First of all sorry for your loss, but i can relate to the rest of your post. Brilliant post very well made
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Sorry to read the news about your dad @WiltshireSaddler , but great to read of the comfort you are getting in his memory.
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Fantastic Post. I am so very sorry for the loss of your dad, god bless him 
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Lost my Dad aged 89, back in January. He took me to my first game against Bournemouth in the 1960’s. I can’t be sure of the year but I’m confident Ted McDougal was playing. Not 100% on this but from memory, their away kit on the day was black and green stripes. This is how it started. Although I watched more games with my cousin than Dad, he would occasionally come too. The last game he saw at the Bescot with me was against Leeds in the FA Cup, I think in 1995. My sons were never interested in coming to the games with me, and so far the Grand Dog is the nearest I have to grandkids. However, all is not lost, this Saturday is the first game with me for my sister’s grandson, Elliott. I hope the hat and scarf will be enough bribery to ‘claim’ him for the Saddlers, but I suspect it’s the hot dog that will do it. We need a good win on Saturday, just to give him something to jump out of his seat at. UTS.
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Here’s a thought, whether we are aware of the fact or not, there is going to be a final time we go to a Walsall match for all of us. Probably best not to know…
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I’ve thought that too. I’ve also thought there will be a time when there will only be one person left alive who went to a match at Fellows Park … sobering thought
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I’ll search my copy of that book out and read your dad’s story.
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I send my condolences too. I’ve been waiting to write something similar as my own father passed away recently so this totally resonates with me. His dad took him, he took me, I took my own son. He used to tell me the stories of his heroes from the 1940s and 1950s. So much so that they have become my heroes too. That is what this club is about - family - so blood relations, mates, and anybody else who supports Walsall - even if we don’t know them personally, they still feel like family. We laugh and celebrate together (not too much in recent years!), we moan together, and we support each other as well as our club.
Dad used to take my brother and myself to Fellows Park in the 1970s as and when time permitted. In later years it was us taking him. One of his happiest moments was the first time he went to a match at the Bescot with his two sons and two eldest grandsons. The result didn’t matter, and I can’t even remember myself - all that mattered to him was that he was with his family at the match and that his grandsons would be Walsall fans! They still are. His visits to Bescot became rarer as he became mom’s main carer and his own ill health prevented him from attending matches, though he was able to make a few matches when we were able to be in a box.
He couldn’t wait for us to return from a match and tell him all about it, or for me to phone him when I had been to an away match. He loved talking about Walsall. I last saw him an hour or so before the Wrexham match with my son. By then he was unresponsive and was unaware that we were there. Leaving the Wrexham match with big smiles on our faces I thought ‘Can’t wait to tell dad about this match’ and then it hit me - this was the thing I would miss most once he was gone. I mentioned it to my son who said that I could always call him to talk about the match instead.
So before I ramble on too much, I just wanted to say - make the most of the time with your fathers. Make those memories. Where possible make the most of going to the match with them - you never know when the last time they will be able to go. And when they can no longer go with you, talk to them often about their memories and tell them about the match. Show them the highlights. And if you have children who are interested in the Saddlers, make those memories now so that in years to come, they will love talking with you about our beloved football club.
The fact that others have said similar things in this thread and in others over the past year shows how much this club of ours plays in bringing families closer together and giving us all great memories.
To put it into context - all dad’s uncles were Villa fans - so glad dad’s family moved to Walsall when he was a few months old and his dad took him to Fellows Park not Villa Park.
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Such lovely posts & thank you all.
This club of ours, hey
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@WiltshireSaddler hope you don’t mind me posting this, but another example of this ‘club of ours’! Very wholesome content
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Of course not saw that & it’s lovely
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Only just read this today. Sorry to hear about your Dad.
It’s one of the first posts on UTS that made me choke and cry as it relates to so many of us and our family connections.
In the 60’s and onwards WFC became my passion as I followed my Dad and brother as a Saddler. My Dad followed his Dad that briefly played for the Club in the early 1900’s. My Grandad had 9 kids in Bentley. All including the girls were Saddlers to the end of their lives.
I grew up in the town but haven’t lived there for 56 years. Whilst my daughters “understood” the passion it stopped there really. One of my Grandsons however (who has no connection with the town) is as passionate as me and has had a season ticket for many years after starting with the Swifty club.
Two of my other Grandsons not living locally follow the Premier League and it’s teams and have zero understanding of being a REAL supporter of a REAL Club. In my opinion of course they are missing something that is intangible but is no doubt life forming. To understand the World and it’s ups and downs you have to be part of something life affirming that includes the ups and downs of an average Saturday afternoon watching your team believing there is hope going forward.
For every Wrexham result there is always a Newport result and the World turns.
For all of that said, no one and I mean no one will dissuade the believer in me and my Grandson that there will be more Wrexhams than Newports.
Those that don’t understand that and those that think we are the wierd ones for supporting a lower league Club in the Black Country can move over.
There is light.
The Trivela support and positive moves do actually smell that passion.
We will be there going forward carrying the past dedication of our extended families with us.
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