Name: Richard Farah
Carlton member years: 10
Favourite players: Greg Williams, Anthony Koutoufides, Chris Judd, Patrick Cripps
Memorable matches: 1995 grand final victory & 2013’s Round 23 win against Port Adelaide
“I think our motto ‘Bound By Blue’ sums up what it means to be a Carlton supporter – if you’re a Carlton supporter you bleed navy blue” – that’s according to ten-year member Richard Farah.
This self-confessed “footy nut” has been a Blues supporter since he was five years old and couldn’t imagine barracking for any other team.
Even as a young boy there was no way little Richard was going to be swayed by family members who supported rival teams, such as the Tigers, Pies and Bombers.
“My favourite colour has always been blue so I’m sure as a kid that would have played a part in me choosing Carlton as my team,” Richard joked.
“Most of my family is really mixed in terms of who they barrack for, we have Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon supporters in the family, but I obviously loved the Blues the best.”
When Richard started a family of his own, he was happy to give his children no choice when it came to selecting a team – it had to be Carlton.
Richard Farah with his wife and kids Natalia and Nathaniel.
“They didn’t have a choice, they are little Bluebaggers too,” Richard said.
With family bragging rights in mind, it’s not surprising Richard loves defeating Carlton’s traditional enemies, plus those who wear the brown and gold.
“There are four teams I absolutely love to beat: Richmond, Collingwood and Essendon because there’s a family rivalry, and I love defeating Hawthorn, even though we haven’t done that in a very long time.”
Richard was 10 years old when Carlton won the grand final in 1995. It was one of the first games Richard can remember watching with his family and feeling that elation when they won.
“I was only a kid but I remember the ’95 win,” he said.
“We were living in Tasmania at the time and I remember coming home early because I wanted to watch the game with my dad and my brother.
“I think we knew after half-time that we had it in the bag so we were celebrating for the entire second half.
“Even now I watch that game once a year, just to keep it fresh in my mind,” Richard laughed.
When asked who his favourite players have been over the years, Richard quipped: "how much time do you have?"
“One of my all-time favourites was Greg Williams, then you’ve got Stephen Kernahan and Scott Camporeale, before he defected to Essendon.
Richard Farah has his photo taken with one of his favourites - Carlton champion Stephen Kernahan.
“Anthony Koutoufides is another all-time favourite, as well as Chris Judd, you can’t go past Juddy.
“I used to love Eddie Betts. I’ve still got my guernsey with the number 19 on the back and my favourite at the moment is Patrick Cripps, he’s going to be a star.”
With his young family in toe, Richard tries to get to as many games as possible, remarking he loves watching matches live from each venue.
“I love the atmosphere, there’s nothing like watching a game of footy live because you get to watch the game from a different perspective as opposed to watching it on TV.
“Interacting with other supporters is always a lot of fun and if I get to the game early enough I love all the pre-game stuff as well – I’m a bit of a footy nut.”
With its “beautiful history” and rich culture, Richard says he’ll continue to stick by the Blues through thick and thin.
“Being a Carlton supporter means just being 100 per cent behind your team, so the Bound By Blue motto is perfect.”
To join us on our journey and become officially Bound By Blue like Richard call 1300 CARLTON or visit: membership.carltonfc.com.au
