New stand a bonus at Ashton Gate ‘church’

Dave Skinner, a Bristol City season ticket-holder, with a preview of his weekly Bristol24/7 blog starting at the beginning of the season.

Seven weeks ago our then-captain, Wade Elliot, held the League One trophy aloft on the pitch at Ashton Gate. We had just annihilated a hapless Walsall side, who must be happy to see the back of us, in an exhilarating 8-2.

It was a perfect end to a near perfect season for the red side of the city and another high point in a season littered with high points. A debate has raged across the city in pubs and online as what was the best moment of our incredible season.

Was it our victory at Wembley? Perhaps the 6-0 away mauling of Bradford City to win promotion, maybe Joe Bryan’s wonder goal in our 3-0 revenge victory over M4 rivals Swindon Town?

As it happened, the thing that caught City most attention internationally, including an article in the New York Times, was one man’s decision to watch home games standing on a shed holding signs above his head.

‘Shed man’, a sales manager for a local lighting company, also known as Ben Swift managed to surpass the efforts of Luke Freeman and co in becoming the main story as far as many were concerned for Bristol City in the early part of the season.

The national press then proceeded to ignore us for the next six months as we dominated our League One campaign, pretty much topping the table for an entire season, amassing 99 points and scoring 96 goals in the process.

Anyway, as I’m sure you can tell from my tone I’m not bitter about the media black-out we enjoyed last season.

Maybe this year we will get more acclaim as we will be playing some established London clubs so national newspaper reporters don’t have to travel too far to see us.

So what have we got to look forward to for the 2015/16 season? Mr Cotterill will undoubtedly retain the majority of the playing staff who got us up last year. Most fans, I would suggest, are in agreement that we need one, possibly two, strikers and a central midfielder.

A new centre back and goalkeeper wouldn’t go amiss either. Off the pitch we wave goodbye to the obstructed-view-ridden, takes-20-minutes-to-GET-a-beer-laden, urine-smelling, annoying-fan-frequented yet still alluring and iconic Williams Stand.

The new South Stand promises to offer everything the that Wedlock and Williams failed to. A splendid modern football stadium structure designed for the 21st century with beautiful walkways and ample comfortable seating for the spectator. A suitable addition to the church where City fans can indulge in their religion by becoming the worlds biggest cider appreciation society.

The architectural wonder that is the new South Stand will, however, be best appreciated from the Ateyo stand immediately opposite where I will be taking up my season ticket for the upcoming campaign.

To say I am quite excited is the biggest understatement since Rovers fans said ‘it will be nice not to have to travel to Bath every week to see us play’.