I agree BC- if people only go to one match this season then lets hope it is this one. The band will be playing pre-match and half time and lots of other armed forces related stuff going on- would love to think we could get 10000 but I expect it might be nearer to 8000.
Pompey are going to outdo Exeter for away fans lyndhurst so you could get your 10000 despite the thing being televised. Even with the kick off being early it isn't that bad a trip from Portsmouth to here these days at around the 3 and a half hour mark. The fact it is on Tele isn't going to spoil it I think. I have to say I do like an RM Band in full volume. Sort of gets my feet marching. I used to work in an office at BRNC Dartmouth which overlooked the parade ground and most mornings had them to listen to. Not sure I will get there that early though on the day as I get a lift and am reliant for time on others.
Its not just the band either- 5 a side comp at half time (Argyle V Pompey) which should give the crowd something to do, and a certain Mr Thomas Tynan putting in an appearance pre match, plus what should be a spectacular pre match tribute by both the home and away fans. Expect Pompey to bring 1500ish so it just depends on the local turn out to push the 10k. Oh, and also an extra special Argyle Angels performance at half time.
A win this week and still in the cup following the next and the crowds should start increasing anyway with or without Pompey. Apparently even Nelson will be there......... Get Tommy to bring his boots and show the players where the back of the net is. Bet he could still score now.
Spent the day (yesterday) at Kew Gardens......on the way home at Waterloo Station there was a military band playing on the main concourse.....whilst thousands of commuters tried to make there way home.....really loud under the roof.....couldn't see anything because of the crowds.....all to do with remembrance day,poppies etc.
Not entirely sure whether that was a positive or negative post Plym, or merely an observation. I think yesterday was 'London poppy day' and there were hundreds of service personnel on the street and numerous bands at train stations. Am sure some would moan about their rush to get the train being delayed but perhaps we should all slow down from time to time and reflect on those that have gone before us.
Not intended to be negative lyndhurst.....yes saw lots of military personnel poppy selling....going up and coming home as well. I lived on RAF Camps until I was nearly15yrs old.....and did National Service (RAF) myself between 1960/2 mostly in Aden. Mum met Dad when he was serving at RAF Mountbatten in mid 1930's.....so used to service life when I was young....but didn't wan't to serve longer than two years.
Don't blame you Plym-especially the RAF! You could have always have joined the Senior Service of course.
Shut up Pike..... It's a funny old world really where the services are concerned. When I was in I never really thought about it as much more than a job. I'd never known anything else work wise as I joined at 16. But, it is something that sticks with you for the rest of your life because I think of all the experiences you get with it. Things you would never get in civvy life and some of it is stranger than fiction and even down right dangerous which you don't think about at the time.
You are absolutely right sensible, coming towards the end (in 15 months) of a very long career in the RN has made me think about some of the stuff I have been involved in. Unlike some, I have always tried to separate 'work' from home life so I guess I think about it as I would any other job. But, I've been pretty much all over the world; spent 4 years commuting to work in a helicopter (kind of); played cricket(badly) in all the best Caribbean islands against some top international players; been to war; endured endless periods of boredom interspersed with short periods of intense excitement and danger; done some stuff that I can't mention on here, and participated in lots of daft stuff that civilians might not think as amusing as we did. Above all, I have met thousands of great people, the vast majority of whom I would consider as mates, and a fair number that I class as genuine friends. Yes it is (relatively) well paid, but I missed much of my eldest son's early years which I will never get back. Most of all, despite being in a fairly senior position, I still laugh every day about all sorts of stuff-much of which civilians just wouldn't get (and that isn't anything against civilians) and a lot of what would be considered black/gallows humour. Unfortunately a lot of the public perception about the armed forces is far removed from reality; not their fault, but ours. Most of us are highly educated, professional & dedicated people who still do our best to serve 'Queen and country' ; not forgetting of course that we only do what is required of the government of the day. Unfortunately the only way to get 'better' armed forces (or NHS and the other public services) is to get the great British public to pay for them through tax increases. I doubt that will happen anytime soon so we just need to do the best we can with what we can afford. Oddly I don't think I would encourage my two sons to join the modern RN-it really isn't the same as it was; but equally I have no regrets. Most importantly, I feel 20 years younger than I am; 'Matelots never grow up- they just grow old and die' Just a bit of a ramble through my 35 year career really- I guess my point is buy a ticket for the Argyle v Portsmouth match, it will be a good do.
35 Years lyndhurst is a long time.....my father did 28yrs before being pensioned off for health reasons. Joined in 1926 as a Blacksmith !!! and ended up a S.W.O. Navy only had a small unit in my time in Aden....minesweepers at HMS Sheba.....of course I think we left Aden before 1970....so no chance of you serving there. If my memory serves me right there was up to 20,000 personel in Aden whilst I was there.....high proportion of Army, plus RAF Khormaksar (airfield) and RAF Steamerpoint where I was. 45 Marine Commandos lived outside Aden at Little Aden........never go down the Lido for a drink..... when HMS Bulwark was in port (an Aircraftcarrier) 42 Commando where on board....so they used to knock lumps off each other.
Plym, a good mate of mine (ex-RN) claimed to have been shot in the knee leaving Aden which led to his medical discharge- absolutely no idea if it is true. I guess he must be 65-70 now so he could have been there. Yes 35 years is a long time, but as we change ships/jobs every 2-3 years it has flown by and you meet lots of new people every time- better than staying in the same job with the same people in civvy street for years on end?
Aden did indeed have minesweeper squadron and HMS SHEBA. I didn't go there but did a year in Bahrain whilst "the troubles" were on and was there when the Navy withdrew in 1967. Plenty did get shot including matelots. The Argyle and Southern Highlanders caused most of the trouble as well and when they withdrew they went to town shooting in revenge before they left. My Uncle, a man called David Jackson did some time in Aden at Steamerpoint. He was a Sargeant in the RAF. He is in his 80's now. It was early 1960's he was there if memory serves. He was a Plymouth Bhey as well.
Your green tint is showing sensible......those highlanders wouldn't of be keen on being called Argyle.......now Argyll would be more like it. Kings Own Scottish Borderers...(KOSBIES) ....where no angels either......they had too many pro-footballers doing National Service in their ranks....those where the days when Scotland had a football team.....hard team to play against. My boss at Steamerpoint was a Sargeant.....but his name was Watson.
Nah he's much older than that he was one of the first........ He did his basic training on the Pteredactyle Squadron at Stonehenge.
