Having seen Bath City play on Good Friday, I was left with a free Saturday for the first time in a while. My dad’s neighbour, a die hard Bristol City fan, was away on holiday for the Easter break so lent us his pair of season tickets, so we could go to Ashton Gate and see the second best team in the West Country.

I hadn’t been to Ashton Gate for four whole years before this weekend; my last visit being in 2006 for a then League One fixture against Nottingham Forest. Ironically, Forest were City’s opponents again, however this time it was in The Championship.

I wouldn’t say Bristol City are my second team, or even my third, let’s call them my fourth team… basically I have a soft sport for them, prefer them to Bristol Rovers and wish them well. Therefore, I was able to join in with the vocal home fans in supporting the team, however didn’t have the anxiety and worry I usually experience while watching Bath, Leeds or England.

We arrived at the game relatively early. With limited parking spots around Ashton Gate and being very much non-regulars to the stadium, we wanted to allow enough time to get to the ground. I was assured, as season ticket holders we would be allowed access to the members only bar, where we would dine upon caviar and champagne…. OK, maybe a cheeseburger and a pint of Blackthorn.

Upon entering the ground and working out how to use the season ticket card scanner, we realised we could not find the elusive drinking venue. After searching the whole of The Dolman Stand and being questioned by a rather suspicious steward, we came to the conclusion that the member’s bar was actually outside the turnstiles.

Not wanting to risk going in and out of the turnstiles and past the scary electronic card scanner, we decided it best to eat with the everyday folk. This actually turned out to be OK. I went for a Chicken Balti Pukka Pie. Being at a West Country football club, I probably should have ordered a pasty, but living very much in the South West myself, I have frequent access to fresh supplies of pasties anyway.

The pie was ‘gert lush’ as they would say at Ashton Gate.  I will pass on my findings to Bath City and suggest they start selling such delicacies themselves. Should they take up my idea, expect me to be a few hundred quid worse of and a stone heavier come 2011.

The Forest faithful

Now the boring bit… the match report. I’ll keep this brief. I am fully aware that not all of you who read my blog actually like football and if you have come this far, well done indeed!

Bristol City and Nottingham Forest drew 1-1. The same scoreline as my last visit in 2006. Both goals were of top quality. There was controversy late on when Foreset substitute, Nathan Tyson, took out Brizzle’s goalkeeper, Dean Gerkin (yes, like the thing you find in your Big Mac).

There was handbags, angry fans and a stretcher for Mr. Gerkin. The home faithful were justifiably angry, with one supporter behind me shouting in a broad Bristolian accent “If Tyson scores, I will run on the pitch and knock him out”. The unnerving thing being, I believed him.

I did enjoy my trip to Ashton Gate. Hopefully it won’t be another four years before I get to see Bristol City again.

I thought it nice of Bristol City to thank me personally