Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

[always right]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

Like many others, I had no choice in the matter.

My grandfather on my mother's side played for Footscray and Carlton, and both her family and my fathers grew up in Altona and Kingsville respectively.

My father migrated to Australia in the early 50's as a six year old, and followed Geelong initially. Having had that beaten out of him at school he quickly turned to following Footscray.

My mother's family split in terms of support, with my grandfather aligning himself with the Blues as that's where he finished his career, and his son followed him. My grandmother on that side, and my mothers younger sister stayed with the Bulldogs, as my grandmother was from the Sandilands family (related to Laurie, though not closely).

So, my brother and I ended up following the Bulldogs. Though, only one of us stuck true. After losing a practice match between the the '86-'87 seasons to an interstate side my brother changed over to Carlton. As a ten year old, he saw his first premiership. Apparently, we were at our grandmother's place at the start of that preseason game and things were going OK. By the time we'd crossed the Westgate and gotten home to Wheelers Hill we were copping a spanking. That was enough for my brother, he folded.

I followed my brother into many situations blindly, being two years younger than he. This is one time I didn't, and it was particularly common for me to do so at that age. I'll let you decide whether I've made the right choice. I've made peace with my decision.

My heart sinks when I hear of bulldogs supporters changing allegiance...even when it occurs at a young age. I would be decimated if any of my children changed clubs.......being a bulldogs supporter is a true challenge of character but I have always loved the club and will never stop dreaming of the day we supporters can enjoy what we truly deserve. I often imagine the emotions I would experience the moment we find ourselves in front when the GF final siren blows. I reckon I will be a blubbering mess.

[Eastdog]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

My heart sinks when I hear of bulldogs supporters changing allegiance...even when it occurs at a young age. I would be decimated if any of my children changed clubs.......being a bulldogs supporter is a true challenge of character but I have always loved the club and will never stop dreaming of the day we supporters can enjoy what we truly deserve. I often imagine the emotions I would experience the moment we find ourselves in front when the GF final siren blows. I reckon I will be a blubbering mess.

No matter where we are on the ladder I will always stick by the Doggies because that's what makes a real supporter. When we do win the GF it will be huge for us because we haven't won it in such a long time.

[wimberga]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

I grew up in a small town where the local footy team was the bombers. Therefore I think my "first" AFL team was Essendon. However, somewhere around the age of 8-10 when North Melbourne had king Carey and a few of my friends at school were going for norf, I jumped ship and mum bought me a roos jumper with Corey Mckernan's number on the back. I still remember her waking me up one morning extra early telling me I could have the day off school because she was taking me to watch Norf train. Got a few signatures as well which was nice.

Around the year 2000, I stopped playing AFL and switched to soccer (scottish dad) and generally lost interest in AFL completely. All the guys at school followed and played, but I was in madly in love with Liverpool and would spend my weekends staying up late to watch EPL and not taking any notice of AFL at all. However, somewhere around 2006 I started to get back into AFL but just didnt feel anything at all when watching either Essendon or Norf.

When Dad emigrated from Scotland, he lived in Footscray and they were his team and I started watching them and felt a connection. Been with them ever since and is the only AFL team that I really have conciously supported. Can't see myself changing team ever again, I was young and didnt know better haha.

Not a great story but thats how I came to follow the dogs!

[always right]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

I grew up in a small town where the local footy team was the bombers. Therefore I think my "first" AFL team was Essendon. However, somewhere around the age of 8-10 when North Melbourne had king Carey and a few of my friends at school were going for norf, I jumped ship and mum bought me a roos jumper with Corey Mckernan's number on the back. I still remember her waking me up one morning extra early telling me I could have the day off school because she was taking me to watch Norf train. Got a few signatures as well which was nice.

Around the year 2000, I stopped playing AFL and switched to soccer (scottish dad) and generally lost interest in AFL completely. All the guys at school followed and played, but I was in madly in love with Liverpool and would spend my weekends staying up late to watch EPL and not taking any notice of AFL at all. However, somewhere around 2006 I started to get back into AFL but just didnt feel anything at all when watching either Essendon or Norf.

When Dad emigrated from Scotland, he lived in Footscray and they were his team and I started watching them and felt a connection. Been with them ever since and is the only AFL team that I really have conciously supported. Can't see myself changing team ever again, I was young and didnt know better haha.

Not a great story but thats how I came to follow the dogs!

Great story

[Remi Moses]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

Grew-up in Footscray and just did what everyone else should do in the western suburbs and follow the local team.

Likewise, did spend a few years in the 70 's in Perth.
As someone else put it "until death do us part".

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

No matter where we are on the ladder I will always stick by the Doggies because that's what makes a real supporter. When we do win the GF it will be huge for us because we haven't won it in such a long time.

Two of the four Bulldogs supporting kids at our Auskick now barrack for other teams.

[Eastdog]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

Two of the four Bulldogs supporting kids at our Auskick now barrack for other teams.

Hopefully when we get success then kids who don't have a team will support us but its not surprising they are turning to other teams with the state we are in at the moment. Out of interest how many Bulldog fans roughly are at your Auskick Sockeye.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

Hopefully when we get success then kids who don't have a team will support us but its not surprising they are turning to other teams with the state we are in at the moment. Out of interest how many Bulldog fans roughly are at your Auskick Sockeye.

We had 4, including my bloke, now we have 2. One of them turned up to Milo cricket on Friday in a Hawthorn T-shirt so I asked him what was going on. He just said he didn't like the Bulldogs anymore.

I'm in Mt Waverley

[AndrewP6]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

We had 4, including my bloke, now we have 2. One of them turned up to Milo cricket on Friday in a Hawthorn T-shirt so I asked him what was going on. He just said he didn't like the Bulldogs anymore.

I'm in Mt Waverley

I brainwashed my nephews,.aged 6 & 3. Bought them new jumpers with the hoops and everything. At some point, the younger one simply decided he was "going for the Hawks now"....

[Eastdog]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

We had 4, including my bloke, now we have 2. One of them turned up to Milo cricket on Friday in a Hawthorn T-shirt so I asked him what was going on. He just said he didn't like the Bulldogs anymore.

I'm in Mt Waverley

Well when we have a premiership dynasty will get a few more kids supporting us.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

I was born in Droop St Footscray in 1954 to a father who had played with Melbourne reserves, barracked for Melbourne and a mother born in Royal Park who followed Carlton but never played for them. I was my older brother’s (The Banker) birthday present, being born on his second birthday. We barracked for Collingwood until I was four, when I guess he realised we lived in Footscray. We moved from Footscray in 1961, the year we last played in the Grand Final and I can remember all the streamers draping Buckley St and the air of excitement.
We would kick a footy with Ricky Spargo who lived at the fire brigade in Droop St and whose brother Bob played for the Bulldogs and who also went on to play with the Bulldogs. Family friends were the Spurlings of whom a couple played for the mighty red, white and blue. As little squirts we would walk through the back streets to the Western Oval to see games and to watch training. My hero was Ted Whitten for his manly exploits in the name of our team but also our honest and hard working blond haired ruckman John Shultz.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

My heart sinks when I hear of bulldogs supporters changing allegiance...even when it occurs at a young age. I would be decimated if any of my children changed clubs.......being a bulldogs supporter is a true challenge of character but I have always loved the club and will never stop dreaming of the day we supporters can enjoy what we truly deserve. I often imagine the emotions I would experience the moment we find ourselves in front when the GF final siren blows. I reckon I will be a blubbering mess.

Two of the four Bulldogs supporting kids at our Auskick now barrack for other teams.

We had 4, including my bloke, now we have 2. One of them turned up to Milo cricket on Friday in a Hawthorn T-shirt so I asked him what was going on. He just said he didn't like the Bulldogs anymore.

I'm in Mt Waverley

I brainwashed my nephews,.aged 6 & 3. Bought them new jumpers with the hoops and everything. At some point, the younger one simply decided he was "going for the Hawks now"....

You need to be firm, this is what I said to my two boys aged 8 & 5.
Boys in life you can change many things, car, house, hell you can even change your wife or girlfriend.

But one thing you can never change is your footy team! then my 5 year old started to cry

[Maddog37]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

I have told my kids (7 and 10) they can change footy teams any time they like.

The only catch is if they do change then they need to find a new place to live.

[Bornadog]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

I have told my kids (7 and 10) they can change footy teams any time they like.

The only catch is if they do change then they need to find a new place to live.

Like

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Who does your family support and how did you come to support the Bulldogs

I have told my kids (7 and 10) they can change footy teams any time they like.

The only catch is if they do change then they need to find a new place to live.

I said that to my pup when he was about 5.

A good 40 minutes later he came back and with some hesitation, told me he had decided to stay! I think it must have been a close run thing.