Davo027 wrote:Ah the good ol days..How is Roger? Remember when he was in hospital & from what i remember even had a visitor - From memory we sent him well wishes from the Saintsational crew..all a bit older now
Yes..... I can recall it all Davo027, actually GT didn't visit him, but kept ringing the hospital in WA until he could talk to Roger. He was persistent was GT. Roger was at one hopspital, GT tried there but he had been transferred to intensive care in a Perth hospital, so he followed up to the hospital he had been transferred to Medical staff were trying to keep Roger calm etc. each time he got a message that GT had called again...... I think his blood pressure went through the roof. After a few days of trying GT eventually got to talk to him. I don't think any other AFL coaches would have bothered, trying to track down an ill supporter who GT didn't even know and had only read his posts on an internet footy site.
There has been a lot of criticism of GT over the years, but in those early days he had the right attitude in getting all those young players and the imports (Gehrig, Hamill etc) to bond well and he had so much time for supporters. He did care. It was a real attempt to get the 'culture' at St Kilda changed for a new era, and giving supporters the message to hang in and just believe. He and Buttress were the right people for the team at that time................ so sad it all went downhill.............. cause they were real fun times.
Yes all those messages posted to Roger. I was a total computer illiterate then and couldn't work out how to print them off, so I had to hand write them all out. I think there were over 120 messages, so it was a laborious process.
Yes SS was like one big extended family then. Posters had their spats, some were incredible biffos, but none of the visciousness, personal baiting and stalking that goes on now. No wonder some of the original posters only read and don't post so much anymore................. mores the pity eh, cause they were a colourful bunch
I just loved Spelly.......... she was like greased lightening on the keyboard with her corrections.
Also remember a few days before the team were going to South Africa, some official from the club couldn't go at the last moment. GT got on this site and offered the place to anyone on this site first before he was going to open it up to persons connected to the club the following day. I can recall all you had to come up with was your airfare and a bit of spending money. Accommodation was paid for, but he said the person would have had to work as dog's body. Never head iif anyone from the site took the offer up.
