What made us 'Collingwood people'? from '01 - Add your story

[Magpiefan3]

What made me become a collingwood supprter was that i come from an italian background and when my Dad was living in Italy he had a passion for soccer and loved soccer and so he was following the soccer team Juventus at the time. When he had came to Australia to live here he had missed the soccer a lot, and when my Dad saw AFL and he saw a team with black and white called Collingwood, thats the AFL team he wanted to go. So ever since i was born in 1989 i always gone for Collingwood and always will. I did get brain wash when i was little to go for Melbourne by my cousins and i said no way. So ever since i always being a Collingwood supporter, i look back in the photo album in 1990 when i was only 1 yrs old i could myself little dressed up as a baby with collingwood stuff....
I will always be a Collingwood supporter no matter what.

[marooncity]

Born in Sydney. The only link I had with Rules football was through my grandfather who was born and bred in Footscray and followed the doggies - but not very avidly by the time I was around, (and now, as he has lived in NSW for the greater part of his life, and they're not even called Footscray anymore, he follows Sydney). Still, we used to watch the footy together, whatever match was on.

Then when I was about 15 my school started up a Rules team to play in a local comp.... it was a district comp, we got flogged every week, but I still loved to play.... I was a fullback so was probably one of the busiest team members. Everyone else went for Sydney more or less and were jumping on the Lockett bandwagon. Something about the way they all jumped straight off it in bad patches, hardly ever went to matches, couldn't name players etc etc turned me right off supporting my local team. Winning is a bonus, losing hurts, but, in the end, if you properly follow a team, you stick with it through thick and thin - and you MAKE SOME BLOODY NOISE doing it, which is more than what I saw from Swans fans. And then a mate of mine had his membership rejected for reasons we could only put down to him looking a bit too dodgy to sit in the members stand as well.... maybe the SCG paddington types didn't appreciate that they might have to sit next to someone who didn't want to talk property throughout the game, I don't know, but if there was any chance of me ever following Sydney, it ended then.

So I was still without a team. I carried a soft spot for the Doggies but with Fitzroy being booted out and the name changes, the turning back and rejecting the history.... it really didn't appeal to me at all. I just watched matches on the telly like I used to, usually barracking for the underdogs, whoever they were (unless they were sydney).

And then I met the mrs.... it was just after the wooden spoon season.... no-one she knew had much of an idea about footy at all, and she was a mad pies supporter alone in Sydney. We'd watch the games, and the more I found out about it the more it was inevitable - the more it was a match. The history - the club everyone hates, born out of one of the slummiest areas of melbourne..... the way they were bottom of the table but still had the most vocal support..... within a few months of the next season starting I was screaming at the television holding my head in my hands.

And of course, within my first few years I already knew the pain of those grand final losses.

Best thing about it living in Sydney is the noise and crowds the annual fixture generates - that silent venue which only starts to get a bit noisy in the red and white sections when its close - at all other times its collingwood you can hear.

[HAL]

I think I'm lost

[joffa corfe]

WOW way back in 2001
What a great topic it was and still is!

[joffa corfe]

[Lorelei]

I reckon this nearly goes down as one of the best threads on Nick's ever. It would be great to have all the posts copied onto actual webpages so they are never lost - gosh how time flies!!

[favourites 2008]

The fact that I fall more and more in love with this club as the days move on is no coincidence.

EDIT - im happy to copy all posts into a word document and re upload if people are interested.

[larrylj]

I grew up in Wangaratta and the great Bob Rose coached our local team. He was (still is) my hero, so when I moved to Melbourne in 1971 it seemed appropriate to follow "Bob's team", hence Collingwood.

Collingwood is my life (second, maybe, to my kids.)

When I have taken mates to Lexus centre before games they are overawed by the family passion shown by our supporters.
Someone asked me one day, who would I follow if Collingwood died (merged, taken over, went broke, etc,--AS IF) My reply is that I would give up following AFL footy. There is no team other than the Pies to follow.
I hate summer as there is no games to attend and I get depressed because I can't see our boys every week.
Go Pies!

[Hiss]

What makes a true Collingwood fan? Well I proudly recall the day in the seventies after a Carlton game at Victoria Park when I was pushed by a Carlton fan outside the ground which caused me (I am still not sure why) to turn around and give him a tap that Robbie Muir would have been proud of. He landed straight on his gutless arse. Other Carlton fans seemed shocked. To be honest. I had 19 full strength cans that day. That defined me as a true Collingwood fan. Should have seen me after the 1981 GF. Coming home on the tram that same night a woman innocently pushed me to get past. I asked whether she was a Carlton fan to which she responded no a Collingwood fan. I offered to help her off and carry her bag. She politely declined offering to help me instead 'soba up' or she would drop me. She is now my wife.

[Kingswood]

[mel_kay39]

Well, I was born into a Collingwood family in the northern suburbs of Geelong, and in the middle of so many rabid Cats fans I barracked for Hawthorn during the '89 Grand Final. Boy did I cop some abuse! So, knowing what pure hatred felt like, I changed my stripes in '92 when Gary Ayres, my favourite Hawthorn player, retired, and realised my lifelong passion was in fact Collingwood. Years of subtle brainwashing did the trick and I'm just as one-eyed as the next person. I love that other clubs supporters hate us because I know they're jealous of the passion we have and the history our club has; with it's blue collar roots and brilliant colour scheme. Cos let's face it, black and white goes with absolutely everything. And could you get a more blokey club?!
There's no pretty-boys at Collingwood!

[skaman]

[bwphantom]

[On the March]

Hi all

What an interesting time for this topic to emerge again.

My story is our family migrated from Scotland in 1965. I was seven years old and was born when Collingwood won the 1958 grannie. We settled in Geelong. I have two brothers who are both passionate Geelong supporters. I spent a lot of time as a kid watching Geelong play at Kardinia park with guys like Doug Wade, David Clarke, Sam Newman, Ken Newland, Billy Ryan and Gareth Andrews. However I was shown the light very early by my friend Kevin M. who barracked for the pies. Its an interesting experience barracking for the pies in Geelong!
I'm sure at one stage they considered renaming the Geelong Advertiser the Geelong Abbletiser!
Anyway my earliest memories are of a Collingwood side rich in talent but without luck - McKenna, Richardsons, Price, Jenkin, Tuddenham, Thompson, Dunne ..and the list goes on. However my favourite all time player was Greening. People just dont understand how talented he was. Yes Magpie Greg I was at that match against Geelong in 1972. I wasnt at the 1970 grannie but I am always reminded by the family about that year and the tears that flowed when we got beat.
I have also been to every Grand Final we played in since 1977 except for one - yup 1990. Yes I'm a tortured soul.
However the pies have brought me lots of joy over the years as well - something I'm now passing onto the next generation through my oldest daughter who is mad keen on the pies as well. We both went to the 2002/03 grannies together. She does have a bit of a giggle when I get a tear in my eye as the teams line up on ANZAC day - such a great day in Australian culture.

I'm actually turning 50 this week and thats bringing back lots of memories - many about the great and not so great times about barracking for Collingwood. Carman, Daicos, Moore, Wearmouth, Shaw, Millane, Buckley, Clement, Licuria - they were all great. This sides not bad and the future looks bright. I nearly wet my pants every time a neon leon or Dids or Medders or... gets the ball in a tight spot on the boundary with no hope of kicking a goal and sure enough through it goes. And the Ponnie is cheering long before the ball goes through!

Its always interesting in our neighbourhood when the pies play the cats and nothing would be better than to beat them tomorrow night - and yes I'll be there!

Go pies!

Floreat Pica

[Magpie Girl]

Well....
My mother's side of the family were never into AFL, being from Germany, so when she married my father she didn't have any idea what she was getting herself into...
My Dad's side of the family were very much into AFL, being from Victoria. My Grandfather made it into the Collingwood reserves side in 1953 where he played about 13 or so games. But I believe he left after the first year because he was home sick as he was living a fair way from his young family.
My Dad was bought up as a Collingwood supporter as were his family so it was only natural for him to pass that onto his family. Although, at a young age, I was more interested in playing with dolls that watching footy, but Dad persisted with it. My sister & I played Auskick in 2001, now those were some fun times!! I vaguely knew about Collingwood but never really followed them. I did say I was a Brisbane Supporter once upon a time, my first game was Brisbane Vs Port where I got to play on the Gabba at half time.
Then I drifted across to Collingwood around 2002, & I've never looked back!
I've only seen the Pies play live 3 times, in 2004, 2007 & 2008. Never met any players, but was desperate to meet them in Brissy this year.... but the less said about that afternoon/evening the better. Still hoping to meet some in the future.....

Always loved Nathan Buckley, had a look back over some old Auskick books & I noticed that on the Pic of NB I circled his head & wrote "My Idol". Has always been my favourite, he was my hero, & will be my all time favourite.

Now growing up in this rugby obsessed state, it's a pain in the @rse! But my love for this great club will never die, it's only just beginning & I'm learning new stuff everyday. The support & passion grows more everyday......

I LOVE COLLINGWOOD!!!!!