I've followed this club since my father hoisted me on his shoulders in front of the old press box on the northern wing in the late 50's. My grandfather was the MP for Carlton for 23 years.

I've personally witnessed us win 8 premierships at the MCG, 68, 70, 72, 79, 81, 82, 87 ,95. Only a Hawthorn supporter could possibly out-bid that.

I was in the Western stand (later the Ponsford) pleading for Jezza's left-footer from 70 yards to find enough energy to cross the goal-line in front of me.

I refuse to be ashamed of what we have become.

Carlton owe me nothing and they are my club until I die.

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"You can't polish a James Hird"

Great sentiment! Good on you KKK.

I'm glad they owe you nothing, because that's what we've been getting for the past decade.

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NOW YOU'RE JUST SOME CLUB THAT I USED TO KNOW.

Great post kkk, like you , I've seen 8 flags, and still enjoy the memory of each one. My childhood memories are of a Carlton Football Club that was ordinary at best. Enter George Harris. Enter Ron Barassi.

Even though in those early days we weren't up with Melbourne , who were a juggernaut, Carlton was my team. What helps me cope with where we are at the minute, is I saw tough times before seeing the glory times.

Carlton is my team, and always will be.

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The problem with Socialism is, you eventually run out of other people's money.

Great OP, my sentiments exactly though I've only seen 4.

You find out a lot about people in the hard times!!!!

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"I will rejoice in their anguish, delight in their failure and revel in our success"

We are Carlton, @#$%&! the rest !!!!!!

..Carlton over the Decades has been many things, loyal is not one of them..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

I disagree

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

Who is Carlton?

I've seen 1.
Had to watch the replay to remember it.
They owe me.

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dane's trolling again

I recently turned 34. I've been alive for 3 flags: 81, 87 and 95.

- I was 14 in 1995 and lucky enough to have been sitting right in front of Earl Spalding's smother and goal in *that* grand final.
- I was 18 in 1999 and lucky enough to have been sitting right in front of Frazer Brown's tackle on Wallace in *that* prelim.

That's it for me.

Meanwhile, my old man and his old man (who is a life member) have between them been present at and seen *every* flag since 1938 (many of those, together).

If I was to arrive at AFL with zero family connection to the club, and look from scratch for a team with a clear identity, representing demographic I can relate to, run in a ethical and professional manner it would *not* be Carlton.

I'm simply Carlton by birth, and Carlton I will stay.

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O say does that star spangled banner yet wave.

There's no option.

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dane's trolling again

The only option is disloyalty. And that's not an option to me in anything in life.

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O say does that star spangled banner yet wave.

There's no option.

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dane's trolling again

Were you clinically dead in 1982?

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#DonTheStash

Like many here I've seen the glory days where it wasn't a case of if we'd win, but by how much we'd win by, and that feeling of content leaving a game knowing we'd do it all again next week. If there was one thing I could rely on, Carlton always played with pride. I remember the times when we weren't traveling the best, but even then, we put up a hell of a fight, and every now and then we'd show the rest you still had to be on your toes when playing Carlton. It was just that kind of a club.

But to be fair and honest, its been 25 years since our last flag. And its not as if we've been there in the mix, just unlucky not to go all the way. That I could live with, like when Ratten was at the helm. But we've been absolutely abysmal from the top down. Five years is too long to be out of the mix, 25 years is an insult. People here talk about loyalty to the club, but what about loyalty those at the top have for the club? Have they been loyal to the club or themselves? And in like manner does the supporter show loyalty to the club or themselves? I believe that door swings both ways.

I would be the most loyal supporter there is, die hard fan who'd do anything the club asked within my power to help it succeed, and have shown this loyalty over many many years. But as it stands right now, my loyalty is waning. Being the laughing stock of the competition is one thing, sitting on the bottom of the ladder is one thing. That doesn't shake my loyalty, if anything it makes me all the more determined to stick with them and have a sense of pride that through thick and thin I was there.

But this is different. This isn't a case of bad luck, or some unforeseen errors. This has been complete and utter mismanagement and sheer incompetence, and not just on one level, but all levels. I am so bloody angry, and I don't believe for a moment those in charge have any right to even call themselves Carlton by the way they've handled our best interests. Self serving, elite, outright stubborn refusal to do what's right for the club. Where's the loyalty in that? If I acted like them, and behaved according to their example, then no more memberships and no going to games, no raffles, no products and purchases would be following the example of our clubs leaders, ie. ME FIRST!

I get where people are coming from, loyalty is a great quality, but commonsense is greater imho. Would you keep investing in a company that kept losing money hand over fist because the companies management was incompetent? You'd be one poor fool if you did.

I've listened to the excuses, the power point catch phrases and the outright lies over the last 25 years. Not a shred of honesty or integrity. Complete failure after failure. I don't get any sense of pride being treated like an idiot, and using my love and loyalty as a hook is insulting. Its makes me feel like I'm just a stupid supporter. They bank on the stupid supporter to always be there no matter what they do, because that's what stupid people do. Its in their DNA. Its only when it hurts THEM and THEIR bottom line that they hire some mouth piece with crumbs from their table and dangle a carrot for their bidding to convince the stupid to stick fat and stay loyal.

Would you keep investing in a company that kept losing money hand over fist because the companies management was incompetent? You'd be one poor fool if you did.

My membership and support IS my investment! And I don't appreciate being treated like I'm stupid. I'll take my leaders example and keep my money in my pocket and look after my self interests thank you very much. See, I'm not so stupid after all. And don't you dare try and manipulate me that it'll be my fault if the club dies. You had me hook line and sinker. You and you alone drove me away with your incompetence and sheer contempt for the ignorant stupid supporter that my loyalty had made me become.

Now I stand back and observe. No membership, no games, I'll watch from the TV and keep track of your performance through the media and forums. Prove to me you are capable of handling my investment competently and I may choose to invest again.

Wasn't clinically born.

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dane's trolling again

I was 1 in '82 so my memory is a little hazy

I only really know of '81 because I was given a Weg poster, it being my birth year.

Actually my sister was born in '95. Seems we win flags when my parents get busy. Maybe they should come out of retirement

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O say does that star spangled banner yet wave.

Its actually 20 years but it feels like 50.

I have been a supporter since 1966 and as bad as the Club is now I will never desert them.

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Hooked on The Blues

Going by the criteria, the Blues have delivered in spades.

New slogan _ We Deliver or We Promise Nothing

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T E A M

I've never felt as though the club has owed me anything. I chose to support the club, they didn't force it upon me. They're a business, an entertainment business, that I choose to invest some time and money into. At times, when the on-field product is struggling, the value for money is poor, but after years of supporting this product I have some sort of emotional investment in it. If my mechanic keeps making mistakes I'd change mechanic, if my accountant stuffs up my tax I might change accountants, but it's different with a footy club.
There are 2 pubs near my house. 1 very modern, tab facilities, plenty of tap beers and a good range of food and drinks. The other is old and run down, no tab and about 4 tap beers. More often than not I'll drink at the old run down pub, because it's owned by someone I know and someone who commits a lot of time and heavily supports my local footy club. Footy is similar for me. The club isn't the best product available on the market, but I support it and get great enjoyment out of it for other reasons.

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@cecil_anderson