Saturday’s mascot experience was fantastic, and a real credit to the club. We’ve glossed over the middle 90 minutes in our family but to be fair kids don’t dwell on results, and my son is still buzzing from the day. Hopefully most of those that came on Saturday for the first time or the first time in a while will remember the atmosphere and the experience as a whole and not the result. I know that I pick my games and therefore have to take the rough with the smooth.
Anyway our day started at 12 noon when we met the mascot co-ordinator Sue and we were given our excellent goodie bag. We waited for the other match mascots in a little waiting room by the players entrance and greeted each player as they showed up for ‘work.’ First we were taken to the Director’s Lounge, which had just been overhauled and redecorated by the new owners, with the whole intention to move on from our past achievements and allow the club to embark on a new era, a theme that we heard a lot as we toured the west stand.
Overlooking the car park the Director’s Lounge was unfussy and simple, a bit like like the trophy cabinet, although I will never tire of staring at the sparkly Play-Off and Championship trophies.
Next we were up in the Director’s Box complete with panoramic views of an empty Valley before the gates opened. Then down onto pitchside for some irresistible photo opportunities. The dugouts sadly showed signs of how tight the purse strings were previously. Half the seats were a faded and torn red leather, the other half replaced by the plastic seats one finds in the stands. A chirpy and huge Bob Bolder greeted us, Colin Walsh shook my hand and I’m in two minds whether to wash it this week and then there was Colin Powell patrolling the right wing, like he used to, who at any minute I expected to scream “keep off my grass.”
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