With six simple words the greatest memories of passionate supporters of the royal blue and white were revealed.
The lead-in was simple: 'Complete this sentence: My earliest memory of North Melbourne is...', but brought about answers that would make every Kangaroo smile.
Here are some of the best responses:
Greg Moody: Standing in the kitchen of my home in Cairns as a child listening to the radio broadcast of the 1977 drawn GF. It was the only way to hear it back then and as Twiggy Dunne took the mark they went to the horse races..it was about 10 minutes before we knew the result of the game..my mother barracked for the Pies so I decided to barrack for the Roos..
Rod Downie: In 1953 standing on two empty beer bottles aged 6 to look over the fence on the outer side of the ground, I think Jock Spencer was our full forward
Lisa Hunter: The drawn 1977 Grand Final - I was 7 at the time! And then watching them win the following week. And what made that even better - my Dad being a Collingwood supporter!
Daniel Stiglec: Watching their 1999 Grand final victory over the Blues. Despite my family going for Fitzroy I decided to go for them, never looked back. I was 4.
Larry Warren: Was when my mum asked me to choose a jumper from a rack of all the VFL teams in 1978.
Josh Schofield: My pop's vintage North Melbourne Bomber jacket. Which he is giving to me next time I'm back in Melbourne.
Lisa Ryan: Standing on a milk crete trying to see at arden street !!!!
Stephen Cushnahan: Thinking who is the blonde no 11 giving the Richmond forward a bath...my 1st game North vs Richmond rd 22 MCG Sunday 1996.
Linda Peck: Jumping the fence at Waverley after the game and touching Schima and David Dench and saying I would never wash my hand again!
Peter C McPhan: Watching the "Moomba" parade in 1976 and the boy's sitting in a car with "75" Grand Final cup driving past me, still have the photo my father took :)
Ian Rowlands: Encouraging my friends to leave my birthday party so we could all watch the 77 replay on tele. Was also told I sulked at 3/4 time of the first game.
Gus Passqualli: When I was a pup and used to go to Arden St with my Grandad to watch training. Then the players would come back to his place for massages.Meeting Blighty and the boys when they came over for a rub..Those were the bloody days when footballers were real blokes not superstars.
Jill Nanny: My 1st memory was when i was 3, in 1952, going to the game to watch my Uncle Les Reeves play, consequently we all go for North, my whole family and extended family..
Joe Spicuglia: Going to see the 1996 grand final, and me having a photo with Carey and the golden premiership cup.
Fiona Tarrant: Arden Street, watching the 1975 flag being raised. I was 6 years old.
Malcolm Bangs: Being the only Roos' Supporter in a house full of die-hard Collingwood fans during the '77 replay and living to tell the tale! GO ROOS.
Nick Wray: Going to watch a game when I was 6 at Arden street with my dad and the ball got booted onto the road amongst the cars.
Kaysee Gray: seeing a Kangaroo and deciding to barrack for Kangaroos when I was 3. (:
Dael Darlow: Getting a picture with Matthew Burton when I was 4..... I was up to his knee o.O
Nicola Lawrence: Sitting on the old style wooden seats at Arden St with my mum, aunty, brother, nan and pop. We always sat next to the same couple and my mum made my brother a huge flag to wave, and running onto the ground when the siren sounded!!
Leon Gailitis: In 1978 when I was 3 years old when my dad's friend bought me a North Melbourne guernsey, Dad barracked for Footscray. I remember how shattered dad was when I put it on and smiled proudly. Never looked back and the roos it's always been, even got him to take me to a few Arden st. games to see my hero of youth Schimma..
Jake Nuggin: When they came to my primary school in 2004, I got one of their merchandise hats and I still have it 7 years on : )
Edith Wolff: My first ever footy game, watching them play against Carlton at Arden Street. Was standing at the end where the stall was that caught fire a few years later. I remember wondering how Essendon was going. But the following season I brought my first ever footy membership and it was for North Melbourne.
Keith Millar: Being a school boy at Essendon station waiting for the bus to Keilor and having North coach in early 60s get off the train and walk past . I would walk with him as he hurried on his way to his day job to get the news on John Dugdale or Albert Mantello .
Another early memory was Alan Killagrew getting into a stouch with Geelong's Paul Vinar at Kardinia Park.
Shelly Robinson: Dad took my sister & I to our first live footy game ever, North v Carlton at the MCG when I was a kid.. We made banners out of old white sheets and old broom handles, bit of blue paint and presto! Go Rocky, Sholly, the 'fridge' Roberts... of course Carey and all guns blazing McAdam... Also remember the first and only time going to work DRUNK as a skunk on the night of '96 GF, couldn't help myself - what a celebration for the mighty roos!! Ahhhh, those were the days....:)
Nick Zamudio: Specifically, Round 10, 1995... Was four and a half, started to take notice of footy during 94. Was being brainwashed to follow Essendon at that time, by the brother and the godfather, til that night I just saw North play, even then thinkin...g 'DAMN!' Switched teams during that match, brother wasn't happy haha. Live game wise, Essendon v North in 1997, the second time we played them that year... I got a few laughs for being a six year old screaming at the umpires
Peter Clarke: sitting in the front row of the old wooden grandstand at Arden st with my grandmother as she knitted all the way through the game I was 8 years old and that was in 1966.
Darcy Josip Brajkovi?: My first match when Jason McCartney played his last and was carried out at the end and we pumped Richmond
Vanessa Tucker: Sleeping in the MCG carpark to get tickets for the '77 grand final replay:)
Daravanh Noi Vongvixay: sitting in my dads lap as a kid watchin North vs Adelaide at Waverley park and then falling asleep. when I woke up I pretended I had been awake the whole time exclaiming that North Melbourne were my favourite team!! loved them ever since! :D
Tim Canning: Sitting in my uncle Barry Cheatley's bar XMAS day 1974 (as a 10 year old) listening to him explain why North was going to win the Grand Final next year then having him suggest I get on board, he even gave me $5 to sweeten the deal, lot of money to a 10 year old (back then), getting home, picking my number five off my Collingwood duffle coat and sewing on some North players I'd never heard of ready for school the next year. Best $5 ever spent I say.
Gary Jacks: Watching the boys train 1994 sitting in the old stadium at Arden St with my cousins!! Great times! Two years later my best memory came sitting on the third tear of the MCG on a half forward flank on that famous day in September!! Missed 99 but was in the NMFC social club!! Keep the good memories coming Kangas!!
Michelle Danby: When North came back from behind to beat Essendon ... it was a Friday night game .... we were down a few goals by the last quarter and Wayne Carey turned the game around and kicked a few goals & they won....geez there are so many memories though....Arden St as a kid, then I was a teenage chick that lost interest ....but then getting back into footy & becoming a member start of the 90's what a decade!
Val Howe: As a tot I used to help my Dad polish off the boots of the players..he was then called the boot-studder 4 the Roos & he make special studs for different games, wet & dry. He was there 40 odd years. So we all grew up as supporters so have his grandchildren & now his great grand-children are keep'n the tradition going in memory of JIM COOK....
Mark Ellard: Watching them play Sth Melb @ the SCG. Going on the field to hear the 3/4 time coaches spray & jumping up to pat the mighty number 15 Malcolm Blight on the back as I ran off. Have supported "the blue team" ever since
Sandra O'Shea: Watching the 1977 Grand Final with my dad, and then watching the rematch the following week whth him. I had the mighty Malcolm Blights on the back of my duffle coat. Heaps of badges on it with some great players on them. Those were the days!
Dee Hayes: Arden St in the 70s ...We lived in Tassie at that time.. My mum used to fly over to see the games and I was with her.. Can remember the sausage sizzles under the old grand stand and most of the players would be there as well, the likes ...of David Dench, Ross Glendinning, Brent Crosswell, John Rantall, Keith Greig, Wayne Schimmelbusch, Malcolm Blight, Barry Cable, Mick Nolan, Sam Kekovich. I have named some legends there. And you used to be able to mix with the players freely they were there lining up for their sausage as well. Those were the days.
Shaun Mitchell: Being stuck in the middle of the desert out near Camerons Corner during the only 3 days of rain they had that year trying desperately to get a radio single during the 1996 grand final, only to just pick out a few vague words. Wasn't till the next morning when we finally got into town did we find out the result. I was only 7!
Frankie Mulcahy: When I was a little baby we used 2 live in Kensington & my dad took me down to training & Slammin Sam Kekovich held me up in one hand & from then on I always wore number 4. Arden Street they were the good days I remember my dad & uncles all bringing esky's full of beer & sitting on the grass it didnt cost any $$$ at all. I remember playing with Andrew Krakouer at the football clinics they used 2 have in the 80s I've always wanted 2 ask Kecka if he remembers holding me in 1 hand.
Mick Eden: Running down the race at Arden Street with all the other mascots 1964 Mick Aylett #17 was the captain I was his mascot in his last game i am now 56 myself
Ashleigh Brown: At arden street right behind the goals at social club end in the cheer-squad with my mum and brother, in a duffle coat with ross glendinning #4 on my back watching my first game vs hawthorn... malcolm blight full forward and leigh matthews for hawthorn..... what a great era and time to grow up, watching Blight, Greig, Dench, Cable, Glendinning, the Krakouers, Dempsey etc.... modern day footy is no where near enjoyable but that may be showing my age... great memories.. go the roos....
Michael Phillips: Standing on the Gasometer wing with my Father & Mother, my sister and 2 year old brother who spent the entire afternoon collecting bottle tops. I complained to my parents that a Footscray supporter was yelling too loudly in my ear. The game was a draw and it was the year Footscray won their premiership and I was 7 years old.
Robert Argus: Watching the great Keith Greig dodge and weave on the wing at Arden Street. I can't remember him ever being caught. Possibly the best kick I've ever seen as well. Pity we don't have any players of that class anymore.
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