To hopefully lighten it up - Your 1st Rovers game

Around about the same time for me, I remember getting on the pitch after the promotion game. I can’t actually remember specific details of my first actual game though. A season or so before I know we watched from a hill behind a rusty corrugated iron fence at the rear of the North Enclosure next to the Stand (the old Jew End) until the Muller road end opened just after half time. Fantastic view standing on a barrier at the back of the open end looking over a sea of heads onto the beautiful green grass of Eastville . I had never seen so many people in all my life, and the noise when we scored was incredible. Season after I was a South Stand regular ,usually the first person in the stadium taking my seat a good hour or so before kick off. This became my Mecca and I didn’t miss a game until the last one in 86.

My Dad took me to my first game at Eastville even though he wasn't really into football like I was, it was the the FA cup 3rd round replay January 1968 against C**y.
We lost 1-2 but it didn't change my mind.

Watney Cup final for me too - 05/08/1972 (9 yrs old); I went with my Granddad (C*ty fan) and his best mate who lived next door (had season tickets for both teams). We were in the open end - it was rammed, as was the rest of the ground. I can remember the parachutist landing in the centre circle with the match ball, and the crowd singing Dick Sheppard’s name during the penalties. Was hooked immediately and never looked back . . .

Father took me to my first game early 70's at Eastville Rovers v Gillingham. Sat on the front wall in the North Stand Enclosure wondering at the greyhound track around the pitch and the rose bushes behind the goals as well as the huge halftime scoreboard on the ground behind the goal. I think we lost but it was a beautiful sunny day I just remember Stuart Taylor and Larry Lloyd at the back Laurie Taylor in goal. Think we played in a solid blue kit. Hooked thereafter oh and the smell of gassssssss!

10 th Sept 1955 v Forest.We won 4-1.Dad took me there( Eastville) and to Ashton Gate the previous week v Swansea.No contest as the city Ground had no 'Feel' about it. Was the Geoff Bradford,John Atyeo era.

As an Exeter City fan (my Bristol and rovers connection came much later) my first rovers game was obviously against Exeter at St James Park, 1980 league cup first round and first of the season. It was a 1-1 draw cant remember who scored for either tbh but I do remember it being on a saturday evening. I also remember lots of rovers in my home town Exmouth it was a hot day! Us Exeter fans always got the train up but we were completely out numbered by rovers. Lots of skinheads (as most of us were) and quite a few punks too (again, as some of us were). No trouble on the train because we kept our mouths shut and our heads down! Think a few fights up in Exeter though as well as the away perimeter fence going down, which happened a few times with big away support

Some more things that I remember from my first game……we were in the seats opposite where the players came out. To the left I remember seeing people standing on the pre-constructed M32 probably having a very good free view game. Another poster (sorry I can’t see your username), mentions the rose gardens and the greyhound track. I forgot that! Also, I think there was a guy in a large white smock/coat who put up the halftime scores around ground. The Tote End noticeboard, the vast expanse of the open end, the Gas aroma and the funny tower type thing that was the press office?

But the most generous thing that happened that day was when we arrived in the car park, we saw a player arrive in the same car park…. My father, who was very sheepish but a little cheeky asked him if he was playing today and he said yes and asked us where we had driven from, my father explained, the player then went back to his car and signed a piece of paper and said give it your son….. the player in question…. A certain Tom Stanton. Never forget that. What memories.

First game with my dad was 4 years old, city v Ipswich in 1977 I believe. Quickly followed by the first of thousands of Rovers games. Hooked from day 1. Not sure date or opposition!
First game without my dad. Me and my brother went to the Rovers Leicester City cup (3-1 win!) but somehow ended up in the away end! Most painful “celebration” ever.