As I’ve got older I seem to wake up early regardless of whether I need to or not. At 06.30 with Mrs Bazza slumbering deeply, I arose, shaved, showered etc and went downstairs to get outside a cup of coffee and gaze across at my garden which I’ve just laid new lawn on. The recent heavy rai has made it as lush as Wembley Stadium. How long that will last remains to be seen. It promised to be a sunny day although a shower did intervene around 07.30 but it wasn’t for long. I sat quietly doing the crossword and contemplated the day ahead. The Bristol game was sold out for away supporters and I hadn’t got a ticket but on the off chance I sent an email into the ticket office requesting a return if one happened along and the following day a ticket became available. So like Cinders, I was going to the ball!
I was soon off to the station to catch my train to Reading and from there to Bristol Temple Meads. I caught an earlier train at Reading than expected caused by a delay which meant I arrived in Bristol about 12.45 in plenty of time to grab a pint before catching a short bus ride to Ashton Gate. Bristol have got off to a similar start to us with a win and a draw in their first two games. Although Ashton Gate is a tough place to go, we do seem to have done alright there in recent times and it was to be hoped that that form could continue. However, it was to be hoped that we played a bit better than in January this year when we got a bit of a pasting 4-2. According to a statistic I came across, Blues have lost only four of twenty-five meeting against the Robins but two have been in the last five (we have won three). We have won seventeen of the last twenty-five!
I arrived at Temple Meads and caught a bus to the ground immediately. There was very little resembling a suitable hostelry providing much needed refreshment near the station but there was plenty on offer at the ground. I must say having not been to Ashton Gate for a while I was pleasantly surprised by the new Ashton Gate Village where there were beers, lagers, ciders etc at the kiosks along with good quality burgers, fish and chips, Greek fare and pulled pork and stuffing in a nice bap which is what I settled for. Fortified by some food and a couple of pints, I wandered round the area outside the ground where there was a rock band playing on a stage, a sports bar for those who wanted to watch the early game over their vittles and all in all I was very impressed by the general buzz about the place and the feeling of community. Bristol City and Bristol Bears RFC who share the ground have got it right here and it is the sort of thing Blues should try and emulate to improve the fan experience.
