As a Nottingham Forest Season Ticket Holder, I was determined to see the recent match, at the City Ground, against Manchester United come hell or high water. A match full of nostalgic memories for me.
I normally see each Forest home match with my Grandson but, unfortunately, this time I was unable to make it due to illness.
This is an extract of a note that I sent to my Grandson, before he set off for the match without me:
Although I have not talked about it much because I accept it is often better contemplating the future rather than dwelling on the past, Manchester United hold a very special place in my heart.
When I first started Junior School, my family lived several miles from Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United Football Club.
When I was 8 years old the local community was devastated by the Munich Air Disaster. Many United players were either killed, died from their injuries or never played again. One such player was Duncan Edwards who was only 21 years old when he died on the 06 February 1958. He was a regular member of the United team, played for England and regarded by many as the best player in the country. Despite my young years, I knew all the names of the United team.
Other players like Bobby Charlton and Harry Gregg survived and became household names.
Like all my school chums I religiously followed United and after the Munich Air Disaster, I followed them with a renewed verve and intensity.
United were indirectly responsible for me taking up schoolboy football …… playing for the counties of Berkshire and Somerset. At 16, I was scouted by Crystal Palace but my father said I couldn’t go any further because I had to concentrate on my academic studies!
Ever since, United has been my boyhood club and I find it very sad that I am unable to watch them play Forest at the City Ground, Nottingham alongside you.
Over the years and through circumstance, I’m sure United will understand that my allegiances have since changed as I really want Forest to win this evening.
It was such a shame, some 68 years after I became a devotee of United, I was unable to stand alongside my Grandson and watch Nottingham Forest beat Manchester United 1 – 0. That said, I am sure there will be plenty of other occasions to see United in the future when their match with Forest isn’t so crucial to Forest qualifying to play in Europe! next Season.
Manchester United remain my number one club!
