A special game

Newcastle United’s game against Rotherham United tomorrow has probably not registered on many Newcastle United fans’ radars. After all, it is just another game, this time against a side bottom of the table in a stadium that looks like it has been made by a 6 year old kid from their spare Lego blocks.

However, for me, it is a little special as my late Dad was from Rotherham and the first away match he ever took me to was a 1-1 FA Cup draw at the old Millmoor ground in 1993. I was 12 years old.

24 years on I still remember that game well, I remember the pack of Newcastle United fans being shoved in to the ground, the police horses getting quite agitated in amongst the crowds, the smells in and around the ground (mainly urine, tobacco and chips if I remember correctly), the noises from opposite sets of fans shouting at each other and most of all I remember the massive smile on my Dad’s face throughout the game; he was taking his son to watch the team he grew up supporting, he was a proud man that night.

On the day of the match, we arrived at Rotherham early and went to see one of his sisters; she said there was a real buzz around the place with Newcastle United in town - I was so, so excited. Most people reading this article will be a football fan and will have their own childhood memories of football; their first game, the first time they scored a goal, the smells, the noises the atmosphere. These things stick with you whether you like it or not.

That same season we went on to win the then 1st division to get promotion in to the season old Premier League - it was a good time to be a Newcastle United fan and if this season carries on the way it has started, those times might well be coming back for the club I love.

We’ve obviously all seen the result from the Norwich City game on Wednesday night. I was lucky to be there to witness it and it is most definitely a game that will stick with me for long, long time. Dwight Gayle was fantastic, he could have had a hat-trick in the opening 20 minutes but it was once again a game we made hard work of. That said, a win is a win, even if it does come in the 96th minute. The substitutions made towards the end of the game changed everything and it is good to see Benitez not being scared to remove under-performing players; something previous managers have been reluctant to do as they seem to think it implies they have got the team selection wrong. Benitez substituted the woeful Diame, Colback and Dummett and it would amaze me if we see Diame and Colback against Rotherham tomorrow. I suspect Dummett may keep his place though.

The win against Norwich City has given us more confidence and momentum and it is absolutely vital we follow it up with a good performance away at Rotherham.

I’d like to say my Dad will be looking down on the game cheering us on but I suspect he will half be hoping Rotherham get a victory. That said, if there is horse racing on at the same time the chances are he will have forgotten all about the football and had a bet on the racing instead!