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Have you ever watched City for free? If so, please tell.


Norn Iron

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A year after 'that' Corinthian Casuals FA Cup game, we were drawn away to Fisher Athletic who played not too far from Millwall FC..

Not only was the game made all ticket but BCFC took the stand that it would be best to not sell any away tickets either. 

Beryl, bless her cotton little socks, took the opportunity to ask all the players to donate their allocation to her so that she could then gift the tickets to regular CAT travellers. 

So, on the day of the game, there were a couple of hundred City dotted around the ground either talking Dick Can Dyke Cockney or pretending to have laryngitis!

Anyone else go to that game? Anyone else seen City for free?

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I used to get comps for Rovers whenever I wanted them, so used to go on a Tuesday for several years - that included the "Steve Phillips sent the gas down" game.  

Being in the home end for a local derby was hard work, and I pretty much gave the game away when Mickey Bell hit the post - when Phillips saved the pen was fantastic, although grown men crying the next week when Wycombe scored their second was delicious.

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Used to be a steward (before it became rent-a-thug) in the '98 promotion season, so not only did I used to watch for free, I used to have the pleasure of being paid £20 per game! Plus, last away game of the season, the club used to take all the stewards for free, so on this occasion had the misfortune of watching us lose the title at Preston. Saying that, was a good day out considering it was a freebie!

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My dad was a steward for over 40 years, so as a little 'un (probably about four years old) he took me along for my first visit to AG, and that continued for many seasons.  I remember getting there about two and a half hours before kick-off and being given a piece of paper and a pencil and copying all the advertising boards around the ground. This changed as I got older, so I then read every word of the match day programme pre-match, finally, as I was always there when the players arrived, I graduated to getting autographs from my heroes and the away team! Happy, happy memories. 

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Just the once when my brother was the 4th official ,when they still used to fill that position with local class 1 refs .Lost 0-1 to Peterborough ,freezing bloody cold but at least got a halftime buffet in the players and officials lounge .

Did notice the players left out by Joe Jordan that night were finding it hard to not look pleased at the result .

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Always sneaked into the East End when we were kids. Lift the chain holding the gates together and prise them apart at the bottom......or climb up through the gaps above the corrugated sheeting before they put bars across.

Climbing the Dolman side of the East End always resulted in ruining a good pair of jeans with black tar.

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Years back (like in the late 90's early 00's) when I looked after the disabled lad I used to care for, technically I got in for free as he had a season ticket and I got in with him as his carer. We only took up one seat as he sat on my lap due to his age/size. 

Tony the steward who used to be on Gate 2, would wheel his chair in and out for me as we sat in the front row. 

Wonder where Tony is now. Don't see him about any more. 

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Southend away, first game of the season circa 1990 maybe?  Huge away following which wasn't a surprise really when considering that we'd just got promoted.  Turned up at the ground at 2 o'clock to join a massive gert queue and only two open turnstiles.  We slowly edged forward, the crowd outside getting more agitated as 3pm approached and started pushing forward.  By this time, I was near the front of the queue; the surge however sent me careering towards a closed gate with pressure building behind me.  I was terrified fearing that the gate would go and I'd end up getting crushed against a turnstile.  The gate did eventually sprinter and I popped through like a bar of wet soap.  Straight into the ground.  For free.

At the time, I was shaking because it was the year after Hillsborough.  But, it certainly paid for a couple of settling pints after the game.

I did write to Southend at the time complaining about the incident.  They acknowledged my letter by sending a copy to Avon and Somerset Police and saying that it was people like me who were ruining football. 

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34 minutes ago, RedLionLad said:

Always sneaked into the East End when we were kids. Lift the chain holding the gates together and prise them apart at the bottom......or climb up through the gaps above the corrugated sheeting before they put bars across.

Did that also.

One summer I remember me and a mate getting under the old wooden doors at the east end turnstiles to sneak a peek at training - got chased out by Alan Dicks.

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1 hour ago, Norn Iron said:

A year after 'that' Corinthian Casuals FA Cup game, we were drawn away to Fisher Athletic who played not too far from Millwall FC..

Not only was the game made all ticket but BCFC took the stand that it would be best to not sell any away tickets either. 

Beryl, bless her cotton little socks, took the opportunity to ask all the players to donate their allocation to her so that she could then gift the tickets to regular CAT travellers. 

So, on the day of the game, there were a couple of hundred City dotted around the ground either talking Dick Can Dyke Cockney or pretending to have laryngitis!

Anyone else go to that game? Anyone else seen City for free?

I was there. Beryl gave four of us regulars tickets. It was one of those small stands where the bit of terrace was behind the seating. We virtually ducked down at the back when we scored ! 

It seemed a lot of City were in the same situation next to us. But there was no trouble and it seemed  (as far as we could tell) no Millwall turned up.

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I have loads of times for differing reasons, however there was once I still have trauma over.

Away at Millwall. I went up with my old man and as we were walking toward the ticket office a little old fella thrust two tickets in dads hand and said 'eyar mate a coulpe o free tickets'. My old man in broad Bristolian says but we're Bristol City supporters mate....To which the old cockney boy says...dant matter you'll just haf to keep ya feckin marf shut'....Which was all very well but under my jacket I was wearing Purple n Lime...

Luckily we were in red that day and my old fella was under strict instructions not to say a bloody word. 

We won 2-0 Goater got them both and to fit in with the locals I was reduced to berating the Millwall players....Never forget....Bobby Bowrey your an effing C for most of the second half...Anyway lived to tell the tale....Just! :laugh:

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16 minutes ago, slartibartfast said:

I was there. Beryl gave four of us regulars tickets. It was one of those small stands where the bit of terrace was behind the seating. We virtually ducked down at the back when we scored ! 

It seemed a lot of City were in the same situation next to us. But there was no trouble and it seemed  (as far as we could tell) no Millwall turned up.

Me too, I went to it with her younger son Dave and his best mate..

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20 minutes ago, Vespa Red said:

Southend away, first game of the season circa 1990 maybe?  Huge away following which wasn't a surprise really when considering that we'd just got promoted.  Turned up at the ground at 2 o'clock to join a massive gert queue and only two open turnstiles.  We slowly edged forward, the crowd outside getting more agitated as 3pm approached and started pushing forward.  By this time, I was near the front of the queue; the surge however sent me careering towards a closed gate with pressure building behind me.  I was terrified fearing that the gate would go and I'd end up getting crushed against a turnstile.  The gate did eventually sprinter and I popped through like a bar of wet soap.  Straight into the ground.  For free.

At the time, I was shaking because it was the year after Hillsborough.  But, it certainly paid for a couple of settling pints after the game.

I did write to Southend at the time complaining about the incident.  They acknowledged my letter by sending a copy to Avon and Somerset Police and saying that it was people like me who were ruining football. 

Remember that game well, as always seemed the case back then on opening day, the weather was absolutely boiling and we were stuck on the motorway for ages in a car with no air conditioning. 

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56 minutes ago, RedLionLad said:

Always sneaked into the East End when we were kids. Lift the chain holding the gates together and prise them apart at the bottom......or climb up through the gaps above the corrugated sheeting before they put bars across.

Climbing the Dolman side of the East End always resulted in ruining a good pair of jeans with black tar.

Me too in the 80s, big gates at rear of old east end, over the top between the gate and cladding and then time it right to dash in to the terraces when the steward wasn't looking. Saved myself the princely sum of 70p entrance fee.

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