I was one of the lucky few who managed to get tickets to the Commonwealth games which is currently being viewed by millions across the far reaches of the world.

Having spent months from applying for the tickets using the excellent Glasgow 2014 website, to being told I had tickets for two sports I’d never witnessed live before, excitement brewed from the moment the application process started back in 2013, inspired by my experiences of the London Olympic games to see sporting history in front of my eyes again, and to experience another country, although so close, one that I had never visited before.

When I eventually found out that my application for tickets had been partly successful, having got around half of the events I originally applied for in the ballot, the scramble for a hotel and cost effective travel started.

Again, I got lucky, finding a hotel within walking distance of one of the venues, the famous Ibrox stadium, home of Rangers FC, where I knew I would experience Rugby sevens live for the first time, and finding a train that took me into Glasgow without the need for a new mortgage.

And so to my time in Glasgow. After an early start on Thursday morning, a day travelling started from Chatham train station with no delays whatsoever, a rarity for train travel across the south east so I’ve been told.

After six hours on trains, including no air conditioning from London Euston to Glasgow, on one of the hottest days of the year I might add, I arrived in Glasgow with my friends for the weekend.

After eventually finding the hotel, with the help of the very friendly locals which I found throughout my stay, an evening of exploring the city followed before venturing over to Glasgow’s new national hockey centre the following morning.

After a walk that resembled the length of the marathon, thanks to some misreading of signs, we arrived at the impressive site for the hockey competition to see two pool games of the men’s hockey.

Having not seen elite hockey before, I was impressed at the speed of the play, especially with the 34C pitchside temperature and realised I wasn’t as good at hockey as I thought I was when playing for my school side almost a decade ago.

In the first game, a large Indian contingent roared their side to a comfortable 3-1 victory over a Wales side whose goalkeeper had an amazing game keeping the scoreline so tight. Hats off to you David Kettle.

And so on to the highlight of the morning hockey session. The home nation, Scotland against South Africa. Never, have I heard a crowd so raucous in their support for a side as the Scottish public, but alas, even with the home support, South Africa ran out winners thanks to a penalty stroke and a last minute goal to run out 2-0 winners.

Both sides were cheered off the pitch to really prove that the Commonwealth games are “the friendly games.” That was the sport for the day and after exercising the free travel around the city with a Commonwealth games ticket to its’ limits, it was off to St George’s square in the city centre to buy some merchandise to commemorate my visit.

A visit to the world famous Stand Comedy club in the evening capped off a fantastic day.

The best was yet to come….

Onto Saturday, and the event that I was really looking forward to and a chance to support my nation, the rugby sevens at Ibrox Stadium.

The 16 teams competing in the competition were all to play during the session with the big rugby nations coming up against some of the minnows.

The atmosphere was electric and in full on party mood from the off with inflatable racing games across the pitch, Karaoke on the big screens, as well as Kiss Cam, dance cam and bongo cam before any of the matches started.

In what was a morning of some big scorelines, the crowd really did get the British underdog spirit, cheering on Sri Lanka against Australia, so much so that the Sri Lankans eventually scored a try in the last minute in a 62-5 demolition by the Aussies.

The Sri Lankans weren’t the only underdog to get cheered on. I never thought I’d be joining in with 50,000 others with the chants of, “ UGANDA, UGANDA,UGANDA” which reverberated around the famous old ground for the majority of the 14 minute matches, which rivalled and maybe even beat in noise for Scotland versus the favourites and eventual silver medal winners New Zealand in a hard thought 17-14 victory for the men from the Southern Hemisphere.

England comfortably defeated Sri Lanka 59-0 in the session I witnessed and another great day of live sport.

After a night on the tiles, which meant I woke up Sunday morning with a whiskey headache, it was the final opportunity to see some sport, this time with the free marathon event which ran straight past the hotel we were staying at.

The lead group went past us in a flash at the 7km stage and my thoughts were, I’ll stick to playing football as the speed they ran past us, I could probably do for the length of a football pitch, let alone 26 miles.

All in all, I really enjoyed my time in Glasgow and it’s a city I would return to again, for my first sporting love, football to see an old firm game and I’ll definitely be watching rugby sevens and hockey again.

In fact, I might even pick up the stick again after 8 years. Commonwealth games legacy: it’s worked for me.