Why are you a Demons supporter?

[Supermercado]

I grew up in Hawthorn and cracked the shits at them winning all the time, so before the '88 finals I said I'd go for whoever they played in the final that year. Every other team in that finals series has won a flag since. Fudge it.

 

[davey_magik]

Have heritage in the club on mums side so I wasn't so much brainwashed into it as I liked Melbourne all along but it wasn't till about 2002 when I actually really started taking notice of how we went. Since then I've been ridiculously fanatical about our 'great' team.

 

[McLean_4_Captain]

It's like the Manson family.

Except the Manson's are less Sadistic

 

[the russian40]

Barracked for Geelong until the 89 pre-season but didn't really care, went to a pre-season melb v north where I met Ron Barassi, he asked who I barracked for, said no one and told me I should go for Melbourne, so I did...If he had said north my life would have been much simpler.

Already made an agreement with my partner that when we have kids they have no choice but to support the dees, I had to give up naming rights for that.

 

[cannons]

Barracked for Geelong until the 89 pre-season but didn't really care, went to a pre-season melb v north where I met Ron Barassi, he asked who I barracked for, said no one and told me I should go for Melbourne, so I did...If he had said north my life would have been much simpler.

Already made an agreement with my partner that when we have kids they have no choice but to support the dees, I had to give up naming rights for that.

That's an impressive commitment to the club's future. Respect

 

[ExTasDeeMan]

That's an impressive commitment to the club's future. Respect

Particulary if Moon Unit, Leslie or Randolph are cool kid names in the future.

 

[Beats]

Particulary if Moon Unit, Leslie or Randolph are cool kid names in the future.

I actually know a Leslie... She's a pretty cool kid, it could be coming back in.

I don't think he saw the big picture, if you named your child 'Demon' or something of the like, he would be ridiculed if he did not follow them.

 

[DemonJim]

I really didn't follow footy properly till... err i don't know maybe the first 6 years or so in that time i went for Fitzroy as my parents did, then realised they suck and went for Hawks (Shudder) and Essendon for a while before going back to Fitzroy.... then decided i like Melbourne and have been there ever since...

Edit : Mind you for some reason i decided to come in through the rough years when we were rock bottom...

 

[bloodpumpsRnB]

When my dad immigrated to Australia, his mate took him to a Hawthorn v Melbourne game. His mate was a Hawks fan, so he decided to support the other team and we got up that day. So he stayed with it.

 

[Nourishment]

I grew up in Hawthorn and cracked the shits at them winning all the time, so before the '88 finals I said I'd go for whoever they played in the final that year. Every other team in that finals series has won a flag since. Fudge it.

Jeez it must've been boring barracking for a team that's successful.

Anyway, to the question at hand. There are three possible reasons:

1) My father was the youngest of 11 children - most filth supporters - and when he was 6 years old he wanted to take the p155 out of them and support the most successful team at the time.

2) The exact same father told me when I was 3 years old to barrack for Melbourne or I would have to leave home. (True story.)

3) God hates me.

 

[demonfan9]

Followed my old man, who copied his cousin back in the 60's. Imagine not seeing your team in a final for 22 years (1965-1986). That's what he went through from his the age of 11 through to 33. No wonder he is so disillusioned today.

 

[Supermercado]

Jeez it must've been boring barracking for a team that's successful.

Never barracked for or watched them. Just hated the bandwagon mentality of the entire suburb suddenly deciding they loved footy two weeks a year. Now I work there and guess what's happening?

 

[The Dr]

Followed my old man, who copied his cousin back in the 60's. Imagine not seeing your team in a final for 22 years (1965-1986). That's what he went through from his the age of 11 through to 33. No wonder he is so disillusioned today.

That's what I'm worried about these days. Not so much not making the finals for years on end - I'm sure we will at some stage - but being an old man and not witnessing a Dees flag.

 

[Crimson Azure]

My old man was a Melbourne fan & my mother was a Geelong fan & although I was born in Geelong I was always going to be a Dee's fan.

Still got photos of me at Mt Bulla in my Dee's jumper with the No2 of Flower on it when I was 4.

That if anything shows I was destined to be a life long Dee's fan.

 

[Capt_Concussion]

My parents arn't big footy followers so it was totally up to me. At the age of six the comination of my favourite colours being red and blue, my residence being in Melbourne and a primary PE teacher who I liked a lot going for the Demons all contributed to me belcoming a Demon follower.

 

[Marns]

My old man has been a Demon fan since his early days, so that's pretty much the extent of it.

I know he used to be a Bombers fan until his brother won a few footy jumpers in a radio competition, and he was given a Melbourne one, whilst other siblings got Essendon, Geelong etc.

If I ever have kids the poor buggers will be coming out wearing the red and blue as well. I know it's not right, and as supermercado said before, probably considered cruelty, but that's just the way it is.

 

[stabler]

Why would you want to be anything else?

 

[RandB]

The very first game of VFL I ever saw was Essendon thrashing Hawthorn in the '85 GF on TV when I was in the NT as a kid. Although I had fun (as a kid does) giving crap to the dedicated old fogies watching the game (they were hawks supporters from VIC) I didn't have any real reason to follow the Bombers. This did however grab my attention somewhat for the game. Untill '87 I "appreciated" the Bombers and then after Carlton won the GF (over Hawthorn) in '87 I thought they weren't too bad (for a month or two at least) but that was all soon to change...

I went to Melbourne for a holiday with some friends (one of which was a Melbourne supporter) in the summer of 87/88 and then I was infused with their family of Melbourne supporters... "real" Melbourne supporters. All of a sudden I had a feeling of belonging. The rest is history really. I love MFC and despite our short comings I am glad I have chosen Melbourne as my team. Highs and lows without taking the actual premiership is our story but if it happens one day then it will be the most monumental achievement that I would have witnessed in my lousy existance.

I suppose, originally being from SA and having red and blue Norwood blood (literally as a baby - have the Captain's premiership '75 guernsey in a photo with me as a 3 month old baby), supporting Melbourne also seemed quite apt to me. I have followed Melbourne since 1987 and although the club has not performed as well as it should have, I am glad I chose Melbourne as my team.
________

It made national news the day that Jimmy ran over the mark in the '87 prelim. The footage of the supporters crying and Jimmy with his head down. When we watched it on TV, I remember the old man at the time (who didn't really follow a VFL team but suedo followed the Hawks before the Crows joined) just saying "that's sad". It made an impression on me, so after the summer in Melbourne it all just came together.

 

[CaptainDavey]

Look, I just love pain. I reckon supporting the Demons is serious character building. It has prepared me for the harsh realities of life going through my adolescent years barracking for the Demons.

It has taught me that nothing ever works out for the little people, and that we're better off dead.

But I'm still happyIt's the little things that count. Like Matty Whelan's hit on James Hird in 2004

 

[JTRx]

Hi all. Long time reader, first time poster.

I moved to Melbourne (from NZ) in early 1999.

Spent all of that years season without a team but managed to decide that I didn't want to go for Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Richmond... etc. Basically the teams of all the bogans that were trying to 'recruit' me.

In 2000 I decided I better find myself someone to go for. I kind of liked the way Melbourne were playing, enjoyed watching Jeff Farmer, and loved the theme song, so found myself watching them most weeks.
Entered an online footy tipping comp that year and God knows how but I managed to win it! Got 4 tickets to each week of the 2000 finals series.

Melbourne ended up playing in 3 of those 4 weeks, so I decided it must have been fate.

 

[Headless]

Ehehe nice story mate, good to see you spotted the filth quickly.

Stick around.

 

[Gissa]

One of my earliest photo's of me is just days after being born with a mini Dees footy placed next to me. My father gave me no choice but i am glad that these family traditions continue to exist.
I still remember my first game, 1997 mid-season vs North Melb and we sat close to the cheer squad. I was in the right place at the right time and was asked to come and help hold up the banner as the players run through. However these were tough times at primary school when it came to footy banter as melbourne were struggling, but i did get my turn the following year when the reverend took over.

 

[Demons08]

The old man was an Essendon supporter at school. One day a kid at school threatened to kill him unless he went for Melbourne. He's liked them ever since

There's a picture of me in the hospital on the night i was born with my dad giving me a Melbourne scarf. I never really had any choice. But now i wouldn't go for anyone else.

 

[melbournemartin]

I don't really have a defining moment. My dad went for Melbourne so it sort of just went from there. I could have quite easily been going for Collingwood though! My dad and his brother were each given a scarf at random, one Melbourne and one Collingwood, just before one of their epic grand final battles in the 50s or 60s. Oh how I'm glad he got tossed the Melbourne one!

My first live game was Melbourne vs Essendon in 1995 as a 5 year old. I fell asleep during the game and so did Melbourne.