I'm probably one of the youngest people sharing in this thread as a 19 year old.
But nonetheless, I grew up in a football mad household. Being born in 1995, I missed out on both flags, luckily caught the third one.
I vaguely remember the first game I went to, I would have been 6 or 7, and Mum, Dad and I and my Pop were sitting in the bloody top row of the top tier behind the goals in a game against Collingwood. I don't even know if we won or lost but it wasn't the best first game to go to. Dad used to take me to the local footy league games sometimes, and we caught a few WAFL games down here when East Perth came down.
The whole family were Eagles fans, mad Eagles fans, but the defining moment of my childhood was meeting Matthew Pavlich in Dewsons in Margaret River after school one day. I recognised him (I would have been about 7 again) and thought he was brilliant. Mum still says he was a "lovely person" for a footballer. That set me down the slippery slope to becoming a Dockers fan for a year, but being an 8 year old and not really caring too much, I was sick of them losing the Derby's, and I jumped ship to the Eagles, and I haven't looked back. That's when I started really paying attention and religiously following football. As soon as that happened my Pop bought me a pair of Eagles socks and gloves, that I used to wear all the time, and I still have them.
I used to collect football cards, I treasured every Eagle that I got. Still have them.
Any time I was sick and had a day off school, I used to watch the VCR copies of the 92 and 94 Grand Finals and I idolised Glen Jackovich and Dean Kemp.
Ben Cousins remains my all time favourite player, people say "but what about the off field stuff?". What about it? I remember feeling completely hollow after the 05' GF. The whole family was gutted. But that day in 2006 remains the best day of my life. It was incredible. I got up and watched all of the pre-game, the GF breakfast, all of it, there were people in the street shouting and screaming, Dad got horribly drunk (I realise that now), it was awesome.
So, I adore the club, everything about it. I wouldn't consider not renewing my membership. I forked out the $50 in 2004 as a 9 year old, I will continue to do so.
However, in the last few weeks, I've felt that the club I grew up idolising isn't the same. The lack of passion and heart that I grew so accustomed too doesn't seem to be there anymore and I desperately hope it comes back. Same with the wings. This jumper and those shitty snapback hats and half of the stuff they sell irks me. We should be a football club first and foremost.