Letter in the Herald-Sun today

[BonBon]

Originally posted by swansrock4eva
I jumped on the bandwagon before it was even a few planks of wood in 94. I didn't know about the history, I didn't understand it, but as the years have gone on, my pride in my club has only ever grown - that goes right on back to 1874.

I went to the odd game or two for years, but I only became familiar with the team and club for 3 years. I, like Gemma, didn't know much about the history, but you grow to understand it and learn about it. It's only taken me 1 year to become close to the club. It's amazing how many connections and contacts you make.

I think footy is what brings most people together. It's like a whole new world. You create lots of friendships. It's great.

PS, thanks for the CD and letter, Gem. Mum loved it! x

[BLOOD-y elle]

I have no problem sharing the team I grew up with. it's true what one of the earlier posters said, if we didn't go we would have dissolved. The then-VFL, and most of its clubs, forced us to go. We badly needed to do ground improvements to try to draw fans back to games at the Lake, but the VFL withheld ground improvement funds from us. Said they'd give us $$ IF we went to Sydney. We were over a barrell.

The bloke from Potts Point who started all this reeks of Mike Gibson's rant in the Sydney Telegraph last week (which we heard about down here in Melbourne), that the Swans are Sydney's now and all us old South supporters should get our mitts off them. And he said that Sydney welcomed the team with open arms when they weren't pulling crowds in Melbourne. What a misinformed fool. They had to GIVE tix away to those early Sydney games. I'm glad it's turned around now, but Gibbo should do some homework before he does any historic revisionism. Maybe he and whatsisface from Potts Point know each other.

[plumber dan]

Gibson a w----r,
He was at it again in todays Telegraph, comparing codes. He's a bitter, twisted, sad little man who can't get over the fact that North Sydney are out of the NRL competition.

[dawson]

Seemingly people who have nothing better to do write letters to the paper.

The way I see it is that the team has two parts to it that combine and fuse to form the club.

25 years ago people had the foresight to relocate the Swans. At the time the Swans weren't in good shape. On the field they hadnt done much since 1945. Off the field they were struggling.

Moving to Sydney killed two birds with one stone. Gave the club a chance to live and brought up a national competition.

Now Swans are one of the strongest clubs/brands in Australia - not just AFL but all sports. The team is the envy of many. In terms of AFL it has the whole Sydney market to itself. Resources and contacts to the big end of town that clubs like Collingwood and Essendon drool over.

We have a pronounced home ground advantage and but for cricket season get to train on our home ground.

Had they stayed in Melbourne they would have substandard facilities and being battling to makes ends meet like the Dogs and the Roos now do.

Dont think anyone normal has a problem with the club and the South/Sydney concept. We are inclusive rather than exclusive.

Anyone else who has a problem with the team does so out of jealously.

[The Undertaker]

Re: Letter in the Herald-Sun today

Originally posted by Charlie
"There is nothing more pathetic than old South Melbourne supporters jumping on the Sydney Swans premiership bandwagon. South Melbourne is not Sydney. They ceased to exist nearly 25 years ago when they folded due to lack of interest and lack of funds."
- Clifford Smale
Potts Points NSW

Clifford, if you're out there, you're an A-Grade ********head. And if you're not, I wonder if you'll have the guts to post after I write into the paper tomorrow challenging you to come here and back up your idiotic statement.

There's enough of the premiership glory to go around. We'll even let morons like yourself bask in it... and all your bandwagon jumping mates. Get back in your box.

Don't worry Charlie,

Its looks like our 'friend',here in Sydney,Mike Gibson is polluting the press down there in Melbourne.

Don't let halfwits get you down.

or you might go too crazy and start barracking for Collingwood!

[connolly]

Originally posted by ben.carbonaro
Thanks for you help, Ann.

Whilst not siding with this bloke at all, isn't wrong to judge what someone has written based purely on where we live ?

Normally yes but with Potts Point an exception can be made

[GoSouth33]

After investing years of emotional energy into the Swans I would continue to follow them even if they moved to Timbuktoo (spelling???). It's nonsense to suggest you give away a team just because it's forced to relocate.
I was speaking to one older couple on Sunday: they'd just been to the player function at the Lindsay Hassett oval, and the bloke has lived in that area all his life....all 62 years. He and his wife now visit Sydney once or twice a year to see games at the SCG -which they love doing. Try telling him it's no longer the same team!

[AnnetteF]

Originally posted by originalswan
Would hate to think what Cliffy thinks of old Fitzroy supporters following Brisbane Lions? Or perhaps people don't choose to live their lives according to Cliffy's mantra!

What about people who don't live in Sydney and support the Bloods? I mean, I'm originally Tasmanian, I've been a fan since they were South, lived in Sydney for ten years but now live in Brisbane and at the Swans/Brisbane game at the Gabba last year I met a youg Brisbane teernager who had recently started supporting the Swans because she'd just got into AFL. She read about all the clubs and decided she liked the Swans the best and decided to support them. She's never lived in Melbourne *or* Sydney. And she was cheering as loud as anyone during the game. Good on her I say. There's room enough at the Swans for *all* the fans.

Annette

[tez]

We all know the origin and the circumstances of how the
Sydney Swans evolved. It has always amazed me of how the
old Sth Melb supporters have remained true to the Red and the
White and how that passion has been passed down from
parents to their children.

IMHO there has always been the fear within rubgy league
ranks of the AFL and the article by Mike Gibson is another
example. In the early years of the Sydney Swans there was
rarely a positive word printed about the club .

To give credence to the writings of people who know SBA
about our game is being foolish. It has as much credibility
of me writing about Rugby League. I don't know much about
rugby league so I keep my mouth shut. That is not to say that
I don,t respect those who play and support the game.

[Piobaireachd]

Originally posted by Mike_B
There was this letter along a similar theme in yesterday's SMH.

If people with these sorts of attitudes don't want to recognise and celebrate our club's rich history then that's their loss. I for one was honoured to have been able to share the celebrations at Punt Rd and Albert Park with people who have been supporting our club for far longer than the team has been in Sydney.

As for Clifford, well, he doesn't know what he's on about because the club relocated to ensure that it didn't fold!

THat letter is from F/head. That is F/head to a tea!

or is that tee?

[Piobaireachd]

Originally posted by Whitefox
So they would rather have not had a team?

YOu see? You are showing ignorance.

[nicko18]

Did your letter make it charlie?

FWIW i was stoked at the level of support there appeared to be in Melbourne. I dont think Sydney people are so insecure as to disembark because the club has ties to South Melbourne. If Swans fans were so hateful of Melbounre they wouldn't be following the AFL in the first place i reckon.

[THERBS]

Originally posted by mocaholic
Nice story, Therbs, was that the tie? I think I went to that game. Losing all day, and suddenly Jason Love puts us in front with about 5 mins to go.

Rod 'Super' McPherson kicks a point from about 50m to the Barkly St end to tie it up with about a minute to go.

Might have been early 90's come to think of it. Hands stuck to the ice-cold VB cans. Surrounded by ferals. My gf at the time was a nominal Bulldogs fan (not impressed by the weather) as were my mates there. Might have been 5.9 apiece or something.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Sorry about the delay! Yep, I was there!

[Thunder Shaker]

Originally posted by mocaholic
Nice story, Therbs, was that the tie? I think I went to that game. Losing all day, and suddenly Jason Love puts us in front with about 5 mins to go.

Rod 'Super' McPherson kicks a point from about 50m to the Barkly St end to tie it up with about a minute to go.

Might have been early 90's come to think of it. Hands stuck to the ice-cold VB cans. Surrounded by ferals. My gf at the time was a nominal Bulldogs fan (not impressed by the weather) as were my mates there. Might have been 5.9 apiece or something.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

I think the scoreline was
Swans 5.5 (35)
Dogs 4.11 (35)

[Bandwagoner'96]

...Listen, I was really proud that the Swans still had old fans south of the border and even those old 'Bulldogs' on the other side of the country....but comments made after the victory have left me with some regret.

I have no problem admitting that I actually cried after the game, however it turned bitter with all the constant references to South Melbourne and Bloods...I'm a Swannie not a blood. I have no issue with history and that's great BUT SYDNEY and SWANS should be made mention of before South Melbourne or Bloods...otherwise you're gonna be alientating a large portion of fans in a market you're trying to attract.

Watching some of those old Wide World of Sports moments with Davis and Richards was always good...now Davis can get f&$cked! from tears to bitterness is what I felt when he came up to present the cup...Hell I'd have preferred Barassi or even Rocket Eade!! it got worse Kirk yelling out 'for the bloods' - what about the rest of us? Some as my nick will suggest have been fans since the 1996 season...are we considered still as Sydney newbies and not as important as the bloods?? I don't care if Roos said 'South Melbourne SLASH Sydney'...at the end of the day SYDNEY comes first and then you can mention the rest.

At the end of the day if the Swans are South Melbourne in disguise to appease old fans then that's me out. If Sydney is there to attract a new market and WELCOME old fans who RESPECT the new and not continually going on about HISTORY then I'll stick around.