It felt strange today, on top of the madrid fiasco it seems the front 5 rows of 102 was even more full of "neutrals" or "away". I've sat there since the move from Maine Road, it's mine, my place my seat i wont quit til i'm either forced out or can't scrimp the final money together.... but if even league games are now starting to feel like i'm not "home" in my own block... i'm dreading the hotel. I hate the building site. I walk around trying to look happy for the sake of my son, but i'm just not enjoying "the match day experience" anymore.... And whoever here said about not feeling welcome in your own stadium had it spot on - and i find it worse since the scrapping of actual turnstiles at "B". First you go through a steward to even get onto the "campus" (a few have insisted my tiny handbag gets fully emptied to even get on site so they can nosey), then later there's the bag table (tho i'm used to that, tho having someone hold my inhaler and ask what is this gets a bit much), then there's the row of magic wand people though bloody hell i do get annoyed that my 8 year old has to have his coat open and has his hood padded to check i'm not smuggling food in (cos you telling me they think a bomb, or hair clippers, are in the hood of a white womans child?!), and then the next line to pass is the unsmiling card scanners. And then, you're in. To face half and half scarves, selfies blocking aisles, and slowly everyone you've known from your block has given up, and you realise you're pretty much on your own. That feeling of going through an actual turnstile, gone.
Yes - i'm pissed off tonight, sorry folks. And btw you may see me with my camera, i've took a camera to every (and i mean every) match since about 1992, and i do like to grab a pic of my son now he's with me, just like i used to take them of my mum at city. I'm aware it makes me look like a tourist, ironically to the actual tourists watching me ;) Though in the match i only snap a couple of the start then away it goes. If anyone needs fan shot pics of wet nights at Maine Road in the 90s i'm your girl ;) Just cos every tom dick and harry waves a phone around now... god yes i am in a bad mood. Just fed up. Found a pic of us all celebrating the aguerooooooooooo moment in 102 the other day online, the faces.... it's all changed.
Maybe this should be in the "atmosphere" thread. Sorry.