What’s your connection with the west and how did you come to support the Western Bulldogs?
We moved to Altona when I was two. The lady next door said to my mum, “If you live in Altona you have to be a Footscray supporter.” My sister and I followed in her footsteps.
What do you like about the area and what would you change?
I love getting down to training and supporting the boys. I would like to see more red, white and blue around the area, especially come finals time. I think the Footscray Town Hall should be covered in red, white and blue right through the year, and at finals the Bulldogs flag should be flying just below the Australian flag.
When did you become such a dedicated supporter?
When I was 11, I started to get to the games at the Western Oval. I joined the cheer squad when I was about 12 or 13. I’ve been a member for 50 years; I got my 50-year service just the other day. I get to every game they play in Melbourne.
What keeps you so involved?
Everyone always talks about it as a family. The players are superb; they all come up and say hello. All those years I would jump the fence after the game as soon as the siren went. Now we’ve got Luke Beveridge as coach and he’s going to take us all the way.
Why did you join the 1989 legal challenge that halted the forced merger of Footscray and Fitzroy?
The solicitors said we needed a member to stand up in court and say we don’t think this is right, we weren’t informed. Thankfully, the judge wasn’t a football supporter; if he was a Collingwood supporter he might have said ‘out you go’ because they couldn’t beat as at the Western Oval. He gave us a chance and I just knew the supporters would stand up and be counted. They said if you lose you will have to pay the court costs, but I said what the hell. The last time I had been in court was my divorce and I came out happy that day too.
What are your hopes for this year’s finals?
Everyone is saying next year will be great, but I believe we’ve got as much chance of winning this year as anyone in the eight. We have a gutsy young team and they have the passion, I believe if we get to the grand final we will win and get the flag. My mum is 91 and hasn’t been to a grand final and I want to take her this year. If they win the grand final I will just have to jump the fence and kiss Luke. I’ll have a pretty heavy scarf with all my badges but security will have to try pretty hard to catch me.
