Holy s%$#!, that's a great story. Can I call you Dumf?
My first trip to the stadium (during the off season) also involved some negotiating to get in. And by negotiating I mean, we asked the hooligan who was leaning against an open gate "hey we're fans, can we just walk in?"
As an aside - my cousin just got back from a trip to Edinburgh. So, the first thing I thought as I read your post was "wow they move fast."
Anyway, welcome to the forums!