Irene Chatfield

[GoalSneak38]

Nice video about an amazing woman

http://www.afl.com.au/Video/tabid/76/contentid/470271/Default.aspx

 

[SonOfScray]

Good footage of the Fightback. Love seeing all the fans wearing their colours with pride and going out of their way to make their own flags and banners etc. It just looks amazing and is something we are losing from the game.

Footscray : Too Tough To Die.

Highlight of that story is that fans can have the final say. You have to get around your Club and fight for it. You don't have to take shit from the AFL, be spoon fed bullshit and feel obliged to smile and say thank you.

 

[Fossie 32]

Amazing for sure. Don't know if the club have honoured her in some way but she sure deserves it.

 

[NBates]

Great story. Even my mum came to that fightback day at the ground (& she never ever went to the footy).

 

[MYOB]

Amazing for sure. Don't know if the club have honoured her in some way but she sure deserves it.

She is a life member.

 

[_Mike_]

* An AFL life member

More to the point, if it wasnt for Irene, we would be here as the Fitzroy Bulldogs, or who would have known after 96 it could have been the Brisbane Bulldogs..

Irene is the reason why we have a club from the West to support, and its supporters like Irene who are loyal to the club. I would like every single player and staff member to watch that, and have some ****ing pride for this club.

We're sick of finishing short and the club owes everything to supporters who saved its existence. Its time to stop cutting bait and start fishing...

 

[hoianbulldog]

* An AFL life member

More to the point, if it wasnt for Irene, we would be here as the Fitzroy Bulldogs, or who would have known after 96 it could have been the Brisbane Bulldogs..

Irene is the reason why we have a club from the West to support, and its supporters like Irene who are loyal to the club. I would like every single player and staff member to watch that, and have some ******* pride for this club.

We're sick of finishing short and the club owes everything to supporters who saved its existence. Its time to stop cutting bait and start fishing...

Were you around during the fightback and if so how old were you?

 

[_Mike_]

Were you around during the fightback and if so how old were you?

I was 17 years old during the fightback, and I was down at the ground on that day

 

[Ant_]

I was 17 years old during the fightback, and I was down at the ground on that day

I was about 12 was there as well

 

[GoalSneak38]

Were you around during the fightback and if so how old were you?

In my Dads balls. In all seriousness I can't really remember except I got on the news when I ran behind a news reporter doing a report on the ground. Many family members were highly involved in the fightback

 

[MYOB]

* An AFL life member

She is a Life Member of the Western Bulldogs.

There is only one female life member of the AFL - Jill Lindsay

 

[_Mike_]

She is a Life Member of the Western Bulldogs.

There is only one female life member of the AFL - Jill Lindsay

ok, thanks for the correction

 

[hoianbulldog]

Irene is the reason why we have a club from the West to support,

That is like saying Jennifer Hawkins is the only reason people shop at Myers.

 

[_Mike_]

That is like saying Jennifer Hawkins is the only reason people shop at Myers.

well, if she hadnt of did what she did, the merger would have gone through.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Amazing woman, she should do a lap of honour each year in round 1 - because it is true, she risked her house to save our club.

 

[Fitzwah]

Just finished reading "too tough to die". Great book. I was only 7
when all this happened, so the book gave me a great understanding of what these
People did for our club. I also just read Dougies book. Not so great! Haha

 

[hoianbulldog]

well, if she hadnt of did what she did, the merger would have gone through.

Did what, in your memory or opinion?

 

[mark73]

In my Dads balls.

Succinctly put. A lot of people, fellow supporters, opposition supporters, and just about every other club minus a few went in to bat for the Dogs. But she instigated the whole thing. I think the business about taking on the AFL and winning singlehandedly is a bit over the top but she started it, and won.

 

[Chattanooga]

well, if she hadnt of did what she did, the merger would have gone through.

Yep and we would have ended up something like the West Melbourne Bulldogs or something......... oh wait.

 

[mark73]

Yep and we would have ended up something like the West Melbourne Bulldogs or something......... oh wait.

You would've ended up the Nobodies Nothing's

 

[_Mike_]

Did what, in your memory or opinion?

are you not aware that she went to court to get a 3 week grace period for the club to be able to raise enough money to pay creditors? (and put her house on the line to raise court funds?)

 

[mark73]

are you not aware that she went to court to get a 3 week grace period for the club to be able to raise enough money to pay creditors? (and put her house on the line to raise court funds?)

Yep. That's what you call, not a supporter, someone going beyond what a supporter would do. That's the lifeblood of any organisation. I live in the west so I know what she did.

 

[Easty]

An inspiring woman. Would love to find out her thoughts on the whole Footscray/Western thing.

 

[lachy]

An inspiring woman. Would love to find out her thoughts on the whole Footscray/Western thing.

A supporter who like a lot of others is the life blood of the club.

The group challenging the merger needed a plaintiff to go to court. Irene put her hand up. Members of the group guaranteed her that she would not be out of pocket.

Me, I was in my early 20's. I was at the western oval, also attended the celebration function at the art centre. At the time I contributed over $1,000 which at the time was a bit of coin, but I was born in Footscray And the club meant that much to me. I loved the club and what it stood for. I wish the club still did!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Zeno The Great]

Great little story on a true blue supporter. I was 10 and there with the family that day, still remember it, was an emotional day