grassy
Bencher
Since 1972 i have followed this club only. Remember when i was a little boy growing up in NSW, i was staying at a caravan park visiting my sister in Wollongong, when we decided to go over to the beachside shopping center to get some fish and chips for lunch. As we arrived my first recollection of Manly Rugby League Football Club hit me by their colors as there were people everywhere in Maroon and white and also Red White and Blue. I asked my dad why is everyone dressed up in these outfits and he told me its the Grand final between Eastern Suburbs and Manly going to be played tomorrow. At that time, i did not even know anything about sport let alone Rugby League. I can remember saying to my dad "Who will win"? He told me Manly as he was a Fred Jones Fan(did not know that back then).So then i was hooked on Manly. That was enough for me, if my dad was Manly, then i was Manly. By next year we were going to every game and travelled everywhere and would buy the shorts/shirts you name it we bought it. Since then, i have not missed many games until covid hit which changed everything. Even living in QLD , i still managed to get to games either flying down /driving or involved with private groups. When our 3 Daughters were old enough we dressed them up in Manly kits and took them to the games. We have been to more games than we can remember together. My kids are now 25/26/29. My eldest has moved out and started a family of her own and the other two are moving out Tuesday. The moral of this short story for anyone interested is that Manly has been a lifestyle and culture in this family. At this present moment the feeling of watching us play when we are all together is not the same anymore. But don't be mistaken, as its not because we are loosing interest in Manly or that we have an attitude problem, its because our club is failing in its own culture by putting up with clowns that are destroying the club. This is NOT about winning or loosing, its about principle and doing what's right for the future of the club.. We can call this what we like but at the end of the day here we are and the time is now again. Our club needs to recognize this not just us.
