Full Time at The Yorkies

Honestly, it was supposed to be a five-year plan.

What you are reading now, and have been reading on this blog for about six years, germinated in 2007 when a mish-mash of men you now know as The Yorkies, were thrust together in the middle of BMO Field's South Stand. What started as a gag to group together our likeminded TFC-based malarkey/misery, somehow evolved into this site. What was most surprising is that you lot seemed to dig it too.

Back in June 2009 when we launched into the current site in anger, we thought we'd mostly be writing for each other - an outlet for the frustration and laughs we had leftover in the days after a TFC fixture. The fact that there were more of you out there just like us, delighted us and fuelled our brand of "journalism" further. We're sorry.

In the years since, our little corner of the internet has given so much more back to us than we expected. New friends, both near and far, opportunities to be involved in great debate and conversation, an exciting venture into podcasting on The Vocal Minority Podcast and most importantly (and shockingly) a dedicated readership that we are so grateful for.

It hasn't always been easy to keep this labour of love chugging along at a regular pace. As you all know, supporting TFC is a labour in itself and sometimes things felt a bit like deja vu. Man cannot live on Collin Samuel gags alone you know! However, every time one person would approach us and say "I loved what you wrote" or "that made me laugh so hard" - all the exhaustion washed away. You gave us that and we thank you.

Despite that and with bittersweet feelings, it is time to say goodbye to this little "dogblog" that has somehow been clicked on over 475,000 times. Let's leave on a high - well at least as high as it gets around BMO Field. We aren't moving out of the TFC game... just moving on. Change is good and we won't be quiet for too long. Goofs like us just aren't capable.

Before we go, the two of us (You thought there was a staff of 1000's didn't you?!) want to take the time to say a few words...

Eight years ago, sitting in the dead centre of 113, before Twitter, news sites and blogging was a full TFC thing, a rotating band of guys behind me became my very good friends. By the end of the first season, the idea of starting a passive supporters group was pitched and I was eager to be a part of it and help out. That is where and how I became lumped in with this online fanzine called The Yorkies. 

Never ones to take ourselves too seriously, it was a brilliant little forum to run my mouth (and fingers) to. I hope I made your post-match visits to the site, at least, amusing and, at the very least, not a total waste of your time. I’d like to thank Dom and Ro for their work on the foundation of the Yorkies mindset and designs (and sweet scarf!). I’d also like to thank Tony for being the captain of this ship and letting me drive whenever I felt like it. If I’m an attacking midfielder on this club, Tony is the other 10 players and bench - sure I poach a few beauties, but the heavy lifting is by someone else.

Lastly, I’d like to thank you, the readers who’ve tolerated my rants, observations, insights, screw-ups, memes, site-specific jokes, photoshoppings, bogus logos and kits while allowing me to contribute and feel a part of the Yorkies’ donkey show and the greater TFC online community.

- Mark The Yorkie  @ignirtoq

And now the other guy…

There really is only one suitable way for me to say goodbye to this site that has occupied huge chunks of my life since 2009. The same way I spent almost every Monday morning with you bunch of maniacs...

THE STARTING 11: Things I need to thank before I say goodbye to The Yorkies

11. The world's worst chip buttys

10. Raivis Hscanovics' hatred of vowels

9. Crew Cat

8. Every friend we made in the South Stands of BMO Field that entertained and inspired us to run home and write something ridiculous

7. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

6. The two other founders of The Yorkies, Dom and Rohan, who helped form this merry band both visually and creatively. This was all of ours.

5. Every punworthy MLS club, player and character that made our gags so excellently cringe worthy

4. Mo Johnston... for everything.

3. My good friend Mark. He may have left you with the feeling I do the heavy lifting but without his tireless work it would have just been me sitting in a room with a typewriter. The graphics, the look, the logos, terrific writing and a very fair share of the gags here come from a great guy I'm lucky enough to laugh my way through some miserable football with.

2. Toronto FC... for never letting the comedy die

1. You, the readers. Thanks so much.

- Tony The Yorkie  @theyorkies1812

Keep following us on the Twitter machine and please listen to us on The Vocal Minority Podcast, we do really have some exciting new ventures on the horizon and want you to join us as our journey through the “wonderland” that is TFC continues.

Thanks one last time to every single person, Toronto FC supporter or not, who took the time out of their day to read our words.

Yours truly,

The Yorkies