What an incredible weekend! I was honoured and privileged to play a small part in helping to put together this weekend’s tremendous tribute to eight men, whose selfless acts, saved our football team.
Richard Gould and the Lansdowns opened the door and Scott Davidson was inspirational in making it happen. Of course, there were a huge number of people involved: Scott’s team, Neil Palmer and the Bristol City Former Players Association, the Bristol City Supporters Club & Trust, staff at Bristol City, the matchday staff and many, many others.
I witnessed first-hand the passion that Scott Davidson has for this club and that made everyone involved determined that this would be an event that these men and their families would enjoy and remember for all the right reasons.
I was able to attend the Robins High Performance Centre on Friday when the Ashton Gate Eight were welcomed with family members to look around the incredible facilities.
Watching the current first-team squad applauding them as they entered the building was the first of many emotional moments throughout the weekend.
Richard Gould and then Nigel Pearson paid heart-warming tributes to the eight and they then along with staff and some of the players joined the group as they made their way to the restaurant.
I was able to sit in on Patch Warner interviewing Trevor Tainton and Gerry Sweeney, David Rodgers and Geoff Merrick and Peter Aitken and Julian Marshall for the 3 Peaps In A Podcast Robins Reunited Podcast. It was great listening to some of my boyhood heroes talking about their playing careers and what Bristol City meant to them. There were some really funny moments.
Friday evening was spent at Ashton Gate for a dinner with the eight and their family members. There were tributes from Sir Alex Ferguson, Jeff Stelling, Richard Scudamore, and many others.
We relived goals from the most successful period in our history thanks to film created by Jonathan Pearce and his father John. Footage that was expertly and painstakingly restored.
We got to see a 40-yard wonder goal from Jimmy Mann against European Cup holders at the time Nottingham Forest. Some of the tributes and in particular one from Mrs Marina Dolman was incredibly emotional, I had to make out that I had dust in my eye.
There was also a celebration of the 400 Club, players who have made 400+ appearances for the club. The attention to detail during the night was unbelievable and huge credit has to go to everyone involved.
Listening to these men speak and seeing the smiles on their faces was just brilliant. I knew how much effort had gone into making the night so special and knew just what was to come on Saturday before and during the Middlesbrough game.
When I got home like an excited schoolboy, I said to my partner Jill just what had happened but when talking about some of the tributes I just got too emotional and couldn’t get the words out... maybe it’s an age thing.
It’s my friend Trina’s birthday later in the month (a big birthday, though I won’t reveal her age, not that she looks anywhere near it) and we booked a hospitality box many months ago, inviting friends, our football family to join us. We arrived in the box and had celebratory scarves laid out on the seats and a copy of Richard Latham’s excellent 40th Anniversary Ashton Gate Eight programme.
We enjoyed a fabulous meal and were so well looked after by Belle and her team of Cam and Lucy. The way we were treated by a team who had worked long into the early hours of the morning having helped make the Friday night event such a success was fantastic, I cannot speak highly enough of our hospitality experience and know that our 10 friends felt the same.
Taking to our seats at 2:40pm, City legend Paul Cheesley (a nicer man you could not wish to meet) introduced Gerry Sweeney, Peter Aitken, Julian Marshall, Chris Garland represented by his son Adam, David Rodgers, Jimmy Mann represented by former teammate and City legend Tom Ritchie, Trevor Tainton and legendary club captain Geoff Merrick.
Watching these men take to the field and receive applause from all four sides of the ground was amazing. A surfer flag went across the South Stand and “Eight men had a dream…” was sung loud and proud. Referee Leigh Doughty and assistants Nick Greenhalgh and Adrian Waters, the City and Middlesbrough players stood in a line and allowed the players to walk between them, applauding them as they left the field.
It was a decent start and City took the lead on seven minutes following a fine Andi Weimann strike after a great run and pull-back from Antoine Semenyo.
I knew that something special was planned in the eighth minute and a great deal of effort had gone into it. The look of delight at the goal but then panic on the faces of some of the key players involved in the tribute was clear to see.
Thankfully after four replays of the goal, the big screen came back on and showed 7:36, as the clock ticked over to 8 minutes, Blocks 30, 31 & 32 displayed a figure eight mosaic perfectly. The eight and their families sitting opposite it would have had the best view in the house.
A special mention also has to go to the Boro fans who were impeccable in the respect that they showed our heroes. They applauded as if these men had represented their club. It was really touching and for me has formed a special bond between our two clubs. Everyone involved could then relax and enjoy the game.
Boro under Chris Wilder are a really good side and were a constant threat, but the recalled Dan Bentley was calm and assured in everything that he did.
In front of him, Tomas Kalas and Timm Klose were rocks and the two wide defenders in Sam Bell and Jay Dasilva did their jobs. Sam Bell's inclusion at right wing-back was a real surprise but after a couple of early misplaced passes, the youngster settled into this unfamiliar position and put in a real shift.
His beaming smile as he left the field on 65 minutes and the reaction from his manager said it all. Joe Williams was immense dropping into the back line and then driving forward. Another performance demonstrating just how talented a Championship midfielder he is.
Alex Scott and Han-Noah Massengo dovetailed well again with the former in particular standing out.
Up top, Weimann put in another wholehearted and non-stop running display, and Chris Martin gave a really professional No9 performance. The third of the trio, Antoine Semenyo again showed his growing confidence and scored the all important second goal, juggling the ball before hitting a sweet shot into the corner.
It would have been brilliant to keep a clean sheet and Bentley’s display probably warranted it, but we couldn’t with Matt Crooks getting a 90th minute goal. It was squeaky bum time for a few minutes of injury time but thankfully we held on to the win. Making the day all the more special for the eight, their families and the Bristol City fans.
One of our box, my friend Charlotte, won the half-time draw and my friend Rachel had a cheeky 2-1 winning bet. What a great day!
What I witnessed on Friday afternoon at the High Performance Centre, on Friday evening at Ashton Gate and then again on Saturday, showed me that when Bristol City do things right, we are as good as any club. There isn’t another in the land that could have paid a better tribute to former players than we did.
Many of the eight talked about how special Bristol City is and we can definitely be a club that can achieve its goals when we all work together.
Hospitality Box 17 put our rating together and Patch and myself were joined by Ashton Gate Eight hero David Rodgers for the post-match 3 Peaps In A Podcast.
The box and David’s ratings combined were: Daniel Bentley 8, Sam Bell 6, Tomas Kalas 7, Timm Klose 7, Jay Dasilva 7, Joe Williams 8, Alex Scott 8, Han Noah Massengo 7, Andi Weimann 7, Antoine Semenyo 8*MotM, Chris Martin 8. A team average of 7.36 for the game.
As for Nige it has to be a 8; he got it right tactically springing a surprise with Sam Bell and a good win against a very good Boro side. The current team average for the season is 5.89 with an expected performance rating of 6.
We only normally score the starting line-up but there are a few other players that I need to score. There is only one rating for these Bristol City heroes: Geoff Merrick 10, Gerry Sweeney 10, Trevor Tainton 10, David Rodgers 10, Julian Marshall 10, Peter Aitken 10, Chris Garland 10, and Jimmy Mann 10.
One of the best weekends of my life and I truly hope that Geoff, Gerry, Trevor, David, Julian and Peter feel the same. Well done Bristol City, you got this spot on.
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