Ashton Gate, home of Bristol City based in the City of Bristol and play their trade in the Championship. Nicknamed the “Robins” as they play in Red & White.
The road to completing the 92 is back on and today it’s a city that I have never set foot in before! I’ve only ever driven through it twice on the way to Exeter and Cornwall, to say I’m excited is an understatement but I’m not so sure about that drive… It’s a Severnside Derby between Bristol City and Swansea!! This is a fixture I liked the look of after last season’s vlog by Fusion Josh and I’m delighted to have secured my ticket this time around!!
It’s 7:15am and I am out the door of my Sheffield home in the pouring rain… Straight past Meadowhead and onto the M1, onto the A42 leading to the M42 and onto the M5. 3 hours and 15 minutes later and I have completed my longest drive ever!! Can’t wait to stand up… Into Bedminster Cricket Club and that is £15 for parking… Ok what the F**K!? I bet they make a fortune on match day parking!
I am here Bristol!! So now what…? A fantastic view of the Clifton Suspension bridge from here I have to say! Now for the walk to the ground. The Swansea fans are outside their end in numbers already! “Bristol’s a s***hole I wanna go home!” I’m not so sure about that at first glance. A quick walk around the ground and a glimpse of the club store and I am going in. £35 for this Severnside Derby! Questionable… 42/92 for me now!
Out come the players and a mark of respect as they present a shirt to a fan in the disabled section. Well done there to the Bristol City team! The ground is filling up slowly and the atmosphere is starting to build! “I can’t read and I can’t write but I can drive a tractor! I’m a Bristol City fan and I’m a f***ing w****r!” Sung by both fans in good spirits respectively! Love that! “Engerland Engerland Engerland!” An England vs Wales game here today as well! Come on England!
The countdown to kick off is well and truly on now! What song is the best for countdown to kick offs? The Chemical Brothers – Galvanize has got to be up there surely! Out come the teams! It’s time for the Severnside Derby!! Will the Bristol fans drink up thy zider jars and so be we at the end of the game?
Kick Off! “I can’t read and I can’t write but I can drive a tractor! I’m a Bristol City fan and I’m a f***ing w****r!” There it is again! 9 minutes in and Bristol play down the left, it’s driven across low, Antoine Semenyo running IN! OH WHAT A SAVE!!! How on earth has Steven Benda kept that out!!? It is a world class save but Semenyo has to score there! Anywhere else on target and it is a goal and the Bristol fans around me agree with that one. It is a corner for Bristol, it’s played short… Swansea clear the danger. “Ole ole ole ole! Bristol! CITY!”
21 minutes now and Alex Scott wins the ball back for Bristol in the Swansea half and he drives forward, he plays it in to Nahki Wells in the box on the left and he shoots… Benda saves with his foot and it is a corner, in it comes this time… Swansea clear.
2 minutes later and Bristol win the ball back in the Swansea half on the left, it’s played to Nahki Wells and he lays it on for Tommy Conway to shoot first time in the box… YES!!! WHAT A FINISH!! TOMMY CONWAY BABY!!!!! Bristol City lead here!!! England 1-0 Wales! “WHO ARE YA!?” A proper striker’s finish that! 1-0! “England bounce around! England England bounce around!”
32 minutes now and Swansea have responded well to going a goal down and now they have a corner, in it comes… Headed away by Bristol and it comes to Semenyo… He’s lost it and Swansea get it out to Michael Obafemi on the left of the box to deliver… It’s come nicely for Harry Darling on the VOLLEY… OH! He’s scuffed it… What a chance! Bristol get it away but only to a Swansea man again, it comes back to Obafemi on the left and he’ll cross again… Oooooh! No one on the end of it and it’s out for a goal kick.
Swansea are looking better in the closing stages of this half and Bristol seem to be losing the ball a lot easier which could cost them if it continues… Right on half time and Swansea have a free kick from around 30 yards out, Matt Grimes to take, he plays it in to the box on the right for Nathan Wood to volley… Straight at the keeper and that is half time with Bristol in the lead.
Second half, “Always believe in! Thatchers Gold! AHH!” 55 minutes on the clock and Bristol come forward, it’s played out to the right to Nahki Wells who gets into the box, he plays it across to Semenyo who shoots first time… Straight at the keeper!
“And we were singing! Hymns and Arias! Land of my Fathers! Ar hyd y nos!” The Welsh anthems are coming out now but so is God save our gracious Queen! A poor second half it must be said but great to meet Ricky who is sat next to me and certainly a lot friendlier than a certain Everton fan… Some cracking stories of Away days with Bristol! FANA Fan Podcast story? Also great to meet the nephew of FANA Fan Podcast guest Laurence Reade here today as well sat one row in front of me!
75th minute and Swansea are piling on the pressure now… They have a corner, in it comes… Headed away but only to Oliver Ntcham to strike… And he’s scored! Swansea are level! England 1-1 Wales and cue carnage in the away end… Maybe a little bit too much as a fan has entered the pitch towards the Bristol end… Oh dear! Why can’t we all bind together and sing “They’ll be no Tartan Army in Qatar!” Is that too much to ask!? 1-1!
The game goes on and Swansea are looking for the winner here… 85th minute and… *SIGH* a fan on the pitch… Not actually sure which fan they are but they are getting a ban!
Right at the end now and Swansea have a free kick on the right hand side, is there a grandstand finish to come here…? In comes the free kick… Bristol head away… And there is the full time whistle! The points are shared!
FT: Bristol City 1-1 Swansea City
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 8/10 – Very good from both sets of fans here today!! It had the potential to be a 10 but it just wasn’t quite for me.
- The Ground: 10/10 – I love this ground!! It’s a proper football ground with a good safe standing section! I love the trees view from my end as well! I have to say as well, what a concourse! The redevelopment has been very successful for Ashton Gate! It’s a definite and hopefully future Premier League ground!
- Expense: 5/10 – £35 for the ticket, £40 for fuel, £15 for parking… £7 for food and drink, £97 in total, was it worth it? It is a bit steep but I did enjoy it but it shouldn’t be that pricey!
- Overall Experience: 9/10 – Brilliant to meet Ricky here along with his friends and Laurence’s nephew here today! A good game at times and I’m delighted to finally step foot in Bristol! I would have loved a Bristol City win though.
32/40