Good Morning!

It’s going to be a long day! Keeping busy till 7.45 tonight, without all the normal match day routines. Not being a regular weekly attendee these big matches seem to have even more significance to us exiles who can only get to games occasionally and obviously the big games are the ones we focus on.
By now 08.30, our trip may already have started. Probably meeting up for a local breakfast then heading off for a near three hour journey. Anticipation and excitement growing with each mile further down the M4. Waving to other teams fans ( despite their strange hand gestures) as they spot our scarf flying out of the window.
A buzz as we cross the bridge into Wales and shortly parking up in town. Dinner in one of the restaurants and then strolling over the footbridge as the ground draws everyone in like a magnet of expectation. The atmosphere of a large crowd, who are optimistic and with good reason, we’ve done it before!
So it’s going to be a difficult day, everything before this evening will be mundane and trivial. We should be there, one day soon we will be there again and if we then look back and remember what it’s like to not be there perhaps we will cheer that little bit louder as our heroes take to the pitch in order to feed the passion of all County fans!

Come on County!

Phil in Northampton

Blackandamber wrote:OK it's match day. Can we beat Brighton? If we do Mike Flynn will be the first County manager to claim two top flight scalps. A lot will depend on what side Brighton put out of course. How will the loss of Twine and Cooper affect the County? Will Taylor be fit enough to start? Will any of the new loanees start? Will the state of the pitch be to our advantage, or will it be the same for both sides? Is VAR being used? Are we allowed 3 substitutes or 5? Do you want two more Premier league sides in the draws for rounds 4 and 5 on Monday night, or Marine in round 4 and Chorley in round 5? Who will play in goal? Who will take Twine and Cooper's places in the side? Who will start up front? 5-3-2 or what?

There are more questions than answers. The more I find out, the less I know

And maybe the most crucial questions of all. Will the dome allow the game to start?; and due to the lateness of KO will the local weather conditions allow the game to finish safely?

phil_in_npton wrote:Good Morning!

It’s going to be a long day! Keeping busy till 7.45 tonight, without all the normal match day routines. Not being a regular weekly attendee these big matches seem to have even more significance to us exiles who can only get to games occasionally and obviously the big games are the ones we focus on.
By now 08.30, our trip may already have started. Probably meeting up for a local breakfast then heading off for a near three hour journey. Anticipation and excitement growing with each mile further down the M4. Waving to other teams fans ( despite their strange hand gestures) as they spot our scarf flying out of the window.
A buzz as we cross the bridge into Wales and shortly parking up in town. Dinner in one of the restaurants and then strolling over the footbridge as the ground draws everyone in like a magnet of expectation. The atmosphere of a large crowd, who are optimistic and with good reason, we’ve done it before!
So it’s going to be a difficult day, everything before this evening will be mundane and trivial. We should be there, one day soon we will be there again and if we then look back and remember what it’s like to not be there perhaps we will cheer that little bit louder as our heroes take to the pitch in order to feed the passion of all County fans!

Come on County!

Phil in Northampton

How nice to read such an atmospheric passage of prose on this platform.

There has been a frost overnight, but nothing like it has been over the last couple of weeks, text below taken from BBC weather site.

Today
Patchy fog will clear this early morning. It will be mainly dry with areas of cloud and some sunny spells. Cloud amounts will tend to increase in the afternoon with the odd spot of drizzle.

Tonight
Tonight, it will be generally dry with extensive areas of cloud and some patches of mist and fog. Just the chance of the odd shower. Moderate winds.

Current weather here in Newport is clear blue sky 1c and frost on the ground, all is looking good as the day time temp is due to rise to 5c by 1600 before it falls to 3c overnight.

Hope every one enjoys the game.

flat4 wrote:There has been a frost overnight, but nothing like it has been over the last couple of weeks, text below taken from BBC weather site.

Today
Patchy fog will clear this early morning. It will be mainly dry with areas of cloud and some sunny spells. Cloud amounts will tend to increase in the afternoon with the odd spot of drizzle.

Tonight
Tonight, it will be generally dry with extensive areas of cloud and some patches of mist and fog. Just the chance of the odd shower. Moderate winds.

Current weather here in Newport is clear blue sky 1c and frost on the ground, all is looking good as the day time temp is due to rise to 5c by 1600 before it falls to 3c overnight.

Hope every one enjoys the game.

Well I worked yesterday didn't have to defrost my car but did today so in my opinion it's colder today said minus 4 this morning

OLDCROMWELLIAN wrote:

phil_in_npton wrote:Good Morning!

It’s going to be a long day! Keeping busy till 7.45 tonight, without all the normal match day routines. Not being a regular weekly attendee these big matches seem to have even more significance to us exiles who can only get to games occasionally and obviously the big games are the ones we focus on.
By now 08.30, our trip may already have started. Probably meeting up for a local breakfast then heading off for a near three hour journey. Anticipation and excitement growing with each mile further down the M4. Waving to other teams fans ( despite their strange hand gestures) as they spot our scarf flying out of the window.
A buzz as we cross the bridge into Wales and shortly parking up in town. Dinner in one of the restaurants and then strolling over the footbridge as the ground draws everyone in like a magnet of expectation. The atmosphere of a large crowd, who are optimistic and with good reason, we’ve done it before!
So it’s going to be a difficult day, everything before this evening will be mundane and trivial. We should be there, one day soon we will be there again and if we then look back and remember what it’s like to not be there perhaps we will cheer that little bit louder as our heroes take to the pitch in order to feed the passion of all County fans!

Come on County!

Phil in Northampton

How nice to read such an atmospheric passage of prose on this platform.

A great read Phil. When you mentioned strolling over the footbridge it made me wonder, during normal times, from which direction do messageboarders approach the ground? Across the footbridge, over the old town bridge, from the cenotaph? And where in the ground would you be sitting / standing tonight? I approach the ground from the cenotaph (Dodger, Bar Amber) and sit in Block A of the Hazell stand.

Blackandamber wrote:When you mentioned strolling over the footbridge it made me wonder, during normal times, from which direction do messageboarders approach the ground? Across the footbridge, over the old town bridge, from the cenotaph? And where in the ground would you be sitting / standing tonight? I approach the ground from the cenotaph (Dodger, Bar Amber) and sit in Block A of the Hazell stand.

If I’ve come with the kids and driven, then I park at the Kingsway and we walk over the footbridge. If I’ve come by myself, then I’ll have walked from the station to The Murenger for a quiet pre-match pint and a read of the newspaper and then wander over the road bridge. On a cup day like this, it would probably have been the latter - maybe meet up with a friend and have a second pint in Tiny Rebel, then across to the Hazell Terrace in plenty of time to enjoy watching the crowd and atmosphere build. God I miss live football. Listening at home with a cup of tea whilst replying to work e-mails doesn’t have the same allure!

OLDCROMWELLIAN wrote:

Blackandamber wrote:OK it's match day. Can we beat Brighton? If we do Mike Flynn will be the first County manager to claim two top flight scalps. A lot will depend on what side Brighton put out of course. How will the loss of Twine and Cooper affect the County? Will Taylor be fit enough to start? Will any of the new loanees start? Will the state of the pitch be to our advantage, or will it be the same for both sides? Is VAR being used? Are we allowed 3 substitutes or 5? Do you want two more Premier league sides in the draws for rounds 4 and 5 on Monday night, or Marine in round 4 and Chorley in round 5? Who will play in goal? Who will take Twine and Cooper's places in the side? Who will start up front? 5-3-2 or what?

There are more questions than answers. The more I find out, the less I know

And maybe the most crucial questions of all. Will the dome allow the game to start?; and due to the lateness of KO will the local weather conditions allow the game to finish safely?

The late kick off might actually work in our favour. They can leave the dome on longer while the weather is really cold and then give the ground longer to recover from any frost from last night that has got on the pitch. The temperature this afternoon is 5 degrees with sunny spells, and it's only falling tonight to 3 degrees (or when will I see you again? )

Precious moments

I very rearly drink before a game I'm a big fan of watching the full 90 minutes without having to have a slash during the game

So I normally drive parking by the old Sainsbury's site

That's a point what about the old Sainsbury's site for a new stadium

Old Sainsbury's site for me too. Then stroll townwards.

If I'm running late then I follow the footpath beside the castle. For luck as I near the roundabout I always shout "What is the effing point of these cobbles?" as I step carefully over the council-provided hazard.

If I've time for a beer (I usually have) then it's Tiny Rebel for me, then a stroll through town and across the footbridge.

After the game I head straight back over Newport Bridge, darting through the moving traffic. Then once more it's over the cobbles, into the car then onto the roundabout by The Harlequin.

Even after all these years I never seem to be in the right lane on that roundabout.

Blackandamber wrote:

OLDCROMWELLIAN wrote:

Blackandamber wrote:OK it's match day. Can we beat Brighton? If we do Mike Flynn will be the first County manager to claim two top flight scalps. A lot will depend on what side Brighton put out of course. How will the loss of Twine and Cooper affect the County? Will Taylor be fit enough to start? Will any of the new loanees start? Will the state of the pitch be to our advantage, or will it be the same for both sides? Is VAR being used? Are we allowed 3 substitutes or 5? Do you want two more Premier league sides in the draws for rounds 4 and 5 on Monday night, or Marine in round 4 and Chorley in round 5? Who will play in goal? Who will take Twine and Cooper's places in the side? Who will start up front? 5-3-2 or what?

There are more questions than answers. The more I find out, the less I know

And maybe the most crucial questions of all. Will the dome allow the game to start?; and due to the lateness of KO will the local weather conditions allow the game to finish safely?

The late kick off might actually work in our favour. They can leave the dome on longer while the weather is really cold and then give the ground longer to recover from any frost from last night that has got on the pitch. The temperature this afternoon is 5 degrees with sunny spells, and it's only falling tonight to 3 degrees (or when will I see you again? )

Have noted that latest forecast only dropping to 3 degrees tonight and not the minus 3 forecast earlier forecast. Gives me greater optimism.

Before I moved away from Newport, I would catch a bus from Rogerstone into town, have a couple of pints in the JWL and a burger from Turners in the market. Then, depending on my mood, I’d either walk over Town Bridge or walk over the new footbridge and take my usual place on the Hazell Terrace.

Over the last few years it’s been a long drive so I tend to go straight to the ground and straight back home after the game.

UPTHEPORT wrote:I very rearly drink before a game I'm a big fan of watching the full 90 minutes without having to have a slash during the game

So I normally drive parking by the old Sainsbury's site

That's a point what about the old Sainsbury's site for a new stadium

I drive down from Merthyr, pick my mate up in Cwmbran then, depending on what time i manage to get down, spend many minutes looking for a space around Marlborough Rd area before legging it over just in time for the teams coming on to the pitch.

I usually have a couple of vinos in the limo on the way to rp, and then the chauffer will drop me off right outside the bisley