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Thank-you! An exile's first visit back to AG in a VERY long time...


kmpowell

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I was sat in the row behind, his reaction when the two goals went in is my moment of the season and won't be topped!

I'll be honest, I feared for you both first half hour as it was pretty toxic but glad it improved very quickly.

Glad you both enjoyed the day, watching your experience makes me even more excited to bring my young one in a couple of years!

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21 minutes ago, kmpowell said:

Having left Bristol in 2011 for work reasons, a separation which means I don't get to see my kids that often, then recent COVID restrictions/lockdown, the chances to get back to the Gate for a game have been very limited for me, but yesterday it was if all the stars aligned...

It was my sons 8th birthday, and despite the win-less streak at home I took a punt and got us some tickets for a very early start's drive to Bristol so he could experience his first ever game. He has the shirts and despite him living 3 hours away from Bristol and 4 hours away from me, he's grown up with Bristol City in his heart and we have watched all the sky/robins tv and highlights together etc.

A trip to the club shop first so he could spend some of his birthday money, then a walk up the steps for his first experience of the ground...

IMG-2797.jpg

As kick off approached he was in awe of the experience, loving every moment. When Barnsley scored this upset him, and I feared the worst, but then us scoring twice literally had him crying tears of joy, it was just epic! A special thanks at this point to the two guys sat directly next to us who returned at half time with a bag of sweets for him because seeing the ups & downs of joy on his face apparently made their day! Also the guys in the rows behind us and in-front of us who all helped him feel at home and make his first match experience so special.

Hearing him join in with the "Red Army" chants in the last 15-20mins, then the joy on his face at the final whistle, with a few verses of "Drink up thy coder".. it was all smiles.

IMG-2808.jpg

A monumental "best day ever" day in his eyes, and a very emotional monumental day in my eyes which took me back to my first game way back in 1990.

So it's a thank-you to all the fans for the atmosphere, a thank-you to the guys around us in the Lansdown block W16 who made his first game so special, and it's a thank-you to the team for breaking the home-jinx! COYR. ?

The only thing now is he's even more hooked and wants to go every week! ?

Brilliant ???????

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Brilliant, there’s nothing like taking your young un to a game for the first time.It’s quite emotional,I took my girl to her first game aged around 5 and it took me back to my first game with my old man in 77 aged 6. 
I’ve tried to get the miserable old bugger out for a game with us but he won’t have any of it!

glad you had a great day, experiencing the highs and lows but ending on a high !

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What a heartwarming and uplifting thing to read. In the context of an absolutely typical OTIB tsunami of negativity and sometimes downright nastiness in recent weeks, this is a breath of fresh air. Thank you for restoring some balance and perspective and, like everyone else who’s read your post, I couldn’t be more pleased for you and your lad that you had such an enjoyable and memorable day. I wish you more of the same to come in future. Good on you both (and the guys around you, too, for that matter).

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2 hours ago, kmpowell said:

Having left Bristol in 2011 for work reasons, a separation which means I don't get to see my kids that often, then recent COVID restrictions/lockdown, the chances to get back to the Gate for a game have been very limited for me, but yesterday it was if all the stars aligned...

It was my sons 8th birthday, and despite the win-less streak at home I took a punt and got us some tickets for a very early start's drive to Bristol so he could experience his first ever game. He has the shirts and despite him living 3 hours away from Bristol and 4 hours away from me, he's grown up with Bristol City in his heart and we have watched all the sky/robins tv and highlights together etc.

A trip to the club shop first so he could spend some of his birthday money, then a walk up the steps for his first experience of the ground...

IMG-2797.jpg

As kick off approached he was in awe of the experience, loving every moment. When Barnsley scored this upset him, and I feared the worst, but then us scoring twice literally had him crying tears of joy, it was just epic! A special thanks at this point to the two guys sat directly next to us who returned at half time with a bag of sweets for him because seeing the ups & downs of joy on his face apparently made their day! Also the guys in the rows behind us and in-front of us who all helped him feel at home and make his first match experience so special.

Hearing him join in with the "Red Army" chants in the last 15-20mins, then the joy on his face at the final whistle, with a few verses of "Drink up thy cider".. it was all smiles.

IMG-2808.jpg

A monumental "best day ever" day in his eyes, and a very emotional monumental day in my eyes which took me back to my first game way back in 1990.

So it's a thank-you to all the fans for the atmosphere, a thank-you to the guys around us in the Lansdown block W16 who made his first game so special, and it's a thank-you to the team for breaking the home-jinx! COYR. ?

The only thing now is he's even more hooked and wants to go every week! ?

Nothing better than seeing your son enjoy every minute especially on his first game perfect absolutely perfect ? COYR

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Thanks all for your kind comments and wishes. It means a lot. He hasn't stopped talking about the day, so it was most certainly well worth the long drive and logistics behind organising it all for him. Job done, memory made. ?

On 31/10/2021 at 14:07, hinsleburg said:

I was sat in the row behind, his reaction when the two goals went in is my moment of the season and won't be topped!

I'll be honest, I feared for you both first half hour as it was pretty toxic but glad it improved very quickly.

Thanks @hinsleburg for helping make his day special. I was also very fearful when their goal went in and the language/atmosphere became very toxic, but our 2 goals quickly dispatched his negative memories/feelings into history, turning into tears of joy! ?

It's also made me reflect a bit on how much I've missed the regular home match day experience. Since leaving Bristol I've attended plenty of away matches and sometimes the occasional home 'bigger' game, but it's been 10yrs since I was last a 'proper' season ticket holder who walked up Coronation Road into the eastend week after week for normal games. So as an exile it's true what they say that if it's out of sight it's kind of out of mind, and over the years I've not really realised how much I miss the place. Even with the new stands, the new views, the new singing corner, the redevelopment, and it being a far cry from when I was last there regularly... I still grew up as a city fan, and spending year after year (right up until leaving Bristol) as a season ticket holder, that underlying feeling was re-ignited at the weekend, even at a 'normal' game such as Barnsley. As far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter who's playing, who's managing, the connection you feel for the club never dies.

COYR

 

 

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