Mansfield Town(H).30/11/74.

An interesting personal contrast for me when Timbo posts programmes from 1973/74 and 1974/75 in quick succession.

1973/74 was my last year at school and I was eagerly anticipating going off to university. I was getting bored with Torquay United and relishing the chance of watching different - and "better" - football. If you'd asked me then I wouldn't have expected - or necessarily even wanted - to still have been a Torquay United supporter forty years later. That's youth for you I guess. And, similar to what Jon has implied, I wouldn't have put money on the club in 2013 being anywhere near its current status or general well being.

As for 74/75, I was mostly several hundred miles away. On the day of the Mansfield game, I went to see Manchester United play Sunderland in the (then) second division. This was a big game watched by a near-capacity crowd and, from memory, grabbed the attention over everything in the top flight that day. It was a cracker.

I'm sure I wanted Sunderland to win even though I was surrounded by Manchester United supporters. Some things don't change. Last night I was taken to Gigg Lane see FC United, who are probably supported by some of the old lags who were at Old Trafford that day in 1974, play Skelmersdale. Once again I was surrounded by "United" supporters and, once again, I wanted the opposition to win. Funny that.

Ah yes, Bury. If you're going on 2 November be sure to take refreshment before you reach the place. The prices outside and inside the ground are sky high. There's also a vendor within the ground who, when I asked for a pasty, served me a pie. "There's no difference. They're the same thing" she told me.