memories of victoria park

[daicos from the boundry]

Dont know if this has been done before but what are your childhood memories of times at Victoria Park.Where did u sit?Best game seen there?Favorite moments?Come on u older blokes tell these young pups what it was like.

[raymond35]

Yeah, its been done heaps of times, but what the hell.

Best game- 1983 win over Carlton in the rain.
Favourite spot- Right on the outer wing in the Rush Stand.
Memory- Looking in awe towards the Social Club for the first time, before the renovations were done and it had that funny looking sign on top.

[MagpieMad]

http://www.magpies.net/nick/bb/viewtopic.php?t=18572
and on here
http://www.magpies.net/nick/club.php

[daicos from the boundry]

sorry to go over old topics.I sat in the Sherrin Stand right next to the Social club.Who needed school or english class when i learnt more vocab at the footy.Favorite memory Daicos twisting and turning in front of the social club pocket around richmond defenders and off balance kicking a goal.Ive never seen a place erupt like at that moment.Think one of the richmond players he beat was a ex collingwood player Terry (car) Keays. remember him didnt he have a HUGEEEE arse.

[die4pies]

Johnston St, the crowds of Black and White...

Turn the corner into Lulie, the majestic Black and White curve of the Sherrin and Rush stands and bigger crowds along the red brick wall and queuing at the Turner/Lulie gates.

'Welcome to Victoria Park. The home of the Magpies'

The smell of hot pies and chips fill the air, the atmosphere is alive with expectation. Regardless of where we were on the ladder, there was always a sense that we were at home today and we would win. Even more so in 82, perhaps our darkest year as a club aside from the spoons of 76 and 99.

Winter was the best time for Victoria Park, with duffle coats over our jumpers, scarves tight around our necks and warm hand knitted beanies on our heads. You would walk through the gates and see the steam coming off the hand made cups of instant being served in the undercroft stalls and kids running around kicking footys emulating their heroes in whatever space they could find.

You go up the Sherrin stairs and emerge from the darkness into a fortress of Black and White, the magoos are finishing off their opponent as you take your seat and get ready for the big one. As the reserves leave the field to a hearty applause you see the cheer squad enter the ground with the banner. The banner is unrolled and presented to the crowd which draws an even louder response for the stadium as it starts to fill in all sections. The Rush to the right, Ryder to the left and under the scoreboard the hill can not be seen for fans in Black and White. Finally, after what seems like an eternity the boys emerge from beneath the Ryder to raptuous applause. The atmosphere is so tight, so intense and the boys seem larger than life. Before you know it the ball is bounced and within 2 hours another opponent becomes part of the long list of victims of the Magpie stronghold, Victoria Park.

Victoria Park is not just a single event or group of events that can be listed. Daicos one handed marks and miracle goals, Pants taking no prisoners on the wing, Ned and the 'don't argue', Racehouse, Moore and Ronnie carving up the stoppages, Billy taking screamers, some agro from Magro, Sav belting souvenirs over the fence into Trenerry Cres for the kids waiting outside and Denis the menace on his flank. Even in the crowd, the one-liners and abuse, 30K would sound more like 90. Victoria Park is a sense of belonging and a unity of purpose and she is the home to a very, very large family. Nothing can ever replace what Victoria Park means to Collingwood Football Club. Times change and in this world of progress for progress sake, there is no room for sentimentality but lets all hope that the Old Girl is not demolished and relegated to just being a memory.

[MagpieMad]

m8 never be sorry for talking about Victoria Park, I could read about it all day every day. it all adds to the stories/information/memories we have of the old girl on here, the more the merrier.

Steve.

Edit: oh and here's our VP Tribute page with some great stories, pics and all the stats, feel free to add to it.
http://www.magpies.net/nick/history/victoriapark/vicpark.html

[daicos from the boundry]

The old chubby guy selling peanuts with his big sack on his shoulder 20cents a pop.Collingwood cheer squad collecting money at half time in the big sheet and seeing if you could scone one in the head with your 10cent donation.Parking the car at Hoddle st high risers(wouldnt do that anymore)and talking all the little ally ways to the ground.ahh memories

[BBHS]

The mad dash down the stairs of the Sherrin Stand to get a pie at 1/4 time.

The way in which we actually had a "home ground advantage".

[AFL_Record]

Didn't have too many because of my age, Just being there was a fond memory of mine.
Knowing you were going to sit near your fellow Collingwood supporters was a buzz in itself.

[Johnson#26]

I have a few fond memories of the grand old place.

I saw two pre-season practices matches at the ground (vs Fremantle 1998, vs Kangaroos 1999). We won the first (I scored Bucks' autograph) and lost the second (Carey, Longmire, Fridge Roberts and co sat in front of us in the Sherrin Stand).

A few Family Day's, Buckley's Bridge Clinics and the like were always good value. The final training session prior to the 2002 Grand Final was a golden moment - a fantastic day.


But my best memory is the tour of the ground I was lucky enough to take with a man who works with the club's archieves committee in 2003. Magnificent day, and I got to have a kick on the ground for a while after.

[David]

I was very sad when the last match was played and I had never seen a game there. So my only memories are getting photos with my favourite players at training and walking around the empty unused ground for the last time. (I'd imagine next time I go down to Melbourne it will be gone).

[3rd degree]

One of the best days was seeing Sav kick 10 against a hapless team of tuggers. While knocking down tinnies on one eyed hill I also loved seeing Milane bullocking his way around the wing on a wet afternoon also seeing Kelly crunch Doolan into next week was brillant also.

[Johnson#26]

FWIW:

http://www.magpies.net/nick/history/victoriapark/vicpark.html
http://www.magpies.net/nick/history/victoriapark/dalegallery.html
http://www.magpies.net/nick/history/victoriapark/die4piesgallerypage1.html
http://www.magpies.net/nick/history/victoriapark/punkologistgallery.html

Some terrific pictures there - well done, guys.

[piedys]