How many of us were old enough to appreciate 66?

[mordi]

I was 4 ( and the youngest). The rest of the family ( everyone had to be a Saint) went and had standing room tickets ( remember in those days there were a lot more , as I think the seats in old Southern Std stopped much earlier) .

I stayed with the nice old lady next door, but I have the vaguest memory of being left behind ! Oh why did you leave me behind!!!

[Winmar7Fan]

This post is interesting it's bringing out peoples ages I didn't realise. A lot of you are around my age or older and there are more than I thought on this forum.I wonder how many games we've been at together In the past?

One shocker that springs to mind when I was about 13 was at the Western Oval when Kelvin Templeton kicked 15 goals. What a beginning of a character building ten years that turned out to be.

[Newman]

Winmar Fan ... don't tell me you there for that game! Remember hearing progress scores on radio in Qld. That was awful. From memory we lost about 3 games in a row by about 100 points - and that was one of them. TERRIBLE year - and decade (most of anyway).

[mordi]

Hey Winmar7Fan, that was 1978.......what a great team.
We started on fire, then collapsed after the bloodbath at Moorabbin against Bombers! Then almost got into finals.......after we beat Hawks and then Blues in the last game ( on of the infamous Robbie Muir games).

What a team.....Sidearse, Barks, Rexy, Big Carl, Tweeds, Val, Russel Greene etc etc.!!!

[degruch]

This post is interesting it's bringing out peoples ages I didn't realise. A lot of you are around my age or older and there are more than I thought on this forum...

It's funny...I'd always thought most would be older than me (which most who've responded to this thread are), as when I was a kid, I was the only person in the whole town under 50 who followed the Saints...everyone else remembered 1966 clearly. I've still only met a handful of supporters in the flesh...a lot of whom jumped onboard after '96-'97.

[Duggie1]

Crikey! what a lot of scone-grabbers-cum-ankle biters you were. Am I the only one game enough to declare that I was 43 then. But I missed it. I was at the '65 loss to the Bombers. Sat in the MCG Members stand dead scared all afternoon in case someone nicked me for having a borrowed members ticket.

[Winmar7Fan]

Yeah that was 78 and an enormous flogging and long train ride home.

[stinger]

best day of my life........if you discount the days my kids were born........nah...on second thoughts...best day of my life.......period...

[Schillaci]

I was born in '71 so haven't experienced the big day success but was there the day Templeton kicked 15, the time we scored 3.11.29 to Collingwood's 200+ at Victoria Park and numerous other unmentionables. We're overdue. Let 2008 be the Year of the Saint.

[stinger]

Not a bad old year for "yours truly" I was 21 (two months older than "Cowboy") I completed my apprenticeship. I had money in my pocket. The clubs in Liverpool had LIVE music and along with my good mates I had energy to BURN!!!!!! Everton (my surrogate St Kilda!!!) reached the FA cup final and were down by two goals, only to produce the comeback of the century and win 3-2!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had no idea then of course that my destiny was to bring me to the other side of the world to join up with the OTHER team that had success in that year!!!!
How glad I am at the way its turning out!!!!

you and i are the same age mate....1966 was a great year.........for me...for many reasons..........

[bigcarl]

i was 4 and have no recollection of the day at all.

but dad was there and has told me some of the legendary stories like how a group of st kilda supporters put a st kilda guernsey on the statue of tommy bent and a bottle of beer in his outstretched hand.

and how the timekeeper guy in charge of sounding the siren was a st kilda fan and kept it blaring for quite some time.

you should hear him on ian stewart, the footballer. talk about revered tones.

[Superboot]

I was 12. My first St Kilda game, after emigrating in 1965.

Like the Jiggster I was still celebrating Everton's first FA Cup win in 33 years, and England's World Cup win.

Then you'll like this, Superboot!

Thanks for that.

Great stuff!

[Sainterman]

Great thread guys! I was born 6 years too late, and had to rely on the stories my grandfather used to tell me as a little one.

My parents did get engaged that wonderful day in 1966 though, just after the final siren, making it one huge party that night!!

[starsign]

Posted a bit of this before, but its worth repeating for those who think they are long suffering Sainters...

I was 21 in Oct 66 and went to the game with my Dad who was 58 and had been following them all his life, after growing up in Prahran where my Pa had a grocery shop not far from the old Junction Oval
I didn't give us much of a show at 3/4 time with a lead of only 13 points and the Pies had the advantage of a seemingly increasing wind in the last
They always hail Breeny for kicking that wobbly winning point , but Bobby Murray our great Fullback was the real hero, who, with seconds remaining, he took the match-saving mark to repel the Pies who were streaming down the centre of the ground and about to seal it!
Well when the siren went pandemonium broke loose, because apart from the disillusioned Pie fans EVERYONE else at the G was barracking for us! They still regard it as the most emotional GF ever , and you could really feel it! I'll remember it till my dying day
My Dad turned and gave me the biggest hug and nearly busted a couple of ribs , and it was then I noticed he was actually crying. Tears were flowing freely from his eyes and rolling down both cheeks. I was shocked as I’d never ever seen the tough old Digger cry before, (or ever again, and he passed away at 85 years of age !
I said Dad your crying and he said "yeah Son, I was just wishing that MY Dad had lived to see this day"!
……..and my Pa died at age 94 after following them from day 1, never ever seeing them win a flag!
Pa 0 flags, Dad 1 and Me ….well its gotta be 2 at least surely! third time lucky as I saw the Hawks and Crows games too

(Postscript Bob Murray, a fellow retired teacher, great bloke, and good mate, lives up the bush not far from me at Tarrawingee…. He coaches Wangaratta Rovers Magoos in the O&M)

[StPeter]

I went to the '66 Grand Final, much to my Mother's horror because I am Jewish too and it was on a very holy day. But I thought if it's good enough for Ian Synman to play, them its ok for me to go. I took a fellow Jewish supporter with me to ease my conscience. I have no regrets about going and still have the Weg poster from the game.

My first StKilda game was in 1957 when my grandfather took my brother and me (both at the time Fitzroy supporters like our father ) to watch the Saints play at the junction oval and we were taken into the rooms before the game to hear Alan Killergrew's address to the players.

I was unbelievably impressed and expected the team to go out and play for their lives and have a huge win. We were smashed but I was now a Saints supporter for life. My brother wasn't so easy to impress and continued to follow Fitzroy.

i have seen nearly every game in Melb since and can only hope for the ultimate success this year.

[zebraman]

I was 11 at the time and remember it clearly.....my Dad followed teams that hadn't won a flag...he was a Hawthorn fan and when they won in 1961 he changed to St Kilda...a couple of weeks before the Grand Final he had a heart attack....was touch and go for a while but on Grand Final day he was still in bed recuperating...the radio was on in his bedroom but in the last 1/4 we had to turn it off as the excitement was getting too much for him....my mum and I went and listened to it in another room....keeping check on dad every couple of minutes.....the whole house was in major relief mode after the final siren....relief that dad had got through it ok and that St Kilda had won the flag...

No "live" TV in those days...and we settled down at 6pm I think it was to watch either all or highlight of the game on Channel 7....hearing Mike Williamson or Ted Whitten yelling kick it to the boundar and Bob Murray taking that mark very late in the final 1/4...Ihonestlly believe that St Kilda winning the flag helped his health no end....he was happy as a pig in poo......

He changed to North Melbourne the following year aand had to wait until 1975 for their 1st flag...

It was an extremely stressful and wonderful day in 1966...never forget it

[Rowdy]

. Am I the only one game enough to declare that I was 43 then.

You win the age stakes.

[Stephen Theodore]

I was 10 years old, and remember it like Yesterday. (nearly) My Father took me to the game, we stood in a very similar spot to where we stood in the 1971 Grander. Half forward flank, city end, southern stand. Being a little fellow, I pushed to the front and had a fairly good view, about as good as you can get in the standing section. To be honest, whilst being happy the Saints won, I couldnt quiete beleive the way the old man was carrying on.

I can remember being very dissapointed after the 1971 game, ahead by 20 odd points in the wet at 3/4 time. Stuff Bob Keddie.

1997 was a shattering moment. Prime members tickets, plonk on the wing, and when Aussie went on that run in the first 1/4 and kicked that goal, I realy thought it was going to be our day.

2008.....I've got tickets, plane tickets, accomodation, GO YOU SAINTERS. I've been to the last five granders in a row hoping like hell the Saints will be there, and this year, I've got a sneaking feeling............................

[ozrulestrace]

I just the youtube.com of the final minutes of the Grand Final and as usual it bought tears to my eyes.
Please, please , please I want that flag, which seemed to be the main theme of my turning 50 speech.
Thought I'd better explain the Ian Synam situation.
Ian was Jewish and with Grand Final being on Yom Kippur, there was a lot of talk as to whether would defy the rabbis and play or make the decision not to play.
In the end, he played. (Shades of "Chariots of Fire")

[Stephen Theodore]

ozrulestrace wrote:
In the end, he played.

And played a great game. Very underated footballer. From memory Bob Murray got most of the plaudits, bit Ian Synman was a good tough footballer.

[bergsone]

I was 10 years old,and went to all the 65-66 finals games with my late father,he was 1 of 10 in his family who lived in prahan area and they would walk to the junction oval pre linton st,anyway of the game remember the Breen point ,the older sainters yelling BLOW THE SIREN then the sheer jubliation and tears flowing down dads face,never saw that again ,but tell you what he wasnt the only one.especially when they ran that lap of honor
We were sitting high in the old southern stand ,when we were walking down the stairs leaving everyone was singing OH WHEN THE SAINTS COME MARCHING IN,Dad stopped at 2 pubs on the way home,probally lucky the 05 wasnt what it is today but he blasted the car horn all the way down our street which was great as we were the only saint family in the street,but there were some magpies.It was an open house that night with the neighbours etc
Great memories hope all those on here will get that experience SOON




Was back in the big smoke saturday to watch my old side play GF,coached by ex saint J Heatley,underdogs but great 98 point winners great to see ex sainters doing well ,didnt see much of saints sat night ,as you can understand,but watched replay today when I finally got home.Gee people party hard GF time GREAT

[Winmar7Fan]

best day of my life........if you discount the days my kids were born........nah...on second thoughts...best day of my life.......period...

You know last week when you were having a scrap with someone on here I thought regardless of what anyone thinks of you, you have something over most of us to be envious of.

You've experienced that dream a lot of us have been waiting for all our lives and may never get to see and at 44 it's starting to play on my mind and worry the s--t out of me.

[Rickabee]

Yes, I also one of the lucky ones 1966 (but disappointed in '71 & '97). My grandfather was an MCC member and my brothers & I got to go to oe final each that year with his spare ticket. I was the lucky one because I was the oldest and my younger brother missed out ("3rd generation saint"). My grandfather had followed the Saints since the early 1900's so it was a very special day for him.

I didn't realize at the time how fortunate I was because i thought we'd win quite a few more flags. We arrived in Melbourne from the USA on the Friday before Grand Final day 1965. It was the following year that I fell in love with Footy and my 1st match was round 4 vs. Geelong, which we won at Moorabbin. I was hooked and followed it ever since.

The funny thing was on GF day when the siren went I actually thought we had lost as the tension ws so great I hadn't looked at the scoreboard for a while. It was when I realized that everybody supporting the Saints were jumping up & down and the Collingwood supporter behind us had disappeared that I lloked at the scoreboard and realized we'd won! Therefore my rejoicing was about 3-4 seconds behind everyone else.

I'll never forget how abslutely tight the game was in the last quarter as Collingwood seemed to close in. Bob Murray did save the match for us and he remained a favourite player to as he kept getting better for years afterwards.

Great memories. I only hope that Harv's could get his greatest wish!

[saintwill66]

I am obviously the "old man" on SS because I was 26 on GF day in 1966, married with a 1 year old daughter, and living and working in Papua New Guinea, in the small provincial town of Kokopo on the Gazelle Peninsula of New Britain. At the time the Gazelle Peninsula was still occupied largely by expatriate owned coconut and cocoa plantations, with the Kokopo Sports Club as the main social centre in the district.

I was a Patrol Officer which meant I spent a fair bit of my working time away from the town on patrol to the hundreds of villages in our area of responsibility. Having completed my education at Dandenong High School in 1957 I went straight to PNG in February 1958 and no matter where I happened to be, I always had a sturdy portable radio with me so that on Saturday afternoons I could listen to the ABC on the shortwave band broadcasting the match of the day.

I carried a notebook around with me to write down the scores and would calculate (no calculators in those days!) team positions on the VFL ladder because we had no newspapers in the bush! Once a fortnight the mailplane would deliver my mother's weekly letters accompanied by relevant cuttings about the Saints from the Sun, Age and Sporting Globe - I devoured the cuttings well before my mother's family news!

On the morning of the '66 GF I returned to Kokopo from a 2 week visit to the exotic Duke of York Islands, and with my family joined the community for lunch at the Sports Club. The Club had been decked out in the Magpies and Saints colours and as far as I can recall the manager of the Sports Club, Arch Paige, and myself were the only Saints supporters there!

The radio broadcast was relayed over the club's PA system - we didn't need TV because the commentators vividly brought to life every bounce every pass, mark, and to this day I still prefer watching the live telecast with the sound muted and listening to Drew Morphett and Stan Alves calling the game.

The tension in the last quarter was nailbiting and by that time I had consumed so many cans of VB (and I'm not normally a "drinker!) that I was barely coherent - that final point dribbled through by Barry Breen was a tumultuous climax to a fantastic game. I have no recollection of getting home, because Arch threw the bar open for the rest of the night!!!

Postscript: 4 weeks after the GF Arch Paige arranged for Rothmans to bring the 16mm movie of the game to be shown at the Sports Club, but unfortunately I was out on patrol again and too far away to get back for the night. But I do now have the DVD!

[sensaint]

I was 7 at the time, but my Grandfather was there, he went with a mate & i remember him telling me at about the 25 min mark in the last qtr his mate couldn't handle the stress anymore & went outside to the carpark, only to find about 1,000 ppl doing the same thing, all listening on their trannies!!
I heard a story once, don't know if it's true, that they found 2 elderly ppl dead from heart attacks in the Great Southern Stand after the game.
My Grandfather gave me the Record, complete with all the goals & points pencilled in, i wouldn't part with it for anything.
I was at the '71 with my father & was at the '97 as well, what a awfull night that was.