Footballing with company - 2023 edition

In what may become an annual tradition, here is a round up of the football season that has just concluded with selfies of some of the people who I enjoyed it with. 

First up, the two Pauls. Between them I went to more matches with someone called Paul than without someone called Paul. This was at Llantwit Major v Barry on 2nd January. 

I went to lots of Shrewsbury games with one of the Pauls, including to Oxford, which was my 100th football ground. Paul was the selfie-taker on this occasion.

And I went to lots of Barry games with the other Paul although randomly, this is a photo from when we went to Ipswich v Shrewsbury and saw the statue of the great Bobby Robson. 

And this is from when we went to Caldicot Town to watch my friend Ben play. 

I managed to get a selfie with Ben too before the game. 

Lots of Shrewsbury away games meant several selfies, including with my brother, Dave, nephew, Zac and mate-of-Dave, new-mate-for-me, Dan. 

I also met up with Ken who now lives in Bristol, for Shrewsbury's game at the Memorial Stadium. Yet another game in the "temporary stand" that has been there as long as I can remember. 

And at Cheltenham Town I sat next to my friend Chris, who I first met in junior school way back in the nineteen-eighties.

I did my usual thing of inviting people along to Barry Town games. Tom, Jude and Seb came to their first football match. They picked a good game. Barry won 5-0 and won the league title. 

Connor was in town on a Saturday so he also got dragged along to a game at Jenner Park as well. 

And Steve came to a game too.

Steve was also my matchgoing bud at the Cardiff Met game that was my only 0-0 of the season and technically in a post-season game. Although we did see a penalty saved in the game and two more saved in the shoot out at the end of extra time. 

I also invited people to some random games. My friend Charlie (who I saw play as a goalie this season in a game where he let in 16 goals!) joined me for a trip to Llwydcoed. This is a selfie he took!

One of the first games of the season was up in Cwmbach. I'd been invited up by Allan who I got to know through my previous job. He's on the committee and properly committed to his local club.

As it was that part of the world I was joined by my friends Sara and Leanne who brought their twins. The children were having a camera shy moment!

My friend Tom often frowns in photos, but in Llanelli he seemed inordinately excited. 

However, Tom seemed to be at a normal level of excitement when we went to watch Portsmouth play Shrewsbury.

Football is great with friends and also great with family! Cathy came to a Shrewsbury game with us for my nephew Zac's birthday outing. 

My eldest niece, Joy, came to several games too. And sometimes agreed to be in a selfie. 

And I went to lots of games with Zac, including an evening game at the Meadow and seeing Barry triumph 6-0 in the Welsh Blood Service Cup Final in Newtown!

Roll on next season, and if you want to come to a game with me, let me know!