Aberdeenshire Rams

[Inverurie Ram]

6 hours ago, richinspain said:

It must have been one hell of a party if you've only just got round to doing the report!

I decided to stop partying and take a lunch break, I thought it was about time I had something to eat!

See ya I’m off back to the party 🍺

[uttoxram75]

23 hours ago, Inverurie Ram said:

Derby County 2-0 Carlisle Utd
Saturday 27th April.

Attendance 31,027
Last game of the 2023/24 season
Derby finish 2nd in the league & promoted.

I contacted Swindon Rams a week before the game to explain about sharing the gangway in the East Midlands Stand. He happily obliged as the flags were hung up beside one another at Carlisle in the away fixture early on in the season 23rd September which also ended up 2-0 to Derby County with James Collins also scoring that day. 

James Collins a great player that gained the wrong type of attention by some fans that chose to do so, in his early fixtures whilst becoming a real important player to the club, in the eyes of others. 

My eldest lad and I left Inverurie on the 17:43 train on Friday evening before grabbing something to eat in Aberdeen before catching the 19:50 overnight Flix bus to Sheffield. An interesting bus journey that included arriving at Edinburgh via Dundee, with a family getting on with a baby, that yelled it’s head off, with the driver making a few comments, that probably matched up with, what every other passenger was thinking!

We arrived in Edinburgh slightly behind time, to be addressed by the bus driver, that there was a slight problem, even though the family with the baby had arrived in Edinburgh and departed the bus. One customer called out “what’s the slight problem?” and received the answer, “we will be delayed for a bit as we have left luggage, still on the pavement in Dundee” so we waited for a while, until this car speedily arrived into the bus depot, quickly transferring some bags on to the bus.

The new driver was ready, and off we went on route to Newcastle, were we picked up new customers, including a Geordie and a Cockney that chatted throughout the night about Arsenal and Newcastle and various jobs they had in life, quite loudly throughout, the morning hours, as the rest of the customers, tried to get some sleep, all probably thinking, when are these inconsiderate sods either going to talk quietly or better still, shut up!

We stopped to pick up and drop off some poor folk in Leeds, whilst enjoying the sights of drunken youngsters, in the early hours wobble in and out, of sad looking clubs.

Before we ended up in Meadowhall well nearly, as the driver didn’t know how to get off the carriageway, and into the bus depot, so as I looked at my watch, with only 10 mins for the first train to Sheffield and on to Derby waiting, and me desperately needing the toilet, it all became very frustrating, leg crossing and me muttering FFS, as for a third time, like a scene out of Caddy Shack or Naked Gun we or she the driver missed the turn off again!, doing the loop da loop once again !!!

Right we arrive, run to the toilet, run for the train, after spending 9 & a half hours on a bus! Rest of the journey includes trying to stay awake on the first train from Sheffield to Derby. We arrive about 7am in the early morning sunshine in Derby Train Station, before exiting and walking past the Merry Widows, The Brunswick and a little de tour under the underpass to check out the Derby County Mural. The boy was still on his ladder and working on the writing, to finish the wonderful piece of work, to be ready for our final game of the season.

We walked up to our hotel, and went straight to bed for 4 hours kip, before a cooked breakfast / brunch and I received a call from a friend about when we were going in the White Horse pub to watch Joey Greener. 
We were still having breakfast so unfortunately we missed a quick catch up with him. But we were soon in The White Horse and queuing to get to the beer garden, surrounded by fellow Rams. We enjoyed a few Joey songs and chants, from the lads and lasses and I enjoyed the facial expressions on my boys face, flags flying, pints flowing and Derby fans with smiles on their faces, expecting a good day out.

We walked up to the ground, along with marching fans, flags aloft and we were soon getting into the spirit of backing the team we all love. Arrived at the turnstiles, (I print tickets off in case phones don’t work) and in the rush and excitement soon found out that my boys print off, wasn’t working and we didn’t even think of using my phone, I usually forward my boy the tickets so he has them, but it just didn’t register to us to get our phones out! 

So off he went to the gate to explain his ticket not working, and a slight sulk from him, was soon forgotten about, as we went to our seats and to the top of the stairs were the Swindon Rams flag awaited with a space for the Aberdeenshire Rams flag to be hung beside it. I met and chatted to Mr Swindon Ram and CK as we posed in front of the flags for a photo. 

We took our seats and enjoyed the singing, flag waving and positive support in a great atmosphere that was building nicely. Teams announced and players took to the pitch with friendly positive fans around, all hoping the team would deliver. Max Bird soon cracked it in, and as we controlled the game, one older fan sat behind us, started to bug me with his whinging, but I managed to block him out, and wondered why he bothered coming along, wondering if he can’t be happy 1-0 up, and on our way to promotion, then he probably never will be, his choice, nobody else’s.

The match followed, James Collins scored, and we both enjoyed every second of the game and the build up of fans getting into position to get on the pitch with my boy constantly telling me that we were going on the pitch. I told him jokingly that the club didn’t want us on the pitch, so we will do the right thing. I took my boy up the stairs near our flag away from the folk ready to charge on and to enjoy watching the scenes, with the inevitable to follow led by my boy and me following so I could watch him enjoy himself celebrating and then celebrating with his Dad, which will always be a special time for us both, to treasure for the rest of our lifes.

We loved every second that followed, we savioured every moment, we looked everywhere, screen, back up the pitch, down it, around all stands, folk taking photo’s & videos with their love one’s, with their flags, on friends shoulders, flares going off, players being hugged, our players going off, coming back out again, our wonderful Paul Warne and David Clowes smiling and enjoying the scenes all together as one, as a powerful team together, to me it was perfect and being with my eldest boy made me feel proud and loved and I was so happy for him, and myself and at the time, I was wondering about my youngest boy and when he wants to be apart of it or when the misses thinks, I can bring the both boys along regularly, with her not too keen on me dragging him onto an overnight bus etc to enjoy the ups and downs of Derby County.

We eventually left Pride Park after to seeing the Swindon Rams family at the end, and we took our flags down , but we were just so happy and energised, who needs sleep when the Rams are successful? 

We went back to our hotel to get rid of the flag, chill for a bit, recharge phones, shower and change before meeting friends in The Exeter including MD and to enjoy a few pints whilst chatting about the wonderful day so far. 

I was glad Burton Albion had stayed up and I didn’t want the day to stop. We chatted to elder dads and friends and realised that these days don’t come along often. 

MD moved on to The Tiger, and we moved on to The Silk Mill having a teenage boy in the search for dinner, no joy, as it was mobbed, we then tried the Standing Order to be unfortunately turned away by the bouncers at the door, as I thought “Jesus” we have just won promotion, and some people just can’t help themselves, being awkward for awkward sake. 

We bumped into Goalhanger that does the great You Tube videos in the South Stand, walking up the street looking like he’d had a great day and plenty of drink to celebrate afterwards.

So we went to the Pie & Mash place and we all enjoyed some great grub and more pints thanking our lucky stars that the bouncers turned us away from Wetherspoons. We stayed in there for a while and normally if I wasn’t with my boy, I would have been out for hours celebrating, but my sensible head was on, so we said our goodbyes to my friend, who also sensibly headed home with a fresh head, to carry on savouring the day.

My boy headed through jubilant revellers singing Derby songs, back to our hotel to chill and enjoy the comfort of our beds, TV and recapturing lots of scenes on social media and official websites before eventually flaking out and enjoying a good nights sleep and a wonderful happy Sunday to follow.

Sunday arrived and we chatted to Derby fans in the lift heading back to Sheffield we explained we had a bit further to go.

On route to the train station I took the Aberdeenshire Rams flag out, at the Derby County Mural for a photo, my boy took a video sending it to his mother calling me a saddo! and that we would miss the train!

Train from Derby to Sheffield was at 10:51 with 8 mins to spare arriving at 11:26 to change, and to head to Doncaster at 11:34 and then 11 mins to change again to catch the train to Edinburgh at 12:11 and that was due to arrive at 15:10. Luckily the Derby, Sheffield & Doncaster trains where all on time, but as we arrived into Edinburgh we joined a queue of trains waiting to arrive making us late by 30 mins.

The table beside us included a family from India, a lady from Australia and a bloke from Sheffield who was happy that the Owls would likely stay up. They talked about travelling and holidays around the world, whilst I dreamed of Derby back in the Premier League and back in European competitions and trips around the world following them.  

I soon woke up. I’d factored in 1 and a half hours before our megabus back to Aberdeen, so the 30 minute train delay, just ate into our early dinner time and waiting time for the bus back home.

The Megabus arrived back into Aberdeen on time, and before our phones ran out of power due to a change of bus and no charging points, my boy secretly asked his mam to come pick us up in Aberdeen, to avoid hanging around, for another train to Inverurie. 

We arrived back in the house for 9pm and we were ready for supper and a bit of time to reflect on all the many hours us Derby County fans, spend loving our club, and when the special times come around, them long hours of travelling or waiting or short times running for a bus or train are all very much worth it, because, if your anything like me, you’ll just want to do it again and again and again and again and again…………

Up The Rams. 

D.C.F.C. Love, Life & Unity.
 

 

 

Some effort that Inverurie.

There's lads on my minibus who moan like buggery if we get held up for ten minutes after the game. Its only a 20 minute drive!

[Inverurie Ram]

 

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