My opinion

[FB&W]

I don't like all the sth Melbourne stuff. I believe Sth Melbourne died in 1981 and the Sydney Swans were born. There our Swans now.

IMHO.

 

[CharlieG]

I don't like all the sth Melbourne stuff.

That's up to you.

I believe Sth Melbourne died in 1981 and the Sydney Swans were born.

Well, the simple truth is that South Melbourne moved to Sydney. That is historical fact, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not.

There our Swans now.

IMHO.

Of course! They're everybody's Swans now! There's more than enough to go around.

 

[FB&W]

No

Nobody said boo about Sth Melbourne for years and we win and they want to jump on the bandwagon. who does Dimetrio think he is calling us Sth Melbourn? Where was everyone when we were sad?

@%^& Melbourne.

 

[CharlieG]

No

Nobody said boo about Sth Melbourne for years and we win and they want to jump on the bandwagon. who does Dimetrio think he is calling us Sth Melbourn? Where was everyone when we were sad?

@%^& Melbourne.

Where were you?

I started supporting the club in 1994. Robbieando started in 1988. Both of us consider ourselves Sydney fans. But we both live in Melbourne, and both of us go to the footy with people who supported them when they were South Melbourne.

I guarantee you, when the club had to buy articles in the Daily Telegraph, there were plenty of Swans fans in Melbourne sticking with them through thick and thin. Back in those days, more Swans fans turned up to Melbourne games than home games! I know because I was there too, and I know many SM fans personally. Today I interviewed a 79 year old man who started supporting the club in 1934, and waited the full 72 years to see a premiership. He was there on Saturday, as passionate as anyone, be they from Melbourne or Sydney. Who are you to tell him that the club isn't his club?

Don't assume that just because you didn't know about the old South Melbourne fans much until this week, that they weren't always there.

 

[liz]

I'm baffled by the attitude of Sydney fans who aren't prepared to share our club with those whose first love was South Melbourne. The club's past down south adds to the richness of its history and, if we want to get snobbish, differentiates us from most of the other non-Victorian "franchises".

How does acknowledgement of all those who loved our club when we were somewhere else negatively impact on the enjoyment that native Sydneysiders derive from following the club?

 

[CharlieG]

I'm baffled by the attitude of Sydney fans who aren't prepared to share our club with those whose first love was South Melbourne. The club's past down south adds to the richness of its history and, if we want to get snobbish, differentiates us from most of the other non-Victorian "franchises".

How does acknowledgement of all those who loved our club when we were somewhere else negatively impact on the enjoyment that native Sydneysiders derive from following the club?

Yep. It really does defy belief. I know that I'm not intimately familiar with NSW sporting culture, but I just don't get where it comes from.

 

[The King!]

No

Nobody said boo about Sth Melbourne for years and we win and they want to jump on the bandwagon. who does Dimetrio think he is calling us Sth Melbourn? Where was everyone when we were sad?

@%^& Melbourne.

no one in sydney went to games for years or gave a rats about the team. It is sydney now and it was sth melbourne

its all the swans

 

[FB&W]

this was all only IMHO I can not lie. I do not mean disrespect on Sth Melbournes. But Dimetrio calls us south Melbourne when we are not.

This is also a common view in Sydney. It is sad but if the AFL want to win Sydney they must stop reminding everybody its just sth Melbourne in new clothes. If that is the case they would be better starting a new team we can call our own.

Because obviously you think this one is not ours. But it is and Melbourne will just have to get over it.

IMHO no offense.

 

[CharlieG]

this was all only IMHO I can not lie. I do not mean disrespect on Sth Melbournes. But Dimetrio calls us south Melbourne when we are not.

This is also a common view in Sydney. It is sad but if the AFL want to win Sydney they must stop reminding everybody its just sth Melbourne in new clothes. If that is the case they would be better starting a new team we can call our own.

Because obviously you think this one is not ours. But it is and Melbourne will just have to get over it.

IMHO no offense.

Why can't it belong to Swans fans whether they're old South fans OR Sydney fans?

As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter if you're an octogenarian South fan, someone from Sydney, Wollongong, Brisbane or Paris who started following them this year, or even just a neutral fan who wanted the to break the drought... everyone is welcome. We can all enjoy this premiership. There's no shortage of room.

 

[FB&W]

Yes everyone can enjoy the premiership even sth Melbourne. But we are not in STh Melbourne or are we Sth Melbourne we are Sydney.

Everyone can enjoy the premiership even that way.

 

[FB&W]

I also like your signature I am reading Mark Latham and it's something he could have said.

 

[CharlieG]

Yes everyone can enjoy the premiership even sth Melbourne. But we are not in STh Melbourne or are we Sth Melbourne we are Sydney.

Everyone can enjoy the premiership even that way.

We are Sydney, mate, and I would never deny that or regret that. I am a Sydney fan - my 'club' below my name says 'Sydney Swans'.

At the same time, history is important. The first 107 years of our history was as South Melbourne. It doesn't negatively effect the Sydney Swans to acknowledge and celebrate that we are the same club that won the 1909, 1918 and 1933 premierships.

Did you see Bob Skilton out on the ground after the win? He is the greatest player to ever wear the red and white, and some say he is the greatest player ever. Does it matter if he wore the red and white at the Lake Oval or the SCG?

And as for Mark Latham - well, Herbert Marcuse wouldn't have many nice things to say about Latham, but unfortunately neither does Mark! I haven't gotten around to reading the Diaries yet. I might wait until my library gets a copy - that way I won't be sending any royalties Latham's way! But I won't take this thread off-topic anymore than that.

 

[Craig_Bolton]

I don't like all the sth Melbourne stuff. I believe Sth Melbourne died in 1981 and the Sydney Swans were born. There our Swans now.

IMHO.

Sydney wouldnt be where they are now if it wasnt for South Melbourne & also you must not be a true supporter if you making comments like that. All these swans supporters who live up in sydney now come out of no where just because we have won a flag & make comments like hey they are the sydney swans, not south melbourne & try to take faith & passion away from those who were south melbourne supporters & still follow the swans & others who live in melbourne & believe the sydney swans are still regarded as South Melbourne or as i call them " The Bloods". Also note SMFC which is printed on the back of our H & A Jumper. In the words of Brett Kirk " This is for the bloods".

 

[Sid]

I started following in 1997 and not that passionately, but ive started supporting them more and more as the years have passed. I am very proud of our south melbourne history and its something that league fans arent too familiar with - their club history.

When that geelong coach did his speech before giving roosy his medal, he referred to us as south melbourne. I had absolutely zero problems with that, but I think roosy summed it up better when he said 'south melbourne slash sydney swans'.

As far as im concerned, sydney swans wouldnt exist without south melbourne and technically, its the same team in a different city. The jumper is the same and on the back of that jumper, it says SMFC.

My mates all try to tell me that this is our first premiership and that its a totally new club. But what do these league bandwagoners know about history and pride. Its like saying the merger between west magpies and balmain tigers is a totally new team and that it draws new supporters. If a balmain supporter experiences a premiership as a balmain tiger and then as a west tiger, the premiership count for that fan is 2.

This is definitely the 4th premiership for us.

 

[Sid]

And charlie, ive been wondering if there are south melbourne supporters that started following after the 1933 premiership and still follow us today. After hearing you interviewed that 79 yr old, ive got goosebumps from feeling happy for the man. I love this club.

 

[CharlieG]

And charlie, ive been wondering if there are south melbourne supporters that started following after the 1933 premiership and still follow us today. After hearing you interviewed that 79 yr old, ive got goosebumps from feeling happy for the man. I love this club.

Sid, the interview is for an article that will be published on RWO - hopefully around Monday. Will post when its there.

 

[benny_w]

I have been following the club since 1986 when i first knew that I would be moving to Sydney the next year. I have supported the mighty Bloods/Swans through thick and thin and last night was the crowning glory for a lot of people including myself. The feeling of us actually winning the premiership didn't sink in until about midnight when one of my work collegues took a couple of photos of me kissing the cup and holding the cup up on my head. What a sensational feeling.


__________________
This one's for the old bloods and the new bloods:

Sir Brett Kirk: 2005 Premiership player and Bob Skilton Medalist

 

[MiniKirk]

I agree totally in what Sid has said i only started following them as Sydney in 1990 because that was when i was old enough to choose a team. On a slightly different note but still relevant did the VFL become the AFL in 1990 or did it come out of thin air, can someone please explain these area to me.

 

[ChubbMuff]

I love Sydney and the Swans. Joined the club in '99 with no idea about the history of Sth Melbourne, I just knew the Swans moved up from Melbourne. That was it. Over the last 7 years I have learnt more about Sth Melbourne and the great players who pulled on the Red and White. If we lose Sth melbourne we lose the 3 flags we won before this one. We lose one of the greatest players in the history of Aussie Rules footy - Skilton. I have said it before, I respect anyone who has had their club uprooted and moved away to another city (let alone Sydney) but keep supporting and coming to games becasue they love the club. It would not be the same without the support in two cities and makes us stronger because of it. Especially when we play in Melbourne.

I did NOT however like the team being introduced as the Sth Melbourne Swans at the MCG after we had won. I can understand the emotion but that did get me a little antsy.

 

[HAWKS HEROES]

No

Nobody said boo about Sth Melbourne for years and we win and they want to jump on the bandwagon. who does Dimetrio think he is calling us Sth Melbourn? Where was everyone when we were sad?

@%^& Melbourne.

not true i know alot of melbourne swan supporters who have stuck by them even after their move you posting this is terrible and is a blemish on the true history of the swans aka south melborne! get a new brain and think before you post stuff like this which is wrong the players even acknowledge the heritage of their team cause they respect where this great club orignated from !

 

[Craig_Bolton]

No

Nobody said boo about Sth Melbourne for years and we win and they want to jump on the bandwagon. who does Dimetrio think he is calling us Sth Melbourn? Where was everyone when we were sad?

@%^& Melbourne.

The Sydney Swans would be no where if it wasnt for the thousands of supporters here in melbourne. Its more like the people in sydney jump on the bandwagon just because their so called 'football' team has won a flag, sydney is a rugby city & it always will be, this is no offence to people \who live in sydney & really have the passion for the swans, im more directing this to people like FB & W whos just going along for the ride.

 

[Sid]

Sid, the interview is for an article that will be published on RWO - hopefully around Monday. Will post when its there.

Can you post a link if its up?

 

[The_Eagles]

in Perth we LoL how melbourne people call em south melbourne at times (these days).

 

[Minkus_Swan]

I think it's been an over reaction to a non-issue (IMHO), during one of the most greatest and emotional times in the history of our football club.

It could have been a lot worse - they could have called us the QBE Swans!

 

[FB&W]

The Sydney Swans would be no where if it wasnt for the thousands of supporters here in melbourne. Its more like the people in sydney jump on the bandwagon just because their so called 'football' team has won a flag, sydney is a rugby city & it always will be, this is no offence to people \who live in sydney & really have the passion for the swans, im more directing this to people like FB & W whos just going along for the ride.

Yes this is the Melbourne culture, this is the death of the game. This si the thing "no offense to people who live in Sydeny" but if you think The Swans are your team think again they're f%&*#@*$ Sth Melbourne's.

Well fine then this Melbourne culture will get what they want and Sydney people will tell you to stick your Melbourne team wher the sun domt shine (Sth Melbourne) and we'll wait for the day you deem us one then.

But in the meantime the Melbourne culture will have nobody but them to blame when Sydneyites spend the time watch STUPID RUGBY while waiting for our own team.

This is the melbourne culture - spending decades of decades getting Sydney People to embrace the game like we have and just when we do - oh sorry this is a Melbourne team!!!!!

Demetrio calls us Sth Melbourne on GTAND FINAL WINNING DAY!!!

Im getting close to telling yous to stick YOUR team and YOUR game (that's the way YOUS want it) up your behind and go out and watch rugby because at least I know they want me too.

Melbourne culture don't!