The diary for November is full to the brim. December will be dedicated to the shop as business ramps up for the Christmas period. Midweek football is thin on the ground at this time of year. Local teams take a breather from their heavy schedules. The early rounds of the Notts Senior Cup take place. I saw Carlton Town exit the competition in the first round to an impressive Sherwood Colliery. The Millers can count themselves unlucky, but once again they failed to take their chances. Their current form is a cause for concern.
It's Thursday evening and pitch black dark. I'm wandering through The Avenues, in Sneinton Market. Neon Raptor would be my usual port of call - but not this evening. A guy called Paddy Sneath, who I know from Keyworth United, has opened a pizza restaurant called Working Man's Kitchen in the old market place. It's well known for its 'world famous' Pizza Dog, which sells well in the fan zone at The City Ground. I wolf down a pepperoni pizza that's dripping in mouth-watering hot honey - it's delicious folks. You should try his 'half price Thursdays.'
The rest of the evening is spent in the Derek Randall Suite, at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, listening to Clive Rice's biographer, Tim Crow, giving a talk about the amazing life of the South African all-rounder. I remember my Dad, Frank, tipping us the wink that Rice was to be sacked by Notts for joining the Kerry Packer World Series League in 1978. I caught a Barton's bus with my mate Keebo, from Keyworth to the ground, straight after school. We arrived just as Rice was packing his belongings into his car. Bless him, he still signed autographs. He was reinstated by the Club a week later, and was joined by new signing, a Kiwi called Richard Hadlee. It was the beginning of a formidable partnership and a fantastic era to be part of as a Notts supporter.
Friday is spent in the Warwickshire town of Rugby. Tony Mac and I take a stroll up to Rugby School, where outside there's a statue of William Webb-Ellis, who has been credited as the inventor of the game of rugby. I've never been to a Rugby Union game; only a Rugby League cup tie at Craven Park, in the city of Hull. We tick off five Good Pub Guide entries and a Heritage Pub in the quaint coaching town of Atherstone before returning home to Nottingham from Tamworth.
It's Saturday lunchtime and I'm hanging around the foyer inside Nottingham Railway Station, waiting for Football Manager's Head of EFL Research, Dean Gripton, who is grabbing a late breakfast in Sneinton, following a heavy night in Hockley after watching 80s indie band Spizzenergi at Rough Trade.
We make the short trip to Derby. It's a 15 minute walk to the ground. Wayne Rooney's (as they say) Plymouth's Argyle are in town. There is an immaculately observed minute's silence before the game as tomorrow is Remembrance Sunday. Rooney receives a warm welcome from the Rams' faithful, who appreciate the fine job he did under trying circumstances.
Derby take an early lead through an acrobatic overhead kick by their forward, Jerry Yates. Argyle are awful and give little to cheer up their fans who have made the 480 mile round trip. It's a miracle that their only shot on target, a deflected free kick, somehow loops over the 'keeper and nestles in the bottom of the net.
The Rams can't force a winner, and aren't particularly impressive either. It looks like a season of consolidation, which fans in the Exeter Arms, post-match, say they will settle for. Cotgrave-born midfielder, Liam Thompson, is their stand-out performer. He covers every blade of grass and has the heart the size of a bucket. He's definitely one to keep an eye on, as another youngster rolls off the DCFC Academy conveyor belt. He was signed up from Dunkirk FC. Upo's and Harby's old stomping ground.
Shiver me timbers, the railway station ain't half busy the following day, as it's matchday at The City Ground. Another inept train operating company. Cross Country Trains, can't dampen our day by cancelling trains due to a 'crew shortage,' Tony Mac and I are settled in the Black Eagle heritage pub, in Hockley, Birmingham by 3.30pm.
The city centre is a piece of cake to circumnavigate by UBER or on foot on a quiet Sunday afternoon. The Barton Arms and Old Moseley Arms are stunning pubs to tick off. Tonight we are here to see Irish post punk band Gurriers, having been caught out the wrong side of town, when they played in Nottingham, at the Dot to Dot Festival back in May. The gig is at an iconic venue called Hare and Hounds in the King's Heath area of the city. It's a sell out and the band blow the house down.
We're gigging again on Tuesday evening. I'm still exhausted after the weekend, but summon up the energy and drive to get myself to the cosy Barrel Drop micropub on Hurts Yard. Fat Dog, a boisterous post-punk band from London, are on stage at Rescue Rooms tonight - they've recently been named as one of the Artists of the Year by BBC 6Music. We know what to expect, as Mac and I saw them at The Level, part of NTU, at Dot to Dot, back in 2023. They don't disappoint. It's bedlam in the mosh pit as we view the ensuing chaos from the balcony.
I'm picked up outside Laguna curry house, in Nottingham city centre at 7.30 on Friday morning by Crazy Steve. It's a restaurant I'll be eating at in a week's time when we're booked in for the Keyworth Dream League Christmas Party.
We rendezvous at Little Al's house, in West Bridgford, where we jump into Cotgrave Trev's car. Two hours later we're on a tube from Canons Park, destination is Southfields, near to Wimbledon. We walk through Wimbledon Common before turning into Putney Vale Cemetery and Crematorium.
The lads tick off six Victoria Cross winners who are laid to rest here. I had hoped to find a memorial plaque on a tree, in memory of James Beck (Private Walker) off Dad's Army. It's like finding a needle in a haystack. We do manage to track down the final resting places of 'General Erich Von Klinkerhoffen' from the comedy series Allo Allo, Roy Plomley, host of Desert Island Discs, Greg Lake, and Howard Carter, the archaeologist, who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun.
There's high jinks and laughter as we tick off four heritage pubs in Wandsworth, Waterloo and Clapham Junction. We meet an England Under 18 Lacrosse player who is travelling up to Stockport to play in a game tomorrow. We pepper him with loads of questions. He's hoping to be at Nottingham Uni next year. We dine at Melissa, a Turkish restaurant in Edgware, before the drive home. Thank you Cotgrave Trev!
Ms Moon and I have lunch up on Mapperley Top on Saturday at Alora, a small plate tapas restaurant. The head chef has cooked for Gordon Ramsay and Tom Kerridge, as well as being executive head chef at World Service, in Nottingham, for five years. The Korean sticky chicken and pork belly melt in the mouth.
We have a wander around the charity shops, trying to sniff out a bargain, before the short journey up the road to Gedling Miners Welfare. It's £6 on the gate. The skies are already darkening as the players emerge from the changing rooms. Plains Road must be one of the highest points in the county. It's always advisable to wear an extra layer.
Faggsy is up here. Retford, who are tied for third spot with GMW, take an early lead with a deflected shot from outside the box which deceives the 'keeper. The Miners' Felix Hogg is shown a straight Red card for an off the ball incident shortly before half time.
A shivering Ms Moon nips across the road at half time for a coffee with her bestie, Jill. Faggsy and I chat to a couple of friendly, knowledgeable supporters from Retford in the clubhouse. Josh Thornton is like a man possessed and outstanding for Gedling in the second half. He has boundless energy and reads the game so well. Miners hang in there until the fifth minute of injury time when the visitors finally put the game to bed.
Attendance: 197 - great support from Retford
Man of the Match: Josh Thornton
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