Football

[Dorsetmike]

Saw this quote on another railway forum, found it a quite amusing even accurate desription, however methinks Newport Nobby may have a different opinion.

American footbrawl, alternatively American foolball

(Personally I think it applies to all versions of football, especially in these days of overpaid prima donnas; says me taking cover in a slit trench and donning tin hat))

[Newportnobby]

I much prefer gridiron to soccer but do watch the World Cup when it's on.
I think it was @EtchedPixels who quoted
Football - two teams of 11 players rolling around pretending it hurts
Rugby - two teams of 15 players running around pretending it doesn't

[Trainfish]

You should try watching my team, Swindown Town, now that hurts  :'(

[Ali Smith]

Then don 't do it!

[Calnefoxile]

The quote I always remember is:

"Football - a game designed for Gentlemen played by thugs, Rugby - a game designed for thugs played by gentlemen"



Cheers

Neal.

[Lawrence]

You should try watching my team, Swindown Town, now that hurts  :'(

Spent many a Saturday at the County ground in the early 80s, especially remember doing the double over Bristol Rovers one season and a 7-0 win over Aldershot in the cup 
Also seem to remember a very steep climb to the top of the stand.
Would that have been 4th division days @Trainfish ?

[guest311]

at school played rugby, with the proper shaped ball 

initially played at scrum half, but soon found out that it meant every scrum that we got the ball out, I'd get buried under hulking great forwards ... :'(

so, managed to move to wing forward, more of me being on top of the other scrum half, though you still got buried on a regular basis.

no acting requirements for rugby, unlike football 

[Trainfish]

You should try watching my team, Swindown Town, now that hurts  :'(

Spent many a Saturday at the County ground in the early 80s, especially remember doing the double over Bristol Rovers one season and a 7-0 win over Aldershot in the cup 
Also seem to remember a very steep climb to the top of the stand.
Would that have been 4th division days @Trainfish ?

Indeed it was the 4th division in those days. We got a record 102 points in 1986 under Super Lou Macari. I'm guessing you mean the North Stand as Shrivvy Road was still 2 tiers back then if I remember correctly although the top tier was deemed unsafe so was closed. I remember Roger Malone from HTV going up the scaffold tower to do his commentary and we took away the ladder once. It got tied at the top after that 

[port perran]

I've watched Bristol City probably 1500 times since the age of 9 so 57 years and I'm still a season ticket holder to this day despite now living some 170 miles away.
Over the years I've visited about 75 different grounds around the country and spent way too much money but, I've witnessed  some truly, truly memorable games plus, of course, many forgettable ones.
I also played football to Western League level and continued to play 5 a side till I was 54 so football is well and truly in my blood.
Unfortunately, due to Covid, I haven't been to a live game since early March 2020 (home to Fulham) and miss it so much. Match day means that  I can combine my love of train travel (Redruth to Temple Meads) with my love of the game.

And.....talking of Swindon, I've stood on the Stratton Bank a few times in the pouring rain.
Whatever happened to that clock by the way?

As for rugby, I've tried hard many times to get into it (even been to a couple of games) but it just does nothing for me. I can't get excited about it I'm afraid despite Bristol (who share Ashton Gate with Bristol City) being top of their Premier League.

@Lawrence . I'm pleased that you have such good memories of doing the double over Bristol Rovers 

I shall, of course, be watching on the ipad tonight - Sheffield Utd v Bristol City in the FACup. 
Come on you Reds  (except they'll be wearing the purple and lime away kit tonight).

[OffshoreAlan]

Brings back memories, I used to follow Swindon Town in the early Seventies when I lived there.  They told me one of the stands was an ex-wartime aircraft hangar - I don't know how authentic that is.

I'm amused by the "holier-than-thou" Rugby comments in this thread re feigning injury. I don't think Footballers have ever resorted to such extreme as using blood capsules to pretend to be hurt.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodgate

[Trainfish]

I'm probably not far off that attendance figure even though I haven't been regularly for a few years. I only ever had a season ticket once, when we were in the Premier League and that was just to make sure I got a ticket for each game (including away games), I missed 2 away games that season. How many Premier League games have you seen at Trashton Gate? Oh 
I used to go home and away for years, Halifax and Middlesbrough on cold Tuesday nights spring to mind. Away to Newcastle on a football special which broke down 3 times on the way there and we only saw 50 minutes of the game but Newcastle waited for us before scoring their 5 goals. Driving/sliding to Aldershot in the snow only to find the game had been called off. Being pushed off a train at Temple Meads by a kind BTP officer and losing a tooth on our way back from Hillsbrough..........
Back to Trashton Gate and being forced across the away end by a horse's arse after we thrashed you 4-0 in 1991 (I've got the video if you want a copy, erm, the video is of the game not me being forced across the terraces by the horse's arse), those were the days.

I was in the City end when you got beaten 3-0 by the gas at Trumpton in about 1990? Joe Jordan was the manager but not for long after that if I remember correctly. The stadium announcer was either sacked or suspended that day after making an inappropriate comment over the tannoy regarding Junior Bent when he came on as a substitute.

I used to work away from home, in the UK, in the 1980's and 1990's and regularly went to neutral games, Cambridge quite often, Leicester, Villa, Derby (Baseball Ground) so have been to most grounds. I really should make a list. I reckon I've been to more than the famed 92 if you include clubs who have moved home.

Rugby? I'm the same as you. I've tried watching it, both Union and League, live and on TV but it doesn't do it for me either. I do watch the England games at the World Cups though 

[Trainfish]

Brings back memories, I used to follow Swindon Town in the early Seventies when I lived there.  They told me one of the stands was an ex-wartime aircraft hangar - I don't know how authentic that is.

I'm amused by the "holier-than-thou" Rugby comments in this thread re feigning injury. I don't think Footballers have ever resorted to such extreme as using blood capsules to pretend to be hurt.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodgate

I think you're referring to the South Stand, Shrivenham Road, the 2 tiered stand I mentioned earlier. It was actually from a military tattoo in the 1960's, Aldershot I think.

[Trainfish]

at school played rugby, with the proper shaped ball 

THIS is the definition of a ball. Not an oversized egg! 

[guest311]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_ball

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipsoid

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_football

[jpendle]

I'd have more time, both figuratively and literally, if American Football games could be played in, say,  1 hour and 20 minutes, rather than the 4 hours that is typical.

I'll quite happily sit in the cold and wet watching BWFC lose again, because I'm only there for 2 hours max.

I watched a college game here in Fort Collins in the snow with no cover, and after two hours wanted to shoot the bloke in the red jacket who kept holding up the game for TV adverts.

John P