A Walk Through Victoria Park

[domus]

A few melancholic snaps I took when I wandered around my spiritual home a couple of years ago. My heart aches every time I go there. So many memories of my dad and brother going with me to this glorious stadium -the smells, sights and sounds of yore overwhelm me.

 

[TradeDraft]

Could games Return with Clubs losing a Lot of Money?

 

[Vicky Park]

Could games Return with Clubs losing a Lot of Money?

The AFLW and VFL will TD. The first round - and the only AFLW game there this year - was a ripper. The place was buzzing. Look forward to that again in 2021, and maybe even some VFL games later this year.

 

[TradeDraft]

The AFLW and VFL will TD. The first round - and the only AFLW game there this year - was a ripper. The place was buzzing. Look forward to that again in 2021, and maybe even some VFL games later this year.

Well I read the Saints are thinking of Playing AFL Games at Morabioon

 

[BringouttheGimp]

A few melancholic snaps I took when I wandered around my spiritual home a couple of years ago. My heart aches every time I go there. So many memories of my dad and brother going with me to this glorious stadium -the smells, sights and sounds of yore overwhelm me.
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I love the look of the entrance.. simple yet f magic.

 

[sideswipe]

A few melancholic snaps I took when I wandered around my spiritual home a couple of years ago. My heart aches every time I go there. So many memories of my dad and brother going with me to this glorious stadium -the smells, sights and sounds of yore overwhelm me.
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Had my engagement party at the social club in 1996! Now living in social distancing. Crazy times.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Kappa]

Has a lot of history but I've sat on concrete that's more comfortable than those seats.

 

[Doc1763]

A few melancholic snaps I took when I wandered around my spiritual home a couple of years ago. My heart aches every time I go there. So many memories of my dad and brother going with me to this glorious stadium -the smells, sights and sounds of yore overwhelm me.
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Wonderful memories. Thanks for posting these. Really cheered me up.

 

[Doc1763]

Has a lot of history but I've sat on concrete that's more comfortable than those seats.

yes, but I'd put up with that again in a heartbeat.

 

[Pacman Carney]

Had my engagement party at the social club in 1996! Now living in social distancing. Crazy times.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

my dads wake was at the very upstairs bar in 1998. Service was at Collingwood town hall.
great memories

 

[Gone Critical]

my dads wake was at the very upstairs bar in 1998. Service was at Collingwood town hall.
great memories

Would have been a great and no doubt deserved tribute to your father. sideswipe I suspect got there on the coattails of others.

 

[raymond35]

I'm seriously going nuts at the moment with stuff happening around me, so every day i will post a memory of Victoria Park here and remember the good days, and hope there's more to come.

1. I remember when you entered the ground where that recreated old time gate is, about an hour before the game the concrete area would become a giant pub floor with hundreds of people drinking VB cans they bought from those little counters at the back of the Rush and Sherrin Stands.

 

[raymond35]

2. I was always so envious of the people who sat in that one row of seats that ran around the outer fence. Always wondered what time they would have to get there to get those spots. My normal arrival time was about half way through the reserves match by which time the outer would be half full.

 

[Vicky Park]

2. I was always so envious of the people who sat in that one row of seats that ran around the outer fence. Always wondered what time they would have to get there to get those spots. My normal arrival time was about half way through the reserves match by which time the outer would be half full.

I was one of those who always got a seat in the row on the outer fence (in front of the Rush Stand). Think we used to get there at about 10.30 on a Saturday morning. Would watch the under 19s, then the reserves, then the seniors, IIRC.

Something I'll never forget is the hot pink colour of the 'tomato' sauce (yeah right) pumped into the pies from an industrial scale container, and sold from a kiosk around the back of the Rush Stand. Was absolutely disgusting. But spending most of the day at VP required sustenance, and that was it.

 

[raymond35]

Yeah they had those sauce things at every ground. I've already got a pie story lined up for tomorrow.

 

[Robroy22]

One of my fondest memories of VP (and there were plenty) was one day back in '86. We weren't a great team back then and Bobby Rose had been coaxed out of retirement to try and lift the stocks by coaching the seniors. Our families seats were in the Ryder stand above the players race by about 5 rows. A perfect spot to watch a game on the wing there. Those seats had been in the family for years and I'd been there with my mum and my grandparents since I'd been a tacker.
Getting to the seats was easy as a kid. You just raced in via the old gates near the toilets and ran around in front of the stand until you got to the central stairway. An attendant was there and he'd remember you and let you in (made you feel pretty special as an 11 year old!)
But this day in '86 they were doing some work on the concrete out in front of the stand and that meant you had to take the external staircase up the side of the Ryder stand.
So here I am, with me old mum (she'd have been 80 odd by then) and a double pram with two toddlers in it as well as their elder sister aged 6ish! Faced with getting them all up three flights of stairs!
This bloke saw my plight and said "we'll give you a hand mate" and he and his friend grabbed the pram and hoisted it (kids still inside) up the stairs...I followed them up slowly with mum on one arm and my daughter on the other. When we reached the top the toddlers were out and ready to rumble, the pram had been folded down and I saw it placed carefully in the ladder bay of the coaches box and the two mates who'd helped out turned around with big smiles on their faces. "Geez you lot must be keen to see us win today!" said Leigh Matthews and I realised that Lethal and my hero Bob Rose had just carried half of my family up into the stand.

We DID win that day, but it wouldn't have mattered. Vicci Park was always HOME.

 

[raymond35]

3. One extremely cold day in 1982 i got a pie at three quarter time from the stand behind the Rush stand where it joined onto the hill. It must have been pushed up the back of the steel tray as the outside was burnt, but still edible, and the insides were boiling. Was really too overcooked to eat but really warmed me up beautifully.
Five years later i found they were giving out free pies late at night on the top level of the social club.
Got 5 for my friends but they went missing. Ended up giving 2 of them to an attractive pair of off duty policewomen. Went back to their unit in Malvern, where they suddenly realised what time it was, changed into their police uniforms and went to work on the nightshift. I think i went home and went to bed.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

3. One extremely cold day in 1982 i got a pie at three quarter time from the stand behind the Rush stand where it joined onto the hill. It must have been pushed up the back of the steel tray as the outside was burnt, but still edible, and the insides were boiling. Was really too overcooked to eat but really warmed me up beautifully.
Five years later i found they were giving out free pies late at night on the top level of the social club.
Got 5 for my friends but they went missing. Ended up giving 2 of them to an attractive pair of off duty policewomen. Went back to their unit in Malvern, where they suddenly realised what time it was, changed into their police uniforms and went to work on the nightshift. I think i went home and went to bed.

I was waiting for a "letters to the editor" type of ending.

Sadly it didn't go where I thought it was.

 

[Cuzz09]

A few melancholic snaps I took when I wandered around my spiritual home a couple of years ago. My heart aches every time I go there. So many memories of my dad and brother going with me to this glorious stadium -the smells, sights and sounds of yore overwhelm me.
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Only went there 3 times but yeah love those old grounds. So much history.

Standing on the wing was where I remember and being a nervous 19 y.o Eagles fan leaving the ground in 1999.

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Cuzz09]

I did get a tray of hot chips chucked at me on my walk to the train but I fugured thats tame compared to what others get lol

Was that game where Scotty Cummings was getting VB cans thrown at him while having a set shot from the pocket.

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[domus]

One of my fondest memories of VP (and there were plenty) was one day back in '86. We weren't a great team back then and Bobby Rose had been coaxed out of retirement to try and lift the stocks by coaching the seniors. Our families seats were in the Ryder stand above the players race by about 5 rows. A perfect spot to watch a game on the wing there. Those seats had been in the family for years and I'd been there with my mum and my grandparents since I'd been a tacker.
Getting to the seats was easy as a kid. You just raced in via the old gates near the toilets and ran around in front of the stand until you got to the central stairway. An attendant was there and he'd remember you and let you in (made you feel pretty special as an 11 year old!)
But this day in '86 they were doing some work on the concrete out in front of the stand and that meant you had to take the external staircase up the side of the Ryder stand.
So here I am, with me old mum (she'd have been 80 odd by then) and a double pram with two toddlers in it as well as their elder sister aged 6ish! Faced with getting them all up three flights of stairs!
This bloke saw my plight and said "we'll give you a hand mate" and he and his friend grabbed the pram and hoisted it (kids still inside) up the stairs...I followed them up slowly with mum on one arm and my daughter on the other. When we reached the top the toddlers were out and ready to rumble, the pram had been folded down and I saw it placed carefully in the ladder bay of the coaches box and the two mates who'd helped out turned around with big smiles on their faces. "Geez you lot must be keen to see us win today!" said Leigh Matthews and I realised that Lethal and my hero Bob Rose had just carried half of my family up into the stand.

We DID win that day, but it wouldn't have mattered. Vicci Park was always HOME.

Oh boy! What a moment to cherish. Two legends at the same time! The kindness of strangers would have been enough to make my day but to have that cherry on top is unbelievable!

 

[raymond35]

I was waiting for a "letters to the editor" type of ending.

Sadly it didn't go where I thought it was.

I was hoping for a Penthouse Forum type of ending, but there you go.

 

[raymond35]

Only went there 3 times but yeah love those old grounds. So much history.

Standing on the wing was where I remember and being a nervous 19 y.o Eagles fan leaving the ground in 1999.

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

The outer wing on Victoria park was a magnificent spot to watch football. Brilliant view and you could hear the players it was so close to the action.

 

[Go Woods]

A few melancholic snaps I took when I wandered around my spiritual home a couple of years ago. My heart aches every time I go there. So many memories of my dad and brother going with me to this glorious stadium -the smells, sights and sounds of yore overwhelm me.
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Great photos, would love to see us play one home game their when season resumes if it's still without crowds obviously.

 

[jmac70]

Great photos, would love to see us play one home game their when season resumes if it's still without crowds obviously.

Interesting idea. Why?