Jez Ryan has been coming to Birmingham City for three decades but has never been able to experience a match like this before.
Watching her beloved Blues while boozing. Sipping on a beer, taking the edge away from a freezing and rain-soaked afternoon at St Andrew’s.
Drowning her sorrows as Bristol City-supporting friends are toasting their goals flowing in.
Dry January this isn’t. But this could be seen as public service drinking.
Each pint downed is helping authorities assess whether it’s safe to allow drinking in stadiums like these again for the first time in four decades at English football.
For now only the women’s game is part of trials and only in the second-tier Championship – also at Bristol City, Southampton and Newcastle United.
“I think it’s wonderful,” Ms Ryan says. “But I don’t think today is a measure of if it was in the Premier League.
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“But I think it will work if it’s monitored properly. I think people are responsible now.
“There is less thuggery in the game. People are responsible. It’s more family-oriented in the game.
“It’s a day out like a musical festival. So if that’s the culture change we need, then bring it on.”
A note of caution has been sounded by police, warning more officers would be required to deal with an expectation fans would become soaked in alcohol.
But their focus is very much on the men’s game where all 2,584 football-related arrests occurred last season.
Stadium environments are not as toxic as 1985 when the booze ban was introduced.
It is a ban that technically only covered the top five men’s divisions in England but has been adopted across the top women’s leagues as well despite a less toxic fan culture.
At Birmingham City there is a hope that providing a different fan experience at women’s matches could accelerate the growth of crowds and, ultimately, help players.
“We want to be able to entice people to come here, to see the women’s game and have a great day out,” CEO Jeremy Dale told Sky News.
“If they spend a bit more money, that puts more money back into the women’s game and we all benefit.
“It’s the first step in a journey and we will only know how big a first step it will be once we get through the trials, see the results, see how people respond.”
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It was providing hope to fans, across Birmingham at Villa Park, where the other match of the day was being played in the Premier League.
There Aston Villa fans were hoping one day they won’t be stopped taking a pint from the concourse bar to their seat – at men’s or women’s football.
The only time Leon Broadmore has been able to drink during the match is following Villa in places like Germany and the United States.
“The 80s is gone, the 90s with the thugs I think has gone now,” he said going into yesterday’s match against West Ham. “So in the ground I don’t think it would be a problem now.”
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But football is more diverse now – especially in a city like Birmingham with fans teetotal due to their religion.
“I don’t drink at all – it’s not an issue,” said Sukh Singh, chairman of Birmingham’s official supporters’ club.
“I think it’s more about just people being comfortable in the environment and at a women’s game. It’s definitely, definitely that. It’s more relaxed. It’s more fun. It’s more child, family friendly.
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“It’s not the be all end all of anything but as an added attraction, why not? Especially for the women’s games and to increase the attendances … as long as it’s done with the right attitude.”
Just as it is allowed all day in cricket, rugby and horse racing.
But Scottish fans will be looking south of the border enviously at English women’s football piloting allowing drinking in the seats. They are banned from boozing in regular fan areas in stadiums.
English football, though, is changing one sip at a time – letting more beer flow on matchdays in more parts of stadiums.
