The Wanderer

I cycled to the Bristol Rovers game tonight. It was sunny and dry when I set off but the forecast was for heavy rain so I took my Peter Storm raincoat. The route to Horfield is a bit of a breeze really. It’s on a slight incline for much of the way but there’s nothing remotely tiring about it. It gets a little awkward as you get nearer to the ground, what with all that matchday traffic, but I got the stadium in one piece, just in time for…er…a few glasses of lemonade.

Bolton Wanderers were the visitors tonight. How the mighty have fallen and they have fallen all the way to League One. But in the first half they were good, very good. As my mystery friend Campbell said afterwards, we probably “showed them too much respect”, standing off and letting them play. And boy they could play when you let them. Two brilliant goals in the first half, the second from former Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing, and it wasn’t looking good. The second half was very different.

You can read a professional report on the Rovers website, but suffice to say the manager might have “had a word” at half time because it was a different game. Bolton were forced back – they didn’t sit back – and when Rovers pulled a goal back, it was, as we football experts say, “game on”.

The score on the door was 1-2, so we lost but let’s not worry about that. Bolton looked a very good team, well drilled with a fair bit of skill. I cannot see them finishing outside the top two or three this season. A potentially reckless statement in August, I know, but they looked very, very good.

Don’t worry about the Rovers. We’re not far away. I’d like to see another central midfielder before the transfer window “slams shut” (it never merely closes) and maybe a centre half, too. And definitely a goalkeeper. We will win more than we lose, although we might draw more than we win or lose.

Cycling home it rained, as predicted. I cycled through Lockleaze which was pitch black before I found the cycle path. I was soaked on the outside (rain) and soaked on the inside (sweat, I’m afraid) but I had a good night.

The result does matter to me, but not like it used to. I enjoyed being with my friends, loved the banter and I loved seeing my club being well cared for by the current owners and officials. It’s going to be part of my life from now on and not the be all and end all.