Time to Remember

[whufc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxyNctV9nDA

Just watched this on youtube and didnt realise how close Fitzroy and North Melbourne came to merging.

This was the day the AFL died for me.

[tigers34738586]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxyNctV9nDA

Just watched this on youtube and didnt realise how close Fitzroy and North Melbourne came to merging.

This was the day the AFL died for me.

Must agree about this time thought it had no real soul anymore

[Spargo]

I have a mate who absolutely loved the 'Roys.
He stopped following football at the end of '96.
I couldn't imagine life without my club.

[westozfalcon]

I keenly followed Fitzroy for 17 years up to 1996 and while I'd have preferred them to continue as single entity I knew it wasn't going to happen.
I could see little point in being bitter and twisted about commercial realities and becoming a miserable, conscientious objector forevermore.

If you're going to watch AFL football (and most Fitzroy supporters who swore off AFL football probably still do) you might as well support a team. The Brisbane Lions had Fitzroy in their DNA and the Lion on the jumper so for me that was a better than a team that didn't.

The AFL these days is made up of organisations and franchises, not clubs. The days of watching your team's players train on a Tuesday and Thursday night and then joining them at the upstairs bar for a few pots are long gone. That was the era Fitzroy belonged to.

I went to hear Leigh Matthews give a talk one night. One thing he said succinctly summed up the change in football professionalism.
"In my era" he said "we used to train at night and play in the day, now they train in the day and play at night"

There are a few more 'Fitzroys' still on AFL life support but it's only a matter of time before the doctor gets the nod to flick the switch.

[Hondo]

I'm not so melodramatic about what happened to Fitzroy.

You look at what SANFL and WAFL fans have had to endure since the VFL expanded and changed it's name to the AFL and then look at what VFL fans have endured and basically it boils down to South Melbourne relocating to Sydney and Fitzroy's demise and that's it.

The VFL clubs thought they could just add new teams while the 11 of them stayed intact in the new AFL and for 10 of those teams that has worked out.

In my mind the football world is lucky it only ended up being one traditional VFL club that fell away. For a while there in the mid to late 90s it appeared as though at least one more merger would occur.

[GWW]

I think the whole thing with the "merger" between Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears was a sham; a "Clayton's" merger perhaps.

As "RoyLion" would tell us - although he hasn't posted on here in a number of years - the Fitzroy FC still exist today, playing in a lower competition.

Brisbane thought so little of Fitzroy that they changed the design of the Lion as their mascot.

Prior to that they had first access to players on Fitzroy's list such as (from memory) Chris Johnson, Molloy, Primus (some of which they overlooked).

They also could claim Jonathon Brown as father/son.

I guess Brisbane got out of them what they wanted, and then ditched the whole thing, aside.

[Dogwatcher]

As an outsider, I think that's an unfair post, particularly given some, not all, but some, might say the same of Port Adelaide.

[GWW]

A comparison could perhaps be made, but I think they were/are considerably different circumstances.

[Mr Beefy]

I think the whole thing with the "merger" between Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears was a sham; a "Clayton's" merger perhaps.

As "RoyLion" would tell us - although he hasn't posted on here in a number of years - the Fitzroy FC still exist today, playing in a lower competition.

Brisbane thought so little of Fitzroy that they changed the design of the Lion as their mascot.

Prior to that they had first access to players on Fitzroy's list such as (from memory) Chris Johnson, Molloy, Primus (some of which they overlooked).

They also could claim Jonathon Brown as father/son.

I guess Brisbane got out of them what they wanted, and then ditched the whole thing, aside.

The Fitzroy that exists today, already existed when Fitzroy merged, as the Fitzroy Reds, previously the University Reds. They dropped the Reds from their name and adopted the lion to help any lost Fitzroy VFL fans that were looking for a club to support

[Lightning McQueen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxyNctV9nDA

Just watched this on youtube and didnt realise how close Fitzroy and North Melbourne came to merging.

This was the day the AFL died for me.

Thanks for sharing that.

[maxyoz]

I went to hear Leigh Matthews give a talk one night. One thing he said succinctly summed up the change in football professionalism.
"In my era" he said "we used to train at night and play in the day, now they train in the day and play at night"
.

Also with that, David Parkin once said at a luncheon that in his day, they did circle work at training and then played up and down the middle. Now they train up and down the middle and play on the wings and in the pockets.

[heater31]

I think the whole thing with the "merger" between Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears was a sham; a "Clayton's" merger perhaps.

As "RoyLion" would tell us - although he hasn't posted on here in a number of years - the Fitzroy FC still exist today, playing in a lower competition.

Brisbane thought so little of Fitzroy that they changed the design of the Lion as their mascot.

Prior to that they had first access to players on Fitzroy's list such as (from memory) Chris Johnson, Molloy, Primus (some of which they overlooked).

They also could claim Jonathon Brown as father/son.

I guess Brisbane got out of them what they wanted, and then ditched the whole thing, aside.

The Fitzroy that exists today, already existed when Fitzroy merged, as the Fitzroy Reds, previously the University Reds. They dropped the Reds from their name and adopted the lion to help any lost Fitzroy VFL fans that were looking for a club to support

From the Fitzroy FC website....

The Fitzroy Reds Football club (formerly the University Reds Football Club) has a long and distinguished history. Throughout its 48 years the club has prided itself of being a club run by the players for the players. We have always maintained a strong social calender and an eclectic mix of players that has given us a reputation for eccentricity.

The first University Reds football team was formed in 1954 as a virtual Club XVIII to provide leftover players from University Blues and Blacks with an opportunity to get a regular match. Playing in the E grade section (now the D2 section) we were very competitive with many strong performances and final appearances but no flags.

The introduction of the compulsory reserves competition by the VAFA saw Uni Reds go into recess in 1964. However it did not take long to resurrect the spirit and the Reds played in the Federal League for 2 seasons before rejoining the VAFA, with both a seniors and reserves teams, in 1972.From 1972 on we have had a number of home grounds, including Crawford oval, Yarra Bend oval, Princess park and the University oval. In 1991 the University Reds moved to the Brunswick Street Oval which has been our home ever since.

We tasted our first premiership in 1980 and were runners up in the following year. It took until 1994 to win our first reserves premiership. In 1995 we won our second senior premiership.

The turning point for the club was 1997, when under increasing pressure from the Melbourne University Sports Union to meet the required number of undergraduate and post graduate registrations to obtain funding we decided to “go it alone” and became The Fitzroy Reds Football Club. Since this time we have had the support of The Fitzroy Football Club and the Fitzroy Foundation which have enabled us to remain independent and viable. The support of these organisations also sees the Reds wearing the Fitzroy Football Club colours on their original home ground.

Success has been much more a feature in recent years, than those struggling, yet fun-filled years of the early days. After going undefeated to win the premiership in 2001 (D3 Section), the Reds consolidated in the higher grade the following year. This has been a common trend in the ensuing years, with premierships, over the previously undefeated Peninsula Pirates in 2003, consolidation in D1 in 2004, and then a barnstorming year in 2005, winning the premiership, and promotion to C Grade for the first time ever.

The Reds' initial C Grade foray only lasted a couple of seasons, however, as they succumbed to relegation in 2007 after managing just 4 wins from 18 matches for the year. Despite this setback, ties with the local community have continued to be strengthened, and the club now counts among its growing supporter base a large number of former Fitzroy fans from all corners of Victoria and beyond.

In 2008 the seniors showed considerable promise as they claimed 11 wins from their 18 matches for the year to come within a whisker of making the D1 Grade finals.

First proposed in April of 2008 and completed In December 2008, the Fitzroy Reds merged with the former AFL club Fitzroy Football Club Ltd. All assets of the Fitzroy Reds were transferred to the Fitzroy Football Club.

Key components of the Fitzroy Football Club-Fitzroy Reds merger included the following:-

The Club will be known as "Fitzroy Football Club Ltd incorporating Fitzroy Reds."
The football teams under the management of the Club will be known as “Fitzroy”
The home ground of Fitzroy will be the Brunswick Street Oval.
Fitzroy will wear essentially the same jumper, shorts and socks as was worn by Fitzroy in 1996.
The Club theme song will be the same as was sung in 1996 by Fitzroy and slightly altered from the one sung by the Fitzroy Reds.

[GWW]

I think the whole thing with the "merger" between Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears was a sham; a "Clayton's" merger perhaps.

As "RoyLion" would tell us - although he hasn't posted on here in a number of years - the Fitzroy FC still exist today, playing in a lower competition.

Brisbane thought so little of Fitzroy that they changed the design of the Lion as their mascot.

Prior to that they had first access to players on Fitzroy's list such as (from memory) Chris Johnson, Molloy, Primus (some of which they overlooked).

They also could claim Jonathon Brown as father/son.

I guess Brisbane got out of them what they wanted, and then ditched the whole thing, aside.

The Fitzroy that exists today, already existed when Fitzroy merged, as the Fitzroy Reds, previously the University Reds. They dropped the Reds from their name and adopted the lion to help any lost Fitzroy VFL fans that were looking for a club to support

This whole seems all more confusing than the PAFC situation.

To me, this part of Heater's quoted post seems to be relevant -

First proposed in April of 2008 and completed In December 2008, the Fitzroy Reds merged with the former AFL club Fitzroy Football Club Ltd.

It seems they (Fitzroy) merged twice (well actually referring back to my original post, it seems they could merge in 2008, because they didn't actually properly merge with Brisbane a decade earlier).

[RustyCage]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/fitzroy-lions-to-roar-again/story-e6frf9jf-1111118260152

The old Lion roars again as Fitzroy is reborn
DAMIAN BARRETT HERALD SUN DECEMBER 09, 2008

THE AFL may have sent the Fitzroy Lions to Brisbane in a near-farcical amalgamation 12 years ago, but it was never able to kill the Fitzroy spirit.

Fitzroy Football Club somehow survived, at least in name, those hellish events of 1996. And, as of 7.30pm yesterday, it was reborn.

From next year, Fitzroy - technically the same Fitzroy that won eight premierships in its 1897-1996 life in the VFL and AFL - will field a senior team in the Victorian Amateur Football Association.

A board meeting at a hotel in Fairfield last night saw FFC Ltd agree to merge with VAFA D1-Section club Fitzroy Reds to form, simply, Fitzroy.

The famous maroon and blue colours with the equally famous gold FFC logo will be worn, and matches will be played at the original home ground of 125 years ago, the Brunswick St Oval in Fitzroy North, where Haydn Bunton, Kevin Murray, Wilfred "Chicken" Smallhorn, Denis "Dinny" Ryan, Allan Ruthven and Alan "Butch" Gale were warriors.

News of the return of Fitzroy delighted Bill Stephen, a grand old Roy Boy who won the second of two best-and-fairests in 1954, was captain-coach in 1955-57, and coach from 1965-1970, and 1979-80.

"This is a great thing for the old club," Stephen said. "It was gone for all money and that left a lot of us very sad and quite bitter for some time.

"You move on from that, of course, and we have moved on, but it was a very nasty way for the club to finish.

"Fitzroy was once the glamour team of the league. We had seven premierships by the early 1920s, which was more than any club."

The merger will have no bearing on the Brisbane Lions.

Craig Little, who last night became the new club's president, said he had told Brisbane Lions chief executive Michael Bowers that Fitzroy would again be active in the Amateurs.

"This will not impact on Brisbane. It is not a threat to Brisbane. In fact, Brisbane will now have something that no other AFL club has - a living embodiment of what once was, with the club playing at its old ground," Little said.

"This can actually be a value-add for Brisbane.

"Everyone associated with Brisbane should come down to the Brunswick St Oval and see where it all began, and get a great appreciation for what Fitzroy is and what has happened to it."

FFC has made regular, small profits in the past 10 years, and has sponsored the Reds (originally the University Reds) during that period.

Bill Atherton, instrumental in keeping alive not just the Fitzroy Football Club name but also its spirit through his tireless work at The Fitzroy Shop based in Moorabbin, said last night's development would be looked back on as a proud moment in the club's life.

"The Lion went to the Gabba, but the Fitzroy Football Club kept its spirit and went back to Brunswick St Oval to help the kids, and now it's back," Atherton said.

"This is huge. Here is a football club that went through the messiest and ugliest and most hurtful of events in 1996, but it just kept on going.

"We weren't blameless in what happened, we know that, and in the end we couldn't help ourselves, but we had a great hope of one day finding a way back, and through a passion that goes back generations, and also through a lot of patience, we have achieved something that is very significant.

"The time is right for us to come back, and we are back, and we are going to be making a very serious contribution to grassroots footy."

Fitzroy won its eighth and last flag in 1944.

There were relatively good years in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including finishing one game off top spot in 1983 and making a preliminary final in 1986.

It was an era when, like the 1920s and '30s, glamour was synonymous with the club, as Paul Roos, Gary Pert, Bernie Quinlan, Garry Wilson, Richard Osborne, Alastair Lynch and Micky Conlan kept the wins coming.

But there was never enough money, and the club ceased to exist as we knew it after Round 22 of the 1996 season.

Depending which camp you're in, Fitzroy either died then or it merged with Brisbane.

Some Roy Boy diehards shunned the merger initially and have warmed to it since; some will never acknowledge there is a piece of Fitzroy in Brisbane.

Last night's meeting endorsed Dyson Hore-Lacy and Elaine Findlay respectively as the new club's chair and deputy chair.

Hore-Lacy and Findlay, who in the late 1980s became the first female to be appointed to a VFL-AFL club's board, were in those positions during the ugly events of 1996, and retained them during the past 12 years.

Little, taking on the new position of president, said the return of the old Fitzroy to its old ground would appeal to a wide range of people.

"As the AFL gets bigger and bigger and played by huge corporate entities, the fans' relationship with the teams remains passionate, but not intimate," Little said.

"Local footy doesn't have a poster boy. What I believe we can do is build this club up as an example of sorts of what local footy really should be about, and bring back a lot of what made footy great."

Part of that pledge, Little said, would be the scheduling of Fitzroy matches at 2pm on a Saturday.

"Fitzroy seemed to be everyone's second team, so what we say to those people is if your (AFL) team is not playing on a Saturday afternoon, and let's face it, it probably won't be, come down to Brunswick St and see where it all began."

Asked what the club's nickname would be, Little said: "The Roy Boys, that's what I am expecting will stick. Everyone loves the Roy Boys."

[Punk Rooster]

the biggest shame about their demise that year, was that Mike Nunan was on the right track.
You think he had nothing top work with? He actually brought some talent to that club through some very good drafting (Matt Primus for one) in his only season, and they were getting smashed, but had some good signs for the future- whereas previously, there was no hope.
The AFL were determined to kill off (or let die) a club to bring Port in- Fitzroy.
I suspect had the AFL injected funds into the Roys, Nunan would have built them into a semi-respectable side.
Nunan also brought Clipsal on board as a Major Sponsor- probably guaranteeing him the job.