Everyone remembers their first match don’t they? I do. It wasn’t a big Hollywood clash, we’re not talking Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester United in the FA Cup. It turns out I didn’t need the show, the crowd or the pizzazz to get me hooked on green and white
On the 18th of July 1998 I stepped foot into Huish Park for the first time to watch a match. (I’d been dragged to the car boot sale in the car park plenty of times) Fresh off the back of France ’98 my interest in football was a critical mass and with no Zizou to watch, and my first heartbreak of an England penalty loss (cheers Becks), I needed something to fill the void.
Recognising my unhealthy enthusiasm for he beautiful game, my Grandad decided to give me a taste of real football. Yeovil were heading into their second season in the Vauxhall Conference under Colin Lippiatt and the game my Grandad felt was the one to whet my appetite was a pre-season friendly against Swindon Town.
We took up our seats in the then (always?) Bartlett Stand, in Block H for a summer’s afternoon of entertainment. Iffy Onura gave Swindon the lead, and from our vantage point and my inexperienced eyes, I was adamant it didn’t go in – it hit the advertising boards behind the goal and hit the back of the net. I was wrong on that, not for the last time.
My first taste of celebrating a Yeovil goal was an own goal. The Swindon right back has comfortable possession, and decided to knock it back to his goalkeeper. Unfortunately for him, he got a little bit too much on it and it went all the way over the keeper and into the net – up the might Glovers. And that was that for the game.
In hindsight, what a dull game to kick off supporting a club that’s taken up an unhealthy amount of time, money and commitment in life. My first taste of Yeovil wasn’t Fergie circling Huish Park in a chopper. It wasn’t Ian Wright scoring a hattrick. It wasn’t Nathan Smith wiping out Alexis Sanchez. It wasn’t Ed Upson heading us to Wembley. It wasn’t anything memorable in our history. We conceded first and our equaliser wasn’t even scored by someone in green – perhaps a perfect initiation for a life spent supporting Yeovil.
And you know what? I wouldn’t change it. Yeovil Town vs Swindon in July ’98 was a game that changed my life and shaped a future of supporting Yeovil Town FC.