What made us 'Collingwood people'? - Add your story

[Greening gold]

My grandfather played for StKilda and Carlton (before WW1) for a total of three seasons but couldn't afford to keep coming down from Benalla on the train for the games. So my mum and her two brothers (one of whom became a half-back flanker for the Victorian Amateurs state side) barracked for StKilda until she went out with a bloke for two years after WW2. He took her to see the Pies each week and that did it for her - she crossed over from the dark side and never went back.

I was born in 1953 and my father died in 1958 - both premiership years although I was too young at the time to know about footy. I grew up near Gardiner station, which was in Richmond's zone, and I remember Paddy Guinane and Fred Swift coming to my primary school (now demolished by Kennett) to conduct footy clinics in March each year. They brought with them a junior Richmond membership card for each class in the school, which could be used by any kid who wanted to go to the footy on Saturday. I remember going home after one of these events and musing to my mum that maybe I should barrack for Richmond since we lived in their zone. She told me to stop talking silly nonsense - there was only one team and that was ours.

My father had never been interested in sport but my mum loved any sport. She used to say that if you follow sport in Melbourne, you've always got a conversation starter and something in common with many other people. A widow with three young kids was big ask in standing room at Vic Park so we used to go to the MCG every week (I mean EVERY week, rain hail or shine) to sit and watch whoever was playing.

The routine was always the same - lamb and vegetable soup (home-made of course) with toast for lunch, drive to Alexandra Ave to park, walk to the G (Olympic Stand, about half forward flank at Punt Rd end), cup of hot chocolate from the Thermos and a slice of raisin loaf (home made) at half-time, home after the game for a shower, footy replay in front of the gas fire in pyjamas and dressing gowns and Irish stew (home made, of course) for tea.

To save money, and get finals tickets, Mum signed the four of us up for both Richmond and Melbourne memberships, which meant we got a game every Saturday afternoon due to their ground-sharing arrangement.
Finals time, I used to queue overnight at the G for tickets as a Melbourne member Richmond tickets were a bit harder to come by after 1967 but Melbourne died after 1964.

So we used to see two Collingwood games every year, plus finals. Later in my teens, I used to go with a Bomber mate to see either the Pies or the Dons, depending on venue and likelihood of a better game. While I can still watch and enjoy any game, nothing measures up to watching the Pies run out on the G - I look around me and think to myself "This is my tribe - they're a pretty varied bunch but it's the love of the Pies that brings us together".

Collingwood premierships have an allergy to me - in 1964 I was in the old Repat after an accident at home, vomiting blood and sharing a headset with mum listening to Gabbo's run and Crompton's goal, in 1966 my uncle was in Tas on business and came home with two standing room tickets for the Southern stand so I saw that one, in 1970 I used my Melbourne membership for tickets in the Southern Stand and shared a deep sense of foreboding with my mate at half-time, I saw both GFs in 1977, was overseas in 78-79, and my mum got tickets for herself and me for the 1980 debacle. I decided then it was my karma never to witness a Pie flag live at the G. In 1990 I was working in Mauritius and listened on Radio Australia. In 2002-03 I was in Canberra and in 2010 I was in Canberra for the draw and boarded a London-bound plane at Sydney airport at three-quarter time in the second one.

So that's my story why I barrack for the Pies - my mum told me there was no alternative. My brother was got at by my uncle and turned to the Saints. My sister flirted briefly with Melbourne when she was 10 but soon returned to the fold and, like me, is a true believer, as are my kids and hers.

[RickyWatt23]

I was born in 1951 and my dad and all his family were Geelong supporters but when my mum was pregnant with my younger brother I was 3 and she was confined to bed late in the pregnancy. The parish priest used to come to say mass for her on a regular basis - he was a one eyed Pie supporter and taught me the song. At about the same time I started going to kindergarten and my best friend George, the son of Lithuanian immigrants was a Pie supporter. Around this time my dad discovered golf and played on Saturdays so never bothered going to the footy all that often. The first game I can remember him taking me to was a Collingwood - Melbourne game where a first year player named Ricky Watt - No.23, was best on ground against one of the Dees best - Brian Dixon.
Hence my user name. As the years went by, I managed to get by now my 2 younger brothers to also barrack for the Pies. My dad took it all in good grace - he always said that the best footballer he had ever seen was Bobby Rose!
So I guess that you could say regardless of your religious leanings that it was through the grace of God that I ended up a Pie supporter and social club member for over 30 years.
A few years ago I read a biography of Jock McHale and learnt that his birthday was 12th December - the same day as mine! So I guess I was born to be a Pie! lol

[Dudham]

This is one of the best threads ever.
It is interesting to read why teams are supported. Some are forced upon you, some are chosen and some are by accident. We all have different "why we follow" stories, but the one thing we all have in common is "we do follow".
Born and raised in Sydney and the only sport followed in the family was English Football (soccer) by my old man. He was raised just around the corner from White Hart Lane, so he has followed Spurs since he was 5. I think I broke his heart back in 1973 when I picked West Ham because of a goalkeeper called Mervyn Day.
Parramatta was the first club that I ever collected the entire team of in Footy cards.
I was the only sports nut in the family and I was the only one that watched this strange game played in Melbourne. We didn't get full games, we got The Winners on ABC (I think). I used to watch the highlights without really following a side. I soon came to realise that there was this one player who was ALWAYS in the highlights. So, I would watch the Winners just to watch Billy Picken. I followed Picken before I followed Collingwood, but by watching his games, I came to know all the other players. So when some kids at school would talk about VFL, I would tell them I followed Collingwood because I knew most of the team.To this day, I am eternally grateful Picken didn't play for the scum.
What does Collingwood mean to me?
It was strange to move to Victoria and find out that many people define you by your team, not by your character. I found the vitriol towards me and my team to be quite unsettling when I first arrived. I had never despised someone because of their sporting team. However, I have to be grateful to these people for instilling me the following mantra: I follow Collingwood and everyone else can get buggered.

[Blade]

I was born on the 1st November 1951 in Preston England.
On the the 19th May 1963 my Family emigrated to Australia, arriving Port Melbourne early Saturday morning the 22nd June 1963.
Whilst we were waiting for our luggage to be transferred to the dock, myself & a few friends i had made on board the ship were running around playing as 11 year olds do, nearby were 3 blokes who i now know were wharfies having their morning Smoko.
Obviously they were talking in an accent I had never heard before, but at one stage one of them said to the other, what are you doing this arvo and the reply was I'm going to Vic park to watch the mighty Pies, not understanding what they were talking about, we asked & we were told that Arvo was Saturday afternoon, Vic park was Victoria Park & the Pies were the Collingwood Football Club I have Barracked for them ever since that day.
As we were living in the Brooklyn migrant hostel the 1st game I saw was Footscray against Melbourne some time in July, Ted whitten was playing for the Dogs & Ron Barassi was with the Demons. I didn't see the Pies play until 1964 at Geelong.
My parents, both dead now barracked for the Saints, my two younger brothers Richmond.
So starting with myself I have a wife - 2 sons - 2 grandsons & 2 grand daughters all barracking for the Pies & all members of the CFC.
Whilst there has been a lot of dissappointment since 1963 especially 1970 I would'nt have changed anything for the world, once the Pies are in your Blood that's it there is no other.
I am just so pleased to have seen 1990 & 2010 & I hope I will get to see another in 2013, or at least a couple more before it's time for me to up stumps.
Whilst watching losing Grand Finals is the most gut wrenching feeling there is, winning them is the most excilerating experience one can imagine.

Go Pies - Side By Side

[magpietragic]

My story began around 1965. I was 11 and my family (Italian migrants) had no interest in football. I remember one weekend catching some hilights of a match starring this Adonis called McKenna. Well my pre teen hormones activated, forget Normie Rowe or whoever, I was in love. I tried whenever I could to catch some of the replays etc but would always be outvoted by my bossy big sister. Naturally my love spread to the whole team and the handsome and much younger John Greening. Even though I had no control over what was on tv, I soon had my own transistor radio, which meant I could at least follow the games. I remember many a fight with my big sister she wanted to watch "epic theatre" and I wanted to watch "world of sport"

My whole family thought I was nuts but I did influence my two younger sisters. I cried after 1970 and that reinforced to my family that I was weird.

Once I could drive I would take my younger sisters to vic park. I lied to my parents as to where it actually was. Remember Italian fathers are very strict especially mine. All my friends were scared of him.

As life went on I Graduated from uni and then met my husband (non pie) who I thought I could convert same as I had done with many of my extended family, but he remains a Collingwood hater. Our 3 adult children are all pies though and being at the 2010 premiership with them was unforgetable.

My husband often tells people "my wife is a Collingwood supporter and she is crazy". He still comes to the footy with me, I just have to behave myself a little more than I used too. He even wished us luck in 2010, and that was hard for him to do.

[Greening gold]

My story began around 1965. I was 11 and my family (Italian migrants) had no interest in football. I remember one weekend catching some hilights of a match starring this Adonis called McKenna. Well my pre teen hormones activated, forget Normie Rowe or whoever, I was in love. I tried whenever I could to catch some of the replays etc but would always be outvoted by my bossy big sister. Naturally my love spread to the whole team and the handsome and much younger John Greening. Even though I had no control over what was on tv, I soon had my own transistor radio, which meant I could at least follow the games. I remember many a fight with my big sister she wanted to watch "epic theatre" and I wanted to watch "world of sport"

My whole family thought I was nuts but I did influence my two younger sisters. I cried after 1970 and that reinforced to my family that I was weird.

Once I could drive I would take my younger sisters to vic park. I lied to my parents as to where it actually was. Remember Italian fathers are very strict especially mine. All my friends were scared of him.

As life went on I Graduated from uni and then met my husband (non pie) who I thought I could convert same as I had done with many of my extended family, but he remains a Collingwood hater. Our 3 adult children are all pies though and being at the 2010 premiership with them was unforgetable.

My husband often tells people "my wife is a Collingwood supporter and she is crazy". He still comes to the footy with me, I just have to behave myself a little more than I used too. He even wished us luck in 2010, and that was hard for him to do.

John Greening - now there was a champion. My sister, 2-3 years younger than you, was also deeply in love with John Greening. I was at Melb Uni in 1971, walked into the Commonwealth Bank branch at the uni and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him there, working as a teller. He gave me his autograph and we had a bit of a yarn. Lovely bloke - such a shame he, and we, were robbed of his career.

[Member 7167]

I am Mrs. 7167, in my own right I am member 7178. I am not into this 'forum stuff' so I am using my Hubby's access to give you my story.

As a young child I lived in 15 Nicholson St, Abbotsford so how could I be anything else but a Collingwood supporter! Also just to add to that my Dad was a Collingwood Councilor and used to run the Collingwood Police Boys Club he was a tailor and had a shop in Victoria Street. Black and White is in my blood.


I was never a regular at Vic Park. My mother was told that it "was not the place of young girls" so my Dad used to take my brother and left us girls at home. Instead we used to sit at our front window and watch to see if the scarfs were hanging out of the car windows to let us know if we had won or lost.

As I got older I became a Nurse and so during my training I worked many weekends. This is when I met my soon to be Hubby.


He came from Sydney and knew nothing about AFL. I soon set about telling him that everyone in my family were Black and White and very soon he too became 'one of us'. We started to go to the odd game and slowly over the years we became addicted. When our children came along they too became Collingwood fans.

When our youngest turned around 5 years old we became Family Season Ticket Holders. We wanted to just see how much the family liked going.

I had been working as a Nurse on weekends but as I changed jobs we gradually started to go more frequently. Then it became an obsession. We became Captain's Members, then Legends. My family has grown and I feel like I have made up for all those footy matches that I missed out on as a child.

I did eventually get to go to Vic Park and took my young children there. We went to training before the 2001 and 2002 Grand Finals. We went back there too after our defeats. We also went to the last game at Vic Park and numerous 'Family Days'.

I am sure even my Mum would have realised that Vic Park wasn't that bad, because if you were Black and White you were one of the family. One of my sisters is also a member and sits behind us at the G with her family. It is a family affair and it is something that we as a group enjoy. It takes us back to our roots and gives us highs and the odd low but always makes us feel like Family, Collingwood Family!

[HAL]

I am sorry to hear that you are not into this 'forum stuff' so. How long have you been using his or her Hubby's access to give you his or her story ? So now it is all set.

[VicParkTragic]

My dad was born and raised in Lang Street Clifton Hill in 1930. Back then the walls in his house were made of old briquette bags because they couldn't afford plaster. His father was a crumpet maker and a "bottle-o". They had no money to pay to go into the footy but as a boy, my father would go over and get in for free after half time.
He took me to my first games in about '68 or '69. My memory of the late 60's and early 70's revolve around lots of beer in bottles and lots of drunks. It was a little scary for an 8 year old.
My father (who died in '96) stopped going to games as he got older but was always a strong supporter. But his roots were always in Lang Street Clifton Hill, a stones throw from the ground.

[perthmagpie]

I was born in 1962 into a family split into Collingwood and Essendon supporters. My dad's side of our family had few relatives and were Essendon but not diehards, whereas my mum's side had lots of working class relatives from Preston and Thornbury and were all Magpies. My dad gave me an Essendon jumper when I was five but I barely wore it. I was much closer to my mum and I think that is the main reason I chose black and white.

A typical Saturday afternoon in the late sixties ad early seventies was spent lying on my bed listening to Collingwood on the radio. My mum would be in our half finished kitchen cooking all day with Ian Major or Tony Charlton blaring out and her occasionally screaming 'go Mighty Magpies' right after Tony Charlton raved about Barry Price hitting McKenna lace out 'champagne football'. My dad would be working outside listening to the mainly mediocre Bombers on the radio. I hated the days we had to cope with 3DB and it's infuriating stop, start commentary. After a win I would grab a pair of rolled up socks and be Thommo, Richardson, Price and McKenna.

Those were the years I just longed to go to the game. I don't remember my first game but I have memories of crying at the 1970 Grand Final. I wasn't old enough to go to the footy on my own till 1976 ( what a great year to start!). Before then I had to rely on my Pop taking me when I stayed with him on school holidays. My Pop had been a member since forever and I remember him one day introducing me to Neil Mann and I was amazed at how huge his hands were.

I went to as many games as I could in 1976 but it was a year of upheaval. But in 1977 my mum relented and let me go every week. From then on there was no stopping me and I didn't miss a match for 100 rounds. I met a bunch of new friends, joined the cheer squad and lived and breathed footy. It was a tough in those early years losing Grand Finals and being teased at school and my first job.

My love for the Magpies has never waned. Apart from a year living in WA and a couple years playing footy I have gone to most games. It would have total led somewhere around 700 by now I would imagine. It seems in the last few years my passion has increased although these days I am more able to handle the emotional bruises that go with loving Collingwood. I have delved into my family's history in supporting the Magpies to find out where it all started. Eventually I found out my late Pop lived in Turner Street across the road from Vic Park just before WW1. John Wren was his landlord and Pop started following the team before he sailed to Egypt. After the war he became a member and kept up his membership till the late seventies.

These days I do volunteer work for the Club and have a daughter who is being trained to be a Magpie. She doesn't say too much about the team but on the rare day she will for some reason get up in the morning and put her Collingwood jumper on and surprise me! We have a Collingwood theme song doorbell so perhaps my tactics are working.

I consider it a gift being able to follow this great Club. It has been a rich tapestry of experiences. I feel at last the immense power of our loyal and passionate army is finally being utilised to make us the strongest Club in the land. For many decades we mismanaged our greatest strength and did not take advantage of what should kept us ahead of all others. 2013 I believe is going to be a sensational year.

[Wolf]

[Joeboy]

in the late 1940,s my grand mother owned a milk bar and a boarding house on the corner of smith and gertrude st, lou richards used to shop there and one day brought in a windcheater with a collingwood footballer on the front for me,from then on i was hooked.we later moved to ringwood, i remember when i was twelve my mum took me to the melbourne v collingwood game on the queens birthday, the biggest home/away game ever,magnificent,on grand final eve 1958 the owner of the local garbos [ben kidman] came around home and told mum he had a spare ticket to the granny and could he take me, well", they said you could have got 100/1 the pies as this melb side was one of the best ever, 6 out of ten flags [1955-1964]. it was a wet/cold/muddy day but the weed,hooker,merrett,bennett and 16 other mates made sure it was the best ever collingwood win and i was so lucky to have been there and that,s why im collingwood people.

[Brett]

Hi
My Grandfather was born in in 1900 to English immigrants and lived at 24 Harmsworth st Collingwood. The city of Collingwood in those days was a very tight knit community and everyone followed the mighty Woodsmen. My grandfather did a bakers run for many years in Smith Street Collingwood and was staunchly one eyed and attended all Collingwood games. A Magpie win meant a chatty happy sat night dinner and a sporting globe or a loss and straight home through the back door and to bed! My father was born in 1927 and the family had then moved to Noone Street Clifton Hill, he attended Gold street Primary School and later Collingwood Tech with Ron Richards! He played footy for the Collingwood juniors from 1945-1949 not quite good enough to receive an invite to the main side. He again attended all Collingwood games and lined up on Grand Final days to see the Collingwood efforts in 1935,1936, and in 1938 against the filthy Carlton and the rotten Bob Chitty, they saved a seat for my Grand father with a cane basket as he had to finish his bakers run,and again 1953,1955,1956,1957 and 1958. I was born in 1966 and by then the family had moved out to Reservoir and my father to a new life in Forest Hill, but still with the mighty Collingwood to follow. He became a father, and a son and a daughter was added to the Collingwood faithful in 1966 and 1968. whilst paying off a house etc work took up a lot of Saturdays and he did not attend as much as he previously did probably 4-8 games a year though the enjoyment of the late 60's and 70's football by the woodsmen was still a thrill to all at the brick veneer in the eastern suburbs. My interest started in earnest for the 1977 season and we attended a number of games as a family though not enough to quench my black and white thirst! 1978 started and so did my urging for us to attend more games though with no luck as other commitments and work took precendence. 1979 rolled around and as a 13yr old I started to attend Collingwood games weekly with some friends of my mums as she was desperate to stop my moaning about not attending Collingwood games. They were Social Club members at Victoria Park so at home games I was dropped off in the outer to meet up with after the games. I still remember the thrill of standing in the outer waiting for the side to run out on to the ground it was so exciting. I befriended many people and still see some at games now from those years in the outer at Vic Park and I later became a Social Club member when I reached 18yrs. Member no 5060 in 1984 how good was that ! My fathers health declined and he got to see only a few matches, but my enjoyment and regular attendance was a thrill to me. 1990 was a dream come true for us all after the disappointing 80's!!! My father passed away in 1992 and I was married that same year. My attendance was still religious through out the 90's and the move to the MCG. My kids were joined up as legend members at birth and they have both been attending every week with dad since they were 4 yrs old and that is 10yrs ago ! They so enjoy the Collingwood matches as do I and as we drive to the matches through the streets of Collingwood to park and walk to the MCG I often think of my family connections to the area and the immense enjoyment and pride we have and always have had over the generations of supporting the "Mighty Woodsmen" And of course the 2010 Premiership was the best hugging and crying with my Kids is something I will treasure forever.
Brett

[Holbrook Bloke]

As passionate about the Pies as I am now, my dad was passionate about car racing. Living near Albury, the Hume Weir was my MCG and names like Jane, Beechey, Moffat, McKeon, Thompson & Geoghegan were my heroes, especially Bob Jane and his Camaro.

But one day at school around 1970 gave me another passion. There were three dominant boys in my class who went, respectively, for Carlton, Collingwood & Richmond. I chose Collingwood on the basis of liking the Pies boy better and the rest as they say is history. I went to my first grand final in 1981 and still have the series ticket that gave me 2 finals and the granny for the princely sum of $1.50!

Due to kidney failure, I had to go down to Melbourne by train once a month to attend clinic at Prince Henry's Hospital on St Kilda Road (now a block of flats I think) and I would always make it to a Pies game, hopefully at Vic Park where I would stand in the same spot with a friendly older couple who would share their tea and bikkies.

The station master at Culcairn always knew if we'd won if my scarf was fluttering out the window as the Spirit of Progress pulled into the station around 11pm. As awful as it was, if it wasn't for my kidney failure, I doubt I wouldn't been able to travel to see the Pies at least once a month and enjoy the indelible memories of Victoria Park.

Collingwood means a hell of a lot more to me than I realise sometimes. As many have suggested in their reminisces, win, lose or draw, I like that we're part of a big family. I love that our team divides like no other. What other team can you say you support and someone says "You don't follow that bloody team do you?" Hell, when I was younger, I loved writing the word Collingwood in wet sand just to see it in writing!

Following the Pies has taught me how to handle disappointment better but the awful lows are more than offset by the seering highs shared by many. We are indeed very lucky to follow such a well supported club.

I've been based in Sydney since 1986 and have been a Social Club member since 1988.

[Clifton Hill-Billy]

AS I grew up in Clifton Hill, I was really only ever destined to support the Pies, but ironically I didn't start barracking for the Pies until my second game of football.

My dad used to take me down to Vic Park at 3/4 time when they opened up the gates and you could just wander in. Sometime in the mid to late 80s I went to my first game of football (I think I was about 5 or 6 at the time) Pies vs Fitzroy, couldn't see much, but I remember seeing Bernie Quinlan kick an amazingly torpedo goal from outside 50. Dad informed me that Quinlan was called Superboot and I thought that he was some kind of football superhero.

By my second game, thoughts of Superboot had completely disappeared and as I sat on top of the 4 and 20 Pie Stand (so I could actually see something) at the Dights Falls end and saw a sea of black and white cheering their beloved Pies on to victory, I knew I wanted to be a part of that army and have supported Collingwood ever since.