When Mum and Dad married in 1973, they were both Essendon supporters.
Mum's teenage years were spent enjoying the work of Jack Clarke.
Dad played footy at Braybrook and that made getting a red and black jumper easy.
November 4 1975. Dad puts a Bomber beanie on a certain baby's head.
Born at Essendon hospital..of course.
It‘s the natural state.Who am I, Why was I born me, why is Essendon my team ? I dont really know . It just happened
2000 bandwagon
My Dad, Grandad and their family were Pies supporters back before the AFL. But mental South Fremantle supporters. When the AFL came together Grandad jumped on the Dockers but Dad stayed following the AFL as a league, with his allegiance (and Grandad's) still firmly with South Fremantle. So I never really had any influence towards a particular team. They both hate West Coast and Collingwood with a passion now due to the Mick influence. My cousin, bomber_hero was 8 years older than me and my hero as a kid. He was converted by a mate who came from Vic IIRC in 1999/2000 and in 2000 I was 7 and combined with our success I never really considered supporting anyone else.
My earliest memory is not being able to stay up late enough to watch us continue our streak V Western Bulldogs, Mum taping the game for me, waking up and watching it with my brekky, getting so emotional after Grant won it for them and literally sitting on the floor of the shower, rocking back and forth and crying for at least half an hr like a rape victim. Never looked back.
My parents moved to Melbourne from country NSW in early 1993, and bought a house about a kilometre from Waverley Park. So it made sense that we'd barrack for either St Kilda or Hawthorn, so we could go to lots of their games at Waverley. Mum didn't think much of the brown and gold colours, so it was decided that we'd all barrack for St Kilda.
Dad had a new found friend in Melbourne who barracked for the Bombers, and the two of them went to an Essendon v St Kilda match at Waverley, which Essendon won by 10 goals. Dad thought that St Kilda looked pretty rubbish, but this Bombers teamed looked alright, so we switched to the Dons. Obviously we won a premiership a few months later, so safe to say it was a good decision!
21 years later we're still good friends with the guy who took my dad along to that first game, and his daughter and I are Essendon members and go to the footy together every week.
Memory is very hazy… I remember I was walking down High St in Seymour and someone, family friend or something, asked who i barracked for. I said "Richmond" 'cause i thought tigers were cool. He told me I should barrack for Essendon 'cause bombers were better. The rest is history.
My grandfather supported Essendon. I don't know if his father supported Essendon, but I wouldn't be surprised.
My grandfather was asked to play for Richmond in the 30s. He couldn't afford it.
My father had a zero tolerance policy for other clubs when I was very young.
I can still hear him saying that if he saw any other club's badge or poster they would be going "straight in the bin."
On separate occasions my brother and I cried watching Essendon lose on The Big League. Dad had conflicting messages there, imo.
He told us to stop ■■■■■■ crying, a lot worse things happen in life than football, and forced us to watch every last second of the replay.
When I was seven years old, I thought that maybe I might like to barrack for St Kilda.
It was 1978. Probably the darkest time for Essendon in their history (until now). Essendon finished tenth of twelve that year.
I didn't want to be a bandwagoner and start barracking for Carlton or Collingwood, and I kind of liked that St Kilda were **** but tried hard (something I admire to this day).
Again, I can hear my father's words.
"Son, if you barrack for St Kilda you'll be lucky to see them win a flag in your lifetime. I've seen three Premierships so far, and if you stick with the Bombers, you will too."
I stuck with them.
While I'm on wise Essendon words from my father, I'll share one more occasion.
We watched the GF with a large group of friends every year. 1983 was just awful.
I was 12, my brother was 10, and at 3/4 time we went to the park to have a kick of the footy.
1984 GF came around and it was like deja vu.
At 3/4 time the brother and I are at the door, footy under one arm. "We're gonna have a kick of the footy."
Dad says, "Nah, stick around. You're gonna wanna see this."
Before I started barracking for the Dons I probably
barracked for about half a dozen clubs before I settled
on Essendon.
I mainly barracked for clubs who I took a shine to their
players ie. Michael Turner @ Geelong, The Buzz @ ‘that club’( apologies for that one), Gary Buckenara @ ‘that other club’(more apologies). These were all mainly fleeting and as it was only the players that I liked, their clubs didn’t really interest me.
Once I decided which club to finally commit to I just knew
that I’d made the right decision. Around the time that I chose the club to follow I had a fascination with aircraft, in particular WWll fighter planes ( P51 Mustangs my fav).
So the Bomber logo, combined with the red and black colours and an array of super tough players it was the
Dons all the way for me.
An added incentive for me was my first junior footy club wore the same colours too and I could pretend that I was representing Essendon every week.
I also loved the club because of Billy Duckworth ( #22 on my first ever Bomber jumper) as he was a former West Perth player, a club that I love equally as much as Essendon.
Have read the whole thread, really loving some of the old time stories. Basically my dad is a North fan as they lived around North and West Melbourne when they arrived from Italy. Mum’s from Moonee Ponds so was an Essendon supporter, but not really that into it. Dad tried to get me to barrack for North. I recall going to games at Princes Park and Whitten Oval when I was little, but to this day I’ll never know why I wouldn’t barrack for them. Anyway I think I decided I loved Hirdy, and being from Essendon it was a no brainer. I got a jumper for my birthday in 97 (I think). Nonna sewed on my number 5, and I wore it everywhere. It’s actually been signed by Hirdy (unfortunately with a shitty texta), wish it still fit though.
My Mum grew up in Ascot Vale and I guess it was just the local team thing. Her grandparents lived in Kensington/Flemington/Ascot Vale areas, so I must try to find out how many generations this Essendon thing goes back. Mum used to go to Windy Hill with her parents and they were there the day when John Coleman kicked 12 goals on debut. This was in the days when you sat in the same spot for every home game, but not because you had reserved seats - everyone knew each other’s names and they would save your seats for you. Not like today… I’ve been sitting next to the same people for 5 years and I wouldn’t have a clue what their names are. (Not to say I don’t tak to them.)
My Dad has never really followed footy, so there was no conflict about which team to follow. Once my Mum hooked my older brothers in to be Bombers, it was all the way with Essendon for me and now my two girls are on board too.
l have 4 step brothers, 9, 10, 11 and 14 years older. They were already following the Bombers by the time l was three. They indoctrinated me from an early age, l never had a chance to follow anyone else, fortunately. l began following Essendon before l even knew what football was about. lt could be said that hasn't changed.
By train up until I was old enough to drive.
Moved to Australia from Scotland as a 3 year old. As a 4yo, lived across the road from Jeff Gieschen, and was friendly with his son Jarrad. He went for Richmond, so I did too. (Way before Geesh coached them… 1986/87). Jarrad even gave me a Tigers jacket. We shifted town and I started at a new school. All the boys barracked for Essendon and said I should too because Richmond “are hopeless”.
So I did. And told my younger brother that he had to as well. Mum (Glasgow Rangers) and Dad (Aberdeen) felt sorry for Richmond, so decided to support them.
Thank God for 84/85 or I would be a Richmond supporter…
Related to Sheeds
I’m buggered if I can remember, to be honest. At one stage in my formative years I looked like following int the family tradition and becoming a Caaaarlton supporter. Both my grandad and my mum (were) are passionate Bloos fans.
My grandad passed in 1985 shortly before my 7th birthday. It was around this time I switched my allegiance, with Salmon quickly becoming my favourite, mostly because he was tall and kicked goals.
Two mates (brothers) just two houses away in Coburg. One went for the aints and the other for Essendon. I was convinced by the younger brother to follw the aints but then I got a good talking too by the older brother and told me about Essendon having 12 premierships and were the best team and a light started to appear inside my head and a voice telling me to listen to this guy. I must have been about 7 or 8 at the time. My whole family (including most of the extended family) barracks for Fark Carlton and mum is neutral but supports me against the rest of the family - 1993 was a blessed year - whole family must have hated me after the GF. Have only known Essendon and have never waivered even during the dark times. I now live outside of Australia (been away about 10 years) and have since become more obsessed with Essendon. The first thing I wanna do when I return to Aussie is to go and see an Essendon game with a beer in one hand and a dripping Four n' Twenty in the other (with sauce).
Mum and Dad were die hard Essendon supporters- dad has been a member for over 60 years- and they would go to the Footy on most Saturdays at Windy Hill. They'd always stand in front of the stairs at the Showers Stand on their homemade wooden trestle steps, and I would be "encouraged" to go down to the fence and watch the games from just behind the goals. Babysitting 1971 style.
That was the way it was from when I would have been 6 or so. Used to love getting the footy's as they were kicked over the fence and handing them back to the players. And of course, a pie from outer. And chatting to the regulars who always sat behind the goals as well.
But the best thing was getting to go into the rooms before or after the games. Vivid memories of Graham Moss doing backfoot dropkicks against a wall and then marking the return during his warmup.......
Always loved the club, always will.........and my 3 girls haven't got much of a choice either!!
Just a quick follow up, my Dad passed away Sept 30th this year, Essendon man to the last. And as per his wishes, we had the wake at Windy Hill in the Legends room-just like Mum 4 year's earlier. Couldn't think of a better place to say "Bye". See ya Jim.
My Dad was an ex Carlton Harrier and also played a few games for Carlton twos. Moved to Adelaide and I was born there.Grew up barracking for "the big C " as he sometimes called them (appropriate name!!! different meaning now). It was at a State game, S,A, v. VIC. in the 60's that my life changed.After half time the Vic,s went the bash as S.A. were killing them. The only two players who didnt were Jack Clarke and, I think, "gentleman" Geoff Leak.Both Essendon.Began to follow them and their teams results and before long I was a fully fledged Bomber. My father was aghast at my defection! Over the ensuing 30 years until he passed on he never once mentioned Essendon by name.Always referred to them as "that team you barrack for". After '93 he didnt answer his phone for at least a year!! ( well, a week anyway.
My Dad was an ex Carlton Harrier and also played a few games for Carlton twos. Moved to Adelaide and I was born there.Grew up barracking for "the big C " as he sometimes called them (appropriate name!!! different meaning now). It was at a State game, S,A, v. VIC. in the 60's that my life changed.After half time the Vic,s went the bash as S.A. were killing them. The only two players who didnt were Jack Clarke and, I think, "gentleman" Geoff Leak.Both Essendon.Began to follow them and their teams results and before long I was a fully fledged Bomber. My father was aghast at my defection! Over the ensuing 30 years until he passed on he never once mentioned Essendon by name.Always referred to them as "that team you barrack for". After '93 he didnt answer his phone for at least a year!! ( well, a week anyway.
Yes ...Murray Mac. Respect. There were players in other teams at the time that were gentlemen. Usually the very good players. In that team in the 60s, were some wonderful players whose skills just meant they didnt have to deck their opponents. I speak of Hughie Mitchell, Barry Davis , Jack Clarke, Russel Blew, John Birt, John Somerville ( thats another story) but every team had to have an enforcer. I think Bluey Shelton was more than capable of looking after himself and a few others !
Welcome to the Blitz. Enjoy.
Mum took my older brother up to the local servo in dingley to buy a saints poster,mum being mum said ok young zep you can choose one too,I looked at all of them,they all looked great to a five year old,but the picture of a red and black bomber caught my eye thank god.ps.i didn’t even know what football was.