Fans will still be able to bring smaller handbags into the stadium, although these will be subject to the usual search process. An Ashton Gate spokesman said: “The searching process will always be subject to change and whilst there is no specific threat to any Sports Ground, we must ensure that we remain vigilant and the message to spectators is to ‘Be Alert not Alarmed’.”

With the stadium sold-out buses may be busy at peak times and journey times longer than usual. We strongly encourage all supporters to get the earliest bus possible and leave plenty of time for your journey. My first memories of interest in City started on my street. In the mid-eighties, there were loads of kids there and everyone loved football. This was in the early days of computers and games consoles hadn’t really arrived from Japan yet. We were the last generation where being outside and playing football was the ultimate. There weren’t as many cars on the road as today and so it was easy to play the game on the street using a wall and gate and fence posts as the goals. Supporters can reserve a table pre-match at the Independence Bar, formerly the Sports Bar, by booking here. The Bristol Sport Store at Ashton Gate Stadium will be open from 1pm-10:30pm, with access to fitting rooms.Legendary Scottish striker Joe Jordan was leading the line for City in my first match and Cooper had brought him to the club intending him to be his successor. After City had missed out on the play-offs several times, Cooper stepped aside in 1988, recommending Joe finally take over. It’s not an understatement to say that Terry Cooper played a huge part in the club’s rebirth and revival. It was such a pity that he couldn’t take that final step to the Second Division which is par for a club like us but he still played a part as it was Joe who finally managed it with a promotion in 89-90. Following the successful introduction of cashless outlets at the stadium towards the end of the 2019/20 season, we will be further extending the operation and going cashless across the stadium. If you see or hear any racist, homophobic or any other abuse around the stadium, please report it to our text line: 07770 736 047

Away from home the colours vary although lime green and purple is a popular choice amongst supporters. From the start of the 2020-21 season Hummel have provided Bristol city with some now iconic goalkeeper kits. Bristol City was lying in the play-off positions in the old Third Division in the spring of 87. I had no idea at the time but just seven years previously they were in the First Division. I had always assumed we were just a lower division club and no more. Watching Liverpool win the double the previous season and clubs such as Manchester United and Arsenal seemed light-years away. When City was relegated in 1980 it was a huge fall from grace.With our Junior Reds in mind, the Family Area is the perfect way to experience game day at Ashton Gate.

The Lansdown, Dolman and South Stands will be open for home supporters, while the Atyeo Stand will host Manchester City supporters. Make the most of your matchday by visiting the new-look Family Area on Level 4 in the Upper Lansdown Stand. Old Bristol City shirts can remind you of certain games including cup wins, memorable goals, and former players. These games would last for hours until we were called in for tea and would only stop to pause when the shout of ‘car’ went up. Although this was a rarity. The ages of the players would range from me at age 6 up to Steve and Andrew who would have been 11. No one supported Rovers. This was south Bristol after all and so it was all about City. I knew from the older boys of the existence of a team called Rovers but they were the enemy I was told. I thought about the name too. Bristol City. Well, Bristol was a City and was where I was from. It sounded from the name that they represented our West-Country home. Rovers sounded like some kind of travelling band or a dog. Little did I know that they would soon be leaving Bristol for Bath. Also, City played in red and it was my favourite colour. Rovers played in blue and that was a colour I never warmed to. Liverpool was the best team in the land and they played in red. It could only have been City for me.In that promotion year, Bristol Rovers were beaten in the FA Cup at Eastville. A rare occasion where City was the underdog. At 1-0 down Cooper brought himself on and dragged his young side to a 2-1 victory. In 1986 City reached Wembley for the first time in the final of the Freight Rover Trophy. Bolton was beaten 3-0 and Cooper cried tears of joy remarking that he had played for England but this was the best day of his footballing life. This coming from a man who had also experienced titles with Don Revie’s legendary Leeds United. It was clear how huge a job he had done. He had taken over a club on its knees, got them challenging for promotion from the Third Division and led them to a Wembley trophy. He had also joined the board as a director remarking that financial prudence was paramount. He was not going to be the man to bankrupt Bristol City and it was so important that future generations had a club that was still playing at Ashton Gate. Sound good? If you haven’t already, head up from 6:30pm this Tuesday against Manchester City to see what it’s all about. Activities will take place between 6:15pm-7:30pm It also featured me and I was interviewed in the Three Lions pub. The first question I was asked was how long I had been a City fan and why I chose the club. It was a good question. I didn’t necessarily come from a family that meant I was destined to support City. I loved football as a kid but my Dad was a Geordie that didn’t like football. He is proof that they do exist. Music and science was his thing. My Mum was a Bristolian but football wasn’t her thing either. Her Dad, my Grandfather was a City fan from Taunton in Somerset but he died when I was three years old. I remember him but we were never allowed to get to know each other. My paternal grandfather died before I was born one year after England’s 1966 World Cup triumph. He liked football but being from the north-east his influence was more likely to have been of a Magpie rather than Robin persuasion. My cousin Steve was a big City fan but when I was a kid he was a teenager. No chance of him taking a small child to Ashton Gate to stand on the Eastend with him and his mates. After all, this was the 1980’s.