The mood is buoyant in the Millers' clubhouse after Carlton's 3-0 victory over an off-colour Cleethorpes Town. The visiting fans are in a sombre mood as they pack up their flags and head off home to the North East Lincolnshire coast. There's no post match interview with their mardy manager due to a 'technical glitch' Not only do they sing when they are fishing, but ONLY when they win too! Compare this to the fist pumps and smiles as wide as the nearby river Trent, as the home fans party, prior to the Leeds United v Newcastle United game on the TV set.
I order an Uber taxi and head off into town. I'm meeting Tony Mac at the Angel Microbrewery, in Nottingham's Lace Market. We're due to see American post-punk band Bambara, at The Bodega, on Pelham Street, in the city centre. The pub bar (Angel) is ten deep with customers. I check my phone whilst I wait for Mac. He messages me some bad news: "gig's off mate, due to illness."
Well, there's nowt we can do about it. Ms Moon has her bestie, Jill, round for a drink tonight. I don't want to spoil their evening by arriving home unexpectedly. We get stuck into a few ales at the old crowd favourites: Six Barrels, Cock and Hoop, Kean's Head, Junkyard and the Barrel Drop.
We have a lazy Sunday. I spend the afternoon knocking up episode one of Season 21 of The Groundhopper. It can't go on forever, but I'll give it another season. I'm motivated to write by listening to four hours of back-to-back Radcliffe and Maconie on 6Music.
It's back to the grind on Monday morning, at MSR News in Arnold. There's a new sheriff in town on Front Street that needs introducing to you, the blog reader. His name is Basil the Bluenose, who is a Dachshund puppy. His mum, Elaine, works at a nearby bar. His partner in crime is Dad, Steve. They are as thick as thieves folks. Frequenting pubs not only in Arnold, but also Mansfield.
Basil and I got off to a bad start when he chose to have a whoopsie in the shop. To be fair I let him off a yellow card as it was close to where the Daily Mails are piled up - I used a copy of one to wipe up his mess; I quite enjoyed it to be honest. Basil won't talk to me if I'm wearing a baseball cap or if Birmingham City get spanked. He's still mardy on Monday after their 2-0 reverse at the King Power Stadium on Friday evening.
I'm back in Nottingham on Tuesday evening. I dine at Slice 'n Brew, an independent pizzeria near to the Cornerhouse complex. I love their salami and hot honey thin crust pizza with a truffle and Parmesan dip. After tea I wander down to a pub at the bottom of Hockley called Bunkers Hill, a popular haunt for Nottingham Panthers ice hockey fans. Our man Mac is sat in the bar. We watch Lincoln City take the lead over Notts County in the Football League Trophy.
We take a wander past the Bath Inn in Sneinton Market before turning right onto Aberdeen Street. We're making our debut at a venue called J.T. Soar. For the princely sum of £15 they are putting on four bands. I'm particularly impressed with local group Sofftness, who I'll definitely take a second look at on their next outing. New South Wales, Aussie rockers, R.M.F.C. finish off the evening with a powerful set.
On Monday evening Ms Moon and I watch a documentary on BBC iPlayer called 'The Vanishing Cyclist' - thanks for the heads up 'Our Kid.' It's about a charity cyclist who vanishes into thin air whilst on a ride from Fort William. I don't want to spoil it, but it's compelling viewing with a desperately sad ending.
I'm up in Greater Manchester on Thursday on a Heritage Pub and Victoria Cross grave memorial day. Cotgrave Trev is piloting. Crazy Steve and Little Al complete the quartet. On 23rd April, 2013, 25 year old Fusilier Lee Rigby, a drummer and machine-gunner, was attacked and murdered by Islamic terrorists near to Royal Artillery Barracks, in Woolwich. Rigby was mowed down by a car and then hacked and stabbed to death. He is laid to rest at Boarshaw Cemetery, in Middleton, close to Rochdale. We pay our respects at his grave.
The pub of the day is the Old Cross Inn, in the town of Radcliffe, which is near Bury. It's a relatively unspoilt heritage pub that's from the Joseph Holt stable. The landlady makes a proper fuss of us when she hears how far we have come. She takes a photo of the group for the pub Facebook page and gifts us all with a Joseph Holt pint pot - what a lovely touch.
There's no rest for the wicked. I have breakfast with Mac at The Avenues, in Sneinton Market, bright and early on Friday morning. An hour later we board the 8.41 EMR train to Ipswich. On board are Coops and Matt Limon. It's another Keyworth Jolly Boys Outing. We change at Ely, where we hook up with Mad Dog and Ackers. By twelve bells we're basking in the autumnal sunshine at the Steamboat Tavern, a popular, historic riverside tavern.
Sticky Palms gets in bad books when he drags the lads on a long, uphill hike out of town to the Margaret Catchpole CAMRA Heritage pub, only to find it's been shut down for a week. I try to make amends by shouting a round up at the Fat Cat Brewery pub, another half an hour walk away.
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The day is great fun until I receive an email at 7pm. Those tossers at EMR have cancelled our train home due to a shortage of train crew. The sickness culture created by full pay for illness, fought for by the Union, needs reviewing, as this is prevalent, particularly at weekends. We arrive back in Nottingham, via the Leicestershire pork pie capital, Melton Mowbray and an expensive Uber ride.
I'm still blowing a gasket on Saturday. It's not helping me that Ms Moon is watching the back catalogue of Little House on the Prairie on the Great TV channel. I crank up the laptop and fire off a complaint to Trainline, who immediately agree to compensate me. Ms Moon says it's probably not a good idea to connect with the cowboy CEO of East Midlands Trains on LinkedIn as I might receive a lifetime ban. I agree for now to let it rest, or at least until I've had a couple of stiff Hendricks gins.
Ms Moon and I have lunch at the Old Flower Shop on Mapperley Top. The food and service is excellent. The cheesecake that I have for dessert is to die for. They've certainly upped their game since knocking through into the old fruit and veg shop next door, which has enabled them to double their capacity.
It's a short trip up to Gedling MW's Plains Road ground today. It doesn't take long for Sticky's favourite, Joel Stevens, to open the scoring after a powerful run. The goal deflates the visitors who started the game brightly. They restore parity shortly after half-time, but soon lose heart after two stunning goals from the Miners.
It's the wee right back, Orlando, that catches the eye. He's only a young 'un but already has an excellent football brain. He's neat, tidy and comfortable on the ball. The lad has no interest in being petulant or immature, he just gets on with his game. Hopefully he gets another outing at Southwell on Wednesday evening.
Woman of the Week: Landlady at the Old Cross Inn
Attendance: 84
Best Track Heard This Week: 'Echoes', by Sorry
Favourite Ale of the Week: Wylam, Frenzied Reveller, Fox and Grapes, Sneinton
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