“It was just a small negative thing that happened on such a great day and it didn’t take anything away, it’s just something that happened,” Ross said. What happened wasn’t that great, but I guess something like this will always happen at the stadium.

“The person who took it can just bring it to the next game and return it and not have any hard feelings if they just admit it.”

In a post on the Auckland fans Facebook group, Nick Pearson wrote: “If your kids come home with my big New Zealand Pride flag, would you please contact me?

“No hard feelings, but I would like to have it back because it was quite expensive to make.

“I was too busy playing the drum at the bottom of the stand to grab them before I saw them run off with it. I would appreciate it if people would share this. Alternatively, if he magically ends up in the same spot in next week’s game, that would be great.

“Let’s support each other in the port and not spoil the situation with such nonsense. USP (up the port).”

Port fans packed the Mount Smart South Stand in droves on Saturday afternoon as Auckland’s 2-0 win over Brisbane Roar hit the 12th crowd.

Before the gates opened, the group gathered in the Lilyworld bar adjacent to the stadium, and an hour before kickoff they chanted in the lobby.

They also made a pre-planned march to Bay 22 via the stairs between the south and west stands. The march was led by two Port members holding a flag that was later stolen.

Ross said that other than the theft, the event was unprecedented and he was confident crowds would grow larger and louder in the future.

“The fans that weren’t part of Bay 22… I noticed hundreds of different people, they were recording on their phones, and they had this look of awe on their faces, they were just like, ‘Wow, this is amazing,'” Ross said.

“(Port) It’s something they’ve never seen before in New Zealand sport – rugby fans certainly don’t behave like us, which is a positive thing.”

Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia sports journalist for NZME. She is a football commentator and co-host Football fever podcast and was part of Te Rito’s training program before becoming a full-time journalist.