Why do you support the eels

[KevinArnold]

My Dad grew up across the road from Richie Benaud Oval (and the cemetery), with 1 brother and 4 sisters. He went to Parra Marist etc etc as did his brother, and my cousins years later, so that side of the family is all Parra. My mums side of the family follows the Panthers.

I was born at Parramatta Hospital or Cumberland, whatever its called, so I have blue and Gold blood . But only lived in Parra area for the first 2 years of my life till the folks moved up the Coast.

So basically followed the rest of the family, and followed the Eels.

 

[rowdy]

I was brought up following the dragoons, my dad and brother have both followed them since they were kids. My other brother was playing junior school footy in parra and had an eels poster on the wall, so I said 'im gonna go for them', and i did!

And some parra boys came to my primary school, so my favourite player became jimmy dymock, so i guess ive been an eels fan for about...11 years!

 

[Eelementary]

Well, when I was young, my father would tell me how he used to idolise a certain "Mr. Perpetual Motion" Ray Price, and admired the skills of Sterling and Kenny.

When we got back to Australia in 2000, I found out my whole family were League nuts, and they all went for Parramatta.

So I naturally followed suit - the tribal aspect (belonging to a clan of the same supporters) is very appealing.

Now, though, I love them because I'm my own person - I love the players on and off the field, I love the stadium, I love it that the stadium is a 15 minute drive from my house and I love the fellow passionate fans.

I try to watch other matches on the TV.

But unless they relate to the Eels in some way, I find it very boring.

I love my Eels.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

My relatives grew up in the area, and they got me into supporting the greatest football team. But when I was a kid I loved watching the Raiders, guys like Stuart, Daley, Meninga, Belcher. They were a great side in the late 80s early 90s. It wasnt until 1990 I think my first game when the Eels took on the Raiders. My dad told me that guys like Sterling, Kenny who played in that game were the greatest. Kenny was a good player, and Sterling's kicking game was brilliant. They ended up beating the Raiders and had a good day, since then Ive loved the Blue and Gold. I remember on my 10th birthday I loved Parramatta so much that I got some old videos my aunties and uncles compiled of the old days when Parramatta were so good.

1983 Grand Final when they beat Manly just watching the skill on some of those players, no wonder they were the best team in the competition back then. Can anyone recall the Eric Grothe try? That was a great try, they threw the ball from one side of the field to the other, and in the next play it was quick passing followed by strength and pace by the Guru.

I still followed them even when they were at the bottom of the table in the early 90s. Though I recall 1993 being a good start, every year I used to think we were gonna win the comp.

 

[Miss_Eels]

I've lived in Parra all my life, it's just something that came naturally....it's in my blood.
Funnily enough though, my Dad grew up in the Manly area and supported Manly his whole life....I still thank him (till this day) for moving to Parra before we were born. Just imagine I grew up supporting Manly

 

[Parraletic]

Born Blue & Gold. Dad was an Eels supporter but heactually started out as a saints supporter when he moved here from Malta. Grew up in the junior area. Besides, who else would I go for?

 

[eelsta]

I was a balmain supporter when i got married, hubby was 1 eyed eels fan. there was too much fighting so one of us had to change and it wasn't going to be him

Funny thing is now i'm the 1 eyed fan in the house

 

[dazeely]

I was a balmain supporter when i got married, hubby was 1 eyed eels fan. there was too much fighting so one of us had to change and it wasn't going to be him

Funny thing is now i'm the 1 eyed fan in the house

Very similar with me eventually converting my wife to the good guys and away from the scumeagles. Now there is my two young daughters, me and my wife cheering on the blue and gold.

I actually began supporting the eels back in 1981 on a family holiday to Sydney. It happened to be Grand Final week and the atmosphere was electric. I can remember walking through the streets of Parra and everything was covered in blue and gold. One of the bakeries was selling bread in the eels colours. Sucked me in big time and have bled blue and gold since.

 

[Delboy]

Had a friend when I lived in Perth who was a mad Parra fan Came to Sydney in 1979, settled in the Hills district, asnd was taken to the old Cumberland Oval and just sort of said"thats my team". My son played 11 years for Hills , played junior reps at Parra, used to take the whole family to the game. Been a season ticket holder since 1986, try and watch the juniors as much as I can. Still live in Hills and dont really like any other team, apart from Hills District Bulls, so its been a family thing with now my son and I hardly miss a home game.

 

[Clarkieel]

well my parents are both dragons fans, younger bro dragons fan I got given an eels scarf when I was very young and hence I went for them and I havent looked back sense

 

[MrSharky]

the first game i ever went to was Cronulla V Brisbane in superleague days ...

Was that the Grand Final?

 

[Hellsy]

My nan and my Dad would not have had it any other way. They have supported Parra their whole lives, as have Jess and I... we were born into it.

Pop lined up for hours when tickets to the new Parra stadium went on sale, and he secured a few tix on the halfway line in the Cronin stand. Nan doesn't come oanymore, but Dad still sits in the same seat and has done for 19 years now, Mum and I have joined him as well as another friend of mine.

 

[Suitman]

This is a great thread.

My Dad played Under 23's and reserve grade for the Roosters for a few short years, as he grew up in Bronte, and went to Waverley College.

When he met my Mum, who is from the country, the only place they could afford to live was in Harris Park, so they bought a house there.
With the move west, Dad started going to Parra games in the Thornett days, and when I was old enough, he took me along as well.
I spent most of my early days sliding down the back of the old Cumberland Hill on discarded ice cream boxes.
But when I was old enough - about 6 or 7, I started to watch the games. That was the early 70's, and I have been an addict to the Eels ever since.
I love my Eels.

Suity

 

[bartman]

Yeah, great to read everyone's stories!

My mum and dad both went to Parramatta High, and used to go to matches at Cumberland Oval in the 60s when they were "courting". So growing up in the area and with my whole family Eels fans, it was never going to be any other way! Dad also used to go to away games with his mates or with his dad until pop died in about 1982 - they got to go to the '81 GF together, but I was "too young" (8 years old) to go out there with them...

When my parents split in 1982, my dad and I would go to Eels games at Belmore (or wherever they were playing) on our fortnightly "access weekends". We got Cronin Stand season tickets in 1986, and have sat in the same place ever since, right up until I left Sydney early last year. Dad and I also went to every grand final together between 1982 and 2003 (except 1985 when he was overseas).

Dad is keeping our season tickets going for when I come back, and now comes down to home games from the Central Coast with his partner (a Dragons supporter ) instead. I really miss spending those game days with dad, but I taught him to text live score updates from his seat in the Cronin Stand, and we have a chat on the phone after every game to make up for it. (And then I watch the replays over the net on Mondays.)

 

[noosa-eel]

I don't remember the exact reason why I started to support the eels. I grew up in Cabramatta, my dad is a Roosters fan, my brother a Dragons fan & mum is nothing. From memory when I was around 16 a couple of friends & I went to a game at the old Cumberland Oval and the rest they say is history.

The greatest memories I have are the GF's of the 80's (catching the buses from the leagues club & having the Parra chant bellowing down Parramatta road)on the way to the game & the same on the way back. It was a priveledge to watch Sterlo, Kenny, ZipZip, Grothe,The Crow etc etc. The burning down of Cumberland Oval also stands out after that GF win.

I have lived in Qld for the last 22yrs but I will always remain an Eels fanatic because after 30yrs you can't teach an old dog new tricks..........:lol:

 

[The Colonel]

In 1973, this very day to be exact, a young lad was born into the Cumberland family. With a surname like that I don't think I had much of a choice of who I would support!

My uncle Joe, not a Cumberland but a great bloke nonetheless, is an Eels supporter and has been for many years. He took me to my first Parramatta game. He likes to tell the story that he used to sit me on his knee and listen to the radio with my two older cousins when the Eels played.

32 years and counting.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

I am sure I have told this story before.

I was about 4 or so years old. Anyone old enough to remember Blacktown back in the 80's will remember that instead of the government building next to the station there was a Hotel, and next to the hotel were a few stores. One of those stores was a Sports Story owned by Tommy Raudonikis. My Uncle , Aunty and Cousins were up from Melbourne and Dad and I joined my Uncle and my cousins Robert for a walk around Blacktown while the girls did something. Any rate my Uncle said he would get me a Hawks sticker (because all 4 of us were Hawks men). We walked into Tommy's store and there was Tommy behind the counter. After my uncle asked for a Hawks sticker Tommy said he didn't have any VFL stickers but he did have the new holographic NSWRL stickers. My Uncle said I could have anyone I wanted so I looked at the board.

My Dad tried to get me to get a Bunnies one as he was a South’s Man, Tommy tried to get me to get a Magpies one which my uncle knocked back because my Aunty and my Mother were Collingwood Girls, so I looked at the Biggest one, and that was the 80's Eels mascot coming our of the old logo. Tommy said that they were doing very well this year. I had that Sticker on my door till 1988 when we took down that door (which had Superman on it) for a plain door.

Any rate I become an ardent eels man from that day forth. Was lucky that the first year I remember being hugely into football was 1984 and went through to the 1986 grand final.

Also have a shameful moment.

Arthur Beatson visited my School when I was in Infants school. I wasn't wearing my school uniform that day as I bought in a new VFL Hawks Jumper my Grand mother bought my and that is what I wore when I meant Big Artie.



Oh the shame.

 

[Suitman]

Best thread ever.

Suity

 

[Johnny_Eels]

When I was about 6 in the early 90s both my neighbours on each side of my house were both Parra supporters which wore off on me. They bought me a parra jersey and from those years I have had Blue n Gold runnin through my veins.

 

[Macca_]

My reason is pretty simple. I was born in 1979 and in the early 80's where I grew up you either followed Parra or the Dogs... My mum and older sister were eels fans, while my older brother was a doggie. I made a very good decision all those years ago

My first ever school bag was a Parra one too And the scarf I take to the odd game I get to is one passed down by my sis.