WARNING!! Long, boring post......with pics! :-)

[BakesFan]

I was born on the 4th of October 1966.... a paltry 9 days after The Mighty Saints had their one and only taste of Premiership Glory.....

My beloved Uncle Paul (God rest his soul) took me to the '71 Grand Final as an 'early 5th Birthday present'........I can't remember much of the game; but I can remember him hugging me, crying, telling me that we have to 'keep the faith'.....

I grew up in East Bentleigh... attended Eastmoor Primary School, and then Bentleigh High School... played my junior footy with the Bentleigh Bulldogs and was 'almost' swayed to become a Demons supporter due to Robbie Flower attending many club nights (we were in Melbourne's Zone despite Moorabbin Oval being only 2 km's away)

I remained a Saint and watched every Moorabbin home game throughout the 70's and 80's with my Uncle and older brother.
I revelled in the exploits of Ditterich(I cried when he went to Melbourne), Breen, Cowboy, Muir.... and our Patron Saint, Trevor Barker(still my greatest Hero).

Fast forward to '97..... I'm married, living in QLD (after arriving in '91) with my wonderful/understanding wife and my 3 year old son.....I remember crying in my brother's arms after Jarman tore us apart in the Grand Final.
The only pic worth posting from that period is this one:

GO POIDA!!!!

Fast forward once again to 2009..... after 15 years on the Gold Coast enjoying the company of Saint Bev and all the S.E.Q Saints; I'd moved on to Mackay..... and experienced the joy of watching BF jnr win a Premiership in Saints colours......



On to the REAL thing...GF 2009...my brother got us tickets at the last minute and I arrived in Melbourne shortly before midday (GF day).... My plan was simple..... Watch the Saints win a GF, and surprise my SEQ/SS mates after the game for a MASSIVE celebration.......one FUkCin' Cats toe-poke in the last 1/4 had me weeping in my bro's arms and quietly slinking out of town....

Prior to the 2009 GF I went on a 'photoshop' FRENZY....... I apologise for not doing so again this season....
I have my reasons... the predominant one being the fact that I think I'm a JINX... as The Saints have not won a GF that I have attended (or since I've been born)....

This is the first year of my life that I have not attended a Saints game...and you've no idea how hard it's been to stay away.......I won't be there this Saturday (just as I wasn't there in '66).. and I hope the Saints win their 2nd Flag...

To Sainter K and Saint Bev....thank you for your appreciation of my meagre efforts last season... I do intend to go BALLISTIC photoshopping SAINTS GLORY when the boys bring The Flag home this Saturday....

Until then you'll have to put up with a re-run of last year's efforts......

A bit of fun with Ross the boss



Sammy Gilbert


I Love Milney!!!


I Love Bakes more


CJ & The HOLY Grail


Pure Class!


True Grit!!


Absolute Brilliance!


Undeniable COURAGE!!


The Utimate WARRIOR




GO SAINTS!!!!!!!!!!

[saintbrat]

Thank You

[SaintDebi]

BakesFan! Where have you been?
Love this post. Thanks.

[philtee]

Nice nice nice work.
I'm getting all misty.
Malthouse as Smeagol would be a nice addition.

[OneEyedSainter77]

Awesome awesome awesome post Bakesfan!!! Thanks so much for posting it!!

[Saint Bev]

Aw, Bakes Fan, you made me cry. Miss you guys so much. Its not your fault, we all thinks its our fault. At the end of the day it doesn't matter, what colour socks, whether we have our lucky undies on. omens, therioes, etc. Its up to the boys and Ross on the day. Following St Kilda has been so much fun this millenium, this generation of children don't think of St Kilda as unsuccessful, they think we are one of the top teams, and we are. I so wish we had of been able to catch up last year. Just make sure you and Bakes Jnr come down for the game next season. We look forward to all the photoshoping, be prepared for lots of requests. Love to the family.

[Verdun66]

Good stuff!

[mbogo]

I love the Goddard pic - that is what Swan will see on Saturday and have to face - lol

[matrix]

go you bloody sainters!!

good to see ya bakes

[SaintWal]

That is the Post of the year. Thanks BF. The Saints are lots of things to lots of people

[BakesFan]

I've really missed Mermaid SLSC the past couple of seasons, Saint Bev......'Moorabbin in the Sun' it truly is..........



I'm 'lost' this week... I can't concentrate... I can't sleep properly....I want this win for our boys more than anything else...

This Flag's been coming since late 2003..almost 7 years in the making.


I watched the replay of the Prelim today.... The Dogs threw EVERYTHING they had at us and we ended up with a 45 point lead with just on 5 mins to go.... Roo, Dal,BJ, Gards and Lenny on the bench allowed the Doggies a few junk time goals.

Zac's job on Hall and his tackle/bump on Murphy in the last 1/4 have me convinced he'll give his all on Saturday....
He was in my opinion (probably unfairly) the weakest link in our side.

My heart says, "Play Baker!!"... my head says, "He's been out too long"....
I'd don't envy Ross this decision.
Bakes; a proven warrior... and probably as fit as he could possibly be... no pain, no niggles..just a burning desire to win at all costs..

Gards!... we've heard everything about Cousins turning his life around.. What about this bloke???.. Probably deserves a Premiership medal more than anyone out there..

BJ...Captain everywhere.. no job too hard..no opponent too tough.. He will not stop this weekend...

Zac, Gards, and BJ.... it's these three I expect to astound us on Saturday.

[SaintWal]

Bakes may still get his place. No.40 may not come up and it will be Geary or Bakes that will get the nod. Time will tell

[saintsRrising]

No.40 may not come up

Doubt that a cracked tooth removal wil keep him out...

[SaintWal]

No.40 may not come up

Doubt that a cracked tooth removal wil keep him out...

Time will tell. Thought he was fantastically tough on Sat night and hoping that the damage was limited to just his tooth.

[Saintstragic]

Thank you, love the pictures!!

[SainterK]

Welcome back Bakes Fan, you were missed.

I think your pictures are fantastic, they always make me smile.

Glad to see you posting again

PS - that's so great about your son winning last year, what position does he play?

[I Love Peter Kiel]

Bakesfan , that is awesome!

[roxanne]

BF Junior is a major cutie.

[TazzieSaintGirl83]

What a great post I love the pics.

I hope more than I can say that our avenging angels bring home the cup on saturday.

[markp]

Pure Gold

[missgez]

Thank you, brilliant post. Your sentiments really resonate.

Despite all the pain over the years, or maybe because of it, there is something special and beautiful about being a supporter of this club that only those within it can understand. Other clubs with their multiple premierships... they just don't get it. It's easy to stick with a team that bobs up for a flag every ten years!

But despite it all I would never want it any other way. WE would never want it any other way! Being a Saint is part of me, part of all of us.

BRING ON THE PIES GO SAINTS!!!!!!!!

[gringo]

The thing about being a Saints fan is that you are at the mercy of a temperamental mistress. There is a stronger bond to our high maintenance club than jumping on some generic big four team. We don't jump off when things go south, we know what to expect and see the beauty in the small thing that make footy special.

When you analyse footy you see peoples love for clubs, that at the end of the day are pretty much no relationship to the people and players that came before them, is tribal. When you join the Saints tribe you become part of a group that has know the pain and rode through it. We have been waiting with sometimes excruciating patience for success, but through it all we have walked tall.

Stay strong folks we are nearly there.

[samoht]

Can I order the Goddard pic - poster sized - that's a beauty.


Awesome work - I hope your team wins, so we can see more.