Welcome to Johnnie Monster FC, where the FC stands for "football chants" and the rest of us stand the full 90 minutes.
Some of you will know me through my long association with the Vancouver Southsiders. I was first introduced to the group during its humble beginnings all the way back in 1999, when a small but determined group of Vancouver 86ers fans came together to support the team the way soccer fans do at hundreds of storied grounds abroad - standing up, cheering, chanting and singing their guts out from first whistle to last.
Though I hardly knew a soul at those first few matches in Swangard's south end beer garden, it wasn't long before I found myself thoroughly swept up in dozens of great friendships that last to this day. Though we were small in numbers, we sang our hearts out match after match... because it just felt wrong not to. I knew very soon after joining in with this tremendous experience that I wanted to work with like-minded fans to bring authentic football supporters culture to "NoFuncouver." Call me crazy, but I had faith that with time, effort and persistence, it was possible to win over the hearts and minds of the doubting masses.
The road ahead was a long one indeed, for in those days our style of support was a truly alien concept to the typical North American sports fan. We endured scores of complaints from the "family friendly soccer-tainment" types. We were harassed endlessly by security. We were dismissed, mocked, ignored and cast aside as nerds and nutjobs with delusions of bringing something to Vancouver they felt we had no business pursuing: a good, noisy time at "the fitba."
Well guess what?
The video above shows the Southsiders on their first ever march from Doolin's Irish Pub to the Whitecaps' first match at BC Place in 2012. This thriving, bustling march just might be the best "I told you so!" moment I've ever experienced in my life, and it was frickin' glorious.
Now fast forward a year later: In the city where hockey reigns supreme, the Southsiders are held up as an example for how fans of the almighty Vancouver Canucks should aspire to be. Not bad, eh?
Over the years I've been proud to lend my support to some of the Southsiders' best moments on and off the pitch. It's not been easy to get where we are today. I've lost countless hours of sleep. I've sat on committees. I've written and reported. I've been interviewed. I've raised funds for charitable causes. I've fought with wealthy developers seeking to destroy our dreams of a waterfront stadium by turning the city against us. I've squared off against corporate executives who have tried to steal from the very people whose hard-earned cash makes soccer such a lucrative business. I've even endured a rancid shower of garbage thrown at me by an angry mob of Honduran supporters... all for football in Vancouver.
This year I fully retired from the leadership side of the Southsiders in anticipation of starting a family with my wife, who just might be the most patient and understanding Whitecaps widow in our city's history. Stepping back has given me the wonderful opportunity to get back to supporting the Caps without feeling like I'm shouldering an Atlas-sized burden of responsibilities around the clock. To my friends on the Southsiders board of directors (and all of our many other volunteers), thank you very much for stepping up and giving back - Vancouver simply doesn't get to enjoy this magic unless somebody is backstage stuffing bunnies into the top hats. You ladies and gentlemen rock. Take a bow.
I've often said that the only permanent jobs in football are the supporters. We'll outlast every last one of the modern football suits, and we will sing with joy as the doors hit their asses on the way out.
And that is where this blog comes in.
The Johnnie Monster FC blog is going to be a bit of an interesting experiment. There was a time not so long ago when my booming voice was loud enough to ensure the 200 people around me in the Swangard beer garden could quickly join in with whatever song, chant or cheeky nonsense I'd just come up with on the fly. BC Place, however, is a much larger beast to contend with... and at times it is a stone deaf, stubborn and immovable bastard.
With our numbers nearing 1,500 paid members scattered across multiple sections, it's only the first few rows of 251 who are subjected to the Monster's madness on match days. Maybe that's a good thing! On the other hand, if you're keen to spread the supporters gospel and make BC Place a little slice of Europa... lend me your ear, and I'll sing you a song... and I'll try not to sing out of key. =)
Cheers,
@johnniemonster
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