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Post by BlueQuarter on Mar 18, 2016 19:04:00 GMT
Originally from Glasgow but moved to Bristol in '98 and soon discovered that it was light and dark when it came to the clubs.
1. Lived north of the river not too far from the Mem. 2. Loved the unique quarters and the colours. 3. Didn't like the bland red kit of the team across the river. 4. The first Gashead I met was a friendly lady neighbour who told me all about the club and taught me Goodnight Irene. 5. The first City fan I met was a far right skinhead type who told me all about the fights he used to get into at away games. 6. Rovers had the feel of a special club whereas for me City had the feel of just another ordinary club.
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Post by gaseous on Mar 18, 2016 19:07:34 GMT
My brother took me for my 13th birthday, some would say that was unlucky but not supporting the gas, it felt right. Eastville at an early age for any kid, especially in the tote end was special, I went again and again with a mate of mine from school, I never told my parents, we just went. I never really thought about the 'other side', the colour just doesn't seem right. I obviously followed the correct path, city fans seem a little more up there own @ss£s and cynical, they expect there team to be the best, that is not always the case. UTG
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2016 19:21:12 GMT
Born in the city of Wells. Had no choice who to support. Taken to Eastville by Dad in about 1969 and hooked. Many happy memories of Eastville and favourite player Dick Shepperd. Living down near Yeovil now but still travelling to watch the Gas. True supporters never change colour. I know a woman who could be described as a dick shepherd I know a Dr Richard Hertz
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Post by pericogas on Mar 18, 2016 19:26:31 GMT
Like a few before, first game was at the dark side in 71 taken by a family friend. The long defunct hit 5 past the Orient in what I think you'd call an 8 goal thriller but not long after my old Grandpa took matters in hand and had me heading down Muller Road with him to soak in South Stand clouds of cigar smoke and wooden seats. Details of games are a bit hazy - must've been all those cigar aromas - but remember the pin-drop silence when Dick Sheppard was injured like it was yesterday.
School mates, with formative years spent around Bishopston/St Andrews, quickly saw me move to the Open End - not much segregation until we went up - and then on to the Tote. Best years for fun were the RATS away trains. Anyone remember the posh bird in a fur coat who got on the train with about 150 of us thinking she was on her way to work in Jolly's in Bath? By the time she found out we were well on our way to Hull. They slowed the train down to about 2mph at Cheltenham to let her off. Half the train was hanging out the windows cheering as she stepped off.
Followed from afar since 1990 after the glorious promotion season but hope to be at Sabadell friendly as live locally.
And my old Grandpa? Turncoat got a season ticket for the other mob when they went up - only chance he'd have to see the big clubs locally he said - and never came back. It never crossed my mind for a second.
First time writing on here. Long term lurker, but liked the thread.
LA FORÇA D'UN SENTIMENT
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Post by Newton Abbot Gas on Mar 18, 2016 19:58:11 GMT
My Dad ,Grandad and all of my Grandads brothers of which there were many .All stood on the Tote in the same spot every game.My Dad first took me to Eastville when i was 7 years old i think we played QPR and won 2-1 i was hooked, went to every home game with my Dad.Loved all the stories my Dad told me about going away in the FA cup to Newcastle and how he and my Grandad used to walk from ST Annes to Eastville in the snow with their football boots on or in good weather my Grandad would go on his bike with my Dad sat on the crossbar.The last game we went together was at The Mem a few seasons ago against D+R we won 2-0 ,Dad wasn't to well but he wanted to go....father and son thing is special at the footie....Always Gas .....UTG
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Post by scoobydoogas on Mar 18, 2016 20:15:04 GMT
My dad took me to my first game at Eastville. He was really a rugger bloke and tended to go to Eastville more for the speedway than the football but it was still him that took me to my first game. My Grampy followed both Rovers and City and so he took me to both grounds. I can remember the exact moment that I pledged my allegiance to Rovers. Me and Grampy were at City and I happened to remark that I thought the football wasn't as good as what I had seen at Rovers. I was only a kid but a shithead behind me couldn't help but make it clear that I should f**k off back over there, so I did.
Then there was the time after that at junior school when the school bully pinned me up against the wall and asked what team I supported. I said "well, who do you support?" He said "Everton and Bristol City" so I replied that I followed "Liverpool and Bristol Rovers". Just to water him off really. I took a slap for it but I've stood by Rovers ever since.
I'm old enough and lucky enough to have seen Rovers at Eastville, Twerton and the Mem. Now I'm looking forward to the 4th ground, wherever that may be.
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Post by paulpirate on Mar 18, 2016 20:53:09 GMT
My dad took me to eastville and he used to call the red half wankers,so I didn't want to watch wankers
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Post by garystash on Mar 18, 2016 21:00:57 GMT
My dad started taking me to Eastville in the early eighties. We used to stand on the south terrace, and he would regale me with stories of the great team of the fifties. I still prefer the side of the pitch to this day.
I can remember walking under the "Bristol Stadium" sign with anticipation as we approached the ground. Then my dad would give me the cash to go through the turnstile marked "Juveniles" - which for some reason I always thought to be a strange word.
As we arrived onto the terrace, a very distinct smell would fill my nostrills. It was, I think, a cocktail of cigar and roll up smoke. I remember that smell so well but have never experienced it since Eastville.
During the game, I would periodically look over at the Tote, adorned with a huge Hofmeister sign, and think to myself what a special place Eastville stadium was.
By the time we were at Twerton, I was getting the bus to Bath with school mates. We'd arrive early and get the players' signatures in the car park as they arrived.
We'd watch the game from the cowshed, singing songs that our mothers wouldn't approve of. We'd always have a snigger during half-time at Keith Valles tiny pony tail.
Twerton Park was special, but in a much different way to Eastville. We'd lost our home, nearly lost our club, and that adversity bred a spirit of togetherness smongst us. It was us against the world in that little football ground in Bath - and we were going to win!
Like many on here I too went to Ashton Gate as a young'un. It was sh**.
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Post by blueblood1883 on Mar 18, 2016 21:19:19 GMT
Shirehampton boy born and bred. The place back in the late 60s was half blue and half red. My late dad was a Gashead but he didn't want to pick my team so one week it was a bus ride along the Portway to that God forsaken sh** hole. Then the following week it was a train ride to Stapleton Road and to Eastville. Suffice to say every week we were due to go to Trashton I developed mystery illnesses and had to stay at home. During my teenage years that train ride from Shire to Stapleton was absolutely mental. Three train carriages soon became 6 or 7 and I remember playing up with my mates and generally being a complete dickhead. But I wouldn't of changed a thing or any part of my life growing up. My three daughters have all been season ticket holders and I go to home games now with my cousin who I lost touch with for quite sometime. Currently there isn't a single Shithead amongst any of my family.. Proud of that..
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Post by stapletongas on Mar 18, 2016 21:24:05 GMT
Only ever lived in two houses, both within a mile and a bit of the Eastville Stadium site
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Post by worrelloutwide on Mar 18, 2016 21:34:44 GMT
Never had any choice - parents and grandparents all Gasheads. Always watched the videprinter on a Saturday afternoon at my Nan's as a lit lun while family waiting for "Rovers score". Before I even knew what football was I realised everyone was happier on a Satisfactory night if Rovers won! Nan lived right next to Mem but in those of course was just a place for the egg chasers.
Grew up in Kingswood in 80s where everyone supported Rovers. If you met a kid who supported another team it would always be Liverpool or Everton - never C**y. It was weird coming back to visit after being away at university in late 90s and seeing a kid in Southey playing fields wearing a Ted shirt - not in my day!
First game was Eastville - only time I ever went. Must have been either last or penultimate season - maybe 85? I remember we played Blackpool and pretty certain we won. Not long after that drifted away from football a bit (I was a massive geek so more into computer games, comics etc) - I remember being excited about 1990 but stupidly didn't go to any games that season - in retrospect can't believe i missed the 2nd of May!
Got back into football a year or two later and really started going a lot in the John Ward era - have very fond memories of the season we got to the play-off final with the Stewart-Paul Miller strikeforce... Highlights included standing in the away end at Twerton when we played Bath City in the Cup and Dennis Booth telling us "dont drink too much lads" at the last match of the regular season (we were sober as judges).
Live in London now but still go to a few games a year and lurk on this forum to keep up to date! Family appreciated being able to park at my gaff and get the bus to Wembley last season... Hopefully more of the same this year!
UTG
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Post by c4h10 on Mar 18, 2016 22:27:28 GMT
Brought up in Knowle, and all my mates were City fans. My dad wasn't interested in football, but I pestered him to take me to a "proper" football match. Because he was brought up in Redfield he took me to Eastville; just the once, but from then on I went on my own. By modern standards it seems ridiculous that an eight year old was allowed to do that on his own, but things were different in nineteen fifty-three. I only had to walk to the end of our street, cross the Wells Road (in those days only the occasional car passed!), and hop on a number 4 or 4a bus which dropped me at the foot of the 'incline' by His Majesty's cinema. My brother, seven years younger, started coming in his mid-teens. My son, originally taken to reserve games, complained that he never saw the first team, so when he was six I moved from the enclosure to the old wooden stand and got him a season ticket. From then on Dad, who never saw another live football match, bought season tickets for me, my brother and my son as birthday presents each year. He was an ordinary railwayman so I don't know how he did it, but he did it for many years. I often think when people say that they support such-and-such team but don't actually go, that my dad would say "You won't get me bothering to watch twenty-two men kicking a bladder of wind around", but paid what must have been thousands of pounds to Rovers during his lifetime!
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Post by lincsblue on Mar 19, 2016 0:56:11 GMT
Born in Cheltenham but moved to Bristol to live with my Nan & Grandad when I was about 4. They lived on Filton Avenue, used to take me and my brother to the firework displays in November. All the kids at primary school were pretty much Rovers and that followed on when I was at FHS. So I had a natural preference for Rovers. Used to go to the market at Eastville every other Sunday but never went to a match, although I often used the stands as changing rooms when trying on my new jeans or sta-press. Parked my scooter up a few times and stood watching from the M32 (yes officer, I've broken down was prepared but never used)Unsure why I never actually went in as paying punter, I was 20 by the time we moved to Twerton for Christ's sake!! . However, some mates mentioned going once so I joined them, and went fairly regularly over the late 80s.
Since moving to Lincolnshire, I now go to as many away games as I can within a few hours travel. My little girl has been with me twice and can belt out Goodnight Irene with the best of you......including on our way out of the ground, from on top my shoulders right in to the steward's faces as Ellis grabbed that late winner at Sincil Bank last year!!
I may have started late due to my step father not being into football but am ensuring my daughter doesn't miss out.....she may well be the only female Gashead born in Lincolnshire!!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2016 6:22:28 GMT
Shirehampton boy born and bred. The place back in the late 60s was half blue and half red. My late dad was a Gashead but he didn't want to pick my team so one week it was a bus ride along the Portway to that God forsaken sh** hole. Then the following week it was a train ride to Stapleton Road and to Eastville. Suffice to say every week we were due to go to Trashton I developed mystery illnesses and had to stay at home. During my teenage years that train ride from Shire to Stapleton was absolutely mental. Three train carriages soon became 6 or 7 and I remember playing up with my mates and generally being a complete dickhead. But I wouldn't of changed a thing or any part of my life growing up. My three daughters have all been season ticket holders and I go to home games now with my cousin who I lost touch with for quite sometime. Currently there isn't a single Shithead amongst any of my family.. Proud of that.. I enjoyed this read as going to football on the train every week sounds good fun. I live right on the avonmouth line. Amusingly, when you said you go to games with your cousin and you have 3 daughters, I have an image of a farmer with a shotgun ! "Emma, get the gun and batten the hatches. There's a shithead in the lower field"
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Post by socrates on Mar 19, 2016 6:36:29 GMT
The reason I chose blue instead of red is a bit controversial I'm afraid so my tin hat is on here goes ..... As I have mentioned before I was born in Brislington and all of my family were / are sh** heads! My mum and dad got me a half season ticket for the sh** for Christmas 97/98 season. As they were full on city fans any talk of the gas in our house would be pretty much banned !! So I attended the games with my family not really enjoying it but then everything changed one Saturday......,city were playing the gas at Ashton gate and when I saw the gas take to the pitch in the quarters and heard all of the noise that the away end were making especially goodnight Irene it quite literally sent shivers down my spine ! City won unfortunately 2-1 but from that day I never returned to that dump all I wanted to do was be a part of the gas family. When I actually told my family about how I felt about the gas my old man and my brothers went ape sh** and thought I was joking. I had to wait until I moved out to go and watch us play but it was worth the wait and it's one of the best things I have ever done! My Mrs is gas as are both my children , there is something about rovers that I can't quite explain but all I can say is I love the bloody boys in blue and white!!!! UTG ! What a great post. UTG
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Post by ilysagas on Mar 19, 2016 8:43:55 GMT
I moved around quite a bit as a kid. My Dad apparently took me first to Bolton and then Dumbarton but I don't remember. When I was 9 we moved to Yate. He took me to City who were playing Villa in the top league. We went on a terrace next to villa fans. It was crowded and when city scored I got squashed and then coins rained down from the villa fans. It was scary. I didn't enjoy it. The following week he took me to Eastville where we sat in seats and the crowd was much smaller. It felt safer and enjoyable. I was hooked. Started going alone on the bus from yate and my main eastville memories are the Monte Carlo cafe, the NF paper sellers, being caught up in bother at a city game and being terrified, and a Trevor Morgan hatrick against Leicester (I think). Moved away from Yate when I was 13 and have lived all over since but have followed rovers ever since......37 years now, 75 away grounds and I don't think I have ever regretted my choice. UTG
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2016 10:05:11 GMT
The reason I chose blue instead of red is a bit controversial I'm afraid so my tin hat is on here goes ..... As I have mentioned before I was born in Brislington and all of my family were / are sh** heads! My mum and dad got me a half season ticket for the sh** for Christmas 97/98 season. As they were full on city fans any talk of the gas in our house would be pretty much banned !! So I attended the games with my family not really enjoying it but then everything changed one Saturday......,city were playing the gas at Ashton gate and when I saw the gas take to the pitch in the quarters and heard all of the noise that the away end were making especially goodnight Irene it quite literally sent shivers down my spine ! City won unfortunately 2-1 but from that day I never returned to that dump all I wanted to do was be a part of the gas family. When I actually told my family about how I felt about the gas my old man and my brothers went ape sh** and thought I was joking. I had to wait until I moved out to go and watch us play but it was worth the wait and it's one of the best things I have ever done! My Mrs is gas as are both my children , there is something about rovers that I can't quite explain but all I can say is I love the bloody boys in blue and white!!!! UTG ! What happens if your kids do a u-turn like you did..? And they end up sh;theads
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2016 11:49:15 GMT
Simple really. Blues for boys,reds for girls.
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Post by Okebournegas on Mar 19, 2016 12:27:51 GMT
The reason I chose blue instead of red is a bit controversial I'm afraid so my tin hat is on here goes ..... As I have mentioned before I was born in Brislington and all of my family were / are sh** heads! My mum and dad got me a half season ticket for the sh** for Christmas 97/98 season. As they were full on city fans any talk of the gas in our house would be pretty much banned !! So I attended the games with my family not really enjoying it but then everything changed one Saturday......,city were playing the gas at Ashton gate and when I saw the gas take to the pitch in the quarters and heard all of the noise that the away end were making especially goodnight Irene it quite literally sent shivers down my spine ! City won unfortunately 2-1 but from that day I never returned to that dump all I wanted to do was be a part of the gas family. When I actually told my family about how I felt about the gas my old man and my brothers went ape sh** and thought I was joking. I had to wait until I moved out to go and watch us play but it was worth the wait and it's one of the best things I have ever done! My Mrs is gas as are both my children , there is something about rovers that I can't quite explain but all I can say is I love the bloody boys in blue and white!!!! UTG ! What happens if your kids do a u-turn like you did..? And they end up sh;theads thats a good question ! I would disown them lol !! I think the difference is that I was made to go to football at the gate whereas I have never made my kids go to the mem and they both love it, my son also used to play for the rovers development centre and has lots of gashead friends, we were also at the Johnston paint game away at the sh** and they both saw first hand what belters the majority of them are since that game my kids have both said how much they can't stand the sh** heads!!!!
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Post by olskooltoteender on Mar 19, 2016 12:48:12 GMT
I don't know? Is it too late to change? Simon, you're such a tease . . .
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