Universal Love Down Memory Lane

[BlueBelle]

Was too hard to get to back in the day having grown up in The Dandenongs.
Would have taken me forever to get out there.
Usually went to VFL Park to watch any game really.
Then kick the footy on the ground until it was dark.

Those were the days.

You didn't miss much. We had to stand on gravel!

 

[BlueBelle]

Not sure if I've posted this already but back in the good old days at Princes Park, I remember getting to the ground just before the Reserves started, putting our blanket and scarf across the seat on the 50m line in the Social Club, cooking a BBQ in the Social Club and then going to watch the Reserves. At the conclusion of the game, I remember racing my sister to the centre circle, but only once the second siren rang, and then having a kick of the footy for a while before heading into the Social Club to sing the song with Jack Elliott and the three best on ground players.

God it was great growing up a Bluebagger!!

 

[De Iulio2Wiggins]

I remember drinking twenty beers in the social club that day Ratts kicked six against Port. Or, rather, I don't remember drinking twenty beers. That was back in the day when we had ruthless third quarters.

Pete Matera was having a filthy day in 2001 and got sent to full forward early, where the goal square cheer squad trolled him mercilessly. By the last quarter he was purple, despite only having eight touches for the day, and you could see every vein on his neck and forehead. I thought for sure he was going to jump the fence and kill this one guy with a huge, hoarse voice who wouldn't shut up about Damian Drum, the Freo Dockers and the contract to same that Pete had turned down.

 

[footyfan1978]

Whats the wrost game u remember mines the essendon lose in R4 2012

Probably the 1994 Semi-Final against Geelong at Waverley.
A few weeks earlier we looked like winning the premiership. Then we just flirted with our form in round 22 and in shock I watched us lose both our finals and be out by week 2. Took forever to get over because I was convinced we should have won that flag but for some reason we just lost our way badly.

I found it tougher to get over than 93 Grand Final as I remember in 93 it was a strange season. Even though we lost the Grand Final I was not sure we were a premiership team even going into the finals. 94 though, I was super confident. It was shattering to go out in straights sets and watch the rest of finals and feel our best was better than those left but we were out. We really blew it that September. Thankfully the next season the players made up for it and won the premiership so it helped very much forget a lot of pain of 94.
The 86 Grand Final was horrid too for mine. First grand final I went to and felt it was over just about quarter time. Not a nice feeling. It just was not meant to be.
Going back further in mid 80's I remember going to my first journey to Windy Hill to watch Essendon v Carlton. We copped a fearful hiding of 109 points. Was not a fun train trip home. We just played a shocker whilst they were at their best. Also losing to them in the 83 Elimination Final hurt bad.
We owe Essendon a few more 99 prelim final type games.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Probably the 1994 Semi-Final against Geelong at Waverley.
A few weeks earlier we looked like winning the premiership. Then we just flirted with our form in round 22 and in shock I watched us lose both our finals and be out by week 2. Took forever to get over because I was convinced we should have won that flag but for some reason we just lost our way badly.

I found it tougher to get over than 93 Grand Final as I remember in 93 it was a strange season. Even though we lost the Grand Final I was not sure we were a premiership team even going into the finals. 94 though, I was super confident. It was shattering to go out in straights sets and watch the rest of finals and feel our best was better than those left but we were out. We really blew it that September. Thankfully the next season the players made up for it and won the premiership so it helped very much forget a lot of pain of 94.
The 86 Grand Final was horrid too for mine. First grand final I went to and felt it was over just about quarter time. Not a nice feeling. It just was not meant to be.
Going back further in mid 80's I remember going to my first journey to Windy Hill to watch Essendon v Carlton. We copped a fearful hiding of 109 points. Was not a fun train trip home. We just played a shocker whilst they were at their best. Also losing to them in the 83 Elimination Final hurt bad.
We owe Essendon a few more 99 prelim final type games.

Great post footyfan78 and thanks for bringing Down Memory Lane back to the front page.

As a youngster I too remember attending the Essendon game at Windy Hill. I remember standing in the outer and this irate Carlton fan yelling out 'do something Parkin'....we were the best part of 20 goals down at that stage and I recall thinking he is a coach not a magician!!

 

[footyfan1978]

Great post footyfan78 and thanks for bringing Down Memory Lane back to the front page.

As a youngster I too remember attending the Essendon game at Windy Hill. I remember standing in the outer and this irate Carlton fan yelling out 'do something Parkin'....we were the best part of 20 goals down at that stage and I recall thinking he is a coach not a magician!!

He he, yeah, some wags in crowd just do not get it that sometimes the coach does not have a magic wand and cannot control everything.

I also have more fond memories of another trip to Windy Hill a year or two later when from memory, Jimmy Buckley kicked the winning goal to sink the Bombers on their home turf. It was bloody fun to get some sense revenge with horror 109 point loss still fresh in mind. I also recall getting to 2nd half of reserves game before hand and seeing the scoreboard look amazing. We had about 50 goals or something nuts v Essendon in the reserves match.

Your nick on forum amusers me with Tony Lynn on there. I remember him as handy honest nuggety built rover type in our team around 1994 when side was not easy to break into. Number 15 on jumper I remember. Played some good games at times and liked his style of putting it. Can't remember what happened to him but doubt he played much more than 20 games with club. Not sure how his career ended. Was he just de-listed and could not break into strong 95 side next season or some injury finished him off early ?

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

He he, yeah, some wags in crowd just do not get it that sometimes the coach does not have a magic wand and cannot control everything.

I also have more fond memories of another trip to Windy Hill a year or two later when from memory, Jimmy Buckley kicked the winning goal to sink the Bombers on their home turf. It was bloody fun to get some sense revenge with horror 109 point loss still fresh in mind. I also recall getting to 2nd half of reserves game before hand and seeing the scoreboard look amazing. We had about 50 goals or something nuts v Essendon in the reserves match.

Your nick on forum amusers me with Tony Lynn on there. I remember him as handy honest nuggety built rover type in our team around 1994 when side was not easy to break into. Number 15 on jumper I remember. Played some good games at times and liked his style of putting it. Can't remember what happened to him but doubt he played much more than 20 games with club. Not sure how his career ended. Was he just de-listed and could not break into strong 95 side next season or some injury finished him off early ?

I am a big fan of Tony Lynn and your summary was spot on. He actually played in some of the 1995 matches and I recall him kicking a massive goal from the centre of the MCG that year against Melbourne. He got delisted at the end of 1996.

 

[The_Wookie]

Worst one I ever saw at PP was the Neale Daniher/Fitzpatrick time wasting game in 1981.

Jimmy Buckley pumped a spiral torp up the scoreboard end, (that I am convinced is still bouncing down the Eastern Freeway up near Springvale Road by now), and we were out to 20 odd points going into time-on. Big Fitzy takes a match saving mark in front of the Social Club, then that Perm haired dickhead Robinson paid an incorrect time wasting free, when it should have been a ball up.

Enter Neale Daniher, who had been given an utter bath by Bosustow, banished to the forward line, goal, then another...........was sitting in the old Heatley Stand and the matchwinner came straight at me. In desperation/craziness the club song came on.......but we were done.

For some silly reason we were sitting with Phil Carman and Kevin Egan, they were beside themselves..........I wanted to go home.

 

[footyfan1978]

Please!!!. It is painful to see that again.
Why? Just why?

I hate umpire Robinson. Never be forgiven. Never!!!

 

[Quokka Sokka]

Gidday fellas, half joined this forum to ask some memories of pilgrimages to the trees, students, and cemetery lots of Princes Park. What were the routes you took, pubs you drank at, cafés you frequented, time you went home and what were some final routines for that last day? Too young for me, just going off stories from my old man. Cheers.

 

[FootyGeek]

Gidday fellas, half joined this forum to ask some memories of pilgrimages to the trees, students, and cemetery lots of Princes Park. What were the routes you took, pubs you drank at, cafés you frequented, time you went home and what were some final routines for that last day? Too young for me, just going off stories from my old man. Cheers.

Some of my favourite stories are of people parking near their loved ones gravesites within the laneways of the Melbourne cemetery, paying their respects and going to the game for a few hours with free close parking to the ground.

 

[Blues177]

Some of my favourite stories are of people parking near their loved ones gravesites within the laneways of the Melbourne cemetery, paying their respects and going to the game for a few hours with free close parking to the ground.

There would not have been much time to celebrate a big win at the ground after the game was over as there must have been a mad rush to get back to the car before the cemetery gates close

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Gidday fellas, half joined this forum to ask some memories of pilgrimages to the trees, students, and cemetery lots of Princes Park. What were the routes you took, pubs you drank at, cafés you frequented, time you went home and what were some final routines for that last day? Too young for me, just going off stories from my old man. Cheers.

G'day Quokka Sokka and welcome to the Down Memory Lane thread....my favourite of the Blues board!

Great question especially for someone like me who grew up going to Princes Park each week during the late 70's and 80's. The final game at Princes Park is still one of my saddest days.

I recall we always used to park in Holden Street and walk through Amess Street to get to the games. It was always a sea of Blues supporters and this was back in the day when we were feared by the opposition and playing at Princes Park was like entering a cauldren. The guttural roar when the Blues entered the arena was amazing. There were no kiss cams back in those days, you went there and watched the two's and then the big boys ran out at 2.00pm.

In the later days of Princes Park I used to park on the other side of Nicholson Street and make the walk down Richardson Street across Rathdowne and Lygon Streets at times venturing along Macpherson Street and the cemetery. The was a church there that used to sell bangers in bread and it was safe to say TL15 occasionally knocked back 3 of those before he actually got to the entry gates.

There is no doubt in my mind back then footy was just footy. It did not have all of the other shit that is now associated with it. It was a simple game for simple folk who basically wanted to have an escape for a few hours and yell themselves hoarse at the footy.

 

[HBF]

Not sure if I've posted this already but back in the good old days at Princes Park, I remember getting to the ground just before the Reserves started, putting our blanket and scarf across the seat on the 50m line in the Social Club, cooking a BBQ in the Social Club and then going to watch the Reserves. At the conclusion of the game, I remember racing my sister to the centre circle, but only once the second siren rang, and then having a kick of the footy for a while before heading into the Social Club to sing the song with Jack Elliott and the three best on ground players.

God it was great growing up a Bluebagger!!

You're the first person I know who actually used those BBQ's
My day was pretty similar, although I sat up in the top deck of the social club (usually the back row).
Go downstairs for breakfast and then back up to watch the reserves.

What a great day it was going out to see Carlton play at Princes Park.

 

[OnceWeWereKings]

Funnily enough stood down at the visitors end between the point post and the scoreboard. Started going there as a tacker with my Dad, Mum and his six brothers and various mates of theirs.
Remember my Uncle Laurie putting some bloke to sleep who didn't heed to his request to stop peeing into an empty beer can as there were "ladies around"
My Old Man and Uncles could handle themselves, didn't really cop too many issues standing deep in enemy territory
Can still hear the sound of blokes crashing through their foam eskies after a few too many.
Used to stand on four or so beer cans (when they were metal ) so that you could see better.
It was a blast at the end of the day extracting yourself from the igloo of empty cans and peanut shells they had got through at the end.
Walk back to the car, Mum drives home or course, listen to Dad's same old war stories about growing up around Brunswick (every second week we heard the same stories) Grab some fish & chips on the way home and get back to watch the replay
Laughing out loud with Mum as we watch Dad dose off in the beanbag just prior to 8PM.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Funnily enough stood down at the visitors end between the point post and the scoreboard. Started going there as a tacker with my Dad, Mum and his six brothers and various mates of theirs.
Remember my Uncle Laurie putting some bloke to sleep who didn't heed to his request to stop peeing into an empty beer can as there where "ladies around"
My Old Man and Uncles could handle themselves, didn't really cop too many issues standing deep in enemy territory
Can still hear the sound of blokes crashing through their foam eskies after a few too many.
Used to stand on four or so beer cans (when they were metal ) so that you could see better.
It was a blast at the end of the day extracting yourself from the igloo of empty cans and peanut shells they had got through at the end.
Walk back to the car, Mum drives home or course, listen to Dad's same old war stories about growing up around Brunswick (every second week we heard the same stories) Grab some fish & chips on the way home and get back to watch the reply.
Laughing out loud with Mum as we watch Dad dose off in the beanbag just prior to 8PM.

Great story and memories!!

I also recall collecting record books after the game had finished. So many people used to discard them after the game and the hunt to find one in pristine condition was always a post game ritual for a young impressionable TL15!

 

[footyfan1978]

Love reading your memories of days at Princes Park.
Most times I came via train and tram. No 19 tram from Elizabeth street to the ground. Great days to actually have a true homeground and get to see reserves before the big one.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Here's a weird one for yuzz, back in the day of the afternoon games reckon we always used to win on the overcast days when we wore home shorts, MCG, VFL Park, PP, not bucket raining mind you, when the sun was down early, would always back us in.

That is a very, very, very interesting theory!!

 

[Blues177]

Here's a weird one for yuzz, back in the day of the afternoon games reckon we always used to win on the overcast days when we wore home shorts, MCG, VFL Park, PP, not bucket raining mind you, when the sun was down early, would always back us in.

1972 grand final !!

 

[Stig O'Hara]

1972 grand final !!

'79, '81, '82..............ok '87 was a weird day............'95.

 

[Blues177]

Family friends and I used to sit in the Heatley stand or watch the game in the standing room area behind the goals at that end, near the players race. The atmosphere and the buzz of the crowd at that end was tremendous, especially when we piled on a burst of goals in the third quarter to take a grip of the game.

I started watching games from the newly built Legends stand in 1997 but the atmosphere was lacking and there were many opposition supporters there. I moved back to standing in front of the Heatly stand in 1998 on the day we smashed the bulldogs and kicked nearly 30 goals.

I never returned to the Legends stand.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

'79, '81, '82..............ok '87 was a weird day............'95.

Impressive ability to recollect weather from a long time ago. I went to the '79, '82, '87 and '95 grand finals. From memory '87 was the really hot day (or was that when we lost in '86) but the others I could not remember what the day was like.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Family friends and I used to sit in the Heatley stand or watch the game in the standing room area behind the goals at that end, near the players race. The atmosphere and the buzz of the crowd at that end was tremendous, especially when we piled on a burst of goals in the third quarter to take a grip of the game.

I started watching games from the newly built Legends stand in 1997 but the atmosphere was lacking and there were many opposition supporters there. I moved back to standing in front of the Heatly stand in 1998 on the day we smashed the bulldogs and kicked nearly 30 goals.

I never returned to the Legends stand.

Not sure what it ended up being called after he disgraced himself and they renamed it but a memory I have is the under pass underneath the Elliott stand used to always smell strongly of urine! That was the area where the Baked Potato wagon used to sit!!

 

[blueboy25]

Impressive ability to recollect weather from a long time ago. I went to the '79, '82, '87 and '95 grand finals. From memory '87 was the really hot day (or was that when we lost in '86) but the others I could not remember what the day was like.

87 and it was 34 degrees

 

[Stig O'Hara]

87 and it was 34 degrees

Yep, stinking hot that day. Was the only time I ever saw Michael Tuck in short sleeves.

Richard Dennis pretty had the Norm Smith in his pocket at quarter time, until Rhys completed his demolition of Brereton.

Enduring memory of that game is Mark Naley with his little piston legs pumping, go through couple of Hawks, take a bounce, burn off Dipper and slot the goal to seal the win.