Growing up in the 1970s, I hated the way football hooligans grabbed the limelight from genuine fans. So it was a pleasure today to see Cardiff and Barnsley fans sharing their big day at the FA Cup semi final. 

I can’t help thinking that civilised surroundings encourage civilised behaviour, unlike the slums that passed for football stadia in the 1970s. Today at Wembley Cardiff and Barnsley fans enjoyed a pint or three together before and during the game.

In the photo above, my 81 year old father, Bob Skinner, commiserates with a Barnsley fan on the train home after the game. Barnsley have been a credit to their town and to football this season, and I hope they win their battle to stay in the Championship. It’s the least the team and their Swansea-born manager Simon Davey deserve after enthralling the country with their exploits.