Who had the "Grand Old Flag" club song first?

[Slippery Pete]

Norwood or Sturt?

 

[Punchy Bassett]

Norwood.


I have no idea to be honest, but Sturt can bugger off

 

[Cap]

who played it last gets it

 

[srv23]

I'm pretty sure Norwood had it first. I think Sturt used to have a version of the Carlton song - "We are the Double Blues"

 

[Chris who]

who had it first out of melbourne , west perth, norwood and sturt?

 

[Punchy Bassett]

who had it first out of melbourne , west perth, norwood and sturt?

Good question, Norwood were established in 1878.....

 

[Norchy_pies4life]

North Hobart in Tasmania have been around since 1881. Have been red/blue the whole time as far as I know (Got relatives badges from the 20s), and have had that song at least since the 60's.

 

[Chris who]

surely its not a question of team est. dates, more date at which a club adopted it. Does anyone know of any other sports clubs world wide who use it?

 

[Robranisgod]

surely its not a question of team est. dates, more date at which a club adopted it. Does anyone know of any other sports clubs world wide who use it?

It is an actual song about the American flag. It was written by George M Cohan, who also wrote Yankee Doodle Dandy, the tune to West Adelaide, Hawthorn and Central Districts song. The movie, Yankee Doodle Dandy featured the song it's a Grand Old Flag.

Sturt adopted the song in the early 1950s when Len Fitzgerald came to the club. He suggested that they use the Melbourne song for their own. They may have changed to the Carlton song for a short time under Merv Keane, but a Grand Old Flag has been their song for the best part of 60 years. I don't know when Norwood adopted the song, but given that the second verse refers to the "spirit of old 46", I would assume that it was at least after the second world war. It could well be a dead heat as to who used it first out of the two clubs.

 

[jarmanagic]

I thought Norwood adopted grand old flag when Alan Killigrew came to the club in the early 60s. I think we might have even been called the Demons briefly at that time

 

[Robranisgod]

I thought Norwood adopted grand old flag when Alan Killigrew came to the club in the early 60s. I think we might have even been called the Demons briefly at that time

If that is the case then Sturt definitely had it first.

You are correct that Norwood were known as the demons in the Killigrew era from 1959 until 1962. They also wore the Melbourne yoked "V". I have a copy of the audio of the last quarter of the 1960 Grand Final called by Tom Warhurst and Max Hall (two Norwood supporters). Half the time they refer to Norwood as the Demons and half the time as the Redlegs.

 

[Damon_3388]

When did the verse that talks about "back in '29" and "old '42" get adopted by the Redlegs? My dad has been a Norwood supporter since the '60s, and when we heard the club song at a game a few weeks back, he asked me "when did they add that bit?"

 

[Slippery Pete]

When did the verse that talks about "back in '29" and "old '42" get adopted by the Redlegs? My dad has been a Norwood supporter since the '60s, and when we heard the club song at a game a few weeks back, he asked me "when did they add that bit?"

At least 20 years, but probably longer. Wouldnt be surprised if that verse is 40 or 50 years old. Certainly been around for a long time.

"Lick, lick, lick!"

 

[Damon_3388]

At least 20 years, but probably longer. Wouldnt be surprised if that verse is 40 or 50 years old. Certainly been around for a long time.

"Lick, lick, lick!"

Haha my Dad just must have never noticed it or forgotten about it. Might be kind of like the second verse of the national anthem - you forget about it until you're made to sing the whole thing.

 

[MattyB_76]

I'm doing a Historical Tour of 'the Parade' tomorrow night, so I'll ask one of the historians if they know.

 

[throw it up]

Sturt had it first , Norwood just refer to those years as part of their history. Sturt di use "We are the Double Blues" when Merv Keane was there , I liked that too .

 

[double blues]

I'm doing a Historical Tour of 'the Parade' tomorrow night, so I'll ask one of the historians if they know.

Cool, let us know... I've got my History of the Double Blues book packed up somewhere... I think there would be something about the song in there...

 

[MattyB_76]

The Historical group at the Parade didn't know exactly.

They think Melbourne had it first, and that possibly some of the Melbourne players brought it to Norwood before Sturt, but weren't 100% sure.

So basically, they were no help at all.

 

[Punchy Bassett]

Well one thing last nights tour did inform me of which I didnt know before was night football was first played at Norwood Oval anywhere in Australia.

 

[Robranisgod]

Well one thing last nights tour did inform me of which I didnt know before was night football was first played at Norwood Oval anywhere in Australia.

I would be very, very surprised if that is correct. The first night game played was played, I think between Melbourne and Carlton in 1879.

I would have thought that Norwood only has had lights since the 1950s.

 

[JorgePosada]

Port Melbourne also use this song.

 

[Docker Clint]

Sturt definitely had it first.

When we changed it in the 80's to a variation of the Carlton song, there were a lot of people wanting to change it back because "screw that, why should we change, we had it first etc etc..".

 

[throw it up]

Are you happy with Sturts season Clint ? If not what went wrong do you think ?

 

[Butts_JZZ30]

Are these Norwood tours worth doing? I have been considering going?

 

[stanmack]

If that is the case then Sturt definitely had it first.

You are correct that Norwood were known as the demons in the Killigrew era from 1959 until 1962. They also wore the Melbourne yoked "V". I have a copy of the audio of the last quarter of the 1960 Grand Final called by Tom Warhurst and Max Hall (two Norwood supporters). Half the time they refer to Norwood as the Demons and half the time as the Redlegs.

Your confirmation backs up my memories of it all . As a lad I remember liking the "red V" guernsey . I also recalled the nickname Demons but until now thought I must have been mistaken .