It’s pre-season for a reason and such logistical obstacles are there to be conquered. Once Upon a Time the Romans got to Gloucester and established a major settlement there. Imagine if they’d had Shaun Fisher driving their minibus?

”Sorry Centurion, there’s a lane closure by Costa. Me and the legion are beaten.”

 Having experienced Shaun's driving I am travelling alone today and get to the ground to find Ross Jenkins and Andy Ballard surveying the pitch.It’s a 3G surface and looks good. For many years this ground flooded every winter to the point where the crossbar was often the only sign of a football pitch. Eventually, tired of rolling up their trousers and sitting on desks, Gloucester elevated the playing surface. The dressing rooms are about three metres below the pitch and the players have to come up some steep concrete steps to play the game.

 Eventually having beaten the jam, the distant echo of faraway players, hating waiting, repeat my own on the glazed, dirty steps and we are reunited and can start to prepare.

 It’s a nice ground, built from countless storage containers which form offices, stands, toilets and all things in between. It’s a lot neater than that sounds and I mingle with the home fans as we wait for kick off. They are optimistic for the season ahead and with good reason based on the opening minutes of the match where they pass and move and look good. City, with seven trialists involved, survive a scare as Gloucester roll back the years and float one on to the bar early on but ten minutes in, Josh Parker’s superbly weighted through ball sends Tom Scott away and he makes it 1-0

 The Hoops might extend their lead but both sides lose a bit of rhythm and shape as a flurry of subs interrupt the flow. I'm not doing the subs/flooding gag you expect here. Make your own jokes up. Joe Hanks levels for the home side and it ends up 1-1. although neither side is totally worried about the final score.

 The fans file away into the light drizzle. Having conducted interviews we follow soon after  and I drive across the Cotswolds with the radio blaring out a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne who died that day. This makes me feel sad, but the imminent season cheers me up. First away game done. Can’t wait for the real thing.

All aboard the Crazy Train…