My first tick off the list

A spot of football

I have some great new additions for the list. A really obvious one that got left off was to watch Cardiff City play at their new stadium, and that, funnily enough is the first thing to be ticked off.

Now, I am not a football follower so much of the game was lost on me and I won’t be able to impart much information on the highlights of the game, but I do know that the atmosphere was great and it is well worth a visit for even the most reluctant of sports people.

With a ticket kindly supplied to me by a friend, we rocked up dressed in something perhaps more suited to a day at the shops and with her two toddlers in tow. Luckily she had done some research before hand and could fill me in on some important footballing details, such as who we were playing  –Derby, which way we were scoring and who some of the main players were including ‘The Beast’.

I was told it was an important match to win after a bad March, which meant the fans were on the edge of their seats, expectant and buoyed up by the glorious sunny weather. The Bluebirds didn’t disappoint and scored within about seven minutes of the game starting, setting the scene for the rest of the match and putting the fans into an excited frenzy. The atmosphere was electric with a lot of singing, chanting and clapping. In fact, it was more like being at a pantomime than a football match...there was even booing, which the kids loved.

We spent half-time inside filling the children with hotdogs and confectionary, and ourselves with wine. In the second half I started to wonder if we really were in the theatre with some of the acting I saw on the pitch. Is it really necessary to throw yourself on the floor clutching at a leg when the player on the opposite team so much as looks at you? One player even got stretchered off, when I am sure he could have limped off and looked a bit more manly? Nevertheless, it did add to it all.



The match in full swing

Cardiff continued to play a convincing match winning the game 4:1, a Derby goal in injury time did little to dampen Cardiff City fans’ spirits, especially as the win put them ahead of their rivals over in Swansea.

All in all, I don’t think I am converted but I really enjoyed my visit, and for my remaining weeks in Cardiff I will be a little more tolerant of the increase in traffic on match days.

I'd give it a 9/10 for great experiences unique to Cardiff and would recommend it if you are stuck for something to do on a Saturday afternoon.



Thumbs up for Cardiff City