I've got many memories why I love my Bristol City... My first game going with my mum in the early 50's,we played PNE and won,John Atyeo,The Cow Shed,John Galley,Alan Dicks,The Goal against Arsenal,The Ashton Gate 8 and on and on... About 20 years ago I went down the Gate and renewed our season tickets,me,the wife,daughter and son (he was 9)..We left the shop after a long wait brandishing our little books,I took them over to the big gates between the shop and the Williams and looking through the bars,I was explaining the thrills and splills of being a RED,at that moment I had a strange tap on the shoulder,I looked around and it was our head groundsman of the time and he said," Do you want to walk around the edge of the pitch and have a closer look but don't walk on the grass". I obviously did and what a thrill for me,we were there looking for ages,I explained all about the stands,entrances and changes over the years,needless to say,when I go down to renew now I always seem to be on my own but I still bloody love it. One day I'll tell you about the free holiday me,my family and a load of other City people had at Pontins in the 70's,sorted by the City... Wow what a great club.. What's your excuse for loving our club...?
Going with your Mum in the early 50's. That must have been quite unusual then I suppose Wiz, a good reason to feel a firm infinity to Ashton Gate. I just fell in love with the place as a teenager after a few visits with my mates in that era. totally different experience to nowadays..
We lived on our own at a place called Brockley Camp out on the Weston Rd,ex-American army camp used as a home for Bristol's poor and homeless after the war,all nissan huts and very comfortable,she was a nurse at Pill hospital,she took me and it was as safe as houses,rough old boys just peeled apart and let us through to the front,1 shilling and sixpence to get in,2 pence for a cup of tea,4 pence for a bag of crisps (10 pence the lot in new money) different times but like you I just love the place,even now..
Never forget as a kid one of my first games sat in the dolman,I had toothache,we were playing Chelsea never forget it. Why do I love Bristol city and why do I still follow the reds over the country. Always flatter to deceive does city. Have said for many many years the club is there for take off.sadly it never seems to happen. The potential here is MASSIVE.
I can remember games in the 70's when my uncle used to take me and brothers going across on a bus arranged by the club to come down from the forest through Chepstow it cost 50p return straight to the ground. Used to always remember night games most, the smoke rising up into the floodlit air, the stench of stale cider, lager, ***s and pipes. I would be excited all day building up to the game. Like Red Robin says the potential here is huge, but I doubt it would happen now as there are too many kids and adults being glory hunters. If we could get up and spend at least 5 years we could then start becoming the glory hunters chioce. But we all know first few games for the last 3 seasons we start with 16-18k then it dwindles, it shows going on the last few games of the season gone, people want to come just can't afford full price
My Uncle took me to Eastville for my first ever match, just because City were away on that particular Saturday in the late 60's. Rovers beat Peterborough 3-1 but after that it was City all the way for me. First early thrill was the LC Semi Final First Leg in '71 against a Spurs team that included Pat Jennings, Martin Chivers, Alan Gilzean, Alan Mullery, Martin Peters and all. Tickets were 10 Shillings in the enclosure (now the lower Williams) and it was jam packed for a 1-1 draw. We lost the second leg 2-0 in Extra Time Potential at City is still huge but the gulf between the likes of Man U and even the bigger Premiership teams like Aston Villa and Everton is growing wider and wider every year, which is very depressing. You need serious serious money to get a club into the upper reaches of the Prem these days, and it doesn't always last if you do. Just look at Blackburn, Champions of England a decade ago and now in our league.
I still hate that John Chiedoze, he tore us to pieces that night. I love City cos just one good experience makes watching all the crap worthwhile, and at present City still has a little of the feeling of a proper football club, If that makes sense? (we are still owned by a fan?)
My Dad was a City fan and so it was expected that I would follow the family tradition, despite being born and raised in Kingswood which was heavily Gas. I remember the thrill of watching us go up against Liverpool, Aresenal and all the other big boys in the old first division days but I think the most exciting game was watching the Freight Rover southern final against Hereford. That was a nail biter and the jubilation of getting to Wembley was fantastic. Despite being on a different continent, I still follow my club with pride and my family connection to Ashton gate is one that is pretty uniqure - my Dad's favourite ever player was the great John Ateyo and when my Dad passed away, the club allowed us to bury his ashes behind the goal at the Ateyo end. I'll always remember that day, especially when Alan Walsh stopped jogging around the pitch and stood alongside us with his head bowed as the groundsman dug up the turf for us to lay Dad to rest. That was very touching and showed what a class act Walshie is.. I long to see us fulfill the potential that a big city should bring but will always only support one club.
