Forever Blue With Ian Cheeseman

It was pouring down with rain as I made my way to the Wirral on Tuesday night.

It was the sort of evening where in different circumstances I might have preferred to stay cosily sat in front of my gas fire, watching the Champions League on TV, but I’m sure you’ve worked out, by now, that for me it’s always “fresh air over armchair”. I was heading to Tranmere Rovers, a ground I’ve visited many times before as a journalist, so I knew what to expect; well I thought I did.

I’d seen Bury promoted there, commentated on games for the long defunct “clubcall” back at the start of my broadcasting career, but this visit was to report on Manchester City’s u21s in the Football League Trophy.

While ordinary fans have been kept out of football grounds to help control the pandemic, I was still able to do part of the job I’ve been doing for over 30 years and tell the story of football to all those who care to listen, read or watch what I do. I’d driven past restaurants, on the Wirral peninsula and as I glanced sideways, while waiting for the lights to turn to green, I saw people sitting near the windows, eating meals. This wouldn’t have seemed so strange had I not set off from a tier 3 area where this is currently not allowed.

Takeways are of course permissible in our area so once I was within a goalkick of my destination I bought a portion of fish and chips to eat in my car. They tasted all the better for being the hors d’oeuvres to the main course that was to come.

As I parked my car, I could see ordinary people stood near unopened turnstiles, huddled in the overhang, to shelter from the driving rain. In normal times I might have questioned why they hadn’t chosen to stay at home, but I understood their delight at being back at their spiritual home. As I approached the press entrance I was welcomed into the ground by smiles all around. Everyone I met were happy and helpful but also very aware of the need for sanitation and social distancing. There was a sign as I climbed the steps into the stand. It was plain and to the point. The red letters on a white background simply said “avoid contact with others”.

As I climbed up into the seating area everyone I met, from stewards to security staff wanted to say hello. There was no physical contact but human nature meant, thankfully, that social interaction was still intrinsic to the experience. I was there to report on the game but I also decided to record a video vlog of the evening, making sure that I was masked and, I was at least two metres away from anyone I chatted to, but the smiles continued and the sheer joy of being in the ground was just a selfie stick extension away.

Tranmere Rovers, being in tier 2, were allowed up to 2000 fans, though this being a Football League Trophy game, the attendance was about half that. The two ends of the stadium had fans scattered throughout and once the game started they sang and shouted and to my surprise and delight they made it feel like a real game. I’ve attended Oldham games behind closed doors, where all I could hear was the players shouting. I’d also attended Ashton United and Glossop North End games earlier in the season alongside small numbers of fans, but this was different and better. City lost the game 2-1 but it was one of the best experiences of 2020.

I’m not sure if I’ll get the chance to attend Manchester City first team games, once limited numbers are allowed back, because I can’t apply for press tickets, because I wasn’t registered last season, because I’d been doing vlogs for the club and if gaining admission is purely through a ballot of season ticket holders that rules me out too. But if you get the chance to go to a game at the Etihad, even with only 1,999 other fans, I recommend it. Being back at Tranmere certainly lifted my spirits, despite the rain and the result.