The difference between now and the 1980's

[3rd generation saint]

I've been sitting here wallowing in my own pity as to why this is hurting so bad this time, why is watching us lose so demoralising and depressing this time around?
I'm a St.Kilda supporter I should be use to this type of crap and losing.
Why in the 1980's could I go to a game and look forward to it every Saturday knowing we we're probably going to lose?
Well, I suppose we never made the Grand Final back then so I didn't know what it was really like to miss out on opportunity, thiough I was at the 1971 Grand Final and I do remember being pretty disappointed despite my 213 years of age.
Mind you I was also a lot younger in the 80's so I still had the optimism of youth.
But maybe I enjoyed it then because despite us being awful there we're two things that always entertained.
The first was that big guy that wore number 14 then 4, Plugger, he basically was our team for most of the 80's.
But two, there was Moorabbin, especially the Animal Enclosure where I use to stand, and no matter how badly we we're going, they we're always entertaining and made us laugh at ourselves as well as those beating up on us.
Sadly, that era is gone, football has been sanitised and has become more professional.
I still go, because I will always support this team, they are a part of me and like all of us here, want that premiership so badly.
As I've said to the wife for the last two years, I can handle the losing, I'm use to that, and I'll get over this current bout of it, but if we had won, 40 + years of emotion would boil up and explode and I would have needed her more to help me through that because I have never experienced it.
Just looks like we are going to have to wait a little bit longer.

[Dr Spaceman]

thiough I was at the 1971 Grand Final and I do remember being pretty disappointed despite my 213 years of age.

[plugger66]

Mind you I was also a lot younger in the 80's so I still had the optimism of youth.

And the next line.

[3rd generation saint]

No wonder I feel old, but I still have my precious, or there is a picture of me in the attic that is ageing while I stay young, or I beat Captain Jack Sparrow to the Fountain of Youth.

[bigred]

This doesnt even compare to the 80's.

Not even close.

[thejiggingsaint]

Oh God!!!!!! Don't tell me I have to grow a mullet/get a perm/grow a mo!

[evertonfc]

Difference being that footy in the 1980s was as much a social occasion as anything.

You could go along, have a slab of beer and a whale of a time without worrying about the match if [read: by how much] we were losing.

Win? Celebrate like we'd never win again.

Good times. No heavy-handed security. No families asking you not to use obscenities [because they'd be in the family friendly no-swearing area], relaxed atmosphere, rocking social club, sense of belonging.

All that has gone, and we've become entirely results driven.

Rarely do you have a 'good day out at the footy' when the Saints get rolled.

[stevie]

We had Barks in the 80's - the epitome of loyalty and courage.

His marking was sometimes the only bright thing in a Saints game. It was for me as a teenager.

An 80 point loss would be forgotten as you saw Trev soaring over Dennis Scanlon at Windy Hill, knowing it would front page of the HUN the next day.

Yep, those were dark days but we got through it. 2000 was a nasty one for me though - I remember crying in my room when we kept losing till Rd 13, and my missus wondering WTF, you're 38 years old FFS

[Dr Spaceman]

Some people refer to Barks and compare his courage and loyalty to today's "rabble".

But not all our players back then followed Barks' lead. We also had some blokes who didn't put in from time to time.

I would say that Sam Fisher's loyalty, courage and consistency is not dissimilar to that of TB's, albeit without the Mark Of The Year nominations.

So I get a bit annoyed when people make comments that our 2011 team is a disgrace to the memory of those teams from previous eras.

Yes, if we had've fielded 22 Trevor Barkers we would have won several flags during that time. Unfortunately we also had a lot of ordinary players, including some who showed as little heart as some of those blokes last Sumday.

Let's not be overly romantic about the 80s!

[stevie]

Yeah, good points DS.

Its always hard to compare different eras and players. The style of footy has changed so much.

I like to hear you guys reminisce about the days at Moorabin.

Incredibly, I am a 48 year old Saints fan, born in Victoria, but i never actuually saw a game at Moorabin!

I'm gonna write a long post soon, about being a Sainter and growing up, etc.
we should have a permanent thread where we can put this stuff.

Cheers all and here's to a victory this week!

[Junction Oval]

I was at the Junction Oval for the Doc's first training run. He was the only player that could kick with both feet - amazed everybody, including the players.

Saw Carl Ditterich play his first game at J/Oval against Melbourne, when we beat them. They had not been beaten for years. Saw Lindsay Fox play also. Lots of other stories - Eric Guy cleaning up Bob Skilton, etc etc.

Went to all the local VFL grounds. My father knew all the sneaky parking spots close to every ground.

Walking to the Collingwood matches along the narrow back streets, which had terraced houses opening right onto the street. The locals would stand out the front leaning over their low wired fence, offering comments about the Saints chances. It was another world to me and very scary for a small boy.

Could go on and on - it was another world then.

[ralphsmith]

Ok i wasn't around for the miserable 80s, was only 1-9 years old.

But this is all hurting so bad because we've built towards this momentous climax. Hope and faith has driven us on through the darkness for years, the hope we would win a flag.

We have battled tirelessly to achieve that elusive premiership, toiled, struggled, cried, screamed, kicked, shouted...wailed.

After all this mighty effort, we have failed. It is a tragedy of the highest order and we're all living through it right now.


If this were all a movie we would summon some ancient power to help us in our darkest hour.

but it's not...

Now excuse me while i go and listen to Goddards theme song - Alice in Chains - Down in a hole.

...Id like to fly but my
Wings have been so denied...

[Dr Spaceman]

Memories of the old days?

I started going to the footy on a regular basis in 1973. I lived in Moorabbin but didn't come from a footballing family. Things changed when a family friend, jockey Alan Trevena, rocked up at the door with 4 junior season tickets for us kids. Alan was a passionate Saints man who lived one street from the ground. Went to Round 1, at the MCG against the Dees, and basically have gone each week since.

So I missed the Doc, and I missed Carl's debut. But I did get to see Barks first and last games, and most in between.

I would have seen Warnie's one and only reserve game, simply because at he time he played it I would have been at the ground watching the ressies. Have no recollection of him actually playing of course.

Vividly remember a young Rob Butterss playing in the twos. I remember him mainly due to his ridiculous red beard and his inability to play. I still recall the time he came to the boundary line on the wing and abuse wafted over my head from the grandstand. At the point in time the Reserves coach sat towards the front of that stand, and he was cleary as unimpressed about Rodney as were my brother and I.

Although I missed Carl's debut I did see David Legge play all of his 3 senior games, and he's famous because he's been in television commercials

I used to watch Grant Thomas in his red boots playing fairly well in the 2s and wondering when he would get his chance at senior level. He finally did and I recall him later playing at Full Back in an intra club practice match at Moorabbin against a podgy 17 year old recruit who proceeded to kick 4 goals on him. Next day the papers informed me that the goal kicker was a kid from Ballarat named Tony Lockett.

I remember regular trips to Sydney and at times talking our way into the aftematch function which was a gigantic piss up. And at one stage having a drink with Mike Willesse and the infamous Murray Farquhar. One one occasion a few players commandeered a small bar and displayed their bar tending abilities. The strongest drinks I've ever had were poured by David Whitty. On another occasion I literally filled a large sports bag with stubbies, left the function, found the team bus and boarded  it. Needless to say I was quite popular at that moment. At the airport a mate knocked off a box of chocolates which Rene Kink found to his liking, but refused to share around. Great night although it was a pain in the arse to have to get a taxi back from Mascot to Kings Cross!

Memories of Carrara aftermatch functions and hearing Paul Cronin insisting to everyone within earshot that the Bears needed a Full Forwrad (Capper was playing with them at the time!) Catching up with Mark Roberts who questioned how my efforts to get him to the Saints was going. I didn't know the Fridge but he remembered me from his time in Sydney. At a pub in Bondi, after a Swans v Saints game, a drunken Doc had convinced  Roberts that he should come to St Kilda. Seems I may have mentioned I would speak to someone about it. Seems he was pretty keen on the idea. Seems he was less drunk than the Doc. Seems the guy has a pretty good memory! Isn't alcohol wonderful!

After a game at Princes Park a few of us found ourselves at a townhouse in Fitzroy  which  was the abode of Ricky Nixon and Ian Muller. A mate tried to remove Molly's hat and was abused. Naked people swam in the indoor pool down below. Some things, and people,  never change I suppose.

There's just so many memories of those days. I could go on as I'm finding this to be quite therapeutical, however time to give someone else a go

[spert]

The 80's (and the late 70s) were a period of instability and really bad management at the club, the finances were in a shambles as a result. There was no committment to building a team for successs, and nobody led from the top. Compared to now, we are a different beast, but circumstances have us in a tricky situation this season. The club has more character than the 80s and hopefully Westaway and his board, and RL as coach will get the motor started again, if not, the knives will be out- it's a footy club after all.

[matrix]

the Dr is my new hero

[dragit]

the Dr is my new hero

mine too…
I don't have any fancy player-mingling stories…
I used to eat losses for breakfast (every sat)
I went to the footy a lot through the 80's, It wasn't until my 2nd or 3rd year that I actually saw us win,
One time when we were playing Carlton, down by around 100 points, the saints kicked a goal and I asked my grandfather "are we winning?"
I was pretty young and the roar was massive just because we had kicked one…
In those days we really enjoyed and cherished a win, unlike the past few years where I expected it every single week, which made me feel more relieved than happy…
My favourites were silvio foschini, barks and later david grant and harvs… mind you the superdogs under the stand where pretty exciting back then too!

[GrumpyOne]

Things changed when a family friend, jockey Alan Trevena, rocked up at the door with 4 junior season tickets for us kids.

I would have seen Warnie's one and only reserve game, simply because at he time he played it I would have been at the ground watching the ressies. Have no recollection of him actually playing of course.

Ahhh the memories....

The Trevena family were my next door neighbours in Cheltenham, but Alan had moved out by then. Was best mates with his younger brother Eddie.

As for Warnies one reserve game..... if you blinked you would have missed it.... came on in the last quarter and tried to clean a couple of blokes up. Don't think he got a kick. Only noticed him because my eldest and him played cricket together at school, and he pointed him out to me.

[Dr Spaceman]

Things changed when a family friend, jockey Alan Trevena, rocked up at the door with 4 junior season tickets for us kids. 

I would have seen Warnie's one and only reserve game, simply because at he time he played it I would have been at the ground watching the ressies. Have no recollection of him actually playing of course.

Ahhh the memories....

The Trevena family were my next door neighbours in Cheltenham, but Alan had moved out by then. Was best mates with his younger brother Eddie.

As for Warnies one reserve game..... if you blinked you would have missed it.... came on in the last quarter and tried to clean a couple of blokes up. Don't think he got a kick. Only noticed him because my eldest and him played cricket together at school, and he pointed him out to me.

We did have a lot of young blond fellas running around in those days

[stinger]

We had Barks in the 80's - the epitome of loyalty and courage.

His marking was sometimes the only bright thing in a Saints game. It was for me as a teenager.

An 80 point loss would be forgotten as you saw Trev soaring over Dennis Scanlon at Windy Hill, knowing it would front page of the HUN the next day.

Yep, those were dark days but we got through it. 2000 was a nasty one for me though - I remember crying in my room when we kept losing till Rd 13, and my missus wondering WTF, you're 38 years old FFS

in 1971....i went home..and went to bed....pulled the bedclothes over my face and didn't get up until sunday afternoon.....the then missus was a bit pissed...she had invited a few friends over for a saturday night get together....silly woman.....in 1997...i was just numb.....one of the first out of the ground.....i have been to all the saints losing grand finals since 1965....day and night....i have never stayed around to watch the opposition celebrate...and never will...but i have at least stayed until the siren blew...no matter how hard to take....but...we have been here before and i don't want to open old wounds......you have to be tough to be a saints supporter...and we all are..... ....keep the faith mate....

[stinger]

.

Saw Carl Ditterich play his first game at J/Oval against Melbourne, when we beat them. They had not been beaten for years. Saw Lindsay Fox play also. Lots of other stories - Eric Guy cleaning up Bob Skilton, etc etc.

Could go on and on - it was another world then.

you bring back the memories......i was in the rooms before that match......spoke to carl and wished him luck......he was really excited.....he and i were the same age ...17.....and had played against each other in under age games in the sth eastern suburban league.....his side was always a bit too good or us....

i was also there that day and can still see where it happened.....the day guy nearly killed bobby skilton.......hated the swans at the tima ..so felt no sorrow for the chimp....guy was the toughest footbller ec=ver to play for the saints.....built out of red gum he was.....i was also in the rooms in the last round....1961 wasn't it...when hawthorn beat us up badly. that brendon edwards was a dirty bastard....everyone was getting pain killers at half time.....guy pushed the doctors away.....


i have a footy card of lindsay fox....long blond hair flowing in the breeze......you wouldn't recognise him...well you might...most wouldn't..

...memories mate......i have lots of them...years ago..on earlier versions of this forum , i used to share them....before johnnny -come- lately's invaded the forum with their mistrust ,abuse and outright offensive remarks about my veracity...


.oh well......prepared to share with you....

[mr six o'clock]

The difference between then and now is the quality of the team , back then most of the side was average , but they had a red hot go , especially at moorabbin , I lost count of the amount of times we were beaten in the last quarter by better teams .
The current side is mentally shot !!!!
they played good footy in the first quarter , then when the hawks hit back , the players folded like a house of cards , that mental bubble they had has well and truly burst and they look like a bunch of nammby pamby girlie men , like most gen. y s . they need some one who can get them to harden the cufk up , stop playing with each others cidks and start playing football

[stinger]

The difference between then and now is the quality of the team , back then most of the side was average , but they had a red hot go , especially at moorabbin , I lost count of the amount of times we were beaten in the last quarter by better teams .
The current side is mentally shot !!!!
they played good footy in the first quarter , then when the hawks hit back , the players folded like a house of cards , that mental bubble they had has well and truly burst and they look like a bunch of nammby pamby girlie men , like most gen. y s . they need some one who can get them to harden the cufk up , stop playing with each others cidks and start playing football

i think we all share some...if not all....of those sentiments...i certainly do.....