That was a great trip, regardless of how things went.
My old man was part of the maintenance staff and there were only a few left at the time, maybe 7 or 8 guys, him, wee George the plumber, big George joiner, Picasso, and a couple of other boys. Staunch as you like and were buzzing to go down as part of the staff as that was part of the plan that they all went down on the staff buses and watch the game.
Martin Bain put paid to that about a week or so before it when he decided that Ibrox was to open up so no staff were to go down and that was a dagger to the heart of these guys. Dad asked me if I wanted his ticket to go down with the staff but it eas only one ticket and I had a deal with my pal that as we watched all the campaign together that we would go down together, ticket or not. I knocked it back, stupidly and went down on the day with my mate.
Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever better the sight when getting off that train at Piccadilly of seeing the full place ram packed with red white and blue, flute bands playing and the whole place absolutely buzzing. It was roasting outside and it was a glorious day. Stepping outside the station and you couldn’t see anything other than blue tops and people lining the whole street down to the Piccadilly square.
What a day, what an experience. Bumping into people you know everywhere, not a place sold booze anywhere apart from the M&S in the train station where the wee security guard was just letting folk walk out with whatever Shitey Belgian beer that was left in the shelves just to clear the shop and close it. Every pub rammed and closed to any more folk wanting in. We found a wee pub in a side street that was strangely empty, and it had a few Russian fans in and that was it so we stayed there for a couple with these great Russian guys as friendly as you like just enjoying the day out.
Ended up having to run along past the Arndale centre just to find a telly and thankfully one of the upmarket pubs had a big screen outside, just down from where the football museum is now, so we caught the second half and the rest is history really. After that the day went from heaven to hell but I wouldn’t change it for anything other than us winning the game.
Was so proud of us that day, a superb experience.