Hello, my name is Alan and this is my new blog where I will be writing about my various travels to see as many games of football as I can throughout the year.
Through the blog it will be easy to spot my favourite teams, but this isn’t a blog about the fortunes of my favourite teams, there are many other avenues to read and watch opinions on them. This is just a way for me to capture what I have enjoyed as the year goes on.
I had a mindset shift about making more of an effort to attend football about 18 months ago. After a period of not going to any matches at all, I went to Firhill to watch Airdrie take on Queen’s Park in the Championship Playoff. Now, while the result wasn’t what I wanted, it was a stark reminder for me that football was out there for me to experience and enjoy.
As the months passed, I began going to follow Rangers Women, and I now follow them to all the matches I possibly can. These fixtures worked well for me, falling on sundays when I knew I would be off. With little football played in Scotland on sundays, the women’s game has been brilliant for me.
Heading in to 2023, I set myself a target of attending 52 matches, and visiting at least 13 new venues. It may not seem a huge amount for anyone who enjoys groundhopping, but when I was working 5 days a week until 10pm, it massively restricted my ability to take in live games.
2023 saw me start off at Broadwood, watching an 11-0 win for Rangers in the Women’s Scottish Cup, and it ended on game 99 at Netherdale, home of the only Grade 1 Listed stand in Scottish Football, as Gala Fairydean Rovers beat Berwick Rangers 2-0 in a Lowland League clash. In between, I not only beat my total match total comfortably, but smashed my target for new venues out of the park by watching games in 35 new venues (36 if you include watching football at Murrayfield for the first time, where i’ve previously only watched Rugby and concerts). Many games I have watched have been at community sports facilities, where it would be generous to call them grounds, far less stadiums. But while some games have been at Allianz Park within Strathclyde Park, Huntershill Sports Hub and New Tinto Park, my travels have also ticked off Goodison Park, Old Trafford, The Stadium Of Light, The Allianz stadium in Munich, along with the Grunwalder while I was in Munich, and of course more regular visits to Ibrox.
Discovering the Futbology app has been a big help, not only in finding games which are on, but a very helpful tool in planning trips and finding directions to make it to games.
Many of my trips and games have been on my own, but it’s been great to experience many games with friends and family, all the while adding new experiences.
I’ve been documenting some of the pictures I have been taking on a separate Instagram page (@footywanderer84) and, inspired by many vloggers i’ve discovered, and reading a blog written by a friend that documents his Euro travels with Rangers, I decided that maybe it was time to write my own, if for nothing else, to capture some things that i’ll forget and give me something to look back on in time.
So, what does 2024 look like? I have new targets, 100 games, 25 new venues, and I hope that i’ll go way beyond these, however life is unpredictable and it’s important to enjoy the adventures while I can, for as long as I can. My intention is to post up a blog every week or 2, and whether anyone but me reads it, time will tell. If you are reading, I hope it gives you a few minutes of enjoyment reading me ramble on.
The year will start today with a 2nd trip to Carlisle to visit Brunton Park, before heading to Ibrox tomorrow. But more on that on the next blog.
Until next time
Alan
FootyWanderer84 