Well - I thought I'd report back and comment on our visit to the Family Area on Saturday.
It was brilliant!
After picnicking in the cars we went to the Life Centre. The adults had a coffee while the kids had a kick around on the grass. We went into the ground at about 2.20pm. The family area was already busy but my grandchildren found lots to do and they enjoyed the company of the other kids while sampling the various activities.
I was particularly impressed by the staff. The girls were very helpful (as well as being pretty!) and the gentleman on table tennis duty was very patient and brilliantly tolerant of our incompetence. Another bonus was all the comfortable chairs to sit on. In my normal block 13 there is nowhere in the concourse where you can sit, however much your arthritic knees may be playing up. The Family Area was very civilised in comparison.
What else? Well there were no queues for the refreshment bar and no queues for the loos. Again, very civilised.
And then the game. Whoever it was who warned against the lack of atmosphere - you were wrong! There was a terrific atmosphere. Admittedly being able to celebrate 5 Argyle goals was a big bonus but Block 18 was rocking all the game. Certainly a million times better than Block 13 where I normally sit with the rest of the geriatrics! And the view from Block 18 was actually much better than I was expecting.
Thanks to the Hartlepool supporters too. We all loved their antics during the game and meeting a lot of them afterwards. We have some really good photos of them with the grandchildren!
Our kids loved every minute of it and that meant their parents loved every minute of it too. So Grandad, as the organiser, is able to bask in the reflected glory of Home Park at its best!
Thanks Argyle!
