I may achieve a lifelong ambition next weekend. Bristol City, whom I’ve supported for over 40 years, are on the brink of promotion to the Championship (the second tier of English football for those of you who don’t know). A fantastic 3-1 away win at Carlisle today sets us up with needing just one more win from the last two games to ensure automatic promotion. Next week we are playing away at Millwall, here in London. And Sam and I will be there. (the picture is of Adriano Basso our fanatically Christian Brazilian goalkeeper....)

The point is I have never seen City promoted. Ever since I’ve supported them there have been a few promotions – we went up to the old first division in 1976 with a 1-0 win at home to Portsmouth, and I was on my French exchange, sitting in a bedroom in Normandy wishing I was in Bristol. In 1998 we went up, but it was clinched when one of our closest rivals lost so we weren’t even playing. So we might well go up next Saturday and I will be there.

This probably sounds a bit over the top to people who don’t understand much about football. I’m not sure why it is so important to be there. There is something very powerful about common experiences when you are part of something that is much bigger than yourself; when you feel one with a larger whole that is also part of who you are in your own soul. Bristol City are for better or worse part of me and always will be. Having been there for disappointing last minute away defeats at West Brom, Port Vale, etc., I kind of feel I along with City fans ho have been much more regular than me all deserve a real high as well as experiencing the lows.

So unless you’re a Forest or Blackpool fan, (they are the only ones who can catch us) just think of me next Saturday afternoon at 5 pm. I could be a very happy man.