The Gang’s All Here

Many tailgating groups have come and gone at Allen E. Paulson Stadium, but for the last 13 years, one group of individuals has stayed strong. They call themselves the Red Flag Gang.

The group of about 35 people makes it to every home game and many away games, where they share food, drinks and camaraderie, things many of the group members can’t imagine Saturdays at Paulson without.

“It’s kind of funny because people have always heard of the Red Flag Gang,” said original group member Seaby Phillips (’75). “Whether it is good things or bad things, everybody always seems to hear about it.”

Mike Wright, who began tailgating because his son, Justin Wright (‘02), played for the Eagles in the early 2000s, is considered the founder after initiating the group’s first meet up. Wright said he saw fellow Georgia Southern fans at a red light and reached out to them about meeting up on a Georgia Southern online sports message board now known as gsufans.com.

“I posted on the message board, which was created by Paul Barkley, that I would put up a flag so we could find each other,” Wright said. “I said let’s don’t do white and let’s don’t do blue. Nobody had red at the time, so I got some PVC pipe and put the red flag up, and it just kind of grew from there.”

Though he no longer tailgates with the group, Wright said, “It was the camaraderie that made the Red Flag Gang special. We were a friendly group and always had new people come in. It was four of the greatest years of my life. I was able to go places, do things and meet people, and I wouldn’t take the world for it.”

Doyle Clifton (’75), another original member, said the gang even welcomes opposing fans to join their tailgate.

“We always invite opposing fans to join us for festivities before the battle begins on the field, and many, even when they lose, come back after the game for more fellowship,” Clifton said. “We have a pretty good reputation for taking care of our ‘enemy/friends’ and many of these same fans come back year after year.”

Through the years, various people have been in charge of the red flag, said Phillips, who is currently the keeper. “It’s almost like a sacred thing now to get there and raise the red flag because I don’t feel like it’s time to tailgate until the flag is flying.”

And just what is the atmosphere like at a Red Flag Gang tailgate? “Excitement. We’re all just excited about getting to see our Eagles play one more time, the pageantry of the band and Freedom’s flight,” Phillips said. “We’re all just passionate about Georgia Southern and football, and we enjoy the tradition of being there.”

Clifton described the gang as a family that jokes around, and sometimes even argues. “We fight over football, politics and sometimes each other, but we all can’t wait for football season so we can get back together again,” Clifton said. “Hopefully the Red Flag Gang will continue into the next phase of Georgia Southern football and become even stronger as we change and grow as Georgia Southern.” – Crissie Elrick