As you may have seen in the media and via announcements from the club, several events are taking place this weekend to mark the 40th anniversary of the Ashton Gate Eight tearing up their contracts to save Bristol City Football Club.
In addition to a dinner on Friday evening at the Robins High Performance Centre (much like the 25th anniversary dinner back in 2007), the planned events also include a presentation on the pitch fifteen minutes before kick-off on Saturday.
The Supporters Club & Trust can now announce that Peter Aitken, Julian Marshall, Geoff Merrick, David Rodgers, Gerry Sweeney, Trevor Tainton, Chris Garland (being represented by son Adam) & Jimmy Mann (being represented by club legend Tom Ritchie) will be at our Supporters Bar from 12:15pm on Saturday lunchtime; meeting fans that are present (subject to capacity), and that there will be the unveiling of a new ‘Ashton Gate 8′ sign in their honour – to take place outside the players’ entrance.
As we all will (even those of us not around at the time), we want to show the players how much we appreciate what they did 40 years ago, it would be great if you’re going to the game if you could make sure that you’re at your seat in good time for the presentation at 2.45pm.
As detailed in the link above, the key timings are:
- By 2.40pm Fans to take their seats
- 2.45pm Paul Cheesley introduced to crowd
- 2.46pm Showing on big screen of the recently unearthed video of THAT Jimmy Mann goal from 1979 against Nottingham Forest
- From 2.45pm Surfer flag (pictured) moves along South Stand from the corner with Lansdown Stand to the Section 82 corner
- 2.47pm Paul Cheesley welcomes the Ashton Gate 8 to the centre circle with images on the big screen
(In the event of adverse weather preventing the pitch parade, the Ashton Gate 8 will be welcomed on to the Heineken Lounge balcony. Timings will remain the same) - 2.56pm City and Middlesbrough players line up
- 2.57pm The Ashton Gate 8 leave the field
- 3pm Kick-off
- On 8 minutes: 8:01 to 8:59 applause and a giant ‘8’ card mosaic (subject to weather conditions) in the Upper Dolman central three blocks. Please also be ready to join in a resounding round of applause!
We’d also like to extend our thanks to various Middlesbrough supporters for sharing our social media post in requesting that the away following at Ashton Gate join in the celebrations. The below will be handed as a flyer to all away supporters at the game
