I deferred this year but actually attended the Norwich game as a one off to appease my daughter's pestering. The day involved a 5 hour return car trip, chaos upon arrival due to car park closures, chaos at the South Stand due to morons wanting people to empty their pockets in a monsoon even though they know everyone of us and now google track our every movement and purchase. The whole club sucks from top to bottom and accessibility and affordability for any new fan is almost impossible unless his parents or relatives are already fans and have good income. In short our club as we once knew has been stolen from us to be the lead brand in a money making franchise. The football is secondary to the balance sheet, whilst the fan experience is an irrelevance. I'm surprised it took me so long to see it but the reality is we count for nothing. In fact I've said it before, that unless you are spending extra cash and fulfilling their business agenda you are almost an inconvenience. There's a reason the campus is now cash free and we have digital ticketing with all aspects being tracked and controlled by analytics and it's for CFG profits and business planning, not as these arseholes would want us to believe, our convenience.
In contrast, tonight I am attending a non league game on impulse. They don't yet know I'm coming and even when I pay cash they won't know who I am. If I have a drink it will be from a paper cup that I can't eat and they'll never know that I bought it. Whether I go again will be my choice and I can guarantee that whilst there that if the referee awards a goal I can cheer or boo in confidence. I won't have to suffer the taking a knee publicity stunt and I can guarantee that not seeing the players carry out this insane act will not subsequently make me a racist.
In short, I hope to experience just some of the feelings that once made me love football rather than those that I currently feel whilst attending City that, on the contrary, make me hate it.
