Tom .P (Surrey)
I have always lived in Surrey and was never really in to football,so why now at 16 am I such a fan of football and a Derby fanatic?
I started playing rugby and lost any interest in football. As me and my mates grew up and moved on to Secondary School (when I was 11) I noticed that the main talking point between most lads was football. So I took a casual interest and as I had cousins who were Derby season ticket holders I vaguely followed their results from the 1996- 97 season.
This remote interest continued for a year or so and then as xmas 97-98 approached I started taking a stronger interest, listeneing to the Radio for commentary and reading match reports. My family and I were to spend xmas in Derby with my cousins and so I was to go with them on Boxing Day to see Derby play Newcastle.
Well the big day arrived, my Uncle gave me a Derby hat and scarf for xmas and I went off to the game with my three cousins and my sister. I was still only 13 and just the size of Pride Park left me overawed. Well to cut a long story short Derby won 1-0 from an Eranio penalty and although it was a fairly poor game i got such a buzz and enjoyed the singing/chanting /banter so much (I was in the East Upper Stand) that I was hooked.
Since then I've been obsessive. I go to about 5 away games and about 6 home games a year and I love every minute of it
cheers (if you got this far)
c2001 Tom . P.