Irish Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
At the risk of sounding like the old git that I undoubtedly am, I was comparing today's experience to when I first went to Highfield Road. Fifty years ago today my dad finally gave in to me pestering him all of the time and took me to my first game. This was against fellow promotion chasing Carlisle. Like today, we fell behind in the first half. Unlike today, goals from Gould and Machin kept us on track for promotion. This was a game made famous for the fact that Alan Ross, the Carlisle keeper, took exception to Gould barging him as he held the ball (something you were technically allowed to do in those days) and knocked Bobby out with a solitary punch. He was walking before the referee got to send him off.
I think there were just short of 30k in the ground. We stood in the West End and from the first minute to the last I loved it. The noise, the smells, the scarey crowd surges, the bits of rust falling from the covering roof. ( this was the season before the West Stand was built) and the heros in sky blue, all still vivid memories of that wonderful day. I was hooked I knew that from that day onwards this would be my club, a decision that I have never once regretted, even today when we are at surely the lowest point in our club's history.
Just sad that as we were walking out today, my son was saying how he would ever get his one year old daughter hooked on the City when she is older, when the experience is so poor. A quarter full stadium and losing, soulless football ( I know I am in the minority but I actually didn't think we played that badly today, certainly I have seen worse this season).
If that game today was the first experience of going to football for a young lad or a young girl, would their memories be as vivid, exciting and joyful as mine? As has been mentioned on here a few times, the legacy of all that has gone on is that it will be harder to keep younger people interested if they don't enjoy the experience of going "Up the City".
I think there were just short of 30k in the ground. We stood in the West End and from the first minute to the last I loved it. The noise, the smells, the scarey crowd surges, the bits of rust falling from the covering roof. ( this was the season before the West Stand was built) and the heros in sky blue, all still vivid memories of that wonderful day. I was hooked I knew that from that day onwards this would be my club, a decision that I have never once regretted, even today when we are at surely the lowest point in our club's history.
Just sad that as we were walking out today, my son was saying how he would ever get his one year old daughter hooked on the City when she is older, when the experience is so poor. A quarter full stadium and losing, soulless football ( I know I am in the minority but I actually didn't think we played that badly today, certainly I have seen worse this season).
If that game today was the first experience of going to football for a young lad or a young girl, would their memories be as vivid, exciting and joyful as mine? As has been mentioned on here a few times, the legacy of all that has gone on is that it will be harder to keep younger people interested if they don't enjoy the experience of going "Up the City".
