Recently the still existing Fitzroy Football Club took the Brisbane Lions Football Club to the Supreme Court to challenge Brisbane's decision to insert a new jumper logo in place of the traditional Fitzroy lion.

This new playing strip arguably contradicts the terms of agreement negotiated when the two clubs merged in 1996. The court challenge has irked the Brisbane Lions who have questioned whether the Fitzroy supporters have the funds to support an ongoing court battle.

Behind the scenes, it is alleged that Brisbane have even threatened to retaliate by removing the photographs of former Fitzroy players from their club rooms. The AFL seems to have merely followed this affair from the sidelines.

The court challenge has prompted some vigorous debate on football websites. Two principal views seem to be represented. One perspective is that of former Fitzroy fans now supporting Brisbane who resent any dimunition of the historical links between Brisbane and the Fitzroy heritage. The other main contribution has come from cynical neutrals who are sick of hearing about the history of the Fitzroy Lions, and have bluntly suggested that the former Royboys need to "get a life".

However, there is also a third viewpoint represented by former Fitzroy supporters such as myself who don't support the Brisbane Bears, sorry, I mean the Brisbane Lions. We find this whole saga very illuminating in exposing the falsehoods used by the AFL to destroy Fitzroy, and then impose a one-sided corporate takeover/merger. It confirms that the Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears/Lions are two separate entities.

Personally I supported Fitzroy from 1970 to 1996. My heroes growing up were "The Flea" (Gary Wilson), "Superboot" (Bernie Quinlan), "The Tank" (Micky Conlan), and later Gary Pert, Richard Osborne, and of course, Paul Roos. The only connection I feel with Brisbane is that I recall Michael Voss being best on ground as a young 17-year-old in his debut against Fitzroy at Optus Oval in 1992.

The official AFL statistics also tell the real story: the Brisbane Bears and the Brisbane Lions are combined as one club, whereas the proud history of Fitzroy is counted separately. Michael Voss, Justin Leppitsch, Jonathan Brown and even Warwick Capper are listed as Brisbane players. They have no connection with Fitzroy. This situation revealingly contrasts with that of the Sydney Swans who are tallied as one united and continuous club with the old South Melbourne.

In my opinion, it is about time that Brisbane and the AFL admitted that the merger was a cruel hoax. Brisbane should return all Fitzroy memorabilia to the true owners at the Fitzroy Football Club. And the AFL should finally take the opportunity in May this year - 14 years after Fitzroy's last victory over Fremantle on 18 May 1996 - to say sorry to Fitzroy for railroading the club out of existence.

Associated Professor Philip Mendes teaches Social Policy and Community Development at Monash University and was a mad Fitzroy supporter. He now supports North Melbourne.

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