Where do I start?
Very first memories are early 80's, Russell Ebert as our captain and coach are some of the earliest and most vivid memories I have. I was at the '84 Grand Final as an 8 year old, I recall being there but very little of the game.
Most of my Football Park memories are from the '88-'90 three-in-a-row as an early teen and then the '92 / '94-'96 streak as a now legal drinker.
I think it was the '88 GF where a pretty heavy shower hit the unsuspecting crowd and an unsuspecting 13 year old Boon with face paint.
'89, lol, Norfies.
'90 the greatest display of football by a full forward in my time.
'92, Nathan Buckley made his name known to the football world.
'94 the young Eagles thought they were to replace Port Adelaide at the top of the SANFL pecking order, only to have Hodges play one of the greatest games by a full forward in a Grand final, Tim Ginever especially happy to see little Max on the dais again.
'95 and '96 the Dogs were coming for the mantle after the Eagles fell short, yeah, well, NEXT! Stephen Williams taking over from Jack mid year as Jack set up our AFL entry.
'97 going for the 4 in a row, could '97 have been any worse for me? Norwood pump us and Adelaide pull one out of their proverbial. Our first year in the AFL and I recall clearly asking a Neil Balme led Melbourne if they needed directions to the nearest goal posts, the worst game I recall at the ground in our AFL years. ( A Friday night, Port won by 10 goals )
'98 I was blotto before the game started and I only remember telling my Sturt mate that they'll get one soon enough, Really should have been 5 in a row, Norwood!!
'99, should have been 6 in a row ( NORWOOD!! ), it did make up a little for '97 but wouldn't get us the 6 in a row we should/could have had. These two particularly satisfying as we now had an AFL side and were winning SANFL premierships too.
From an SANFL perspective this is where the Doggies took over and Port didn't see any action late in the year....but, this is where the Port Adelaide AFL side started to grow, led by Tredrea, Primus, Wanganeen.
2001 we finish a game off top, lose in Brisbane and come home to have the Hawks beat us in a semi final.
2002 we lose the first two and then got 18-2 to be minor premiers, this is the first year at AFL level I really recall Footy Park jumping. The crowds were ( for us, then ) into the mid to high 20,000's and we were coming. The late season Showdown win was a belter, then Collingwood come here and beat us in the first week of finals to ensure a visit to the 'Gabba was in order that year....
2003, again 0-2 and end up 18-4, some great times for a bloke in his mid-20's living walking distance *hiccup* from the place and the side wins 36 out of 44 across 2 seasons, I think we lost 2 at Footy Park in 2003....then Sydney shock us while I'm in Brisbane on holidays. That one really hust.
2004...
...the lost one of our last 13 games en route to our first ever AFL premiership. The preliminary final win over St Kilda one of the greatest games I've been to. Only behind the game the following week in my AFL days memories.
I refuse to let go of the dark days of '08-'12, as you can see above I was pretty well spoiled as a teenager going into adulthood, I would be greedy to have wanted any more, but I hold my head high knowing I stuck out those dark days as a member and regular at our home matches. 2012 we had under 14,000 against West Coast and Brisbane, I was there. Proud.
The last game there Vs Carlton, they pip us by a point to snatch an unlikely finals berth....
I really could go on...