Derby County vs Exeter City

Matchday 11 marked the beginning of another exciting journey, this time with a train ride by the company I work for, CrossCountry Trains. The journey was fairly busy, and we spent most of it standing, but that didn’t dampen our spirits. What added an unexpected thrill to the trip was my son spotting a “YouTuber” named Luke, known as “lukesolvecollectibles.” Liam was elated by this encounter, though he didn’t muster the confidence to strike up a conversation with him and only told me who he was when we reached our destination in Derby.

The short walk from Derby Station to the football ground was guided by a friendly Derby City fan who shared his hopes for a good result despite his team’s lackluster season. As we parted ways at the stadium, we took a leisurely stroll around the exterior, capturing some memorable photos along the way. When we were ready to enter, a hiccup with my e-ticket required it to be printed, a first-time experience for me. I was directed to a “Turnstile Access Issues” stand, where I wondered if this was a common occurrence. The queue was lengthy, but we managed to get our tickets printed and entered the stadium with about 15 minutes to spare.

My tickets indicated that we should access stairs 9, but after following the signs, a bewildered steward informed me that I was on the wrong side and needed to head back to the opposite tunnel. Further confusion ensued with another staff member, leading me to return to the original steward who, upon reflection, admitted he was mistaken and directed us to the correct seats. To our delight, our seats were right next to the away dugout, offering a fantastic view. Liam couldn’t contain his excitement and began shouting greetings and waving to the Exeter players in the dugout, much to the chagrin of two stewards seated opposite us. I had to remind him to focus on supporting Derby, not the opposition.

At the start of the game, there were some issues with cooking hotdogs, so despite buying one before the match, we were asked to return at halftime. Slightly frustrated, I realized I had been charged the full £6.00 for a fully loaded hotdog, even though I had requested a plain one. When I inquired about this, I was informed that they didn’t offer a different price for plain hotdogs, despite plain hotdogs being sold for less outside the ground.

The game itself was a treat, with Derby playing excellent football and securing a convincing 2-0 win with a goal in each half. The journey back to the station was slightly confusing without our helpful guide, as Google Maps attempted to direct us to the front of the building. Fortunately, I knew of a nearby hotel and managed to find our way to the station with 10 minutes to spare. A kind colleague from work greeted us with a hot chocolate for my son, a heartwarming gesture in the chilly weather. With no hiccups, we made it back home, and Liam was tucked into bed before midnight.