I wrote a reply to the playing style thread but then lost my internet & my lengthy ramble, so I thought I’d start again.

Football started for me in the mid-60s, running round, chasing a ball in the primary school playground, bloodied knees in the summer, holes in trousers in the winter.

We must have got our first black & white TV in around 1965, as the first ever game I remember was the 1966 FA Cup final between Sheffield Weds & Everton, quickly followed by the 1966 World Cup. I was Lev Yashin in the playground thereafter.

Two years later, at the age of 9, Cardiff City drew Arsenal in the 1968/69 FA cup. My uncle asked me if I wanted to go, I didn’t hesitate. I was a country boy, I didn’t know where Cardiff was, I’d never been to a city, it was all a great adventure.

In order to secure Arsenal tickets, Hull stubs were required (honestly). So on 28th December 1968, I discovered Ninian Park for the first time. I can still remember the team, and the goal scorers , Toshack, Clark, King, in the 3-0 win over Hull.

However it wasn’t that game that did it, that was one week later against Arsenal, 50,000 plus in Ninian Park, I don’t think I saw the game, too many tall adults, but the atmosphere oh the atmosphere, smoke, alcohol, swaying, singing, the crush, I’d never known anything like it.

I’ve no idea what style City played, Fred Davis stopped everything, Don Murray was a wall, get it out to the wings, cross it in for Toshack or Clark. Who cared?

That day transformed my life, 54 seasons later I’m still here.

By way of synergy, my lads first game was a certain 2-1 FA Cup win over Leeds United 35 years later.