Timewatch Tonight

[Guest Harry May]

I do n't know if any of you watched Timewatch tonight on BBC2 , but for myself it had poignancy. It was about Gallipoli.

My Great-Grandfather was born in the 1890s in the slums of Bedminster. He was born into grinding poverty . At an early age he joined the Royal Navy , as alot of young lads from Bristol did at the time , to escape the despair of living in the abject squalor.

When WW1 broke out , he was posted to HMS Goliath . In 1915 , HMS Goliath was sent to the Dardanelles to take part in the Galliploi campaign . He was a stoker , working deep in the bowels of the ship who ( like most of his shipmates ) could n't swim.

During this campaign , HMS Goliath was sunk by a Turkish torpedo boat. The ship went down with massive lose of life. My Great-Grandfather was one of the lucky ones. The following day he was rescued by a French destroyer clinging to debris.

He was sent back to England and spent the rest of the War in hospital.

When the War finished he went to work for Wills in Bedminster.

Then the Second World War broke out . He joined the Auxielery Fire Brigade . When the blitz occured on Bristol , he was there battling the fires.

Whilst he was doing this , his oldest son ( My Grandad ) was serving on Destroyers on the Russian Convoys.

Amazingly , My Great Grandfather lived well into his 90s and died back in 1980.

So what's all this got to do with supporting City ?

Well both my Great Grandfather and Grandfather supported Bristol City . For them it was n't a choice . It was their team .

In these days of football becoming fashionable , becoming " cool" , becoming trendy , perhaps it's good sometimes to remind ourselves of our roots and tradition. Football was supported by the locals , with a local identity . Men who worked their b0ll0x off , 5 1/2 days a week , watched City on a Saturday afternoon and then went to church on a Sunday.

Has society changed that much ? Has football changed that much, it wants to sell it's soul to corparate money ? Well somethings can 't be bought.

You can shove your Arsenal , Chelsea and Man U where the sun does n't shine.

'Cos I am City 'till I die.

Caldicot Red.

[Big Nose]

Respect to your grandad and great grandad and to the many thousands of working class people who have supportted the game over the decades.

I know what you mean fashion and the Surrey Man U supportters club, it's good to remember the roots of the game and how society has developed but football today is for everyone. Lets be more inclusive, even at our great club there are still some people who think they are superior just because they can afford a season ticket and think that all others are 'part time supporters'.........

(Great post as always Cadicot)

[City Rocker]

In these days of football becoming fashionable , becoming " cool" , becoming trendy , perhaps it's good sometimes to remind ourselves of our roots and tradition. Football was supported by the locals , with a local identity . Men who worked their b0ll0x off , 5 1/2 days a week , watched City on a Saturday afternoon and then went to church on a Sunday.

Has society changed that much ? Has football changed that much, it wants to sell it's soul to corparate money ? Well somethings can 't be bought.

You can shove your Arsenal , Chelsea and Man U where the sun does n't shine.

'Cos I am City 'till I die.

Caldicot Red.

All this is true and eloquently put. Unfortunately though, in the modern world it's a minority view.

Chatting to a guy I was introduced to in London recently, he asked which team I supported. "Bristol City" I replied proudly. This threw him a bit. "Yeah but I mean which is your Premiership team?".

I tried to explain things along the lines of the above post. His complete incomprehension of the concept was amusing but also frustrating and depressing. Aparently he's 'always been a Gooner' - although he didn't really like football in the 80's.

It seems this guy is the future as far as football fans go. Sad but true.