Yes - being a wog boy in 70's all I knew was soccer as well. i DISCOVERWED IN 78 AS WELL WHEN MY DAD TOOK ME TO GAME bELOMORE
Me too.
I used to sit with my dad and watch the English 1st Div on the ABC.
You would get a featured match and highlights of other games in a 1 hour show.
Nineth Ave was a hop, skip and a jump from Belmore Oval.
When I discovered Rugby League my father would take me to games at Belmore when we could afford it.
In 1981 the year after we won the GF we moved to Loftus St.
I kicked out 2 pailings of the back fence and I would walk down the hill, through what used to be a muddy car park and would get to watch every 2nd half of every home game for free as an 11yo..
It was such a great time to be a kid.
I took my kids to the 1st game back at Belmore and they could not believe the atmosphere on the hill and how close you could get to the players.
When they got to run onto the field, it unfortunately created 3 more Bulldogs tragics.