Sydney (and Oz) based Hibbes

[neil7908]

Just made the move permanently out to Sydney. Loving it so far but now that the season is starting, I'm definitely missing the Saturday ritual of going to the game and/or watching matches at the pub or on TV.

I've signed up for Hibs TV but how do others cope? Are there any bars showing the higher profile Scottish games in Sydney? Is there a Hibs supporters club out here?

Has anyone found much joy in watching the Australian domestic league?

[Hibs1969]

Just made the move permanently out to Sydney. Loving it so far but now that the season is starting, I'm definitely missing the Saturday ritual of going to the game and/or watching matches at the pub or on TV.

I've signed up for Hibs TV but how do others cope? Are there any bars showing the higher profile Scottish games in Sydney? Is there a Hibs supporters club out here?

Has anyone found much joy in watching the Australian domestic league?

Like you, I really miss the Saturday routine of the pub then the game and back to the pub afterwards to dissect the performance/result. Here in NSW with it being winter, the timings of the games isn’t too bad with a 3pm kick off meaning midnight starts, but come our summer it means getting up at 2am to watch. Not for the faint hearted when we’re not playing well and it’s a tough watch.

I’m not in one of the big cities so haven’t found anywhere showing the big games, Dickens Bar in Melbourne shows big games from back home and there must be equivalents in Sydney etc. Surprise, surprise you’ll have no trouble watching English football on Optus - loads of bars show those games.

Good luck and enjoy your time in Oz, It’s a great place but I do really miss Edinburgh at times with football being one of the things I miss most. As for the Isuzu League - meh. It’s mainly on Paramount + so if you want to watch most of the games you’ll need to stump up for the privilege. My main enjoyment there is looking out for players with a Hibs connection in any of the teams, there’s more than you would think.

[Forza Fred]

Just made the move permanently out to Sydney. Loving it so far but now that the season is starting, I'm definitely missing the Saturday ritual of going to the game and/or watching matches at the pub or on TV.

I've signed up for Hibs TV but how do others cope? Are there any bars showing the higher profile Scottish games in Sydney? Is there a Hibs supporters club out here?

Has anyone found much joy in watching the Australian domestic league?

In order of asking

1 We do usually meet up for finals etc, but as you will discover, kick off times tend to be between midnight and 2 am, and given the size of Sydney, most games are watched at home on Hibs TV.
If we DO decide to meet up it’s well mentioned on our Facebook group page…Australian and New Zealand Hibs supporters, which if you haven’t already found, then you should sign up.

Various bars will show games…mostly in the city centre, with some the particular haunt of specific clubs. Avoid Cheers in George Street.

The Australia Branch of the Hibernian Supporters Association was formed in 1987 and has a proud history, and has been going in various guises since then.
The digital age has more or less seen
it morph into the Facebook group page, but over the years has held anniversary dinners in various parts of Oz…and even funded and brought Jimmy O’Rourke and his wife out a few years ago for a series of unforgettable functions in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.
It will be our 40th anniversary in 3 years and presumably we will be discussing what we do about that soon.

You will get various differing answers about the A League, just as you would expect if an Aussie moved to Scotland and watched the likes of St Mirren v Ross Cty.
Fitba is about emotional involvement, rather than expecting Serie A quality I guess….or we wouldn’t watch the Hibs I guess….but there are a steady flow of young players picked up by various ‘big’ European clubs each season

I’m different I guess having been involved in the old National Soccer League, the precursor to the A League and having flirted on the edges of the media, I am an avid follower of the local game, and of course the Socceroos and the Matildas.

We have a few guys in Sydney who go to the games now and then…..and I guess what team they support depends basically on where you live…but the way I see it Sydney FC are the Rangers of Oz.

I support no one and am as far as geographically removed from them as can be, but CCM would be my preferred watch on tv as their community atmosphere and underdog status equates with Hibs a bit more than the others…but as I say….you will probably be best following what is closest, and if you are as I suspect in the backpacking areas, then Sydney Rangers it would be.

Hope this helps….number one thing to do though is sign up on the Facebook page where no doubt you will find lots of people who fervently disagree with everything I have written here!😂

[Bridge hibs]

When does the A league start up again ? Miss my early morning weekend football fix

[BILLYHIBS]

Great excuse to show Melbourne Hibs again for anyone who hasn’t seen it :cup:


https://youtu.be/VLkGJikRDOM?si=bfqRZ0-ZuCD86-Rc

[Dmas]

When does the A league start up again ? Miss my early morning weekend football fix

Same I actually quite enjoy the A-League on a Saturday morning, don’t think there’s much in it quality wise either, they don’t seem to play much for a draw over there which is good for the neutral tv viewer, not sure how much il see this year as I no longer work Saturdays so I’m sure the mrs will have something to say about me sitting around watching that at 8am but il definitely be giving it my best shot

[Forza Fred]

When does the A league start up again ? Miss my early morning weekend football fix

They’ve just started preseason training and the A League clubs will be involved in the pre season Australia Cup games starting 23 July I think.

The A League proper usually starts mid October

[Bridge hibs]

They’ve just started preseason training and the A League clubs will be involved in the pre season Australia Cup games starting 23 July I think.

The A League proper usually starts mid October

Cheers Fred 👍

[One Day]

Great excuse to show Melbourne Hibs again for anyone who hasn’t seen it :cup:


https://youtu.be/VLkGJikRDOM?si=bfqRZ0-ZuCD86-Rc

Great Video

[Hibby Kay-Yay]

I took in a Brisbane Roar game a few years ago. It was a night time game, went in shorts and T-shirt, could have beer and decent grub. Football was ok, atmosphere was rank, but it’s a pretty big stadium with an average crowd. Like if we were to play in Murrayfield.

If I lived there, I’d definitely go along and follow the local team. Most of them just have the one team in the city. Supporting away games would be a bit of a challenge, and expensive!

[He's here!]

Just made the move permanently out to Sydney. Loving it so far but now that the season is starting, I'm definitely missing the Saturday ritual of going to the game and/or watching matches at the pub or on TV.

I've signed up for Hibs TV but how do others cope? Are there any bars showing the higher profile Scottish games in Sydney? Is there a Hibs supporters club out here?

Has anyone found much joy in watching the Australian domestic league?

Never been to Australia but based on my own experiences of staying away from Scotland and looking for a football fix I'd adopt a local team rather than watch Hibs games at 2am. Teams I still keep an eye on thanks to my time there range from Harrogate Town to York City, QPR and a tiny French team called Pau FC.

Nick Hornby writes of how he became deeply attached to Cambridge United after moving out of London. It might not be for everyone but I was personally surprised by how attached I became to these teams and the communities around them. For me it's about throwing yourself into the place you've (even temporarily) put down roots and not worrying too much about what you've left behind.

[DC_Hibs]

Never been to Australia but based on my own experiences of staying away from Scotland and looking for a football fix I'd adopt a local team rather than watch Hibs games at 2am. Teams I still keep an eye on thanks to my time there range from Harrogate Town to York City, QPR and a tiny French team called Pau FC.

Nick Hornby writes of how he became deeply attached to Cambridge United after moving out of London. It might not be for everyone but I was personally surprised by how attached I became to these teams and the communities around them. For me it's about throwing yourself into the place you've (even temporarily) put down roots and not worrying too much about what you've left behind.

Spot on. I remember walking around one Saturday afternoon shortly after moving abroad and being at a loose end wondering what I could do other than hit the boozer. I’d already been to a few Bundesliga games but made the decision to get a season ticket for the local team and a conscious decision not to go with expats. Best decision ever for meeting people and getting back into the routine of home and away games at weekends. The Hibs games were on pretty much the same time but was always better getting out and about than stuck in the house glued to a laptop. You can see the local team live and still watch Hibs in Oz of course.!

Met a good few of the Australian Hibs boys when over late 97 and my arrival in Melbourne coincided with their World Cup play off 2nd leg against Iran at the MCG. Aussies were cruising when I left a bit early then the sh-1t hit the fan and they blew it. Numbers were a bit lower at Young and Jackson’s pub after the game but was a late sesh with those who made it back.

[Greenio]

It's one of the major trade offs tbh.

You just get used to either staying up late for weekend games, esp start and end of the season when the hours are more doable as folk have said, or mid week mid season games you can watch in the morning.

As others say, bigger matches, semi, finals or maybe derbies, will likely draw a crowd in a nominated venue.

Re A league, it's not the same. I actually think the level of football is pretty close, different type of style, prob more of a mix of italian/south american if that make sense, doesn't have the physicality and they always seem reluctant to shoot! But atmosphere is lacking, only because there isn't going to be an away crowd really, outside of the derbies, you'll maybe get few hundred travelling, if that - understandable when it its a flight away most times! Still good to go to imo, esp derbies, relaxed, nice stadiums, can have a beer in your seat etc.

Also worth looking at the local leagues below A league, which seem to be growing in popularity and offer a bit more of a grass roots feel.

Lots of sports ahead of it still in Aus, but its growing, last few years with the explosion of the whole Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe super star and social content etc, big shift I see of kids in Aus being really into it - just not the league in their own country so much!

Lots of pros to living in Aus, prob made me more of a Hibs fan than I was tbh, but yeah, one of the things you'll miss.

[DH1875]

Am I being daft but.....is there not more than one team in or around the Sydney area?

[Greenio]

Am I being daft but.....is there not more than one team in or around the Sydney area?

Aye, theres 2 in Syd and 1 about an hour up the coast

Think there might be a 3rd syd team in the works too

*Edit, might be talking ***** about a 3rd syd team, but they are always looking for new clubs

[Forza Fred]

Aye, theres 2 in Syd and 1 about an hour up the coast

Think there might be a 3rd syd team in the works too

*Edit, might be talking ***** about a 3rd syd team, but they are always looking for new clubs

Greater Sydney. Has a population of just under that of Scotland.

Sydney FC
Western Sydney Wanderers
Macarthur
Central Coast Mariners

All fall under the umbrella of teams within the ‘Greater Sydney region with the Mariners , located in Gosford, being on the border of it.

[Mcbizz1998]

Great excuse to show Melbourne Hibs again for anyone who hasn’t seen it :cup:


https://youtu.be/VLkGJikRDOM?si=bfqRZ0-ZuCD86-Rc

I thought I’d seen every piece of media from 2016. I’d only seen small portions of that one included in other compilations.

Thanks for sharing the full thing. I’m just about greeting….AGAIN!

[Sproule Three]

Greater Sydney. Has a population of just under that of Scotland.

Sydney FC
Western Sydney Wanderers
Macarthur
Central Coast Mariners

All fall under the umbrella of teams within the ‘Greater Sydney region with the Mariners , located in Gosford, being on the border of it.

And Newcastle is probably same travel time from my area of Sydney as MacArthur

[Ozyhibby]

And Newcastle is probably same travel time from my area of Sydney as MacArthur

Newcastle is about the same size as Edinburgh as well so can easily support its A league team (Jets I think).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[neil7908]

Thanks all for the tips and advice - great to see quite a few Hibees on this side of the world!

[Gorebridge Hibb]

It's one of the major trade offs tbh.

You just get used to either staying up late for weekend games, esp start and end of the season when the hours are more doable as folk have said, or mid week mid season games you can watch in the morning.

As others say, bigger matches, semi, finals or maybe derbies, will likely draw a crowd in a nominated venue.

Re A league, it's not the same. I actually think the level of football is pretty close, different type of style, prob more of a mix of italian/south american if that make sense, doesn't have the physicality and they always seem reluctant to shoot! But atmosphere is lacking, only because there isn't going to be an away crowd really, outside of the derbies, you'll maybe get few hundred travelling, if that - understandable when it its a flight away most times! Still good to go to imo, esp derbies, relaxed, nice stadiums, can have a beer in your seat etc.

Also worth looking at the local leagues below A league, which seem to be growing in popularity and offer a bit more of a grass roots feel.

Lots of sports ahead of it still in Aus, but its growing, last few years with the explosion of the whole Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe super star and social content etc, big shift I see of kids in Aus being really into it - just not the league in their own country so much!

Lots of pros to living in Aus, prob made me more of a Hibs fan than I was tbh, but yeah, one of the things you'll miss.

Jason’s brother Dean Cummings plays for Sorrento in the Western Australia top division. Griffiths plays for a team in the same league

[Keyser Sauzee]

I’m going to be in Sydney for the last 3 weeks in October and was hoping someone could point me where to watch at least the Derby but hopefully the other matches too? Thanks

[Forza Fred]

I’m going to be in Sydney for the last 3 weeks in October and was hoping someone could point me where to watch at least the Derby but hopefully the other matches too? Thanks

I'd be taking out a monthly subscription to Hibs TV if I was you.

Sydney's a big place with no 26 bus to hop home on. so unless something changes pretty sure we'll be watching it at home....time difference is a bugger too, so don't think too many will be venturing out for a league game

Avoid Cheers Bar in George Streeet though...it gets frequented by Jambos.....guess the Sports Bar at Crown Casino would be your best bet...

[Gorebridge Hibb]

I’m going to be in Sydney for the last 3 weeks in October and was hoping someone could point me where to watch at least the Derby but hopefully the other matches too? Thanks

Having 4 weeks in 🇦🇺from mid November but unfortunately don’t think I’ll catch an A League game as we have a week in Tasmania and 5 nights in Cairns plus time in Sydney at the start and end of our trip. Might try to get to the Newcastle v Mariners derby