I pick up speed, as I walk briskly down Meadow Lane, following a thrilling 1-1 draw between Notts County and Stockport County. The game has had the ebb and flow and feel of a Cup tie. An angry Hatters fan gets out of his car and hurls abuse at a steward, as the police have closed the road off to ensure a safe exit for all supporters. Mr Angry has a tantrum and starts removing all the traffic cones that are blocking the road. A copper intervenes. The supporters sing "he's a baby."
I arrive home after a refreshing pint at the Fox and Grapes in Sneinton. My mood is lifted even higher with news that Lincoln City have thumped Burnley 4-1 at Sincil Bank.
I can be a proper nuisance when Strictly Come Dancing is on the TV set. I'm often told to put my headphones on and shut up. A small guy catches my eye as he trips and stumbles across the dance floor. "He's rubbish" I shout out to nobody in particular. Turns out it was former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who was famously released by Nottingham Forest in 1998 - they don't get many wrong at The City Ground, but staff deemed him too small to make the grade. He is also booted off SCD the following evening. I can't 'arf pick 'em.
Tea is taken at Castle Rock's Bread and Bitter on Mapperley Top after work on Tuesday. I wash down sausage, mustard mash and onion gravy with a pale ale. Rock bottom Gedling Miners Welfare are entertaining Stapleford Town. I bump into blog legend Ian Upton. I actually heard him before I saw him. Both his lads are in the visiting team's squad.
I hook up with my midweek sparring partner, Faggsy. Yafiet Gebretensay scores a wonder goal that's worth its weight in gold. He turns his man, steps on the gas, before firing a shot into the roof of the net. The 3-0 final score is harsh on Gedling who have had their moments, but right now they are down on their luck.
It's a 'Spoons tea on Wednesday evening (Korean chicken) at the Roebuck Inn on St James's Street, just off Nottingham's Slab Square. Literally two weeks ago, just a few hundred yards away, a policeman was shot in the foot, right outside a branch of a newsagent I work for. He is still recovering in hospital.
Notts County under 18s are playing Burton Albion in the first round of the FA Youth Cup. I sit in the Derek Pavis Stand with Pies' season ticket holder Faggsy. I've a keen interest in youth football as I was Head of Recruitment at Notts County Academy for five years. I worked for a guy called Mick Leonard, who was not only a good boss, but a shrewd, first-class spotter of talent.
We drew Liverpool out of the hat in 2011 and were still in the game at 0-0 just before half time, when Liverpool's 16 year old Raheem Sterling found his feet and turned up the heat. He had recently been signed from QPR, who were later to receive £8 million, with a 20% sell-on clause, following his move to Man City.
The Magpies young 'uns looked to have a split of year one and year two scholars. The Brewers are bigger in size and stature. 17 year old Kameron Muir, who recently signed a three year professional contract, scores a spectacular acrobatic kick directly from a corner. They bow out of the Cup following a late winner by the visitors. There's time for a swift pint from Shiny Brewery at the King Billy before lights out.
I'm in Grantham on Friday and it's not to pay a visit to Margaret Thatcher's statue. The only time I felt sorry for the 'Iron Lady' was when her husband Dennis passed away. Thatcher died ten years later, in her room at The Ritz Hotel, in Mayfair.
I tick off the Lord Harrowby, a back street pub just outside the town centre. I sink a cracking pint of Fiction and Flattery, a peanut butter stout from Bang the Elephant Brewery, which is based in Langley Mill. I peg it back to the station in quick time as my EMR 5pm train has been cancelled. I'd have been more surprised if it had turned up to be honest. I rustle up for supper homemade beef burgers smothered in a tasty sauce as Ms Moon gets all excited about the final episode of Celebrity Traitors. Beam me up Scotty.
It's rinse and repeat on Saturday. I'm up at 3 a.m. and the papers don't arrive until 6 am. I'm blowing a gasket and feeling grumpy (thanks for your help Sean). I had intended to watch Carlton Town v AFC Rushden, but the Stags v Pies game looks too good to miss.
I wander through Arnold and end up catching a Pronto bus outside what used to be called the White Hart. It was a Berni Inn back in the day, until a foot and mouth epidemic killed off any hope of a juicy T-Bone steak.
Not too many people have whiled away a lunchtime in Mansfield Bus Station whilst eating a Yo Sushi dragon prawn roll. I stroll around the town centre. It's real ale heaven in the Brown Cow, Garrison and Railway Inn. A busker sings Beatles songs very badly as I approach the Four Seasons shopping centre. The Mansfield Socialist Party are handing out pamphlets.
In the 2024 General Election over 12,000 people voted for one of north Notts's biggest buffoons, Ben Bradley. A bigger ego I have yet to see. A further 9,000 voted Reform. Labour hold a 3,500 majority. They have returned monies to the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and British Coal Staff which should boost and help the local economy.
Pies fans are holed up in The Wheatsheaf. They are cheery, beer-fuelled and full of hope after two good results against Sheff Wed and Stockport. I take my seat in the Ian Greaves Lower Stand. I was at Wembley in 1987 when the Stags won the Freight Rover Trophy, with Greaves in charge. A lad in the nets for them, Kevin Hitchcock, played cricket with me at Keyworth. He won the game for them that day.
Mansfield are unbeaten at home for eight months. I was there the last time they lost a League game against Lincoln City. They haven't lost in their last six outings. The DJ plays what he wants during the first half an hour of his set. A Sam Smith single has me shaking my head as does Mansfield Town's performance in the first half. U Pies bop and pop them off the park. They play with confidence and a swagger. It's astonishing that it takes almost half an hour to take the lead through a stunning strike by Callum Roberts, who has been on the pitch less than five minutes.
Rockwell's 1984 top ten hit, 'Somebody's Watching Me' is the pick of the toons played on Radio Stag at the break. Notts continue to dominate and spurn chances. As early as the 47th minute with Smyth missing a sitter following a beautiful ball played in from the left by the impressive Samuels-Smith.
Mansfield have given the ball away cheaply for most of the afternoon. This trend continues in the 65th minute when Daniel Kanu pounces on a loose ball. He seems to fall as he shoots but it catches out Stags' 'keeper Liam Roberts, who appears to be wrong-footed. The celebrations are wild at the far end, but not so where I'm sitting. A moron, sat close by, hurls abuse at the players and Clough - remember no home loss in 8 months and unbeaten in the last 6 games.
A potty-mouthed twit, adjacent to me, calls Callum Roberts a 'cheating County see you next Tuesday.' He's accompanied by a small child, who thankfully has her headphones on as she watches a Peppa Pig video.
County run the clock down. The crowd ole to the keep-ball short passing. Mansfield are fagged out. Scott Robertson and young Rory Finneran have orchestrated and dictated play in the middle of the park. The Stags have never got near them.
Player of the Match: Scott Robertson (Samuels-Smith a close second)
Attendance: 9,890
Best New Record Heard on the Radio: Sex Mask, Beheadal
Best Old Record Heard on the Radio: Odyssey, lnside OutBest Real Ale Supped: Gravity Grown, Pentrich Brewery, in Cock and Hoop
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