Earliest Saints memories...

[desertsaint]

Floating in the placenta - getting tossed about by the waves as my mother jumped up and down screaming breen's behind all the way home!

[HarveysDeciple]

Walking out of Waverley in 1990 after a game against Geelong to find that someone had let the tyres down on our car.

Earliest game is memory is 1991 or 92 watching Lockett kill North Melbourne at Moorabbin.

[Winmar7Fan]

Driving down Linton Street late last year and seeing the old grandstand, turnstiles, social club etc really took me back to my earliest memories of VFL / AFL football. Having since driven past to see the progress of the demolition and getting that overwhelming deep seated sadness of something that will be forever lost that was so much "bigger than life" as a kid.

I remember the driving all through the backstreets of Moorabin with my dad trying to find that elusive car park which in the end was closer to Highett than anywhere.
Then came the long walk through unknown streets and hearing a crowd in the distance getting louder and louder as we found ourselves walking with more people with a common red white and black thread, my dad talking with strangers and me wondering how he knew so many people (when he didnt at all), me struggling to keep up.

Then as the sound of the crowd grew closer, we came down a hill a turned on to Linton Street and I was over awed by the sight of the grand stand with that huge StKilda coat of arms burning an impression into my consciousness that remains to this day. I can stare at the crossed shield at times for half a minute or so (often after many beers...)and still conjure a feeling stemming from that day and first impression.

It's still so clear, the crowd in the street, the badge and scarf sellers with those huge merchandise boards, but most of all the many arrangements of the Red White and Black, from the jumpers, scarves, hats and blankets to the cord of the members medalians - but most of all the huge crossed shields on the grandstands.

PS: Cant remember the game, was all standing room - couldnt see a thing except blokes backsides so we ended up crushing cans, making ring oull chains and roaming on the east side hill with other kids displaced and locked out of view

Beautifully written I'm sure we can ALL relate to those childhood memories just as you called it whether it was the Junction Oval or Moorabbin or Waverley.

Kids of the future wont have any problems with being able to see the game today though.

[Stillwaiting]

I remember playing footy behind the grandstand in the early 70,s and we would get before the reserves so that we could get one of the fence seats behind the goals. And if we were on the replay that night, we would hope to see ourselves on the telly

can also remeber this giant called cowboy

And geeting very excited when the clock tower on north rs, or is it south road came into view as that meant our journey that seemd to take forever was almost over

[saintfreddy]

I have two early memories. The first was lying on the lounge room floor listening to the radiogram. It was the 1971 grand final and I lived in Wodonga. No one else in the family followed footy so found it strange I could lie on this hard bit of carpet all day listening to the broadcast.

The second was in Year 12 (1976) and we came to Melbourne for a school excursion. We were given the Saturday afternoon off and thus I decided to go and see my first Saints game at Moorabbin.

I took my big boom box on the train and headed out to the game. The train stopped for some unknown reason and I asked some other Saints supporters on the train, why. They responded "Oh the train has a flat tyre and they need to fix it." (smart )

At the game (I can't quite remember who we played) but I was truely amazed at the amount of people packed in. The roar of the crowd was something I will never forget. I can only recall Cowboy Neil was our full forward. I remember we lost but the game seemed over in no time.

I also don't think too many people close by appreciated my booming boom box blaring out the game at the time either.

[bergsone]

Early 60s walking to junction oval with dad didnt see much ,cant remember much except Big Carl first game ,and I was won over for ever.We went to all the Moorabbin games early on,first ever game v coll,Baldock coming off the bench 66 v hawks etc .great memories


And all that Hard Saint wrote .......Well done

[bigmicka]

My first memory of us playing was at Lakeside, would have been early 80's. We got thumped by about 30 points.

Not many there that day got a seat right on the fence.

The palm trees around the ground, was always a strong memory.

Not sure why Lakeside? Mum was a saint, dad was a pie. so what we were doing going to a swans home game has me perplexed.

I have more early memories of Vic park than Moorabbin, growing up on the other side of town, we never went to Linton St.

Used to sneak into windy hill by waiting for a family to come along and joining onto their kids.

mic

[3rd generation saint]

My first St.Kilda game I went with my grandfather and sat in the old smokers stand for 1966 second semi final.
I can remember yelling at the top of my voice and I was hooked.

[Saint Pete]

Wow some great reads there. Those of us old enough to remember Moorabbin at its peak will never forget the experience. Its why we are so addicted and obsessed with this Footy club. Cannot wait for that premiership that WILL come. The celebrations will be something that has not been seen in this town ever.

[iwantmeseats]

AND wouldnt it be great to snag it this year so the celebration could be at moorabbin. Would be very fitting.

Im very glad I got the chance from the mid 70's to 92 to witness all bar 3 or 4 games at the ole girl . Great memories.

[Enrico_Misso]

My first real interest in StKilda was listening to the 65 GF on the radio.
I think I only listened to the last quarter but at the end the commentator was saying how those StKilda boys were so tired, some were lying on the ground and some were in tears.

I felt so sorry for them I instantly decided to support them.
(I guess pity is not the most sound of reasons !).

From then on I was hooked.
Living a few km from the "brand new" ground helped as well.

[saintly_safes]

Standing on beer cans at Moorabbin as a 7 year old watching the Saints get flogged by Carlton. That was back in the days of steel cans & not being overly blessed with height was the only way I got to see a bit of the action. Unfortunately there wasnt too many highlights for the saints that day but 40 years latter i'm still a passionate sainter.

[bigcarl]

the 1971 grand final was the first game i remember vividly.

i was nine and mum took me, but i must have been to a few other matches over previous seasons as i somehow already knew all the st kilda players.

i remember peter hudson with all the padding behind his ear after cowboy biffed him in the opening minutes and that pr*ck keddie who spoiled it all for us.

i was in tears as we left late in the last quarter.

mum knew the game was up and wanted to get out of the car park quickly, but to a child's mind we were still a chance and i wanted to stay to the bitter end.

i remember watching the replay that night and silently praying that the result would be different.

sadly, the result stood, which has remained a bitter disappointment.

[dcstkfc]

My first game was Round 3 1996 against Melbourne at Optus Oval.
My dad and I got there late, and as we were in the tunnel leading to the stands, we saw Nicky Winmar being loaded up into an ambulance after hurting his knee. We ended up losing by 10 points and I cried at the end of the game, although my dad somewhat appeased me with a footy record that had been left on the ground.

[yipper]

My first game was when dad took me to the Junction oval - but I actually can't remember this much. So for me, it all started at Moorabbin. I wore Alan Morrow's number 8 on the back of my jumper. As soon as I was old enough to be allowed to go to the footy on my own - we took out memberships (which back then would let you in for every game - all 22.) and that was in 1972. Bigred has got it spot on - Moorabbin was a magical place, it had a pulse all of it's own. It surely musta scared the beejesus out of any opposition team to have to play there. Catching the train to the ground was just so much fun - then the walk to the ground. On one occasion - Big Carl jogged past us as we were walking to the ground - apparently just going on one of his light runs before a game!! 1978 - was memorable - we were awesome, just a physically menacing team ready to rumble every week. Packed stadiums every week. Magical Moorabbin memories.

[bergholt]

i remember driving down to moorabbin, it was a long long way from where we lived in the country, and then you had to drive around the suburban streets looking for a space.

my earliest memory of a match is at moorabbin in a victory over hawthorn - like hen's teeth in those days. i reckon it must have been round 6 1990. i vividly remember the entire crowd going up as winmar took a screamer over michael tuck on the member's wing, right in front of where we were sitting. it was about the third quarter and at that point it became possible that we could beat the reigning premiers.

it was a three point win. apparently the brownlow votes went to paul harding, dean rice and dean anderson - when he was still on the other side. lockett kicked 5.2, dunstall kicked 3.4. brereton 4.2 and 10 marks, loewe 3.2 and 8 marks. pekin 29 touches, harvey 28.

[esaint66]

My earliest game attended was at Piepark 1993 when nicky pulled up his jumper and showed his skin to the crowd. Still have the clipping from the paper (i was 1 month old )

My earliest memory was in 96 when i was about 3 or 4 and how we won the Ansett cup, but started the season so poorly, i thhought winning th ansett cup meant we would be premiers for sure