Why do YOU support the Swans?

[Club 80]

I became a fully vested Swans supporter around 05.

In recent times my support has been tested due to a myriad of online struggles I've had with Swans supporters sites.

Some Swans supporters have hit me pretty hard, but I still love the Swans.

I've even bought my wife a half membership to go with the memberships that I have and my son has.

I believe now that I'm a fully rusted on Swans supporter. To keep coming back to the Swans after some of the feral treatment that some Swans supporters have dealt me shows that my love for the Swans is incorruptible.

[Velour&Ruffles]

I posted this 18 months ago on a thread about the best Swans' wins of the modern era ..... but in reality it is all about why I am a Swans supporter and I couldn't explain it any better now.

... also a game in 1977 against StKilda at home Teaser took a screamer and everyone was saying that will be mark of the year only for Trevor Barker to take a hangar over Ricky Quade in front of the members stand 10 minutes later.

I was there too, as a primary school kid with my father. I remember it the other way around, with Barker taking the first grab and Teaser following up a few minutes later. Either way, Teaser's grab (which I still maintain was better than Barker's far more replayed effort) was THE seminal moment in my life as a Swans supporter - Grand finals and all the rest included.

I started life as a third generation Bloods fan but went through a few years of trying to be a Saints supporter, because every kid at my bayside primary school went for St Kilda and I was the lone Swan. Peer group pressure took its toll.

My father was smart and patient enough not to apply any overt pressure on me to revert - instead, he took me to a few token Saints games each year, but mostly still to Swans matches (which meant about 16 a year in those pre-move days) and was content to let heredity do its work.

So we were always going to be at that game, given it was "my" team against my dad's. We were on the half forward line, not far from where both marks occurred. When Teaser took his grab, I remember erupting and cheering hysterically ...... And then I recalled I was in a Saints jumper .......

It was at that precise instant that I gave up my soulless pretence of barracking for St Kilda. Even as a primary school kid, I knew enough to know from that burst of unbridled joy that my heart was red and white, whatever I might try to tell my mates in the schoolyard, or my old man. So I went back to being the only Swans follower at my school, became a lifelong fan of the most important bearded miracle worker to ever walk this earth, and to this day enjoy going to the football with my father - although now officially barracking for the same team.

A post script. Someone mentioned the Barry Mitchell game at Pie Park. That was 1986 and my father and I were there too. Given we were seven goals down a little before 3/4 time, I was beside myself when we won against all odds, and all sense of self preservation deserted me. Wearing a Swans scarf, I let my pleasure at the victory be known to all around me as I exited the ground. My poor father, a peaceful and restrained gentleman, had to physically intervene to protect me from being publicly lynched by a couple of violently embittered, snaggle-toothed Magpie lowlife. Another immortal memory ...And if anyone doubts me, read this account of the Pie fans' behaviour that day: Mayhem at Victoria Park - collingwoodfc.com.au

[dimelb]

Thanks for posting your story again V&R. I think I laughed as much as I did first time around, and smiled again at the recognition of the truth inside.

[Doctor]

My grandfather was from Fremantle and was a North Melbourne supporter. I used to watch the Saturday afternoon game with him in the late 70s and learned the game then. My soccer team wore the same colours as Hawthorn (yeah really) so I started following them. I've always been a "follow my home team" kind of guy though so once the Swans moved to Sydney I found my allegiances steadily drifting towards the red and white. My the time I'd finished school I was a Swans supporter but didn't start attending games until the mid-90s, when a couple of friends started going and I went with them. I didn't really know anyone who went to the games until then. I became a season ticket holder almost 20 years ago, both my kids are too now and my son has been through the Academy, so my support has been through a whole generation. A bunch of us who sit around each other in have become very close friends and we have the Swans to thank for that too.

As for why my support is so passionate, well you only have to look at the club to see that. I'm so proud to be a supporter of a club that has players who play with so much passion, and give their all. As well as a club that takes a stand on social issues and is so inclusive, as well as one that hasn't forgotten its past.

[barry]

Funny feeling after the game at the ground last night because I think a fair few giants fans have a soft spot for the swans or used to follow the swans that they were in part happy for the swans to win as a conciliation for the giants losing. There was little knashing of teeth.

[mcs]

1996 was the year that made me a rusted on swans fan.

As a 9 year old at the time I was very much a 'watch any sort of sport kid, whatever is on telly' (still am to some degree!) - but it was at that stage that the Swans run to the grand final got me hooked. Very much growing up in a rugby league part of NSW meant I never played the game as a kid, and none of my family going back really have much sporting blood at all. But I always enjoyed watching AFL footy on the telly, and the plugger point probably was the moment when I decided that the Swans would be my team.

I didn't get to my first live game till Rd 13, 2005 @ that stadium we dare not talk about anymore - when we beat the Pies by 1 point. I still don't get to as many games as I would love to - but the Richmond game at the G a few weeks back was my 100th live game watching the boys (at least I think it was on my count), so I think that's a reasonable tally thus far when nearly all that time has been spent living in Canberra. A many a trip up and down the hume is included in that tally

- - - Updated - - -

As for why my support is so passionate, well you only have to look at the club to see that. I'm so proud to be a supporter of a club that has players who play with so much passion, and give their all. As well as a club that takes a stand on social issues and is so inclusive, as well as one that hasn't forgotten its past.

+1 to this comment Doctor. I thoroughly enjoy following all the teams I do across various codes, but the Swans stand above because of the so many things the players and the broader club do to make us proud, both on and off the field.

[Bloods05]

Because my dad did, and his dad did, and so did his dad, having eventually found his way to Emerald Hill from Tasmania after being forcibly removed from Ireland some 20 years earlier.

[graemed]

I grew up in Jacana and my family was a Collingwood tribe. Every home game from the age of six. I would go to my uncle's cinema in Preston on Friday night to stay o'night and watch the early session. The next morning we'd go with the family to Vic Park. We'd arrive early to watch the U19's, then cheer on the Reserves and Seniors. Following the game we'd have a Chinese at the Chung On in Moonee Ponds on the way home.

What has this to do with supporting the Swans?

Well, after this sort of indoctrination it came as quite a shock to me that during a game at the SCG, I found myself abusing the umpires for decisions that were clearly biased in favour of Collingwood against the Swans in 1993. My friend and I had been attending games at the SCG from 1983 and in the ten years that followed, I guess, I "turned from the dark side". Even more surprising was that this came at one of the worst times in Swans history and can say that during the next few years, I was just about on first name terms with every one at the ground. There appeared little hope of future success and there were genuine fears about the very future of the club. Yet I could not deny the evidence of my conviction nor my conversion.

My family, who unaware of my journey to salvation, were first enlightened a few years later at of all things, a funeral for a much beloved aunt . During the wake that followed, my brother, my cousins and I were deep in conversation (read argument) about the worthiness of certain players and recruits, specifically my argument was that Paul Kelly was the best player in the competition and that Goodes was a better prospect than Tarrant and would one day be a Bronlow Medalist. At some point, we realised that all conversation in the room has ceased and that all my relatives were looking at me. It was very unnerving.

Needless to say that since that day my family only refers to me in hushed tones and my children are viewed with great suspicion.

[barry]

Your family lost two people that day.

[chuckie]

I was shopping in Castlemaine on Saturday and parked behind a car with a Swannies number plate, I waited around for a while but missed the person that was driving it.
Does anyone know who it may have been.

[ScottH]

And with it BonBon and NobNob...

RIP.
2 of the greats of RWO

[aguy]

I grew up in South West Sydney following the western suburbs magpies in the rugby league. Went to many games at Campbelltown Oval. Then along comes the super league and splits the very successful rugby league into two and in doing so rips the soul out of the game. In the midst of the debarcle that was the bitter fight between Murdoch and Packer during 1996 ( with the split competition arriving in 1997) the Sydney Swans powered along enjoying more success than they had ever achieved since moving to Sydney. As luck would have it a good friend of mine, who was and still is a Collingwood fan, invited me along to the 1996 Preliminary Final at the SCG. Anyone remember that game?? My memories are very blurry except for one vivid memory. I vividly remember sitting behind the goals in line with the left behind post ( as seen from the crowd) as Tony Lockett kicked the most amazing behind of all time which got us into our first grand final since moving. All of a sudden I was a Swans fan. The jubilation and electricity in the crowd was palpable. As was the absolute despair in the row of Essendon fans sitting in front of me. Never before had I seen grown men crying because their football team has lost. I remember dancing on the chairs. I also remember running down to the boundary fence, tripping on the fence as I jumped over it and crashing to the ground on the scg grass and then jumping to my feet to shoulder past the two converging security guards who at that point were still trying to stop people getting onto the ground. Fortunately I made it past them and they turned their attention to others before they shortly after gave up as the wave of people overpowered them.

From that day on my support of the Swans grew and grew as my interest in the rugby league diminished. When my western suburbs magpies merged with Balmain in 2000 I had really lost interest.

My interest in the swans continued to grow. I remember the jubilation. If 2005 although I was at a friends wedding that day and so didn't get to see it live.

Membership arrived for me in 2009 and my level of membership has progressively increased. At first a red three member. In 2012 whilst still a red three member I remember nervously awaiting the grand final ballot results. Would we get a ticket or not. As it turned out the ballot was undersubscribed ( despite 32000 members) and yes I was off to my first grand final. To this day that was one of the highlights of my life. Had a seat in the very back row of the southern stand and by the evening I was hoarse from having sung the song so many times. I was there with a mate.

Then by 2014 as the membership grew I was surprised to again get grand final tickets. But this time standing room only. My wife and I went and by the end of the day were bitterly disappointed as well as exceptionally tired from the day trip and standing all day.

That was all the motivation needed to upgrade to gold membership with premiership club and since 2015 have been to most home games with my young kids and now they love coming and spending the day at the footy with mum and dad.

In total that is 4 more bolted on Swans fans and just part of the story that now sees us as a family of almost 60000 members. An incredible story of a well run club who has made the absolute most of its transformation into one of the more successful sporting sound in the country.

Cheer cheer....

[neilfws]

I grew up in the UK. One of the TV stations there had a "live sport from around the world" show for a while and I caught a couple of AFL games. Thought it looked interesting but without any context, quite hard to follow, so I didn't pay too much attention.

Moved to Australia in 2000 and started watching Swans games on TV. Started to understand the rules better and enjoyed a game from time to time but still, not a huge fan.

Then the brother of my now-partner, who is a stadium member, invited me to a game at the SCG. As luck would have it, it was the Anzac Day game versus Melbourne in 2003. You may recall that the Swans were down 3 goals at three-quarter time and came home with a stirring 10-goal last quarter. Still ranks in the top 10 last quarter turnarounds. There was a young fella named Goodes tearing it up in the middle over and over again, thought he looked pretty handy. So I guess I became a fan because my first live game was one of the most exciting sporting events I'd ever seen.

I've been to the majority of home games ever since, save for a couple of years living in Brisbane. It's been long enough to have seen their worst, as well as their best, and to have had my own kids to take along sometimes. Just a great club to follow and one of my great pleasures in life.

[Blood Fever]

Funny feeling after the game at the ground last night because I think a fair few giants fans have a soft spot for the swans or used to follow the swans that they were in part happy for the swans to win as a conciliation for the giants losing. There was little knashing of teeth.

Know it's pedantic Barry, but it is 'gnashing' of teeth. Didn't know you were a biblical scholar!

[barry]

Know it's pedantic Barry, but it is 'gnashing' of teeth. Didn't know you were a biblical scholar!

More Monty python.