My first game was so long ago that I don't recall too much from it. I've had to look up when the match was, 7th May 1988. We beat Oxford United 5-3, that much I do remember. The shirt in those days was the one above in the banner picture.
My brothers had both in the past few years started being taken to games, and I guess I must have been wanting to go too. This was shortly before my 7th birthday, it may even have been as a birthday treat. Except for at the time I was a Liverpool fan. Thats right, I wasn't even a Forest fan at this stage. It would take a few more matches for me finally to make the switch fully, I would have anyway i assume. A fleeting childish trait of going along with my classmates in supporting who were the best team of the time.
We stood on The Colwick Road Terrace (now Bridgford End), and in what will make me feel even older, my dad took a long a milk crate and I stood on top of that to try and able to see. This I'd do for about the first 2-3 years of going. Usually quite far back towards the fence nearest the away fans as it was less cramped (i am assured anyway, I don't particularly remember)
Now, the one thing I do remember clearly is a disallowed goal. Of 8 goals in one game for my first ever match the one crystal clear memory is a disallowed goal...typical!!! Lee Glover scored that goal. The other goals are lost to my memory banks. Considering when it was I'd assume Clough and Pearce might have been there. God only knows who else.
I never made it too many games in those days. I guess my Dad only took me to the quieter fixtures as it were against the smaller teams when the crowds would be less intense and it was harder to lose me. I do have few vivid memories of being on the Colwick Road Terrace, for one Des Walker scoring his only ever goal. I feel blessed to have been there for that game. I also remember my brother thinking it was Christmas when an away support we were playing showered us home support in coppers and he spent the next 20 mins or so fishing up as much as he could. This is when 10p could get you a lot back then, at least a pack of Panini stickers. Another memory is after a handful of games my dad took me to Forest v Derby, ad I remember all the fighting outside the ground. To a young kid this was amazing. We used to park at the Council Offices then so had to run that gauntlet.
So that day in May when all I remember is a disallowed goal was my first ever match. Hell, that goal might be the only thing I saw all match. A young lad like me on the terraces wouldn't have been able to spot much at all.
Forest finished 3rd that season and this was the second last home match of the season. So it was a good time to be going. Almost a golden age.
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