Footscray. tram to the Junction Oval or Lakeside.

Huddling under dads coat when it rained, standing on the empty cans from Dad or his mate Norm. Near the wind sock at Windy Hill where my grandfather was the time keeper and a life member, or running onto the ground at 1/4 and 3/4 time at Arden Street, Prince Park or the Junction. Fitzroys Kevin Murray actually talking to me on the ground before the kickoff in his 300th game (even though I had my Demons jumper on).

Doug Wade coming over the fence at Arden Street to actually slap an abusive crowd member, classic!

Sitting in the Melbounre rooms before a game reading a magazine with Robbie Flower (How it Works, Magazine 1, The Atom bomb!).

The silence at Glenferrie when Peter Hudson's knee buckled (was that a Barry Bourke tackle I cant remeber now).

Those days are long gone, how can our sons ever understand the tribal passion that we have?

[demonfanjezza 1]

I agree with all your sentiments

I do miss suburban footy- even though i never lived in melbourne

[praha 11,240]

I went to 2 games there; both against Fitzroy and we won by 60+ and 80+. Good times lol

[AlphaDee 17]

It seems to me that when we look back we tend to remember the good things, not the bad.

My first memories from the late 1960s were of piles of stinking beer cans in the old MCG southern stand, being verbally abused at Vic park as a 10 year old, loads of drunks at every game, the disgusting toilets at all grounds except the G, and guys urinating in the outer at Windy Hill. I also saw several fights in the crowd and heard a lot of very foul language. There was also a lot of on-field violence in those days with many punches and elbows thrown around and an all-in-brawl at every second game. Fewer women ventured to the footy in those days.

I for one am glad we've moved on!

Still, I also remember some of the old suburban atmosphere such as old ladies knitting while sitting by the fence at Glenferrie and Arden Street (sometimes while abusing the umpires). One thing I hated was all the long goals the saints seemed to kick at Moorabbin followed by thenderous noise as their fans banged away in delight on the advertising boards around the boundary fence - I hated it but it was good atmosphere.

But some things, of course, never change such as fans calling for players to be dropped or for the coach to be sacked. Most notably, however, we've always complained about woefull umpiring that always seems to cost us victory. It was always fun calling them blind white maggots.

[george_on_the_outer 7,597]

I wasn't able to get to that famous match in '87, and I have only ever been to 1 AFL match at the Western Oval ever!

That is despite all the nostalgia about suburban footy, the place was and still is an absolute disgrace. Let's remind ourselves about it:

1. A wing on the eastern side that was about 100M in a straight line, western wing not as bad, but the ground is not an oval.

2. Planks of wood holding the dirt in terraces around the ground, which became mud piles at the slightest hint of rain.

3. Toilets? were there any to be found.

4. Food? There was that horrible beer stand at the southern end

5. Parking? Non-existent

6. The Williamstown brass band for entertainment at half-time

7. The cheer-squad and their blanket at half time begging for donations

No I have no nostalgia for the "good old days". They weren't all that good at the Western Oval. I do have fond memory of the peanut man who could throw a bag across rows of spectators...who would think of eating peanuts at the footy today?

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I wasn't able to get to that famous match in '87, and I have only ever been to 1 AFL match at the Western Oval ever!

That is despite all the nostalgia about suburban footy, the place was and still is an absolute disgrace. Let's remind ourselves about it:

1. A wing on the eastern side that was about 100M in a straight line, western wing not as bad, but the ground is not an oval.

2. Planks of wood holding the dirt in terraces around the ground, which became mud piles at the slightest hint of rain.

3. Toilets? were there any to be found.

4. Food? There was that horrible beer stand at the southern end

5. Parking? Non-existent

6. The Williamstown brass band for entertainment at half-time

7. The cheer-squad and their blanket at half time begging for donations

No I have no nostalgia for the "good old days". They weren't all that good at the Western Oval. I do have fond memory of the peanut man who could throw a bag across rows of spectators...who would think of eating peanuts at the footy today?

I had been to Western Oval many times when AFL/VFL was played there. GOTO is right. It was a total sh1thole of a ground as was Windy Hill,Arden Street and Victoria Park. Poor facilities, poor visibility and poor conditions.

It made Princes Park seem reasonable and that is also sub standard.

Telstra Dome might be lifeless but it is a damn site better than the standing in the outer at some suburban ground that was a bog on both sides of the fence.

I was also there in 1987 where I loved the game but hated the stadium