My first game was a pre-season friendly v Everton in 1981. What do I remember? Was it memorable? I'll close my eyes to think back. I remember Mom and Dad, who was a turnstile operator, taking me and brother Danny, to Fellows Park on the bus (the same bus we saw Kenny Mower catching a couple of years later. Wouldn't see that these days.) Nan used to live in the flats in the Pleck and we could see the beautiful old ground (it wasn't a stadium!!!) and its floodlights from the 14th floor of Taylor House.
We stood on the small terrace between the towering (!) main stand and the players tunnel. I can the Street End terrace snaking round the corner and down to the away end. The game? Unfortunately, as I was only 7 at the time, the only thing I remember is the score (we lost 3-0) and former Wales captain Kevin Ratcliffe being sent off. I can still see him storming down the tunnel to a barrage of abuse from the small crowd. Me and Danny, then five, looked on in amusement between spending most of the game kicking a plastic cup to each other.
Although not the most memorable of games, what that day did was sow a seed that flourished with the smell of the burgers, the chips from Andy's chip shop across the road, Peter Hart's long throws, the cup runs, the aforementioned plastic cups of Bovril, standing in wee at the Milk Cup Semi Final, people dodging the trains via Hillary St to gain 'free' entry, the extra strong 'Clik' spearmint, the long path behind the Street End, the police discussing how many they'd nick.... oops maybe not!
What I wish for Walsall FC in future is that more children can have the experience of being there like we did in 1981. You never know where it will lead.
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