It’s all Mum’s fault!  Mum was a dedicated South Melbourne supporter because her brother Hugh played for South. Hugh (H.J.) McLaughlin played 96 games for South between 1929 and 1934 including the 1933 Premiership and although he later played a few seasons at Footscray, his son Hugh (H.E.) went to South under the father/son rule and played 128 games and in retirement was a runner.

You can see their names on the tiles near Paul Kelly’s statue and on the dressing room lockers of number 8 and number 25.

So it was to Albert Park that I went with Mum to see my biggest cousin play in the thirds, then the seconds and at last in the firsts.

This was the 1950s – hard years for the Swans. The only success we could depend on was Brownlow medals. Herbie Mathews, Ron Clegg, Fred Goldsmith (I still have an autographed photo of Fred that Hugh got for me) and the thrilling Bob Skilton.

Sitting on the fence on the Bowling Green wing at the Lakeside Oval with my cousins, watching our heroes struggle in Melbourne’s winter mud, you’d swear that Bobby Skilton had ice skates – nothing could stop him. 

I moved to Sydney in 1967 and often had to wait for the Monday papers to keep track of the Swans. I even missed that first semi-final in 1970 – at least that Swans game was televised.

And then as the 70s progressed the rumours started – there was going to be a team in Sydney, would it be a new team or would a Melbourne team move?

The story of the move has been well recorded by Jim Main but for me it was a case of hold your breath and hope it happens. In 1980 and 1981 the VFL played some games at SCG - all different teams - and then in 1982 . . . The Sydney Swans!

(Actually, I knew it was going to happen. I had the tip from two colleagues Alan Morris and Alan Johnston. As Mojo they had been commissioned to write a song for the “Sydney Swans”. They had written lots of great songs and jingles but that first Swans song was not their finest. They were Sydney boys, they spoke rugby, what did they know!)

It was never hard to get a good seat at the SCG through the 1980s and early 90s even when the Swans kicked 30 goals two weeks in a row – after those games the Swanettes were more exhausted than the players.

Then came serious rumblings – Barassi, Lockett, Roos to support our own special Paul Kelly – this could change things.

I remember 1996 as the first time I went to the footy expecting to see the Swans win! Then there was Tony Lockett’s point and my son Thomas had to calm me down – there was so much noise I didn’t hear the siren! A week later I saw those beloved red and white jumpers run onto the MCG for the Grand Final. I could hardly breathe and don’t remember much else about that game.

Premierships are hard to win and it was another nine years to 2005. But we were there again and wasn’t that something!

Before 1996 it took dedication and loyalty to stick with the club and its heroes through the struggles to survive, which were much tougher than we knew as fans.

Since 1996, the Swans have become a team to be seriously proud of. From its directors and administration, its community involvement and development – especially the connection with the indigenous players and their community, all the staff and volunteers, to the “Bloods” culture and every single player who ever pulled on the red and white – every one a hero. But then I am a bit biased. 

If they had told us in 1982 that the first fourteen years would be hard but by 2016 we would see two premierships, five grand finals, another half dozen Brownlows and scores of legends to love, I’d have taken that.

I go to Swans games now with my sons Oliver and Clancy and my cousin Hugh’s daughters Amanda and Marcelle. And I can’t wait to be going to see the Swans with my grandchildren. Of course, they don’t have to be fourth generation Swans supporters, they can barrack for whoever they like – but there will be pressure!