However, nothing is normal anymore and when the first balls of the new campaign get booted in anger across the Football League this weekend, empty stands and eerie, echoing atmospheres will ensure it's a weirder start to a season than ever previously!
Having nearly 20 years experience of regularly watching football at all levels - north and south of the border, then I've seen all kinds of 'opening day' games so here are some memorable throwbacks from years gone by...
2004: Doncaster 2-0 Blackpool
With boiling hot sunshine at Belle Vue, Rovers made the perfect start to life in the newly-named Coca-Cola League One as Tim Ryan opened the scoring with one of his trademark long-range efforts, before Leo Fortune-West bagged a second goal late on. Blackpool were managed by Colin Hendry and I remember thinking they'd be a good team because they had Sasa Ilic, who'd played in the Premiership with Charlton, as their goalkeeper, yet he was probably at fault for the first goal.
2006: Carlisle 1-0 Doncaster
The Cumbrians were new boys in League One having achieved back-to-back promotions whereas Doncaster were in their third year in the division. Dave Penney copped for some stick off his own fans beforehand after he chose to leave Sean Thornton out of the starting line-up and it took just three minutes for Rovers to go behind with Paul Murray (who later managed Hartlepool) bagging what was the first goal of the entire season in League One. Rovers couldn't muster up a comeback and Carlisle were quite worthy winners. However, they cocked up off the pitch by announcing the attendance was 12,031 (which would have been their biggest home gate in 35 years) only to realise they'd counted Season Ticket holders twice, so the actual attendance was 9,433.
2006: Chelsea 3-0 Manchester City
Chelsea were reigning Premier League champions under Jose Mourinho and were searching for a third straight title. Their summer signings included Andriy Shevchenko, amongst others, and they produced a solid display to easily brush aside Manchester City who had Nicky Weaver between the posts. The game was selected for 'Super Sunday' coverage on Sky Sports and John Terry's headed opener put them in command before Frank Lampard's deflected strike made it 2-0 before the break. Didier Drogba bagged a third goal whilst Shevchenko had one disallowed for offside deep into injury-time and, at this point, it was hard to see how the Blues would be stopped in their quest for more silverware. Eventually, however, Man United won the league whilst City had arguably their most arduous top-flight season as they struggled to score goals and only just stayed up - something which resulted in Stuart Pearce being sacked as manager. How times change!
2007: Doncaster 0-0 Millwall
The opening day isn't usually synonymous with violence but when Millwall are involved, it shouldn't come as any surprise. On the pitch, Rovers shaded things but were unable to make a breakthrough against resilient opponents who finished mid-table. Off the pitch, a section of the visiting crowd ripped up the netting used to segregate them and walked, en masse, towards the Rovers fans in the West Stand - many of whom ran away. It could have drawn comparisons with scenes from Benny Hill and although a few punches got thrown and there was disorder for about a minute or so, order was quickly restored. Nevertheless, it didn't stop the 'over the top' hullabaloo in the days afterwards!
2008: Derby 0-1 Doncaster
Neither team had been in the Championship in the previous season; Rovers had won promotion from League One, whereas Derby had endured that infamous, torrid Premier League campaign where they picked up just 11 points. Therefore, there was hope, excitement and optimism amongst home fans that they might actually see their team win a league game for the first time in almost a year. They were wrong, however, as Lewis Guy struck around the hour mark to give Doncaster a very memorable 1-0 success with boos echoing around Pride Park at the final whistle - expect in the away end, obviously, where 3,000 visiting fans were delirious. Also, it was at the start of the 2008/09 season when the pre-match handshake became a mandatory feature of the game below the top division.
2011: Brighton 2-1 Doncaster
This was Brighton's first competitive game at the Amex Stadium and it proved to be a triumphant occasion for the Seagulls though several Rovers fans were left feeling bitter, uptight and quite unhappy afterwards. After a rousing rendition of 'Sussex By The Sea', Brighton supporters, who'd been waving the free flags they'd been given, were left silenced when Billy Sharp bundled home the opener just before half-time. Even though it was the opening day, Rovers already had a lengthy injury list - something which was added to when Lewis Dunk's naive and reckless lunge on Sharp around the hour mark led to the striker leaving the pitch on a stretcher. The hosts eventually equalised through Will Buckley who then struck deep into stoppage-time to give them a win after James Hayter had also been forced off through injury. To this day, there are some Donny fans who despise Dunk for his tackle (which, admittedly, was a poor one) but the theory which is sometimes banded about that he caused the team's eventual relegation to League One, eight months later, is ridiculous.
2012: Mansfield 3-4 Newport
Although Mansfield were Conference Premier title favourites, it was a harrowing opening to the new season as Newport deservedly won - capitalising on some terrible defensive errors to create a two-goal cushion quite early on, whilst Ross Dyer also suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Jake Speight (who'd had a bust up with the physio about an hour before kick-off) and Matt Green scored to make it 2-2 just after half-time, but County eventually triumphed with Jefferson Louis on the score-sheet. Remarkably, both teams ended the season by winning promotion to the Football League.
2013: Scunthorpe 2-0 Mansfield
This was Mansfield's first match back in the Football League and it felt almost like an occasion, rather than a game. Scunthorpe had rather unluckily been relegated from League One in 2012/13 and though the Stags' display was spirited, the hosts always had that 'bit extra' which was needed. They took the lead thanks to Matt Sparrow's half-volley and then Sam Winnall doubled it - latching onto a long ball over the top and rounding the advancing Alan Marriott before slotting into an empty net. Louis Briscoe squandered the chance to give Mansfield a consolation goal when he blazed over the upright with a late spot-kick, then barely played for the rest of the season. Scunny initially struggled but eventually went on to win promotion whilst Paul Cox's Stags finished in mid-table.
2014: Northampton 1-0 Mansfield
This was a game which hinted at two teams going in opposite directions. Mansfield had become a shambles of a club to work at because the chairman had slashed the budget to just £800,000 - making it the second-lowest in the division and wanted a squad size of just 22 players, whereas Northampton had spent big to avoid a repeat of their battle against the drop the previous season. Kaid Mohamed, coincidentally part of Bristol Rovers' team who lost to Mansfield on the final day in 2013/14 and were relegated as a result, scored the only goal just before the half-hour mark. MTFC wouldn't provide travel to away games which meant I had to travel down with one of the club sponsors; a nice enough guy though he remarked 'I think we can make the play-offs this year' and I just recall thinking he was miles off with his judgement. Mansfield finished just a few points and places above the drop zone.
2017: Dagenham 2-1 Barrow
This was a totally 'random' pick for the opening day, having capitalised on £1 bus fares to London with Megabus - something which have unfortunately long since ceased to exist. On a hot day, Dagenham converted twice in quick succession to go 2-0 up by the midway point in the first period and it took Barrow until the 86th minute to find a consolation with Dan Jones' clever first-time lob-shot from a long ball over the top ruining the home 'keepers clean-sheet bonus. I'd been under no illusions that Barrow might struggle in this season and so it proved as they went through several bosses but at least avoided relegation to the National League North. Dagenham also finished in a mediocre position.
2018: Harrogate 2-2 Sutton
This was a 'red letter' occasion for Harrogate Town as it was their first ever game in the top tier of non-league football. The 1,300 or so in attendance (including around 100 from South London) were treated to a decent performance by the hosts who, despite rattling the woodwork twice early on, fell 1-0 behind just before half-time. New signing Jack Muldoon equalised before Kelvin Langmead looked to have earned the hosts' three points with a late strike, but Jamie Collins' injury-time spot-kick earned Sutton a hard-fought share of the spoils. It didn't come as any surprise that Harrogate went on to have a decent maiden season in the National League - eventually finishing in sixth position.
2018: Newcastle 1-2 Tottenham
I'd always wanted to buy a Season Ticket at a Premier League club and did so at Newcastle United in 2018/19. It was a toss up between either the Magpies or Burnley - therefore, it was an easy decision to make, even more so considering Newcastle have the best walk-out music (Local Hero) of any club in England as well. The weather was glorious and a sun-drenched St James' Park saw three goals inside the opening 20 minutes as Joselu cancelled out Jan Vertonghen's eighth-minute opener before Dele Alli quickly restored Spurs' advantage. The visiting fans, located in the heavens above my seat in the Leazes Stand, made some right noise. Newcastle lost their first five home games but subsequently won five in succession later in the season - making it their best run at home in the Premier League since Sir Bobby Robson was manager in 2003/04.
2019: Doncaster 1-1 Gillingham
Like is often the case with some Doncaster Rovers fans, the doom merchants were out in full force - airing negativity in their view that new boss Darren Moore hadn't had the time to sufficiently strengthen the squad which he'd inherited following Grant McCann's departure to Hull. This was his first competitive game in charge of DRFC and it was the same scenario for his opposite number, Steve Evans, who'd took charge at Gillingham earlier in the summer. The Gills probably shaded things on the day, but it was a good game - a draw being a fair reflection, and nothing at all suggested that either team would struggle in League One!
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