Why do you care so much?

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, exAtyeoMax said:

I know! I think Mashton’s money ball appealed to SL’s financial brain/way of thinking. Even after LJ was sacked, SL was still sticking to the mantra of “trading players” as if it was the only/primary concern of the club. He totally lost touch with what a football club is all about. YES, all clubs trade players but City seemed to see that as a priority over the quality of recruits and actually building a team.

Where there’s a transfer, there’s an agent.  Where there’s an agent there’s a cut to be made.  The more transfers the more cuts.  

[exAtyeoMax]

10 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Where there’s a transfer, there’s an agent.  Where there’s an agent there’s a cut to be made.  The more transfers the more cuts.  

Greed, basically 

[Davefevs]

Just now, exAtyeoMax said:

Greed, basically 

Especially those who are getting a cut.  More lucrative to hike your player around than just get a contract extension.

[Robbored]

Why do I care about City? because they’re my club and always have been.

Like many others I’ve followed City since I was a boy, 54 years in in my case and over that time I’ve experienced  every type of emotion there is. Anger, joy, frustration and resentment all because of thevlove for my football club.

Ive accepted years ago that that’s the way it will always be and once I was able to psychologically acknowledge that I was able adopt a far healthier philosophical attitude towards City that has remained with me. In some was I’m lucky I guess. That said - I’m not quite as preoccupied with City as I used to be.

The matchday experience has changed significantly over the decades but I still enjoy the energy and anticipation of the game. It’s become an integral part of my lifestyle that I’ve never wanted to change - even in the early 80s when the club nearly went bust.

I’d still attend AG even if City were in the Conference.

 

 

[Major Isewater]

2 hours ago, Gert Mare said:

When I was a kid City were in the top flight. It was exciting to follow Bristol City at that time. I took it for granted.

We nearly died in 1982. I couldn't comprehend what that would have felt like if City were no more?

We trudged along just happy to have a club to support and it felt like everyone was in it together, fans, players, management, the directors that had saved the club. There was spirit.

Then we got better under TC and although we played in the bottom 2 divisions it felt exciting to watch.

We went to Wembley for the first time in our history and swept Bolton Wanderers aside and we were in dreamland. It felt like we were on the way back, it felt like the old First Division days, we could dream again.

A couple of times we nearly got out of the 3rd Division but just couldn't manage it until Joe Jordan took over from TC, we brought in quite a few signings and some unknown Leeds striker called Bob Taylor for £250,000.

Then we kicked on and went up into the 2nd Division and started really well. We were dreaming again and with Joe Jordan we were building momentum. Then, because of Joe's ambition to become Scotland manager he surprisingly bailed out on us whilst we were in the ascendancy to become manager of Heart of Midlothian, the momentum died and went into reverse as we slipped back into the 3rd Division.

Unlike a lot of clubs who come down and mount a challenge to go straight back up we immediately reverted to being a 3rd Division mid table team until John Ward took over and took us back up. We had momentum again. Then the board thought it would be a good idea to push John out of the way and get some foreign footballing brains (Benny Lennartson) in to make us better. It backfired. Ward wasn't happy and left and the momentum went in reverse again and eventually we ended up back in the 3rd Division (League One).

We sank to a new all time low when we were rock bottom of League One and brought in Gary Johnson. After an initial rubbish start and some strange signings we slowly got better and got into the Championship without having to go into the play-offs. Momentum again! We can dream again!

Then we have an amazing start to life in the Championship and stay top (yes, TOP) for a long period, during which time Sky Sports do their best to try and ignore our progress by hardly giving us a mention and by not even sending their reporters to our ground. They continue to talk about Norwich, Stoke, QPR etc. The ignorance was so blatant that City fans eventually phoned in to question how you could avoid talking about a team that was top of the league. It just went to prove how insignificant Bristol City are outside of Bristol.

As the finishing line to the promised land came within sight we choked (as we always do) and fell away into the play-offs....ahhh, the playoffs!

If anything sums up Bristol City as a football club it has to be the play-offs. One minute we are amazing and one step away from promotion and then, when the big day comes, we completely roll over to display our soft underbellies for a tickle and it's game over with fans scratching their heads as to why we never turned up for the big occasion? We have got to be up there with the worst play-off failure records of all time?

So, we get within 90 minutes of the promised land and the momentum takes a drastic turn again. We find ourselves fighting for our lives in the Championship. After a number of close scrapes we inevitably slip back into League One and fail to challenge for immediate promotion.

We slip and slide and then we bring in Steve Cotterill and take League One by storm. A complete turnaround, exciting football, league and cup double, 6-0 for promotion, 8-2 against Walsall. We are dreaming again!

Then, instead of backing Steve Cotterill we have 'pillars' and a completely uninspiring and useless summer transfer period in which we make 2 ridiculous last minute £9 Million bids for Andre Grey who says 'no' and Dwight Gayle who say's that he has 'never even heard of Bristol City'. City end up finding life a struggle in the Championship. Steve Cotterill, clearly annoyed that he wasn't backed, ends up stating his anger during the post match press conferences and then he is dismissed in a strange way.

Then in comes GJ Junior....LJ, apparently seen as the youngest bright spark in management who is going to take us to where we want to be and who is backed to the hilt financially. At the same time we have some real academy talent on the up. Joe Bryan has become both solid and influential and LJ decides to play Bobby Reid as a striker which proves to be a master stroke.

Momentum builds and we look like having a team worthy of competing for a return to the promised land for the first time since 1980. We have an amazing run to the semi-finals of the League Cup and we sit top of the pile in the Championship. Then during a match against Wolves we inexplicably capitulate and the wheels completely come off. We sell, sell, sell and the replacements are indifferent or injury prone. We start playing around with the ball across the back line without any intention of trying to break teams down, concede possession and lose games. LJ's post match interviews bamboozle everyone with complete waffle and we keep losing, week after week.

Then LJ begrudgingly (by the board) is relieved of his duties and we wait (what seems like and eternity) to discover that his exciting replacement is none other than his current number 2. Alarm bells are ringing loudly.

Little money is invested and at the very last minute we land a loan signing in the form of Benik Afobe. Benik starts well and we get off to a surprisingly good start under Dean Holden. Then disaster strikes and Afobe is out for the rest of the season. Having spent next to nothing over the summer our lack of strength in depth is completely exposed. Holden is eventually pushed out of the door and the club finally get in a real name as manager. The squad is riddled with injuries and the rest aren't up to Championship level, but as with any new manager coming in we get one or two results needed to keep us in the Championship before reverting to type and losing week in week out.

The summer sees us offload some players who are OOC, but worryingly there seems to be any real investment in the playing side with NP having to bring in some of his old trusty Leicester players. There is a bit of investment in an up and coming central defender from League One, but there is also dipping into the academy for hungry youngsters with a bit of talent.

The season starts with a mostly fully fit squad buoyed by the resigning of Andi Weimann and Nathan Baker, but after a few nip and tuck games a couple of knocks to key players expose our complete lack of strength in depth and the team revert to type. Some players decide that they are too good to have to put in a defensive shift, others battle in vein chasing shadows and some decide not to stay on their feet and instead bring players down giving away penalties in games we simply cannot afford to concede in.

NP is unable to polish the turd and the supporters turn, even though NP clearly stated at the beginning of the season that there is massive changes required and due to the impact of covid financially and FFP that there was going to be no quick fix. The pot is dry. The academy and the facilities to make City a sustainable club have received heavy investment and the results are expected to come from that route, it has to. City cannot compete with bigger clubs. It's a fact.

It's boom or bust with City. It always has been. There is no middle ground when it comes to the club I support. In some ways that is where the addiction lies. It's like looking at a burning flame and then trying to touch it only to get burnt. 

I now accept that my dream of seeing my team in the top flight is more distant than it has ever been, and with unsustainable rising costs and footballers who now live in a completely different world of egos and entitlement I fear that the dream moves further away.

Yet, I get what the board is trying to do and their intentions of simply having a club that can keep going is realistic and right. It may not be exciting and it might be painful a lot of the time, but the club can carry on trying to keep its head above water. You would have to throw ludicrous amounts of money at Bristol City in order to challenge for promotion to the Premier League. It's doomed to failure. Good players see Bristol City as a stagnant graveyard club, the media aren't interested....they even confuse us with Rovers. If we are going to get anywhere we have to do it ourselves and produce our own. 

The clear out of the current crop of disinterested players or players who are failing to make the grade will happen, but it won't be immediate and a change of management won't change it. This is Bristol 'Boom or Bust' City. It will get better again, but then the wheels will come off in true Bristol City fashion......it's inevitable, it always does.

Up and down the Robins.

 

Good post , an history of the club.
The one point is that John Ward admitted that he needed help and the club presented him with Benny.

Ward had Mick Harford in mind,if I recall correctly and wasn’t over pleased with the appointment of Benny the Cap. 
 

The club evidently  mismanaged the affair but Ward was not without fault on his side.

Still that’s all water under the suspension bridge now. 

[Major Isewater]

2 hours ago, Robin101 said:

I think every single City fan has more fun in League One. But saying so is taboo. 

We certainly win more than we lose in the division below but there is always the niggling feeling that we should be playing at a higher level .

When we win a match against Gillingham, Wycombe or Colchester for example it’s like we should be beating them with our higher resources and when we lose it is really bad.

 I would be happy if we performed well in the second division with the occasional cup run or play off threat. I would hope that one season we get it right and bother the Prem just to stop us falling further behind.

 

[Red_Alligator]

I'm very proud to be Bristolian and of the city. There's only one team in Bristol. So.......

[Red-Robbo]

16 hours ago, spudski said:

Just interested compared to myself so no malice.

I guess I'm an average supporter. Played football, and lived  for football all through my formative years and into 20's. Found girls, beer and marriage.

Watched and played...found other interests etc.

Continued watching city when life circumstances allowed. On and off season ticket holder.

In later years when watching rather than playing became the norm, meeting with pals, having some banter and a few beers and watching City took over for fun...that was what we did.

After so many years of following...owners, managers, players, excuses...at what point did it become a chore, rather than something that was enjoyable, where you worked all week and went back to work on Monday feeling good about life?

I read this forum and speak to mates and there is an underlying theme. It's ingrained...from youth, from family...years of following, often through habit. Stuck in a rut, nothing better to do, anything to get away from the missus. Escapism...thinking of the good ol' days. Let's face it...so much is compared to the past when circumstances at the time were fun.

And we constantly compare to the past.

Now...being middle aged. I ask myself...why am I so interested?

Watching and supporting a team I have no control over.

The deeper you get involved, the more it affects your mood. You watch, listen, read other people's thoughts. Some are so into it... literally sharing every thought and passion on a forum to randoms!!! I guess that comes from life circumstances. Some feel the need and release...others don't.

After many years...I've stopped going. Cancelled my season ticket and now go to watch semi professional football. I love it...breath of fresh air.

City is massively ingrained in my soul. Grandfather, father and me. Everyday i think about the connection and good times. I watch from afar now, occasional game, read this every day. So it means something. I question myself. Why do I care,why do I bother, why do I put myself through the emotions every weekend that affect my mood?

Gone from really into it, to absolute couldn't care less tbh.

Regardless of results, it's been shit for many seasons. 

So without sounding like a complete knob...why do you care? How does following City make a difference in your life. Have you ever thought why am I following this shit and allowing it to affect my life so much?

You get one life...the owner and players enjoy everything away from football to the enth degree.

Yet you work all week to watch and accept this shit accross the board, for years, thinking it's going to be enjoyable, entertaining...and just what we do. If you don't do it...you aren't a real supporter.

Well I think real supporting is now confused. It's moved on.

We are now £££££££s...nothing more.

Go back to 82...Cooper etc. Nothing compares...but we still compare that ethos, work ethic, support, family feeling.

Excuses after excuses after excuses...it's literally laughable.

Yet we all sit as supporters writing on here our feelings and research. Hours of our life...

Just a thought...

 

 

 

I guess it's in the blood. 

My father went all his life. His brothers went. I believe both grandfathers attended. As my great-grandfathers all worked in South Liberty pit, it's quite likely they watched City - or one of its ancestor clubs - too.

When I moved away from home at 18 and away from the West Country there was a brief teenaged rebellion over growing up in a football-obsessed household and I didn't watch a game for several years.  But I still checked the scores via the Sunday papers. 

It's just part of who I am and where I'm from.  I could stop being a ST holder, but I'd not stop caring.

[Red Rag]

Life long supporter and season ticket holder since a small child. My initial disillusionment with BCFC and football in general began in a very strange way some 3-4 seasons ago. I have taken my Down’s syndrome friend to football for many years, he absolutely loves anything Bristol City, we were both paying members for many years of the clubs foundation for the academy, can’t remember quite what it’s real title is. One day sat on the wall outside the ground having a coffee some of the academy youths in their track suits walked past us. Rob in his excitement of all things Bristol City spoke to these lads who proceeded to completely blank him. Not a good move on their part as  Needless to say the subscription was stoped at my first opportunity, numerous phone calls from BCFC ensued trying to entice us back. That was the start, From here on the lack of parking, dross severed up on the pitch and ever declining atmosphere at Ashton gate made me realise it’s just not fun anymore, football has lost its roots and very soul. We are just £££ as the OP suggests. I stayed with it for Robs benefit but can’t say I enjoyed the football experience much. Rob now has trouble walking so we no longer attend AG, can’t say I miss it in the slightest. 60+ years a supporter but now I could not really give a Monkeys Chuff about BCFC or football in general. Still look for results and read OTIB now and again but my love of the game is simply left me. Sad day really modern football has beaten me up.

[Eddie Hitler]

42 minutes ago, Robbored said:

I’d still attend AG even if City were in the Conference

 

I'd say that I would be more likely to do so.

Money has ruined the Premiership and has nearly completed the wrecking of the Championship.

Drop down a couple of leagues and all the TV money drops away and your financial strength comes from your support; the support are the club in Div 4 in a way that they aren't in the Premiership.

Let the plastic clubs play their money games with their foreign owners and foreign players; if Newcastle fans wish to sell their soul to Saudi I'm not going to stop them. 

They can however forget cheering on any more local heroes like Gazza, Jackie Millburn or Peter Beardsley because their team will look like all the other big Premiership teams: Paris St German clones.

[Dunc]

Excellent post Spudski. The answer for me... those fleeting moments of unadulterated joy. Korey against United. Joey Bryan hitting top bin against Swindon, those Palace play off games - in recent times. Are those moments worth the time, money and emotional distress? Hard to answer, but most of us keep going 

[bexhill reds]

Great post and nice to move away from the negatives for a bit....

For me I guess it is the intrinsic bond that comes from the first wide-eyed experience of being taken to a game with your Dad when still in single figures age-wise, never having been to a place with that many adults and experiencing the noise that comes with it, sitting in a dark stand with the green of the pitch accentuated by the bright sunlight with red-shirted Gods on the pitch, doing the Panini album and the pride of opening up a packet of stickers finding you had the shirt badge of the Football, Robin and Bridge. Growing up a bit more brought the freedom moving on to going with school mates into the Shed, with underage drinking in the Robins and the Wedlock and the development of the Band of Brothers that comes from sharing the mutual love of the environment, going from the back to the front of the Shed when we scored, the singing, the dream of success, and our Saturday afternoon football being the prelude to a big night out, nipping home after the game to put something smart on in the hope that tonight was the night you'd pull, before meeting up in Clifton to start the night off.

I just don't think this bond sealed in early years ever goes away, having moved away from Bristol to London when I was 17 and now just turned 50 on the South Coast, and living in Bexhill for longer than I ever did in Bristol, I should have no affiliation to the area or team, but I will always be a Bristolian and City will always be my team regardless of form or success. I've tried watching my local Conference team and Brighton before the Prem, but it almost feels disloyal to attempt to support someone else. I still come down to Bristol half a dozen times a year, and if City are at home will still go with my mates, although our football watching experience is much more refined now, apart from a pre-match skinful at The Orchard

That said, with any long term relationship you don't always love them and now is a prime example of that, and it important to reflect that the today's owners, management and players are merely the current custodians of the role and in 10 years time are unlikely to be there, whereas, because of the bond signed, sealed, and delivered in Aug 1978 and built upon in the mid-80s, I still will be (health and marbles depending).

This is why I care so much, for me it is quite literally, City 'Till I Die.

[Lanterne Rouge]

The general theme seems to be here that we all love City and that will never change but a lot of us are falling out of love with football as a sport. That`s pretty much how I feel TBH.

[Guest]

Been there done that home and away top division to bottom div and now......... its quite simple really; not up to it no more, health or wealth wise, the grandkids and wife deserve more of whatever time is left.

Miss the old ground and old away grounds and great days at the footie, may do a last farewell game or so when the grandkids are big enough till then I`ll watch from afar.

[Final 3 Star]

It's in the blood - my grandfather played a few games for City before deciding on a more stable career as a bookkeeper. My dad commentated for decades behind the Hospital Broadcast microphone. As a kid, following City was everything to me - I would even get upset if the reserves lost. I wouldn't trade those early memories for anything - from traveling across the country and the heady days of promotion to Div 1 to the emotional 0-0 draw against Fulham when a basement team of kids and veterans played their hearts out just days after the club almost became extinct. In my mid-20s I started playing in bands (still do to this day) and my priorities shifted. These days the disappointment of defeat fades much faster, but I still get that buzz of anticipation waking up on match day.

[Lack of Action Man]

It's fairly simple for me.

My dad supports city.

I'm from Bristol.

I don't like Wales, Scotland or the north of England.

I like feeling proud of my city competing on a national scale (though based on our performances, I haven't felt that pride in a long, long time sadly).

[ZiderEyed]

On 08/11/2021 at 06:47, exAtyeoMax said:

Interesting, makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Why so many people who watch the prem on telly, have no actual emotional connection with any of the clubs. 

Exactly.

It's an odd phenomenon, but the experience of 'shared loss' somehow binds us all closer together under the 'signifier' of Bristol City fan.

The more we ask what @spudskidoes in the thread title, the more we have to peel back the idea that supporting a football club is somehow natural. It IS a choice, but the sociocultural reality we're surrounded by tacitly forces it upon us. I can't just stop supporting City, and neither can you. The burgenoing area of football anthropology/sociology has some really interesting things to say about why it is we continue to spend such a large proportion of our income on STs, despite the 'product' being crap.

[exAtyeoMax]

18 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

Exactly.

It's an odd phenomenon, but the experience of 'shared loss' somehow binds us all closer together under the 'signifier' of Bristol City fan.

The more we ask what @spudskidoes in the thread title, the more we have to peel back the idea that supporting a football club is somehow natural. It IS a choice, but the sociocultural reality we're surrounded by tacitly forces it upon us. I can't just stop supporting City, and neither can you. The burgenoing area of football anthropology/sociology has some really interesting things to say about why it is we continue to spend such a large proportion of our income on STs, despite the 'product' being crap.

yes, it's quite interesting when we've had threads on here before discussing why people go to football. Sometimes people don't actually know, they just do

[Portland Bill]

On 08/11/2021 at 13:54, Major Isewater said:

Good post , an history of the club.
The one point is that John Ward admitted that he needed help and the club presented him with Benny.

Ward had Mick Harford in mind,if I recall correctly and wasn’t over pleased with the appointment of Benny the Cap. 
 

The club evidently  mismanaged the affair but Ward was not without fault on his side.

Still that’s all water under the suspension bridge now. 

Ray Harford

[Davefevs]

10 minutes ago, Portland Bill said:

Ray Harford

Mick Harford would’ve been alright too, judging by the job(s) he’s done at Luton.

[Portland Bill]

If I wrote on this thread three years ago I would have stated my love for City, and why I had been going for 40 plus years.

But three years ago I found myself falling out of love with the club. It was all down to watching Lee Johnson’s tactics and his after match interviews etc. I just thought, I can’t do this anymore, to me he gave me the impression that it was HIS club and he was the most important thing about MY club.

So I started spending my Saturday afternoons going to watch Western and County league football, I’ve never looked back tbh.

City will always be my club, but I wouldn’t travel to AG now even if given free tickets. The pro game has changed, it’s not how I like it, yes technically the players are streets ahead of the past, but I want entertainment as well, which is why I walked away three years ago, there was no thrills or spills, it was drab boring negative rubbish imo.

I never envisaged I would stop watching City, but now I have zero regrets about what I did. Non league football fulfils all my requirements from a game of football.

I will watch City live on the tv, watch highlights, but I still find it so drab.

I still admire all of our fans that go week in week out, and travel the country being let down on a weekly basis ( done that for years!!). But I will never go back to those days myself.

I wasn’t worried about losing more than we won, if I was I would have followed the likes of Liverpool, I just wanted the manager and players to feel as passionate as I did, and in previous years we had 100’s of players and certain managers who fitted that criteria. 
I personally see very few that care now, no brick walls will be broken by many of the current crop as they are soft and look like they couldn’t give a shite.

Apologies if I sound negative on a thread that is about positives, I just felt I wanted to explain the other side

11 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Mick Harford would’ve been alright too, judging by the job(s) he’s done at Luton.

A man with real passion, sadly lacking in the game nowadays.

[Lanterne Rouge]

I must admit, this will probably be the last season I have a ST. As I`m getting older the prospect of spending 10 hours of my Saturday (longer in the holiday season) travelling up and back to Bristol for two hours in the ground is starting to lose it`s appeal. I`ve only been to three home games this season (should have been four but for car trouble) and the driving, along with the parking nightmare around AG is beginning to make me wonder if it`s worth it. I`ve already pretty much blown out night games anyway.

A lot will hate me saying this but if there was a (legal) way of getting Robins TV in this country and a season pass was an option I`d go for it.

I do, and always will love City until the day I die though.

[Jerseybean]

Great OP and thread.

Much about being a football fan is irrational: https://socialproblemsarelikemaths.wordpress.com/2018/04/28/is-supporting-a-football-team-irrational/

In response to ‘why do I care so much /  am I so interested’ in my case it would be a combination of factors including:

1 My parents and upbringing - AG was where my mum and dad did their courting, where my dad was a steward for over 40+ years and where I attended my first game before I started at primary school

2 My sense of belonging - although I haven’t lived in or even near Bristol for decades it still holds a special place my heart with BCFC being a huge part of this

3 Memories and reminiscences - the ‘I was there when’ enter whatever xyz moments you fancy

4 Ridiculous and utterly misguided hope

5 Habit and ritual

6 Creation of an inherent rivalry - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/jan/23/the-psychology-of-football-rivalries

As others have said it fundamentally is in your blood, it is - for some - a lifelong infliction, a pilgrimage or even an obsession.

Apparently it’s good for our psychological well being: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/23/why-being-a-sports-fan-and-rooting-for-a-team-is-good-for-you.html

When I think about the beautiful game, in a wider sense, I detest many aspects of the game today which is dominated by money, elitism, the media, etc. Which bizarrely is another reason why I’m wedded to BCFC as I (somehow manage to) convince myself that we do things differently and somehow have a superior moral compass - I started by mentioning it being irrational!

 

[ray savino]

Been supporting since my dad took me down at beginning of 66-67 season. I suppose it’s become such an integral part of my existence and a bit like with a soundtrack to my life with various music touch points, I can do the same with City matches relating to key bits in my life. Sad or what? Well maybe not. Football, it’s only 22 people kicking a ball around a field, all a bit culturally low brow for some. Not to me, it represents memories with my mates, great times out bonding with my old man as I was growing up and passing that burden onto my son!

Gotta say sharing that feeling of pride and joy in beating United with my son, years after the same feelings I had being alongside my dad the night we beat Portsmouth at the Gate for promotion in ‘76 are irreplaceable to me.

I have wondered recently though, if it was time to feel a little less emotional about it all, years of dashed hopes gets a bit exhausting.

Even if it gets to the time where I can’t be bothered or afford to renew my season card, I know that I’ve invested far too much of my time (and emotional well-being!!!) following the City to give up on them completely.

It would be nice to just have at least one more chance to get to experience watching us in the top tier again. There I go again - setting up those hopes to be dashed again!

[Offside]

Like other posters, it’s in my blood. I’ve been going to games since my dad starting taking me in the early 80s and my kids are now season ticket holders. I can’t imagine life without it. 

[allyolly]

It’s a simple answer for me. Football is important and supporting BCFC through all the ups and what seems like many inevitable downs is a choice I make.

But what is so much more important for me are the friendships made and the experiences shared both good and bad. Football may be the reason for getting together on Saturdays/Tuesdays/and the occasional stupid sky fixture days, but there are plenty more times in the week that those friendships mean so much.

Football is quite often the topic of conversation but equally it might be music, politics, family, work etc. How often have the match days been a highlight of the week but the 90mins of football almost being an afterthought. 

So a massive shout out to the incredible mates I have been lucky enough to meet through having the (mis)fortune to follow city home and away for so many years. COYR. 

[oldstandrobin]

where do I start ?   Started watching 63 years ago H v Leyton Orient. Stood in front of the Old stand on a stool dad made for me. Grandad was a supporter as was uncle (Robert ) Fast forward to a teenager in the EE. Throwing toilet rolls at Rovers supporters ( yes on a derby they 'shared' the EE. Moved north with dads job and followed Sheff Wed for 4 years ( including a cup final in 66 v Everton) Moved back, met the missus and first date was at the Gate and a drink in the supporters club after. Then migrated to Crackers corner in the Open End (Atyeo). Then sponsored supporters club in the 70's with my ad hoarding on the Dolman. Virtual non stop since then and share matchdays with my two cousins ( Robert's sons ) @CyderInACan and @SuperDziek. Now getting seriously fed up with watching City but feel I cant let the support of my dad, grandad and uncle down but even as a ST holder , illness has meant I have only seen one match (v B'mouth) and depressed me even more but still went to the shop last week to get a home kit for my 6 year old grandson................will I never learn 

[oldstandrobin]

On 08/11/2021 at 14:14, Red-Robbo said:

 

I guess it's in the blood. 

My father went all his life. His brothers went. I believe both grandfathers attended. As my great-grandfathers all worked in South Liberty pit, it's quite likely they watched City - or one of its ancestor clubs - too.

When I moved away from home at 18 and away from the West Country there was a brief teenaged rebellion over growing up in a football-obsessed household and I didn't watch a game for several years.  But I still checked the scores via the Sunday papers. 

It's just part of who I am and where I'm from.  I could stop being a ST holder, but I'd not stop caring.

RR, my great granddad worked there as well and became Miners Leader and later Lord Mayor. Alderman Charles Gill