Prior to Melbourne Heart FC

[HeartMillsy29]

1. Was a Victory fan. Mind you not as big a fan as I am for the Heart now. I'm a proud Melburnian and just wanted a team from my home city to support. Bought a kit but hardly ever wore it. Didn't have Foxtel either. Only went to 2 games, v Sydney in '08 and v Perth in early 2010. Did love Archie Thompson and I admit I still do like him as a player.

2. Everything just seemed to slip into place. Dad works for Westpac and Peter Sidwell is Mick Malthouse's manager (back when I liked Malthouse as a Collingwood fan...). When I first knew about Heart coming in I thought i'd stay with Victory as it looked like they would win the championship again. But then I realised their arrogance, and then they lost. I was a Heart supporter until we played that first derby, then I became a fanatic. When Musc*nt takled Zahra Victory equalled Carlton as my most hated teams.

3. n/a

[Brodiek96]

Who did you support before Heart?

No one

Why did you start supporting Heart?

As soon as they anounced Melbourne heart would be a team dad said do you want to start following the A-League with this new team and i said yes

If you didn't support Victory, why

Never really liked them, never really followed A-league just Followed EPL

[Tokyospliff]

Who did you support before Heart?

Melbourne knights / West Ham

Why did you start supporting heart?

Got bored needed something to do

If you didn't support victory why?

Went to a couple of matches as a neutral, Hated going as all there fans where teeny boopers or muzzas. So never really considered supporting victory.

[Woody]

1. NZ Knights for the roffs and only ever went twice.

2. No idea to be honest.

3. People I knew who supported Victory were massive wankers or humongous gimps so I thought that if they all went and had fun there then it would just be a fuckwit convention so I left it out.

Edited November 26, 2012 by Woody

[MHFCROB24]

Supported GoldCoast united...

Why? Because i hate victory so much.

As soon as Heart came in, I knew that would be my team.

Still had a soft spot for GC....But we all know how that turned out.

[Grimey]

Who did you support before Heart?

Why did you start supporting Heart?

If you didn't support Victory, why

actually curious to see people's answers to these questions.

1. Nobody. Didn't like the league. Went to one blues game at shittihad stadium and saw a 4-4 draw in 2005/6, but didn't like what i saw. View at that ground is terrible also.

2. Disliked the idea of one team per major city. Made any rivalry feel a bit tacked on. Heart fixed this. I decided to give the A-league another chance and watch the 1st Melbourne derby (on tv). Was amazed at how far the league had come and got behind the boys in red after a landmark victory.

3. No faith in whole league, crap stadium, scummy fans, their f***wit captain, tickets expensive for someone my age, no foxtel until 09.

[InMyHeart]

1. Victory, purely because they were the only Victorian team and because I'm a proud Victorian I just got behind them

2. I was too young to go with my mates so I found myself only going to 2 games in the 4 years, hardly the connection I had craved. Then the heart came along and with a fresh start and philosophy promised I made the decision. For the first 2 seasons I did not go to one game. Suddenly the start of our 3rd season came along and I had a few mates who were interested in going to the derby, some were on the fence and thankfully we won, I've been to all home games except for one and we have a group of 14 of us who go to the games!

3, N/A

[MKD]

Who did you support before Heart?

Preston Lions, Aston Villa...(still support both).

Why did you start supporting Heart?

Had no interest in the A-League for a number of seasons and still believe the ex-NSL clubs were treated very poorly. This put me off for a number of years until Heart was introduced. Seemed like the right team to back since I only began gaining interest in the league once they were introduced. I don't mind the underdog status either, since I can be quite pessimistic at times. Was a passive supporter for the first few seasons and have only started to take interest in most Heart games this season.

If you didn't support Victory, why?

Same as above. Believed it was wrong to follow a club that ultimately replaced the traditional clubs of this nation. Other than that I don't like their colours, jersey and Muscat. No idea how people can praise such an unsociable football player.

Edited January 1, 2013 by MKD

[Red or Dead]

Who Did you support before Heart?

South Melbourne FC. I'm Greek so it was pretty much by default when I moved to Melbourne in '93 from Sydney. In 2004-05, my little brother played for SMFC's U21s so I had to drive him to practise and games all the time and so I never really took notice of Victory starting up. I then moved to Sydney for work in 2005 and although I follow the Sydney Swans I couldn't affiliate myself with the Sky Blues. Also, being born in Greece my one and only true football club at the time was Olympiacos!

Why did you start supporting Heart?

Returning from Sydney in 2007 and still not feeling any connection for Victory or Sydney FC I stayed neutral. When I saw a photo of Aloisi wearing a Red & White striped jersey in the paper, I was automatically drawn to the club. I called up my little brother and told him of this Olympiacos look-a-like team starting up in Melbourne and we became foundation members the day memberships became available. There was finally a team (of any football code) in Australia I could get truly passionate about and to this day I think I've only missed 3 home games. Even when my brother stopped coming, I renewed his membership and now take my wife!

If you didn't support Victory, why

My childhood team was Olympiacos so most teams I support are Red or Red & White; Liverpool, Heart, Swans. Also, being an SMFC supporter at the time Victory came about I couldn't go for another blue Melburnian team. I dunno, I guess I just never liked them, I never felt a connection and they never did anything for me. The first Victory game (and only until Heart came in) I attended was when they lost to SFC in the grand final at Etihad and even then I was sitting on the SFC end.

I think I got more emotional when the ref blew the whistle against Brisbane Roar last weekend than I did when the Swans won the premiership last year...though that might have just been because the last 10+5mins against Roar were so intense and suspenseful! lol

[Jimmy]

Red or Dead, If South Melbourne were to enter the A-League would you continue to support Heart or support the team with Greek roots?

[Shahanga]

Who Did you support before Heart?

Roar. Lucky for them I stopped supporting them, if not for that they'd still have won nothing!

Why did you start supporting Heart?

I had moved to Melbourne about a year earlier and wanted a local side, so i and my family could go see them play (supporting an interstate team just wasn't doing it for me). I was also impressed with the PR about Heart's plans, both playing style and community approach.

If you didn't support Victory, why not?

Because I could spell my own name and count to 10 I knew I didn't fit the Victory fan demographic. Seriously though the national (well deserved) reputation for Victory fans for being complete and utter idiots meant that i could never support them. If there was no Heart I doubt I'd bother with the A League

.

[MrAiDaN66]

Red or Dead, If South Melbourne were to enter the A-League would you continue to support Heart or support the team with Greek roots?

I love this question, would love to know what would happen if teams from the late nsl came in.

probably why the a-league wont be expanded with nsl teams imo. scared that old nsl support will just take them back to their roots

[Red or Dead]

Red or Dead, If South Melbourne were to enter the A-League would you continue to support Heart or support the team with Greek roots?

I love this question, would love to know what would happen if teams from the late nsl came in.

probably why the a-league wont be expanded with nsl teams imo. scared that old nsl support will just take them back to their roots

Jimmy, I'm way too emotionally attached to Heart to change to another A-League team, even if SMFC (or SXFC) joined the A-League. Like I mentioned, going for SMFC was almost by default; I am Greek, they were Hellas playing in the top flight league in Australia. My heart now beats for Heart (pun intended, sorry). That's not to say that I don't wish SMFC well in the VPL/APL. I might even go watch them during the VPL season. They also fill the void for live football during the A-League's long off season.

Mr. Aiden, I don't think that's entirely why the FFA don't want to admit old NSL teams into the A-League, that it'll "just take them back to their roots". For example, I doubt many of the Greek Victory or Heart supporters will go back to SMFC if they are to be granted a license into the A-League. I think the bigger problem for the existing NSL teams is that it'll be more difficult attracting new fans outside of the ethnic background they originally represented thus limiting their growth and the A-League's. It's almost as if they've been stamped/branded/labelled with a single ethnic group and it'll probably be a couple of generations before they can break away from that, in my opinion.

It's all about the Red & White stripes for me

[Bobbobbobmarley]

Who did you support before Heart?

Casually supported victory but didn't feel much of a connection.

Why did you start supporting Heart?

Because I really liked the ideas, philosophies, colours and fan base that heart had. I also had a choice.

If you didn't support Victory, why?

N/A

[pringa]

1.

Went to one Victory game, 50,333 people. That's about the extent I followed them.

2.

Went along with a couple of mates and slowly got into it.

3.

Didn't have much interest in the A-League in general.

[MR&W]

1. South Melbourne FC, never ever supported Victory, never will, never intend too.

2. As an ex-NSL supporter, always waited for a second Melbourne team to come in, and thank fuck it came. Very good philosiphy at the club, with some great initiatives, and provide pathways and opportunities for youth. Gradually fell inlove with the club

3. Absaloute joke of a club, shit style of play, scum supporters, i hate every single thing about those flogs, absaloute waste of a club.

[Bobbobbobmarley]

club

3. Absaloute joke of a club, shit style of play, scum supporters, i hate every single thing about those flogs, absaloute waste of a club.

They play better football than us atm and to be painful honest we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them.

[tachycardia]

South Melbourne before Heart.

I wanted to go to live games, but wasn't interested in MVFC.

I went to a game at Olympic Park in season one, and I wasn't impressed - their style, didn't win me over - never went to another A-League game.

[hedaik]

1. Followed Perth Glory basically from their start to the end of the NSL. Moved to London for a year when the ALeague came in, all the new teams had all these mickey mouse franchise names so I lost interest in it completely.

2. Was hella bored during non-AFL season, and decided to force myself to get into the ALeague to give me something to watch. I followed Perth initially (and still kinda do), but felt if I was going to fully immerse myself in the game I'd have to choose a local team. As Heart were just starting, my WAFL team back home wear red and white and Ive always been attracted to the underdog I felt they were a good choice. I'd say the moment I was fully converted was when we won the Xmas eve derby with Thompsons 2 goals when we were 1-0 down.

3. Didnt have Fox when I moved to Melbourne, still loosely followed Glory, and never really enjoyed the aggressiveness of their fans from the games I went to as a neutral.

[Moraiwe]

1. Didn't pay any attention to the A-League.

2. Heart have the same colours as Vicenza, an Italian team I've followed for decades and a city where much of my ancestry is from. Felt like it was calling out to me. Walked down the Swan St one day wearing my Vicenza shirt and got told by some idiotic Victory goons "there's only one team in Melbourne." Just pushed me further toward supporting Heart.

3. See above answers.

[CaNNaVo93]

Who did you support before Heart?
Collingwood, Man United, Juve. In terms of A-league, didn't really support Victory or the league, after hearing their finals success I just said "oh cool."
A friend gave me a bunch of those banners with 2 handles that roll back, but never got into it.
Why did you start supporting Heart?
After the AFL seasons over, I had nothing to do, heard news about a 2nd Melbourne team in the a-league and I just went straight for it so did a few mates
Since then I'm glad I chose MHFC.

Looking through my old FB posts when I'd post something every minute
If you didn't support Victory, why
Never had interest and just looking at fans put me off. I was always for AFL and still am

[heartofmelbourne12]

1. Ac Milan and Chelsea. Never really followed a league my girlfriend at the time was a member of victory so I heard the results from time to time

2. My girlfriend asked me to go to the 2-2 derby at etihad. Yarraside made me fall inlove especially the snoop chant. The zahra incident put me off victory completely. Decided to watch the rest of the season from home. Season 2 went to every home game and haven't looked back. Plus I love our youth policy

3. Muscat, enough said. I know violence isn't right but my god it feels so right on derby day sometimes they are that fucking scum

[Tony999]

Who did you support before Heart?

Melbourne Knights
Why did you start supporting Heart?

I was anti-Aleague because of the way the NSL clubs were treated and didn't go to games because of that. Decided I wanted to support a team from scratch and the philospohy Heart adopted attracted me.

If you didn't support Victory, why?

Started to go probably from season 3 (Victory games) and went to about a dozen Victory games but simply did not like their style and bully-like mentality on the field and off the field with their wannabe 16-yr old  hooligans. Not to mention how un-eductaed their supporters are. Overall: Shit style, shit supporters.

[ae7smith]

Who did you support before Heart?

Since I got into Football I've always supported PSV Eindhoven, got onboard with Victory with a membership in S2, but started not to care about them in S4.

Why did you start supporting Heart?

I had a real choice, plus wanted to support a team from day one. Loved the way the club was going about marketing itself, so different from the Muscat/Merrick style. Changed over from the Victory, mainly because the hearts red & white striped kits, look very close to PSV, also i'm a life long Essendon fan, and Victory's colours and fans reminded me too much of Carlton supporters, who I fucking hate with a passion. 

If you didn't support Victory, why?

N/A

[Nate]

Who did you support before Heart?
Growing up in an AFL dominant family, at 12 my first exposure to the world game rather amusingly stemmed from buying FIFA 2005 for the PS2 because all of the AFL games were absolute shite   so from there, our family got Austar so I started watching the EPL and ended up watching (and supporting to a lesser extent) Manchester City a couple of years before they became uber wealthy. That aside though, I hardly knew anything of the A-League until I stumbled across the original Melbourne Heart forum and loosely followed from there. 

Why did you start supporting Heart?
I watched about half of Heart's games on Fox Sports in their first season but it wasn't until I went to the Christmas derby in 2011, where I became hooked and immediately became a fan. Have watched every game on TV since (attending a few along the way) but this year is my first as a fully paid member   

If you didn't support Victory, why?
Heart's formation coincided with my increasing love for football and I wanted to be a part of a brand new club which I could follow from the beginning. Although I hardly followed it properly in its first couple of years, I am now proud to say that I am a true supporter of Melbourne Heart and I couldn't be happier!

 

Sidenote: I knew little of Victory's culture when I first decided I would support Heart but looking back now, boy am I glad I picked the red half of town   

[sheepdog]

1. Hellas

2. If you cant beat them, may as well join them and like fuck I was gonna support victory.

3. Shit club, shit players, shit fans.

[JoyfulPenguin]

Who did you support before the Heart?

Wellington Phoenix/Anyone who was on the bottom though I rarely watched any A-League games prior to last year.

Why did you start supporting Heart?

Went to see Adelaide play us in season 2011/12 when we lost 3 to 2. Loved the atmosphere and Mate Dugandzic's creativity so kept on coming since then. Hoping to become a member next year.

If you didn't support Victory, Why?

Didn't like their arrogance and all the jackasses I knew and know barrack for them. Also always hated Archie.

[milanista93]

Who did you support before Heart?

regrettably, Victory. Always the love the sport as a kid (followed Milan, to a lesser extent Stuttgart, can now add Dinamo Zagreb to that list) but I grew up in country Victoria, so there wasn't many people to talk about it with, so kind of fell out of touch with it. After being in Melbourne for a while, connected with people who followed and got back into it. Victory was all there was.

Why did you start supporting Heart?

I did get fairly into Victory - but more from the actual game, the atmosphere etc than the club. Never really felt connected to the club, couldn't stand their attitude, didn't like how they played, what they stood for etc. First season of Heart, I considered switching (and am still annoyed at myself for not doing so) but I had no real reason to believe they'd be much different. Honestly, I tried to hate Heart that first season, but I just couldn't. The more I watched them, the more I liked. I liked what they represented both on and off field. At the same time, I found more and more I disliked about Victory. Strike One against Victory. Cue the floods in Queensland. I had mates who lost their homes, so naturally, wanted to help. I'd organised fundraisers in the past, and it was a few weeks out from a derby, so I thought it'd be a great chance to raise some money. I contacted both clubs, and within 24 hours was on the phone to Scott Munn discussing what we could do. Never heard from Victory - not even acknowledgement of my email. It was Victory home game, so without their help, Heart's hands were pretty much tied. Strike two against Victory. I'm not one to just give up on a club (I'm a Melbourne Demons supporter for crying out loud) so yet again, I contacted the club and tried to tell them things that I'd discussed with other Victory fans as areas of improvement. I exchanged numerous emails with them, but for all their talk, nothing ever happened. Strike three. Heart were very, very appealing at this point, so I made the decision to ride out the season, then approach the following year with an open mind and see how I truly felt about each club. Three matches in I was totally sold on Heart and I've never looked back since.

(side note: frustratingly, I'm a big fan of Mate's, and it was the same time he switched, so I cop a lot of "you only switched for a player"... irritates the crap out of me that people would think I could be so fickle and shallow - especially given my choice was all but made when he did sign with Heart.)

If you didn't support Victory, why?

Not really applicable, but the more time I've had with an option, the more I've realised just how much I can't stand about that club.

Edited March 30, 2014 by milanista93

[El Cunado]

Who did you support before Heart?

Didn't support any clubs locally but was a big fan of the Socceroos and whoever was playing the Visitors. Followed Birmingham City, Celtic and Napoli (due to family connections), but without Foxtel/ half decent internet 90% of my support went to whichever team I was managing in Fifa at the time and my five a side team. Since becoming a Heart fan, and coinciding with an internet upgrade, became completely obsessed with the round ball and the other enjoyments the internet can bring a uni student. Also a big AFL fan and have played it all my life, however, have grown completely jaded with the administration around the sport, particularly when Australia were trying to get the 2022 World Cup sorted. 

Why did you start supporting Heart?
They were a local team that weren't the Visitors. Went and saw them play Everton and was loved the effort shown by the players. Was also impressed by JVS and his comments regarding the team. Next day, rounded up a few friends and signed on immediately. Wasn't too hard to get mates to get around the twin towers of Sibon and Shroj!

If you didn't support Victory, why?
1. The arrogance the club portrayed from start. Couldn't stand the name and the general aura of the club in general. 

2. Muscat. How anyone with even a passing knowledge of football could support a team that featured that bastard I don't know. The fact that the Victory fans bowed down to him as some kind of deity resulted it me actively disliking the club. 
 

[GhostDog]

Who did you support before Heart?

Didnt follow a-league at all, just supported my mums side arsenal and family's team exeter city

Why did you start supporting Heart?

My mate told me they were making a new club in melbourne and said we should support em since day one, sure why not
 

If you didn't support Victory, why
Muscats a cunt and the people i knew who supported victory were aswell, also just didnt like the club in general

[MHFCROB24]

Went for gold coast united - went to a game in melbourne sat with the away fans (all of about 8 of them), They pushed the seats in this game so the crowd was a little bigger - gold coast lost about 4 - 0 if i remember correctly,Very interesting time that's for sure.

[Pigs 2]

1. Arsenal

 

2. My mate at work was a huge victory fan so I started going for Heart to pretty much piss him off. Best decision in my life

 

3. I didn't give a fuck about Australian football at all until about 2012

[BeardedHeart]

1. Never like aleague it was just to slow for me.

2. Move to melbourne and heart came along decided that it was time.

3. Thought every other just jumped on victory when the first team came along and thought I eould supporter the minority as they normally have the better culture in the end

[Jovan]

1. My first memories of high level soccer was around 1981, 82 going down to Schintler reserve Footscray and watching Footscray J.U.S.T in the old N.S.L and I think it was named "phillips league" at the time. Followed J.U.S.T until they folded early 90s and ironically were renamed to Melbourne City prior to folding. Not entirely sure but I believe the team now named Melbourne City actually took over the old J.U.S.T club. 

 

2. Go to know JVS during his first stint being one our customers and I felt obliged to join as a member. Became a member in second year(finally had gotten over the demise of J.U.S.T).

 

3. Never felt any connection to Victory nor the A league until Heart came along.

[rayv36]

Who did you support before Heart?
Geelong. I never gave soccer a chance growing up in an AFL house thinking it was boring and the crowds were violent (bloody mainstream media).

 

Why did you start supporting Heart?

Went to a Victory game the season before Heart came in to suck up to my girlfrineds brother and to my surprise loved it. So I figured id support the newest Melbourne team as I was new to the game.

 

If you didn't support Victory, why?

It just so happened Heart were coming into the comp when I started taking an interest in the A-league. I also liked the idea of being apart of something from the beginning and Victory's kit was shit.
 

[Jun]

Who did you support before Heart.
Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga. When I heard the A-League was starting it did little to interest me, also growing up in Essendon all of my friends were old NSL supporters and constantly talking down the quality of it.

Why did you start supporting Heart.

When I heard of a new Melbourne team being formed I realised the A-League was becoming a serious vehicle for football development here, I began to take an interest in the competition, but it wasn't until the beginning of season 2 my friend gave me her boyfriend's season pass (I forgot why) and I started attending games.

If you didn't support Victory, why?

By the end of season 3 half my co-workers were all mad heart fans, attending every home game. It started off as a way to antagonise the one shitcunt victory supporter at work, but grew into a passion.