"It's THE match we HAVE to win", I nervously muttered to an equally apprehensive mate as we sat in our AAMI Park seats an hour and a half before kickoff. He simply nodded.
Slowly but surely the crowd drifted in; the Victory fans decked in navy, carrying their signs of protest. The Heart fans in red and white, not quite sure what to expect from the evening.
As the proceedings unfolded, it became clear: this was to become our defining moment!
The 90 minutes which followed justified many Heart fans' decision to bravely support a new Melbourne side, despite the bitter complaints from our navy counterparts. It also captured the imagination of the many neutrals who arrived for a spectacle and put forward a wonderfully engaging proposal which surely would have seen an increase in membership.
A key influence in our side's amazing performance was the inspirational effort of the Yarraside who didn't stop chanting and spurring on their heroes for the full 95 minutes. Their colourful and rousing display was even more impressive given the navy mass they defiantly held their own against.
One of the most important benefits of the contest was that it allowed us to FOREVER hold one up on our city rivals. As Victory captain Kevin Muscat stated earlier in the week; "To get off to a good start and to be in the history books as the first team to win a derby, that's going to be the aim".
A quick comparison between both clubs would reveal that Victory have the silverware, the fan base and a five year head start in the city of Melbourne.
But we have the derby honours.
In 50 years time (assuming the league is sensibly sustained), the commentators will mention the result of the first ever derby; a 2:1 win to Melbourne Heart. This is an achievement that no amount of navy-draped trophies will ever overshadow.
Some may say that this is an overreaction, but this was the most important match in our history. We HAD to win to sustain interest, engage new fans and passionately stoke the flames of an intra city derby.
It was our chance to momentarily push aside Premierships / Championships and focus on the contest between two clubs. This was our Grand Final / defining moment!
Put simply, this was without doubt, the most significant match in our club's fledgling history and an evening that I and the many new and existing Heart fans will remember for the rest of our lives.
