Who was the head coach when you started supporting the dogs?

[Bornadog]

Ted was the first coach I remember, and my childhood hero. I also well remember the players you mention above. John Jillard was a particular favourite, a heart and soul player if ever there was one. I think it was very regrettable that he was overlooked for the recently named "Greatest Bulldogs" selection. Others I remember from that era were, Bernie Lee, Charlie Evans, John Hoiles, Graham and Barry Ion, Ian Bryant and (maybe a bit later) Ron McGowan, Ivan Marsh and "Doc" Mannix.

With reference to coaches, I will always remember Alan Joyce's sacking and the comments of one of the fearsome old ladies who sat around the boundary seats. With the appropriate English accent, "It were a bloody shame what they did to 'ím, he was a bloody gentleman, he was".

They were Mother and Daughter and were seen at every training session

image.png

You can reminisce here, with the full film

[Axe Man]

In the 60s when I was a kid, we had Sutton some years then Ted then Sutton, then Tedd

My money was on Con McCarthy for you BAD.

[Scraggers]

I remember the change over from Bob Rose to Billy Goggin ... my dad was excited we had the Geelong great. First game I remember was Templeton's 15 goals ... not a bad intro to footy.

[NAUGHTY100]

Me too. Ted in the mud at Whitten Oval. So you would also be a fan of Dave Darcy, John Jillard, Ray Walker, Bob Spargo, John Schultz, Merv Hobbs et al.

I distinctively remember Teddy Whitten being captain coach , rubbing opponents faces into the muddy whitten oval .
I was a big fan of Dave Darcy , very elegant footballer lovely mark and kick , i remember many a time Darcy was moved forward from his usual key back post , to win games for Footscray , and genetically he has been fabulous , fathering Luke , and in turn Luke Fathering Sam , Will and i think there is another Darcy .
Loved watching Johnny Jillard the rubber man fabulous half back flanker , Ray Walker was a quality backman strong mark , only played 73 games for Footscray then left to coach in Tazi .
Bob Spargo very clever half forward who moved into the center and produced very good football for Footscray ,also moved in his prime to captain coach West Perth , played 80 odd games for the doggies John Schultz the gentle giant was only 193 cm tall in thoes days a giant but these days wouldn't be able to compete with the monsters around now , Schultz won the Brownlow and Footscrays B&F 5 times i think , and of course everyone remembers Merv Hobbs mark of the year in the 1961 prelim , was a very handy goal sneak when resting forward , was only 23 when a preseason injury ended his budding career .
So yeah very fond memories of thoes guys also had the pleasure of being witness to guys starting their VFL/AFL carree's , the likes of Hawkins , Quinlan , Round , Bubba Smith , Dennis Collins , Jennings , Templeton , Jimmy Edmond , Alan Stoneham , Beasley , Mcpherson Steve and Rod , Royal , Foster , Dempsey and of course Brad Johnson the list goes on and on , but im proud to say i watched each and every player there and many more play their 1st games in the red white and blue colours of Footscray / Western Bulldogs .
Sorry that was a bit long winnded but the memories just kept flooding back .

[Virgin-Dog]

I started supporting the Dogs around the time Eade started with us. Missed the Rohde years

[Plums]

First one I can remember is Rocket in the late 2000's. I don't remember much of the prelim success in that era, most memories started in the McCartney days. I can vividly remember us chairing off Gia in the last game of 2014 after losing to the Giants in a close one.

[Jeanette54]

Me too. Ted in the mud at Whitten Oval. So you would also be a fan of Dave Darcy, John Jillard, Ray Walker, Bob Spargo, John Schultz, Merv Hobbs et al.

Ted was the first coach I remember, and my childhood hero. I also well remember the players you mention above. John Jillard was a particular favourite, a heart and soul player if ever there was one. I think it was very regrettable that he was overlooked for the recently named "Greatest Bulldogs" selection. Others I remember from that era were, Bernie Lee, Charlie Evans, John Hoiles, Graham and Barry Ion, Ian Bryant and (maybe a bit later) Ron McGowan, Ivan Marsh and "Doc" Mannix.

With reference to coaches, I will always remember Alan Joyce's sacking and the comments of one of the fearsome old ladies who sat around the boundary seats. With the appropriate English accent, "It were a bloody shame what they did to 'ím, he was a bloody gentleman, he was".

[Bornadog]

The first one I remember as a young girl was Bob Rose

What a shame when his son game over as well and then had the car accident leaving him a quadriplegic.

[FrediKanoute]

Royce Hart for me.......we were putrid. Then Ian Bluey Hampshire took over and we were a bit better. Finally, Mick Malthouse and we were good.

[jeemak]

As a Bulldog from birth it was technically Don McKenzie, although I have no idea who he was.

Malthouse is the first coach I can remember, however I do recall often borrowing the Footscray footy kids book in primary school which had a line about everybody being sad when Bluey Hampshire got the arse. Fortunately as the only bulldogs supporter I knew the book was always available to borrow.

Reminds me of the I Barrack for Footscray and the I Barrack for the Bulldogs kids books.......rock solid availability at Waverley Meadows Primary School!

[Raels_d]

The first one I remember as a young girl was Bob Rose

[Flamethrower]

Bob Rose was the coach when I first started following the Bulldogs. Bill Goggin was the coach when I went to my first VFL game (1977).

[BiteNibbleChomp]

2008, so Rodney Eade. Though back then I'd watch maybe one or two games a year and then finals if we made it, so I didn't know who Rocket was until much more recently.
Bevo's the first coach I've known about while they were still in the job.

- BNC

[Uninformed]

Ted Whitten was the 1st coach i remember in 1965 , he coached in 65 and 66 , then was replaced by Charlie Sutton in 67 and 68 , and of course ted got his job back in 69, held it for 3 years and in 72 was replaced by non other then Collingwoods Bob Rose .

Me too. Ted in the mud at Whitten Oval. So you would also be a fan of Dave Darcy, John Jillard, Ray Walker, Bob Spargo, John Schultz, Merv Hobbs et al.

[Eastdog]

For me I would say Terry Wallace as I trace my support for the Dogs back to the early 2000s.