"All Night" Dwight and Terry "The" Butcher

Ok, so you all know by now that I am a huge football fan. So it therefore comes as no great surprise that I bought a season-ticket to the mighty Sydney FC back in June.

The first game of the season was today against the Central Coast Mariners. Sydney play their home games at the impressive "Aussie Stadium" which holds about 45k spectators. I'd bought a ticket for "The Cove" end of the ground, which is where the most vocal supporters sit. It also has a bar.

Given the fact that Sydney are the defending champions of the Hyundai A-league, and that Australians are still basking in relative World Cup glory, I was very much looking forward to watching my new team in a decent stadium with decent, vocal support. And I wasn't disappointed. Last year the "hardcore" fans were given one bay behind one of the goals. This year membership has gone through the roof and they now occupy four bays.

I'd arranged to meet some friends in a pub in the city en route to the game. I've always enjoyed going for beer before a game - it's part of the ritual - and this was no different. It was very much a Sydney pub, and given the new season and the call for new songs, some fans were handing out songsheets to get the punters in the mood. It's always healthy when opposition fans walk into the pub (yes, there was an Away contingent! Australia is obviously massive but the Central Coast is only a couple of hours away).















So after a few beers and talk of last night Premiership results we made the short walk to the ground.















I'd never seen this before - a DJ spinning some tunes outside the ground. Maybe you should try that at The Gate Andy?















As soon as we entered the ground it was straight to the bar in "The Cove". After all, being allowed to drink beer in a stadium is not something us Poms are used to. As a season-ticket holder this year you are allocated your own seat (last year it was a free-for-all apparently). It soon became clear that the chances of me sitting in it all season are pretty much no-existent. Not when there is a bar in the stand with a much better view.

You also get a free hat with your club membership.















James (on the left) and Rich in The Cove bar.















Over the last few years football has been synonymous with chavs. When you think of the word "chav" you will probably think of Burberry. For the last five years I've been watching Bristol City, a club which has it's fair share of chavs. Since I've been in Australia I haven't seen any Burberry gear. So it comes as no surprise then that I should see my first checked cap at the football. I'd say he was a Pom. I'd also say that the coat is snide as well.















Whilst enjoying a pre-match beer I asked Rich what standard Sydney FC would be comparable with. To start with his reply was "The Conference", which he later upgraded to "League Two". Great! It was going to be like watching Bristol Rovers (but with Dwight Yorke playing in midfield).

So the game kicked off and we tucked into more beer. There were about seven of us enjoying the schooners of VB in the bar. It was just like watching football in a pub with your mates but instead of watching it on a TV screen, you watch it in real-life widescreen.















I don't actually remember watching that much of the game so I can't really comment on how good or bad I thought the teams were. Some players should some nice touches and Dwight obviously looked a cut above the rest. It'd be interesting to see how they'd get on against a Premiership team (although the outcome would perhaps be a bit too obvious if they are League Two standard).
















There was a decent atmosphere in The Cove. That is partly to do with the new-found Aussie enthusiasm for football but also because a large number of expats like myself go along to get their football fix and join in with the chants, some of which are very amusing indeed. Their rendition of "When Sydney Goes Marching In" has to be seen to be believed. I've now been to a Super 12's game of rugby (back in 2000), an Australia vs England rugby test match and an AFL game but the best atmosphere was definitely at the football and I never thought I'd be able to say that.















Anyway, Sydney won the game 1-0 so it was a great start the season and the defence of their title.

I look forward to my next game on three weeks time when Sydney face the Newcastle Jets.