April 17, 1993 @ Vic Park - Who was there?

[Sainternist]

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2016-04-19/23-years-ago

We all know Nicky Winmar and Gilbert McAdam were there. And they both combined to bring us a memorable performance to look back on.

I was also there. It was a fantastic game of footy, played at a blistering speed and on a beautiful autumn day in April. Victoria Park was packed to the rafters. I was a young lad at the time and sitting with the Saints CS. We were positioned in the pocket, only a few bays away from the Collingwood CS who were behind the goals. The Filth Army were indeed feral that day. After the final siren sounded, there were beer cans been thrown in our general direction, along with a barrage of insults. Although it was marvelous when our beloved Saints gathered and stood in front of the CS and thanked us for supporting them that afternoon. It was first time I'd seen a team thank their supporters after a home and away match. These days, you see teams showing their gratitude towards the supporters after every game they win. Perhaps that day it set a precedent for what has now become a after-match ritual for players? It was actually quite scary leaving the ground in away team colours. A mate and myself caught the train home, and there was brawling (only between Filth supporters) whilst we were waiting for our train on the platforms at Vic Park Station. Well, that was my last time attending the footy at Victoria Park. There were are few other occasions before, I must say, the atmos was always a little crazy at that ground. It was the first and only time I saw saw the mighty Saints win there.

Now, let us enjoy some highlights from that historical day:

[St.Roly]

I was there too - standing in the outer with the few other sainters I could locate - and am also struck in retrospect by what a perfect Melbourne autumn afternoon it was.

Walking back through Collingwood streets to my car (1978 Mazda 323) I was bursting with excitement at the win but realised the lid needed to be kept on in the presence of the restive locals.

[samuraisaint]

I was there with a mate watching the game from behind the goals at the Yarra Falls End. Younger St. Kilda supporters (mostly under 20), Collingwood locals - including a group of Aboriginal guys wearing Collingwood jumpers, and a real old time feel - rival supporters bantering with each other. My Dad was there too with a mate, but he was up on the wing under the Rush stand standing to the right of where the St. Kilda cheer squad were seated. Packed in like sardines that day.

[samuraisaint]

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2016-04-19/23-years-ago

We all know Nicky Winmar and Gilbert McAdam were there. And they both combined to bring us a memorable performance to look back on.

I was also there. It was a fantastic game of footy, played at a blistering speed and on a beautiful autumn day in April. Victoria Park was packed to the rafters. I was a young lad at the time and sitting with the Saints CS. We were positioned in the pocket, only a few bays away from the Collingwood CS who were behind the goals. The Filth Army were indeed feral that day. After the final siren sounded, there were beer cans been thrown in our general direction, along with a barrage of insults. Although it was marvelous when our beloved Saints gathered and stood in front of the CS and thanked us for supporting them that afternoon. It was first time I'd seen a team thank their supporters after a home and away match. These days, you see teams showing their gratitude towards the supporters after every game they win. Perhaps that day it set a precedent for what has now become a after-match ritual for players? It was actually quite scary leaving the ground in away team colours. A mate and myself caught the train home, and there was brawling (only between Filth supporters) whilst we were waiting for our train on the platforms at Vic Park Station. Well, that was my last time attending the footy at Victoria Park. There were are few other occasions before, I must say, the atmos was always a little crazy at that ground. It was the first and only time I saw saw the mighty Saints win there.

Now, let us enjoy some highlights from that historical day:

Weren't you at this game Sainternist. This is a forgotten game and a very underrated win during a very grim time for the club - and McAdam's older brother was absolutely on fire that day. Cold and wet until the sun came out - and then it got colder! I was one of about 10,000 very cold souls out there that day.

[aaron82]

Was there as a 10 and a half year old on the outer wing to the right of the cheersquad with the old man and a few of his mates. They would have consumed quite a few beers throughout the day and were quite vocal.

Can remember the day vividly, we came back for the game from Gafferney's Creek up bush. A week later an inmate escaped prison and burnt 100+ year pub to the ground. Remember a young spider bobbing up for a few goals but what I most remember is Frawley knocking out Michael Christian with a late spoiling attempt. I loved the old suburban grounds, it wasn't like the sterile environment of Etihad. I wish I could take my young boys back in time just so they could experience it.

[Sainternist]

Weren't you at this game Sainternist. This is a forgotten game and a very underrated win during a very grim time for the club - and McAdam's older brother was absolutely on fire that day. Cold and wet until the sun came out - and then it got colder! I was one of about 10,000 very cold souls out there that day.

By golly, Samurai, I was actually there that day! I was very young at the time (only 9 years of age). It was probably our best game of that season. How many did we win that year? Was it three games? It was the second time we played (and ultimately won) against Fitzroy that year. The other win was against Footscray at Moorabbin, in the final home and away round of the season. It was a lean year out of about six others during that decade. I remember Plugger having a set shot for goal early in the game and kicking the ball over the grand stand. That absolutely blew my mind as a youngster, how someone could absolutely kick the cover off the ball like that. Of course at the other end, poor old Superboot couldn't hit the backside of a barn and ended up with a bag of donuts and a swag of behinds. I had no idea that game was available on youtube. Thank you much for the link!

[Sainternist]

Was there as a 10 and a half year old on the outer wing to the right of the cheersquad with the old man and a few of his mates. They would have consumed quite a few beers throughout the day and were quite vocal.

Can remember the day vividly, we came back for the game from Gafferney's Creek up bush. A week later an inmate escaped prison and burnt 100+ year pub to the ground. Remember a young spider bobbing up for a few goals but what I most remember is Frawley knocking out Michael Christian with a late spoiling attempt. I loved the old suburban grounds, it wasn't like the sterile environment of Etihad. I wish I could take my young boys back in time just so they could experience it.

Ditto!

That collision Spud Frawley had with Christian was just bone-crunching. It happened right in front of us. That got the Filth crowd quite hostile. Spud actually got off at the tribunal that week. Gee whiz, he may not have been so lucky these days. What I hate about this current MRP system is that they don't seem to take the actual incident into consideration. It all seems to be based around a player's previous record. Logic seems to have been thrown out the window. Ah, gotta say, it's good not have Plugger66 to accost you anymore when you criticise umpires or the AFL

[bigballs]

I was also there that day as a 40 year old.

Apart from the actual game and the now infamous raising of the jumper, I remember 10 year old kids spitting at me as I walked past them walking from one end of the ground to the other in between quarters......and people wonder why everyone hates Collingwood supporters.

I have no doubt some or all of those kids went on to become the feral supporters we all know now.

I also remember walking out the gate after the game with a huge smile on my face surrounded by pie supporters. I felt very lucky to have got out of there in one piece. Never went back to Vic Park again after that game.

[R. Harvey 3 votes!]

I was at this game and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was only 16 years old at the time and was standing on the outer flank.
This was one of the best wins I have seen as a saints supporter. I had been to Vic Park many times before during my childhood and every time we had copped an absolute flogging.

When we won this game I remember being absolutely estatic and then when I was walking out I was holding my saints scarf above my head and then an empty can hit me in the back of the head! Typical Collingwood scum! Then when we were at the train station they were all saying well we are above you on ladder but in actual fact they weren't and we had moved above them with that win! Ahhhhh....what a great day it was like heaven for those saints fans who managed to get to the game! It is just great to know that we won our last game at that hell hole!

[avid]

I was there too.
A truly fantastic game.
(Made me feel better about the 172 point drubbing I'd witnessed there a couple of decades before!)
My only regret is that I didn't actually see my all-time-hero Nicky Winmar raising his jumper. Just heard about it later.
My only other regret was that Nicky walked out on the club the following week.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Memories from that day ... Gordon Fode standing in for Plugger, kicking a good goal ...
Harves pulling a hammy early ... Frawley taking out Christian (and didn't he do it again
at Waverley later the same year, or the next?) ... Winmar and McAdam on fire ... also standing
in the outer and looking down to find some old hunchback collecting empty cans ...

[longtimesaint]

I was there that day and remember standing in the outer with Collingwood supporters -I am glad those days are gone.
Memorable match though as we played great football -sadly the season went downhill from there.

[Selhurst Saint]

I was there as well that day with a mate and still remember parts of it vividly. It was a beautiful Autumn day, plugger was out, Harvey went down in the first half, but we always had the feeling we would win.

You could sense something was happening on the ground. I remember in the 3rd quarter Gilbert must have called monky out in a boundary throw in. Monky obliged by tapping the ball straight down Gilbos' throat and he put it through for a goal. Nicky and Gilbo both followed Monkhorst back to the middle giving it too him. Clearly Monkhorst was one of the main protagonists that day.

After the game my mate and I went to the Yarra Falls hotel on Johnston St to celebrate and to basically stick it to the filth fans. A massive group of saints fans steamed in later chanting obscenities at the locals but thankfully there were no trouble.
We were both in new relationships and were supposed to be going out to dinner on a double date that night. The girls had to pick us up from a pub in Collingwood at about 7.30 and we were in no state for polite conversation. The poor girls had to endure a couple of hours of two blithering idiots going over the events of the day and singing the club song ad nauseum.

Fun times.

My memory tells me that Darren Bourke kicked our last goal. Can someone confirm that??

[oh when the]

Cheer Squad Banner Read

Saints eat pies and wash em down with a Tooheys.

A great day to be a Saints fan.

[bigred]

Laurie Bingham took out Gavin Brown right in front of me from memory. Just a very unco looking head clash from memory.

I was sitting in a members seat with some family friends. Strange feeling in the crowd that day, maybe that is hindsight however it most definitely was tense to say the least.

Mcadam was the catalyst. He just switched it on in the first half and really got us going.

[Bunk_Moreland]

My memories are of the filth garbage cheering as Harves pulled a hamstring.

Also of a Dean Anderson left foot goal.

17 points?

[Linton Lodger]

Indeed I was there, of course that that was a delightful day at Vic Park. Nicky Winmar's famous act was rather poignant to me on the day, because it occurred in almost the exact spot on the ground where I witnessed Ray Shaw spit in Robbie Muir's face about a decade earlier. Not surpringsly Muir retaliated and gave Shaw what he deserved. Unfortunately, Muir got rubbed out and that grub Shaw got away with it. Whilst Winmar's actions were historic, people forget that 'Gilbo' McAdam had an almighty game that day as well.

Its a pity, because after that game I thought we were looking like a flag contender and then in the ensuing days Winmar got silly in relation to his contract and disrupted the whole team. It took us ages to recover and by then it was too late. You've got to feel for Ken Sheldon, it cost him his job.

[saynta]

My memories are of the filth garbage cheering as Harves pulled a hamstring.

Also of a Dean Anderson left foot goal.

17 points?

It was the day that confirmed in my heart and mind that the filth really were the filth. Dregs of society, imho.

[saynta]

I was also there that day as a 40 year old.

Apart from the actual game and the now infamous raising of the jumper, I remember 10 year old kids spitting at me as I walked past them walking from one end of the ground to the other in between quarters......and people wonder why everyone hates Collingwood supporters.

I have no doubt some or all of those kids went on to become the feral supporters we all know now.

I also remember walking out the gate after the game with a huge smile on my face surrounded by pie supporters. I felt very lucky to have got out of there in one piece. Never went back to Vic Park again after that game.

The first person who ever spat and swore at me was at Filth Park when I was about 5 or 6 .

I was a saints mascot in those days kitted out in Saints gear'

I have hated them ever since.

[satchmo]

Richo was there...I wonder how he remembers it?

I wasn't there, but one memory from the tv that stood out was Ken Sheldon being interviewed on the ground at the end. He had a huge smile on his face as dozens of filthy little urchins did their parent proud by spitting on on him for the duration of the interview. Not sure if that footage still exists, but they certainly earned their stereotype.

[BringBackMadDog]

I was there, took my now wife to her first game ever. I remember nearly getting killed on the way out of the ground, it was absolutely feral.

[Beno88]

It was the one and only time I ever went to Victoria Park. I was 9 years old and I don't think I ever realised a football crowd could be like that. It's still the only time I've ever felt unsafe at the footy. It was great to win but I seem to remember the crowd a lot more than the game that day.

[paulski]

I was there as a 19 year old with a mate and some family members. It rates as one of my favourite football memories. Was sitting in the outer with a mixed crowd, but remember heaps of saints supporters there. Was a brilliant win! I also remember getting quite a few dirty looks on the way to the car, and feeling safe as we finally reached it. Ferals!

[Sainternist]

Its a pity, because after that game I thought we were looking like a flag contender and then in the ensuing days Winmar got silly in relation to his contract and disrupted the whole team. It took us ages to recover and by then it was too late. You've got to feel for Ken Sheldon, it cost him his job.

We did look to be a threat that day. As you said, Nicky going AWOL seemed to be very disruptive to the team dynamic. I don't like blaming the great man, but it didn't help Sheldon's cause in the end.

1993 was an incredible roller coaster year. After the great victory against Collingwood, we lost to Carlton badly and then had a humiliating defeat to the hands of (a then lowly) Richmond. The season was derailed and I seem to recall losing perhaps half a dozen in a row. We somehow managed to get it together in the second half of the season and finish 10 wins and 10 losses. But it was too little, too late for Ken Sheldon. I felt bad for him. Just two years before, he became the first coach to guide us into the finals for 18 years. What a cutthroat industry the AFL is for coaches!

[Skinny]

I was there, along with my wife, and at the time, three very young children.

We had travelled the best part of 600kms to be there and it was our one and only time at Victoria Park.

I remember that trying to find a park was diabolical but we eventually found a place down a side street relatively close to the ground.

I can't actually remember where we sitting in the ground but we were surrounded by Pies supporters and the filthy language and abuse for the Saints was hard to comprehend, certainly not the most inviting place for a family with three kids under the age of ten.

I must say though we did not experience any abuse directed at us as supporters it was all at the Saints and in particular Nicky and Gillie.

My memory of the game was that we seemed to have the edge all day and that both Nicky and Gilbert played great games. In my opinion Gilbert was BOG.

I remember the gesture by Nicky in raising his jumper and pointing to his skin but we were at the opposite end of the ground and at the time did not realise what he had actually done and what it would ultimately do for indigenous footballers.

After the game we walked back to the car, all on high after such a great win, and found a parking ticket on the windscreen. Never paid it, never heard any more about it.

All in all a great day and possibly the most satisfying win I have ever seen as Saints tragic.