i know this is a probably an over done subject on your forum but i was just interested to hear how many people here made it to the last fitzroy game in melbourne. i just watched the footage on youtube and it looked like a hell of an atmosphere with people jumping onto the pitch whilst they were playing the fitzroy song. i thought it was kinda sad how the last official game was in perth obviously not as much of a send off.
Last match (s)
- Thread starter MadeinWA
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Mobbs
A Large Portion, Yes
I was there, singing and cheering all day. Tiges fans, usually so nasty, were very very pro-footy that day and urged the Roys fans into as much partying as possible, joining in with our many theme song renditions etc.
We won the reserves match
with Paul Mullarvey playing a good game.
Seniors, not so much ...
We won the reserves match
with Paul Mullarvey playing a good game.Seniors, not so much ...
Mobbs
A Large Portion, Yes
Yeah that's on most youtube footage of the day. No I doubt you'd get far with that sort of thing nowadays.
Doss
Ass
- Aug 1, 2011
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The old man took me along. Still remember how sad it was, even a few Richmond supporters were a bit emotional.
Yep, I was there and ran on the ground afterwards too. As we all know it was a terrible day, emotional, sad...words cant really describe it.
We had lots of support there too, as you would expect. But, its also a great shame lots of those fans called themselves Fitzroy fans, yet must have been in hibernation for years and came back to see our last few games and that last one in particular. Sporting new gear etc.
Obviously the AFL screwed us over. Period.
But, equally, these particular fans, really should be ashamed of themselves....if they had have support the roys when we needed their support we might still be in the AFL today.
Infact, this very topic was also addressed in the book 'Fitzroy'.
Mobbs
A Large Portion, Yes
I believe I was quite vocal about this at the Albion Charles that evening. The social club was packed, they cordoned off the drive thru bottle shop into a beer garden extension of the facilities, and you could hardly move either through there, the social club or the public bar.
I let a lot of people there know that I had not ever seen them the Club Hotel before. It was a source of income for the club, but these folks were just riding an "event" rather than supporting the Roys.
Still infuriates me. That place could have been that packed every weekend
Maroon Goon
Club Legend
- Apr 23, 2009
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Yeah i took my old dad along as well, as usual. One of the worst days of my life
Bit now days i Just enjoy going along to a local game nearly as much. And have moved on as I'm lucky i like two A F L clubs and a V F L Club so the footy bug is being filled.
Mobbs
A Large Portion, Yes
And a V A F A club!
- Thread starter
- #10
the times ive been to melbourne which is quite a few ive noticed that fitzroy is actually quite a "hip" and popular inner city area with a big art and music feel. so whereas suburban areas like essendon and hawthorn are always going to have a strong football support base that doesnt dry up over the years maybe as the years went on the new generations from fitzroy households were more interested in going to the pub to watch bands rather than follow the footy like there parents and grandparents did?? am i way off? or close?
Mobbs
A Large Portion, Yes
Fair bit of truth, the artsy and faux bohemian have a sub-niche that love footy, but a lot don't.
Like any other suburb of its kind, Fitzroy has been through many changes. It had been the perfect footy suburb.
Like any other suburb of its kind, Fitzroy has been through many changes. It had been the perfect footy suburb.
Yep, the suburb of Fitzroy is hip hop and a real out there type of crowd these days. Fitzroy left in 1967, which no doubt had an impact on their support in the area.
From what I have read, in the 60s Fitzroy (the suburb) had lots of immigrants move into the area, who werent really keen on footy---whereas Carlton and Collingwood had much less of this demographic change.
But also Carlton and Collingwood are much larger suburbs which in turn ensured a stronger following.
I would think North Fitzroy (near the ground) contained more Fitzroy fans that Fitzroy itself...still evident now by stickers on cars supporting Fitzroy FC and Fitzroy Junior FC.
But there's no doubt leaving our home ground back in the 60s plus the demographic change in the area effected our support there in a big way..
Fitzroy had good support around our recruiting zones in the suburbs too i.e. Doncaster, Bulleen Templestowe, Heidelberg, Macleod, Rosanna and some parts around the bay. There was always talk about us moving to Doncaster and Preston too. Big growth areas at the time.
Unfortunately, never happened- shame our mgt didnt follow the lead of say St Kilda who moved from St Kilda to Moorabbin in the 60s and captured a large following in the south eastern/bayside region...
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- #13
yeah bohemian was definetly the word i was looking for. i went to a pub off johnson street where it was just all couches, saw nick caves son, and all the kids in their were dressed like they were in the cure. not really a footy crowd. north melbourne another inner city hipster area struggle for the same reasons in my opinion.
maxmustard
Club Legend
All of my family followed the Roys except me, I was there with them and I hope I never see something that sad in sports again. I do remember tiger fans singing the fitzroy song after match which was a nice touch and showed a lot of class. Good to see the club is still operating.
Edit: I agree Fitzroy is full of hipster dufus'.
Edit: I agree Fitzroy is full of hipster dufus'.
Royvolutionary
Draftee
Fitzroy attracts a quite diverse group of supporters these days,. There's the people involved with the club (either through the old Uni Reds days, through being involved with the Fitzroy Junior FC or simply family/friends/WAG's of the players invloved), the people who followed Fitzroy in the VFL/AFL, and there's also a large contingent of local bohemian hipsters. They mostly congregate on the north-east side of the ground up on the hill...lots of beer being consumed on that hill & getting away with it!
Mobbs
A Large Portion, Yes
There has NEVER been beer consumed on any hill at those matches!
Royvolutionary
Draftee
...and no alcohol has ever been consumed to the left of goals at the Brunswick Street end either!!!!
!!!!
Mobbs
A Large Portion, Yes
Nor was any consumed during those last two games of 1996!!!
...& even if there was, it wouldn't have been Melbourne Bitter, because it wasn't sold at those grounds, so would have had to be smuggled in.
no lived across the road. staggered to the game, rest was downhill
Yes. My father & I flew over for the match.
My family and I flew across for the game and we took a holiday in Perth at the same time.
It was great to have been there, even though it was obviously also incredibly sad. When they played the Last Post at the end of the game it was heart wrenching and only the third time I have ever cried at the footy (the others being the week before against Richmond and when Teddy Whitten went around the MCG on death's door in 1995 before the Big V vs. SA game).
The post match wake at some Perth hotel was a bit more jovial - at least for the fans and past players. There was just an overwhelming sense of relief that I think a lot (but not all) of people felt. It wasn't relief that Fitzroy had died, but that the slow death had finally ended and the huge weight on us all had been lifted.
I should say that the 1996 Fitzroy players naturally did not feel the same way - especially given their futures were so uncertain and the fact it was the last time they would all be together.
It was great to have been there, even though it was obviously also incredibly sad. When they played the Last Post at the end of the game it was heart wrenching and only the third time I have ever cried at the footy (the others being the week before against Richmond and when Teddy Whitten went around the MCG on death's door in 1995 before the Big V vs. SA game).
The post match wake at some Perth hotel was a bit more jovial - at least for the fans and past players. There was just an overwhelming sense of relief that I think a lot (but not all) of people felt. It wasn't relief that Fitzroy had died, but that the slow death had finally ended and the huge weight on us all had been lifted.
I should say that the 1996 Fitzroy players naturally did not feel the same way - especially given their futures were so uncertain and the fact it was the last time they would all be together.
- Thread starter
- #24
i thought it was kinda symbolic that fitzroy was to play its last game against fremantle at subiaco on a sunny perth day. definetly alien and bizarre to fitzroys days of playing in the mud against old rivals in freezing conditions where the longest they had to travel was geelong or vfl park. it was definetly a bold impression that there is no room for small battling melbourne based clubs in the rapidly building national competition.
Grange Hermitage
Debutant
I cried as a kid when david mcmahon kicked the winning goal in 1979 against my tigers at the MCG
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