Fitzroy's neighbours - the easties and the westies

[Mobbenfuhrer]

Did any Roys ever notice that Collingwood fans always considered themselves neighbours of Fitzroy, and although some of the bigger stoushes occurred between the two teams (and fans), some sort of honour amongst thieves was predominant.

On the other side, we were also neighbours of Carlton, yet Fitzroy and Carlton seemed to be aloof from one another, as though Carlton could have been in another geographical world.

Why was this? Was it class distinction? Or was Carlton the odd one out, with Fitzroy and Collingwood being real battler suburbs, with real grass-roots fans, who kept the neighbourly jibes going well after VFL became no longer relevant to the suburbs the teams were named after?

Even today, Pies fans talk of Fitzroy as their old sparring partners, while the Blues consider Fitzroy simply as another club, one that went under, bad luck you people over there!

Or was it the historical linkage? Wasn't there a mixing of clubs sometime in the late 1800s that spawned one from the other?

If its the latter, then we've got a good argument towards the longevity of tradition being able to withstand much battering.

Did I prattle? Tell me if I prattled.

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Hallowed be thy Roy

[Fred]

No - you didn't.

[Super Boot]

Im too young to remember stealing players off them but gee they stole plenty off us in the 80's those bastards.

[Olmy]

Originally posted by Mobbenfuhrer:
On the other side, we were also neighbours of Carlton, yet Fitzroy and Carlton seemed to be aloof from one another, as though Carlton could have been in another geographical world.

Why was this? Was it class distinction? Or was Carlton the odd one out, with Fitzroy and Collingwood being real battler suburbs, with real grass-roots fans, who kept the neighbourly jibes going well after VFL became no longer relevant to the suburbs the teams were named after?

Even today, Pies fans talk of Fitzroy as their old sparring partners, while the Blues consider Fitzroy simply as another club, one that went under, bad luck you people over there!



I reckon you're right on both counts, Kev. This is typified by the superiority culture that is rampant at Princes Park.

[Olmy]

I guess also, you could also consider the fact that the Roys played at Vic Park for a while.

Well . . . I guess they played out of Princes Park a couple of times too - but we were only ever screwed by Carlton there . . .

[Fat Pizza]

I think Collingwood was originally formed, because Fitzroy had so many players that they needed to form another team. A bit before my time though.

We did take on a couple of Collingwood's Brownlow Medallists (Albert Collier & Len Thompson) to add to our own collection & another former Captain (Max Richardson), but they were all past their best when they joined the Roys. We also claimed Warwick Irwin back after a year or two with the Pies.

[Phil Doyle]

I remember with seconds to go in the '96 game at Vicky Park a big geezer with a bigger hat goin' "C'mon Roys! Youse can beat these bunch of no hopers!"
Loved it.
Later on we got chucked out of about six pubs in Johnston Street, and someone stole the painting of the Last Supper, with the Apostles wearing Collingwood jumpers, from the Front bar of the Punters Club Hotel in Brunswick Street.
Ended up at the Clifton Hill (Top Fitzroy memorabilia) later that night, woke up at Rushall railway station.
What a top night out.

[OldLion]

No analysis of inner city support can avoid sectarianism. Fitzroy from my understanding didn't seem to have any sort of unofficial policy on this , whereas Collingwood and Carlton did.
Collingwood and Carlton players got more 'extras' and more adulation but the line was drawn down Smith St all the way up thru' Clifton Hill. Fitzroy's origins were classier than Richmond or Collingwood but we all ended up in the gutter.

[Captain Sensible]

Collingwood the suburb was originally carved out of Fitzroy. The Collingwood people were the only people that the Fitzroy people could 'look down on'. One of the ways that Collingwood people could get there own back was to form a better football team. In the first few years of the VFL these were the gun clubs. The taunting would start back and across Smith street on fridays. I dont know what the sectarian aspect of all of this was but no doubt there were some. All of this is contained in the best Footy club history 'Kill for Collingwood' by Richard Stremski

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...Son, if youre going to follow the Doggies you'll need a sense of humour...