Off the pitch, nice to have a decentish clubhouse with tables and chairs, not too fancy, not too shabby either.
Stewards and police didn't really get much right. I'm not too sure what they thought they were expecting, possibly a reenactment of the pub riot following the postponed Kettering game last season?
Anyway, no flags on poles, or banners were allowed in, even with empty pitch side advertising space and space at the back of the stands.
The "allocated" seats was also a bit of a cock-up. Knowing that to congregate behind the goal you have to get in early, and the section I was in at the back was well packed out. Some middle aged old fart then turned up with a full cup of coffee about 2 minutes before kick-off and insisted on being in his seat. I'd heard stewards were a bit jobsworth, but this time, perhaps due to the sell out, they didn't insist on everyone sitting down, or moving people out of the aisles. If they had wanted to do this they should have been on it from well before kick-off.
On the pitch -
outplayed first half hour, we kept slipping up. And as our Kassam pitch seems to be constantly watered, this surprised me. Ref seemed to mix up hard tackles with fouls.
On Clarkey's double save, how their player stayed on the pitch despite having a head high boot to our defender amazed me.
Potter was a bit disappointing constantly going to the corner - perhaps I am too used to rewatching his Wembley goal and expect the same every game.
Last half hour we battled well, but again a point won, and with a team who aren't that used to playing together. Clearly missing Batt, Wright, Constable etc.
Midson I think really appreciated the fans - to think he could have been at Wrexham with no fans at all.
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I forgot to add another couple of Cheltenham memories ...
Them switching off the lights in the stand we were attacking in each half, whilst leaving the opposite lights on.
A strange sparkling UFO like light slowly floating over the pitch towards the opposite goal at the end of the game for a good five minutes, which turned out to be a helium filled silver star balloon.
Seeing a friend's son Theo come on for Cheltenham for the last few minutes - a Kennington lad. He went to the Chelsea youth set-up, and ended up at Chelts. I hope that in years to come, not only will Chelsea cast-offs come to us rather than Cheltenham, but that our own youth system attracts and develops players good enough to make our own first team.
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