Will This Be Your First Bristol Derby?

[UK0wnag3]

This will be the first derby I've personally attended and I'm unbelievably excited for it.

Hoping to go home with a sore throat after ninety minutes in the Parkend.

[RegC]

_{I'm very grateful for the YouTube footage of the game at AG in 2000 as I turned up with several others that day utterly twatted after leaving work at midday.}

_{Good times were had in the Pickled Newt & Nova Scotia. Then more good times at the ground after the initial shock.}

_{Getting a bit excited now. COYR}

[REDOXO]

It occurs to me that a whole generation of City fans will never have seen a 'real' Bristol derby - last one was also in the JPT (or whatever) 7 years ago, IIRC? Personally, I don't rate these as highly as League or FA Cup games, but still...

For us older folk, full blown derbies used to be a regular occurrence, and not always happy occasions (the Gary Smart goal in the last minute will live with me forever) - but now they are few and far between.

So, how many on here will be going to their first one? And how do you feel about it, given that you've never had to really check how the Gas are getting on, as they've been below us in the league structure for so long?

That Smart goal still pisses me off after all these years

A lot said about Derby's lately but let me just mention a few

75 BR 1- BC 4 Keith fear got a couple at Tesco's oh happy ******* days!

83 (I think) team of boys and old men BR1- BC2 Martin Hirst God Love you for ever and Tom Ritchie! It was men only behind that goal when Hirst scored....Mental!

90ish BC 1- BR 0 Louis Donowa... Hollowhead had had a penalty saved last couple of mins and all you could ******* hear was good night Irene....And Then Mayhem!!!

Yep seen most of em....But I cant taste this! They fancy it and they just dont get how good a team we are yet!

I'm on vacation in Germany and cant be there....but everyone have fun!

[One Team In Keynsham]

First one I remember going to was the 0-1 defeat at Eastville in 1981. That said, given my first City game was 1976, my dear old deluded dad was a Gashead and the Gloucester cup was still being played, likely I went to others before that.

Last one I attended was the 2-0 at home in 1998, and I can still see Murray chasing that hopeless punt down the wing.

In the interim have had such joys of Hirst away in the cup and Tinnion's pen helping to send them down; and had such misery as the 0-4 Allison game at Twerton.

[SecretSam]

My first was a 3-3 back in '87. I remember some years later Joe Jordan in a TV studio saying it was the fiercest he had experienced in his career.

Remember that one. We were 1-0, then 2-1 up and ended up equalising from 3-2 down. Bucket load of players booked (this was back in the days when you had to do something pretty bad to get booked). Didn't that long streak of piss Fitzpatrick score a diving header for us? Am sure Biff got the other one. Moyesie no doubt went mental when he scored...memories...

My first Bristol derby!

Hoping for good memories not bad, should be a good atmosphere!

The atmosphere is truly awesome, if you're a Bristolian it will make your hair stand on end if the Gate is full. It is genuinely spine-tingling.

Dad wouldn't let me go to the last ones in case it turned nasty

Funnily enough, was chatting to a mate who asked whether it all goes off at Bristol derbies - I said I'd never seen any 'real' trouble (compared to say various Millwall/Cardiff games in the 80s/early 90s) - but it can be a bit...tense

[JET will tear you apart]

My first was in 2000 then the 2 legs in whenever it was 06/07 but can't remember them much so it isn't my first but will feel like one

[CarlBCFC]

I was about 12 when i went to the last game, so I'd count this as my first 'real' Bristol derby

[ciderup]

75 BR 1- BC 4 Keith fear got a couple at Tesco's oh happy ******* days!

That was my first one!

Two things about that, 1. It makes me feel really bleedin' old listening to the young 'uns saying it's their first derby. 2. I was brought up in Kingswood and WALKED to Eastville. I can't see many walking that far nowdays, I definitely wouldn't.

[Port Said Red]

Too many years back to remember them all, I remember games where we were running scared of "Smash and Grab" (Bannister and Warboys) for the younger lads. The 70's was mostly Gloucester Cup games and there were quite a few of those where there seemed to be an agreement not to kick hell out of eachother. I do remember one at Eastville where Gerry Gow scored two screamers and we won on penalties after a 2-2 draw, and a pre season one the year after we got promoted which we won 6-1, but other than that they all blur into one.

The FA Cup game where Hirst and Ritchie scored was great because that was a time when we were where they are now, one of the few times I would consider that we were the underdogs.

[Drew Peacock]

That was my first one!

Two things about that, 1. It makes me feel really bleedin' old listening to the young 'uns saying it's their first derby. 2. I was brought up in Kingswood and WALKED to Eastville. I can't see many walking that far nowdays, I definitely wouldn't.

Is my memory playing tricks, or were the fans down the two sides of the ground a mix of Rovers & City with just the two ends being pure home & away?

[The Right Honourable Les Q]

My first? Well, was it '52, or '53? Or '55? Struggle to remember now. There was a lot of Brylcream about the place, though, and the ball was brown, the boots were er, brown, the pitch, yes, that was fairly brown, too. And rattles. Rattles clacking everywhere. Smoke, too. No Dolman, then, mind. Well, not the stand. The East End was a bit rowdy, as I recall. The chicken run, too, they could get pretty excited, especially on derby day. Rovers? Blue Few? It was a bit more even, back then, young 'uns, got to say. Before we left them way behind.

Rovers team now? No idea. Mind, some City fans coming tomorrow will be seeing new faces in Red for the first time. Bit of familiarising there to do. Let us hope the Rovers scuffers are as anonymous and unknown to us Thursday, as they are today. That silly kit, though, still as comical as it always has been. That first time I clapped eyes on it, 'fifty-whatever-it-was, laughed so much, almost wet meself. Funnier than that George Formby. And their fans, peculiar lot, back then, always have been. That Tote End?! ............ (need one of those yellow faces, laughing and slapping hands together. Anyone know how to do it?)

[BRISTOL86]

This will be the fourth I've attended in person. The 3-0 'Matthews' one and the two-legged JPT affair in 2007 were my others.

[ciderup]

Is my memory playing tricks, or were the fans down the two sides of the ground a mix of Rovers & City with just the two ends being pure home & away?

I though we had one of the sides (where the fire was) as well as the Muller rd end but, as you say, it was a long time ago. The enclosure in their main stand was unsegregated in those days I think. No doubt one of our visitors will correct us.

I was only lickle but remember the Muller rd end as being massive.

[HoldenBall]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIDrDeYo8k8

That's what a 17500 crowd looks like

[Rocky]

I spent a childhood dreading the derbies as Rovers always won!

As someone has previously mentioned I struggle to name two of their players these days, no more Holloway, Penrice & Co tormenting us!

COYR

[Miah Dennehy]

On a slightly different note, someone mentioned the Garland header which has to go down as the worst derby ever for me, the best being the 3-0 in 1990.

What are your best and worst?

[NOTR]

On a slightly different note, someone mentioned the Garland header which has to go down as the worst derby ever for me, the best being the 3-0 in 1990.

What are your best and worst?

If you win it enjoyable,if you lose it's s***,no in between.

[IdliketoRogerMoore]

My first derby was the Donowa game! Loved holloway missing that penalty almost as much as Donowas goal!

[Cunnyfunt]

My first was the 0-2 home defeat in 96 (i think) Beadle got two. Bad times. The year after was the pitch invasion debacle. Quite an eye opener witnessing the 'passionate' side of Bristol City fans in the derby. I'll never forget that match, partly for the game, mainly for the aftermath due to their late equaliser. Crazy scenes.

[Cider red]

It will be the first one I've made it too other than the testimonial (which doesn't count), I missed the couple of derby's there were when I was growing up, but city have been in a higher league than rovers for most of the 15 odd years ive been supporting them. Cannot wait for this one!

[WTFiGO!?!]

First was 1993 2-1at our place.

Remember Ian Alexandra got sent off for them for handling on the line. They then went onto make it 2-1 with 10 men.

Remember a pitch invasion and taunts of 'GOING DOWN!' from our rabble, got a feeling we all but sealed their relegation, reminiscent of when Phillips did the same.

Enjoy folks, piss-taking aside I do hope for an electric and non-violent occasion of which the city of Bristol can be proud. And a City win, of course.

[WTFiGO!?!]

I'm actually getting the butterflies, now. It's a tortuous state of anxiety and excitement derby day.

[Eco]

Best, for sheer drama, 2-1 FA Cup @ Eastville

Worst 0-1 late 80's, Nigel Martyn in goal for them, Scott McGarve up front for us not sure if we had a shot on target

[City1970]

It occurs to me that a whole generation of City fans will never have seen a 'real' Bristol derby - last one was also in the JPT (or whatever) 7 years ago, IIRC? Personally, I don't rate these as highly as League or FA Cup games, but still...

For us older folk, full blown derbies used to be a regular occurrence, and not always happy occasions (the Gary Smart goal in the last minute will live with me forever) - but now they are few and far between.

So, how many on here will be going to their first one? And how do you feel about it, given that you've never had to really check how the Gas are getting on, as they've been below us in the league structure for so long?

Us older folk remember good times and bad times against the Gas.

The good being 4-1 at Eastville Gillies, Gow et el. Donowa at the Gate and later Beadle at the Gate.

The worst memories for me is that bloody Gary Smart goal in the last minute which ruined my new year. The one that the Gas keep going on about when they beat us at Trumpton to win the title and that bloody cup game when they had to turn around a 3-1 to beat us at the Gate and go through on aggregate.

One thing I am proud of is the fact I have never been to Eastville, Trumpton and the Allottment. I will never give a penny to the Gas.

[Miah Dennehy]

Us older folk remember good times and bad times against the Gas.

The good being 4-1 at Eastville Gillies, Gow et el. Donowa at the Gate and later Beadle at the Gate.

The worst memories for me is that bloody Gary Smart goal in the last minute which ruined my new year. The one that the Gas keep going on about when they beat us at Trumpton to win the title and that bloody cup game when they had to turn around a 3-1 to beat us at the Gate and go through on aggregate.

One thing I am proud of is the fact I have never been to Eastville, Trumpton and the Allottment. I will never give a penny to the Gas.

Gate receipts used to be shared back in the 70s , so by refusing to go to Eastville you were actually depriving City of money. Just think, your money could haved saved City from bankruptcy in 1982

[City1970]

Gate receipts used to be shared back in the 70s , so by refusing to go to Eastville you were actually depriving City of money. Just think, your money could haved saved City from bankruptcy in 1982

Luckily the Ashton 8 came to my rescue.

[I Wurzel I]

Going to Twerton Park was always a good day out

Still have bad memories of "will you ever beat the gas" ringing out around 3 sides of the ground though.

[Guest]

Too many years back to remember them all, I remember games where we were running scared of "Smash and Grab" (Bannister and Warboys) for the younger lads. The 70's was mostly Gloucester Cup games and there were quite a few of those where there seemed to be an agreement not to kick hell out of eachother. I do remember one at Eastville where Gerry Gow scored two screamers and we won on penalties after a 2-2 draw, and a pre season one the year after we got promoted which we won 6-1, but other than that they all blur into one.

The FA Cup game where Hirst and Ritchie scored was great because that was a time when we were where they are now, one of the few times I would consider that we were the underdogs.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ to many years back to remember since 1967 anyways; forgot Glos cup games weren't they norm pre season; Galley, Garland Gow, Skirton, Fear, Merrick, Gibbo era; many games most forgotten, they seemed important at the time.

[Aizoon]

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ to many years back to remember since 1967 anyways; forgot Glos cup games weren't they norm pre season; Galley, Garland Gow, Skirton, Fear, Merrick, Gibbo era; many games most forgotten, they seemed important at the time.

Exactly. After we went up in 1965, the first Gap opened up, and the Gas ceased to be important.

[Miah Dennehy]

Exactly. After we went up in 1965, the first Gap opened up, and the Gas ceased to be important.

Several posts on this forum would suggest, whether you like it or not, The Gas will always be important to you, just as you are important to us.