Attend a football match in England

“I look out onto the pitch and it hits me: I am actually at a Premier League match, watching the team I support. I have spent nearly half a decade waking up at odd hours of the morning to watch these matches and now I am actually here. The grass was greener than it appeared on tv, and the colors were more vibrant. The air almost even felt different. The feeling everyone talks about when they step out and see the pitch for the first time, the shared experience that football fans have that signifies the romanticism and allure of the sport, is quite real, and I was experiencing it.”

“I enjoyed the atmosphere of being in the away end, including standing for the whole of the match, impossible in the home end, and chanting “Red and White S**te” at ex-Liverpool midfielder Stuart Downing, who suited up for the Hammers on that day. Every little thing about this experience was amazing, and it seemed to meet and exceed the standards I had set in my head. The first goal I had ever seen Everton score, and it was right in front of me. I had a perfect view of everything. It is hard to create a more ideal first goal to ever see your team score. I was ecstatic.”

“I was surprised by how much easier it was to follow the ball in “real life” compared to bits I’ve seen on the TV and indeed how much smaller the pitch seemed; probably doesn’t feel that way when you’re running up and down it, mind you. I could immediately see why people follow teams and attend matches. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric & contagious, and I felt myself chanting and shouting along even though I didn’t have a bloody clue what was happening half the time (don’t get me started on the offside rule?!) We ended up winning 2-0 and I genuinely enjoyed attending.”