What do you miss most about match days?

That millisecond of uncertainty and excitement just before the net ripples and the crowd explodes.

 

I miss our pals from the seats in front, a middle aged bloke and his son. We’ve got to know each other quite well over the last few years and shared some great, and plenty of rubbish, moments together. We have no contact with them other than at Oakwell but it’s like we’re really good mates when we see them. I’m still not 100% sure what the lad’s name is.

 

Yes but I can remember the evening I got back to Burghfield from Oakwell before my neighbour got back from the first evening game at the Madeski Stadium.

 

The daft comments from the’ barmpot’ who sits behind me. What I don’t miss is that walk up Oakwell lane, especially if we’ve lost.

 

Pre and post match beers and chin wag and big game atmospheres. Suspense, adrenaline and going daft when we score and its all riding on it. The game away at hudds in playoffs that year epitomises all that.

 

I used to drive that that as well when I was on Saturday Night shifts! Many a time still at Oakwell at 5 o'clock, starting work at 8 pm.

 

I miss the lunches at the Lemon Tree with my grandkids and also the first site of the Stadium which still excites me after over 70 years, bearing mind we now drive up from Northants.

 

Funny how you get to know people so well when you literally only see them at matches. I miss Hilary and Fraser as they sit on my right and the man from Scarborough at the end of our row.

 

Banter, mates, anticipation, routine, expectation, loyalty, excitement, planning, highs and loss..... keeps it real, funny chants, floating, characters, kn0b heads, incidents, celebrating, boredom (miss it and would rather be bored at Oakwell than at home), away days, weekenders in hovels, making new friends........ I could go on. Can't wait to get back to normality when it's finally safe to do so.

 

'Ref Man' in the Ponty, gangway 2. So many times in recent months I've 'heard' him spontaneously combusting as I've watched refs try and con us out of games. I hope he's survived.

 

Away days with my mates. Bad jokes, too much ale, overpriced food and the brilliant feeling when we take all 3 points.

 

It's definitely been a long lockdown if you associate away days with 3 points!

 

Rose tinted glasses.

 

I think both going to Oakwell & playing footy is about the only time I truly forget about all the other stresses in life & properly unwind.

I watch matches at home but I notice jobs that need doing & the Mrs is there talking about anything but football & doesn’t really get it.

It might only be for 4 or 5 hours once a fortnight & playing might only be for 2 hours but it’s a proper release from all the ***** in life that can drag you down

 

the warm porkpie outside the ground and the whispy beard on my chin off the warm jelly as it dribbles out of the pie, having a good natter with big lil and 66 trying to put the world to rights, Ads and his beano summer special jokes, but most of all the atmosphere when the 1st notes of timerider burst over the sound system

 

Wonder if that’s the bloke from Scarborough who travels home and away on train

 

If it's who I think it is he's about 80 and drinks in the chennells before the home games. He's a reaĺly nice bloke.
( and can still sink a few pints)

 

That buzz just before kick-off, where you think today's the day it's all gonna click....

 

HALF time draw... ... ... HALF time draw... ... ...

 

As we left Brentford on Sunday around 4pm I said to my colleague, “Imagine it was normal times, our fans would be making it lively in London tonight.”

Every time we get a result I look across to the empty away end and picture the scene. Wednesday away this season when Freezy scored; the last-gasp strikes against Preston and Huddersfield; when in the final 10 minutes we finally unlocked Forest with that Styles piledriver, or his deflected winner at Birmingham; turning Rotherham over that night. I feel so sad that our fans have missed some amazing games the last year. That result at QPR, the Schmidt winner in the 95th minute against Forest; that horrific feeling a week prior when we lost to Leeds. And of course, Griffin Park.

Just take some comfort in knowing that you’ve a reight team to come back to.