While it’s easy to see the undoubtedly bright future of North Melbourne on the field of play, the club’s future off the field is just as promising.

Having broken the club’s all-time membership record on Friday, the backing of North’s fans through what has been a turbulent time for not just the club, but the AFL, has been immense.

Fans are what makes a club, with the passion and fight shown by supporters acting as an integral part of North’s culture, intertwining with the history of this great establishment to create something totally and brilliantly unique.

Despite being in just his first season as senior coach, David Noble understands just how incredible the Roos’ fans have been over the course of 2021 so far.

“The sign off of our fans to understand what we’re doing is just incredible. They’re seeing what we want to do, they want to become part of that journey,” Noble said.

“We want them to cheer for the Phillips’, the Powell’s and the Lazzaro’s as hard as they have the Tarrant’s, the Goldstein’s, the Cunnington’s and the Ziebell’s.

“To have them on the start of that journey with us is phenomenal.”

From the premiership success of the 70’s and the 90’s, to the passionate refusal of relocation, and everything in between, North fans have always been amongst the most single-minded of the AFL.

It’s that dedication to the club that transcends generations and helps make this club so special, making it what it is today.

David Noble says words can’t convey how thankful the club is to have the support of its loyal members.

“From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you with all our sincerity … not only from the club but [also] from the players,” he said.

“To reach our biggest ever membership, over 45,000 … we can’t thank [you] enough for the understanding and commitment of the direction we’re taking.”