
What’s your first memory of football? Not kicking a ball around on the street with your neighbours, or game at your local park, but your first memory of actually going to professional game with a decent crowd?
It’s hard to put things into order sometimes, maybe my first memory is one thing when the reality maybe another. I think my very first game was a midweek game (or at least I can remember it being quite dark) at Northampton Town. I’m sure we were visiting uncles and Aunts and cousins in the area, and I’m pretty sure it was Northampton against Grimsby Town. The “Cobblers” (I can remember chuckling with my brother about this) against the Mariners. My father, a Grimbarian (although an adopted suburban Londoner since age 14 or 15), had a knack of making visits anywhere coincide with Grimsby games nearby. Rather like I now find myself booking weekends away, only to discover to my surprise that Real Murcia are playing in the area on the same day (Honest missus, I didn’t know!). I can’t remember going to visit grandparents in Grimsby without a visit to Blundell Park. The routine was well rehersed. Travel up on a Friday night (bag of chips wrapped in newspaper at Ancaster), Saturday morning run around the alleys at the back of Wentworth Road, Fish, Chips and mushy peas for lunch, and straight off to the match.
I can’t remember the result of the game – but I expect Northampton won, as I can remember being totally taken aback by the sudden ear splitting elation of the “YEEEESSSSSS”, and having everyone suddenly jump up each time they scored. I can also remember seeing, in the twilight before the game, that the far side of the ground wasn’t a stand, but some makeshift steps, and that behind them was an open field, and then further back a proper stand. I later discovered that Northampton played in a corner of the county cricket ground.
English football…..I still look out for Grimsby Town scores. First Arsenal, then to see if “the enemy” lost, then QPR, then the Mariners, Los Marineros. Pity they have slipped into the Conference, but they’ll be back. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll get back to Blundell Park (post Fish and Chips of course!).
What’s your first footy memory?

Photo : The stand I think I saw my first game in.