CARLTON President Luke Sayers, in his recent address to almost 1,000 people at the Spirit of Carlton’s Hall of Fame evening, drew on the Club’s incredible power to unify people of all ages, races and creeds.

In highlighting the power of Carlton, the President called on each audience member in Marvel Stadium’s Victory Room “to reflect for a moment and ask yourself, ‘What is my connection to the Carlton Football Club?’”.

“The beauty of that answer is that it will be different for every one of us in this room tonight,” Sayers said.

“That connection may be as premiership teammates or as current players aspiring to be; as staff, old and new, who do not get the headlines or attention, but whose commitment has been profound and instrumental in building this football club; or as sponsors, who support financially, but in reality, that investment comes first and foremost from the heart.

“Or perhaps your connection may be, like so many of us, not by choice, but through family DNA, and we would not have it any other way.”

Sayers then told the guests that whatever their answer to the question ‘What is my connection to Carlton?’, “know that you have one, know that it is beautifully unique to you and it is something to be proud of”.

He then closed with the following request.

“If you can tonight, I’d encourage you to speak to those around you, on your table, or surrounding, to find out their Carlton story, because there is every chance that it will be as beautifully unique as your own.”

On the strength of the President’s challenge, nine people – most of them contributors to the Blueseum history website and seated together at table 82 - agreed to tell their own unique tales of why they supported the Carlton Football Club and, by extension, what Carlton meant to them.

These are their stories:

Pete McLean (Carlton member 1967 – 1979 & 1991 - ), father of Andrew McLean:

“MUM and Dad barracked for Carlton, just like their parents. They were born in 1912, so their parents’ support of the Club would go back to the late 1880s at least.

I remember my dad regaling my brother and I with stories of Harry ‘Soapy’ Vallence and Ken ‘Solvol’ Hands over Sunday roast lunches.

My parents went to the 1938 Grand Final, and Dad also saw ‘The Bloodbath’ Grand Final in ’45. He’d just been demobbed from the Army and went to the game with a couple of bottles of beer stowed in his gladstone bag. His said Princes Park was so packed that he couldn’t even bend down to open a bottle!

My dad died when I was 11, so Mum took me to the 1962 preliminary final replay against Geelong at the MCG - standing room, scoreboard end, with a good view of the famous Peter Barry-Doug Wade incident. I saw the 1967 and ’68 finals, after queueing all night outside the MCG with thousands of people for tickets, as you did in those days.

In 1970, my Nanna, who was very ill, heard her Blue Boys win the Grand Final over the radio. She died happy early the next day.

I saw earlier games in the 1970 finals series, but not the Grand Final as I couldn't bear to witness a Collingwood victory as the Magpies had thrashed us in all the games that year.

What a mistake that was!

The 1972 Grand Final was memorable as we hadn’t beaten Richmond in a final for decades and we were well and truly the underdogs.

John Nicholls, as captain-coach, relocated to the forward pocket, allowing Peter ‘Percy’ Jones to ruck for the match. What a masterstroke that was, with ‘Big Nick’ booting six in what was a thrashing of the Tigers.

The opposition supporters left early and in doing so left behind lots of unopened beer cans which were quickly opened and enjoyed. Then it was out to Princes Park where the celebrations continued over scalding hot pies on sale under the Gardiner Stand.

A replay of the match was screened at the ground a few weeks later (as was the 1970 Grand Final two years before)  and once again the Robert Heatley Stand was packed. It was just like being at the match!”

Michael Olsen (Carlton member 1993 - , supporter since 1981)

“AS a child from a big family that had relocated from Rugby country to Aussie Rules-land (Tasmania), I grew up having a choice of sport and a choice of team within that sport. There was no rigid ‘Thou shalt follow the Blues!’, so I had to find my own way, with various family members following Collingwood, North Melbourne and Hawthorn post migration to the southern state.

Aussie Rules naturally caught my attention and we’d always have it on in the background, but it wasn’t until 1981 when a decision around teams started to form.  I distinctly remember sitting in the couch in September as this navy blue team took on the ‘Mighty Pies’, the team of my second brother.  Whilst he was my favourite brother (by some way), there was something wonderfully fun and exciting about watching his frustration as this navy blue team took on and won the day. 

Years later, when the family moved to Melbourne, I was able to visit Princes Park and see the 1995 and 1999 Grand Finals (using my dad’s North membership), which only cemented my rabid Carlton-ness and a particular love for beating Collingwood.”

Beau Zlatkovic (Carlton member 1984 - 1989 & 2003 - )

“MY grandfather came to Australia from Yugoslavia in the early 1950s, and met some Italians at his job at the Nylex factory who were Carlton supporters. He adopted Carlton as his team, and it helped him quickly assimilate.

My dad followed suit and started supporting Carlton as a boy. ‘Big Nick’ (John Nicholls), ‘Serge’ (Sergio Silvagni), ‘Gags’ (Adrian Gallagher) and ‘Jezza’ (Alex Jesaulenko) became his heroes in high school. In 1969, on one of his first dates with my mum, he took her to see the game at Princes Park when the team kicked the record score and blew the Hawks away.

I was born a Carlton supporter and in 1980 went to my first game against St Kilda in the animal enclosure at Moorabbin with my dad and grandfather. It was an experience to say the least. From then on I’ve loved the Club through thick and thin, and have been lucky enough over the years to contribute to the Carlton Football Club website and the Blueseum.

I’m proud to say that these days I take both my now elderly dad and my young daughter to every game. It’s wonderful having three generations of Carlton supporters riding every bump, celebrating every goal, and supporting this great club together.”

Jamie Sanderson (Carlton member 1993 - ), administrator, The Blueseum website

“MY father is an Essendon supporter and fairly passionate; my mum is a Carlton supporter but does not really follow footy closely at all; and my maternal grandmother was a St Kilda supporter - so you can see that things had the potential for disaster.

Luckily for me, my grandmother had a healthy rivalry with my father and to get one-up on him when I was just a toddler she got me a Carlton jumper.

Andrew McLean (Carlton member 1995 - ), son of Pete McLean

“AS a fourth-generation supporter I was born into following the Blues. It couldn’t have been any other way, especially at age seven when Dad signed my brother and I up as members.

I always enjoyed the match-day rituals - catching an overcrowded tram to Princes Park with the crowd discussing our hopes for the next few hours - even being stuck in the muddy car park at Waverley was worth it after a warm pie and seeing my heroes running around all afternoon.

As I grew older, I began to appreciate the history of Carlton as we entered some lean years. I also learned to love our team as it evolved with new players replacing those I thought immortal, with time even football moved away from the suburban grounds.

I still catch a train to the footy with my dad and brother, and even if the childhood rituals have changed a little I’m proud to continue our family tradition of supporting the Carlton Football Club.”

Mick Dyamond (Carlton member 1976 - )

“ALTHOUGH I lived in North Melbourne for the first few years of my life, I moved to Carlton around 1972 in the golden era of ‘Big Nick’, ‘Jezza’, McKay, Crosswell, Southby, Doull and Keogh, etc. etc. Growing up in the Carlton heartland, you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing a Carlton jumper, poster or sticker.

I used to walk to Princes Park to watch the players train and play. The atmosphere on match day was unbelievable. We played in front of big crowds and were always in the papers and the news. We won premierships and when we didn’t we were still playing finals. Carlton was a team to be proud of, and the success continued into the late 1970s and early ’80s with the new breed of Buckley, Sheldon, Harmes, McConville, Johnston and Marcou. Going to watch the Blues wasn’t a case of hoping to win because we would win. Even if we were behind there was never any panic because in most cases we would come from behind and win anyway.

The Blues were thrilling to watch. They played with passion and they played for the jumper. They were entertainers and they were champions on every line.

The dark Navy Blue is all about passion, premierships and success.”

Rod Mitchell (Carlton member 1979 - )

“MUM was a Pies fan, Dad supported North and my dad even took my younger brother and I to North’s 1978 finals series to sway us. But we grew up in Carlton and my older brother wouldn’t have any of that nonsense as he was already a Bluebagger.

At the start of the 1979 season, my brother took me up to Princes Park where I purchased my first Carlton membership with the paper round money I’d saved. l also bought my first Carlton jumper with Ken Sheldon’s No.5 on the back.

The Blues already had genuine superstars like ‘Jezza’, McKay, Southby, Keogh, ‘Percy’ and the super cool Bruce Doull. But we had the perfect mix with young guns coming through like Harmes, Buckley, Sheldon, Johnston, Marcou, McConville and Francis.

I just felt so right in following Carlton. It just clicked for me and the timing was impeccable with us winning three flags in my first four years as a member. To sit in the Heatley Stand and watch the Blues blitz in the premiership quarters after half time was a given, as was playing finals – and we always had a chance to win the flag.

We had a massive supporter base and together we watched our heroes; they had the swagger of rock stars, and we had champions on every line.

Saturday mornings were surreal, I’d play junior footy in the mornings and then head off to the suburban grounds like Arden Street, Victoria Park or the Lakeside Oval. Flinders Street was always a hive of activity when all six games were played on a Saturday, as there were supporters from nearly all clubs on the platforms. I felt like I had an air of superiority as my club colours were Navy Blue, because we were one of the big four, if not the biggest of them all. You almost felt bulletproof and you could see and feel the envy/jealousy/hatred from other supporters. 

I have been to and watched us win five flags, the most treasured in 1982 when we went in as the underdog and had to beat the Tigers both with our attack on the ball and the man. That win was pure heart. All five Grand Finals were great but in ’82 we had a tough finals series with Southby and Austin missing another Grand Final through injury, and we limped in. Truly it was a win was against all odds and showed the resilience of one of the best teams of all time.

All my siblings and their kids are Bluebaggers, I’ve been a member for 45 years straight and it’s the best money I’ve ever spent. All five of my kids are Blues members, but I was never a pushy parent as they had a choice with footy. It was very simple. You either support Carlton or you don’t eat – and they chose wisely.

Carn the Blues!”

Dan Rose (Carlton member 1993-2014 & 2019 - )

“MY grandfather Hedley Rose occupied the same seat in the Carlton Social Club Stand at every game for so long that if ever someone inadvertently sat there the whole crowd would tell them to get out of Mr Rose’s seat! He was a massive Carlton supporter despite his diminutive size.

My dad grew up around the Essendon/Aberfeldie/Pascoe Vale area but was always a Carlton man. He was a pretty good footballer in his day, so he tells me, and even tried out for the Essendon under-19s. But he says he couldn’t bring himself to play for that mob, and I think that’s where my hate of Essendon comes from too – it’s a family thing.

So I guess I had no choice. I was bound to be a Blue, and pretty happy about that too.

I sat on Dad’s shoulders when I saw my first Carlton game against the Swans at Princes Park. At that time I was just as happy to kick the empty beer cans on the ground, but I soon learned that footy is the best game in the world.”

Charles King (Carlton member 1991 - )

“IT started with ‘Fitzy’(Mike Fitzpatrick) and the jumper. Those two very commanding things really won me over, and drew me away from the Swans, Tigers and Roos whom I’d all dabbled in.

1983 was my first season of properly following Carlton game by game, and it all started with a radio broadcast of us getting belted by Fitzroy by 10 goals one Saturday arvo (Round 5). Even though I wasn’t enjoying it there was something about that hope throughout the game, that we could somehow claw back the lead. Adversity completely bonded me with the team and it stood me in good stead for the hardship 20 years later!

The rest of that season was just a wild old ride, with us regularly trailing at half time, only for Messrs Glascott, Johnston, Hunter et al putting on a third quarter blitz after blitz, to see us just make it into the finals. I’ll always have a soft spot for ’83, my first real year as a Blue. Growing up in Queenscliff, I followed footy on the radio, then the Saturday night replay if we were on - and radio was a huge part of my childhood footy life.

Dad would also take me to Melbourne for a game or two each year, plus the occasional game at Geelong. The first game I saw us play was against Melbourne at Princes Park. We lost by a couple of goals and the Demons were ordinary at the time too. That afternoon I sat in the Heatley with a ticket one of the Carlton medicos gave to my dad – and I’ve still got the flag he bought for me outside the ground.

I moved to Melbourne in 1991 and for most of my late teens and 20s lived in Parkville, North Carlton and Brunswick. This was quite intentional, and so started the practice of going to games and watching training.

The radio was still a part of it on match day, but I wore the earphones at the ground. I can still remember the regular faces in crowd at the Heatley Stand end in the ’90s – and always will. An Essendon mate once said to me ‘You know what, Carlton has this corporate image and all, but you go along to Princes Park and you see a lot of people who have just walked down from Brunswick to watch the game”. I thought that was such a good observation.

So the 1980s was the radio era, the ’90s the Princes Park years, and then the 21st century online era. Supporting Carlton on the forums has completely changed the way I follow footy, get my news, communicate with other Carlton supporters and make friends from the addiction. I’d always had a handful of Blues mates but meeting people online took the social side from 0 to 100 in a season or two, and I love it.

I have met some great characters whom I shall be partying with for each leg of our four-peat.”