Burton Joyce 5-3 Cotgrave

I glance back towards the turnstiles of York City's Bootham Crescent, for one final time. 88 years of football being played here will be confined to the history books, this time next week when Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley bring their Chester team here for the final ever League game on the hallowed turf - unless further delays are announced.

We enjoy a cracking night out, pacing up and down the cobbled streets of York city centre. We tick off The Minster, Eagle and Child, Phoenix, Golden Ball and re-visit, for Sticky Palms, the excellent Brew York, with its superb range of real ales and craft beers. We finish the night off with a dirty kebab.

I'm as fresh as a daisy in the morning after sleeping like a baby in Sprakey Airport's basement flat. My Godson, Will, is as white as a ghost after a double-figures session. We drop him off at his Uni digs before heading home to Nottingham. I take advantage of Ms Moon nipping down to the Marks and Spencer Food Hall at Victoria Retail Park, in Netherfield, by sloping off for a couple of jars in the wonderful Old Volunteer, on Burton Road - it's in all the pub books, folks.

Monday night is a washout. Emmerdale, a double helping of Corrie and Love Island on ITV2 puts me in a coma by 9.15 pm. I'm excited for Tuesday, to be honest. I dash out of the doors of Ideagen PLC at 4 pm on the dot. I'm parked up in Lincoln by 5.15 pm, despite crawling in traffic for the last couple of miles.

Kenny Jackett's promotion-chasing Portsmouth are in town. With the amount of blues and twos in action, it looks like all police leave is cancelled - although I don't sense or see any trouble. 1000 Pompey fans have made the 425 mile round trip on a school night - I salute them all.

I am cursing them, though, as I walk through the doors of the Ritz Wetherspoons on High Street, as I had hoped to experience a new dining cuisine (bacon and Brie baguette). The building was opened in 1932 as an Odeon cinema (the same year as York City's Bootham Crescent). I have many happy memories of watching films, as a little lad here, such as Lady and the Tramp and The Aristocats, with my lovely Nana - it was just a 15-minute walk from her warden-aided bedsit. I do an about-turn as the bar is six deep with beer-swilling, well behaved Pompey fans.

I squeeze down the Glory Hole, off the High Street, and wander onto the Brayford Waterfront. Another 'Spoons' is bustling with folk. I usually frequent Ask Italian pre-match, as the snap is decent and the restaurant is a lucky charm - 'The Lincoln' never lose when I dine here. The Taxman and I had a poor dining experience here for the Bolton Wanderers game a few weeks back. The service was poor and the kitchen staff had the handling skills of Fawlty Towers Spanish waiter, Manuel.

Stevie Wonder is on the Ask Italian dukey as I peel off four layers of clothing. A bitter wind chill is blowing in from the North Sea (Skeggy) with sub-zero temperatures expected. I hoover down a posh spicy sausage pasta dish and some garlic bread. I pay my dues and tip an excellent waiter before heading to the ground with the hordes of Pompey fans.

I settle into my seat in the Selenity Stand, safe in the knowledge of knowing that my eyes have never witnessed an Imps League defeat from this view in over 20 years. The Lincoln pre-match 'playlist' is off the scale, folks. Blossoms, Editors and Kasabian get my feet tapping, restoring blood circulation to my frozen feet.

The first half is as dull as dishwater as both teams eye up one another, cancelling each other out. I'm looking forward to a half time cup of Bovril as Harry Anderson, too clever for his own boots, is needlessly dispossessed. A free-kick is given away, which is thumped home from 22 yards out by the Republic of Ireland international Ronan Curtis, three minutes into added time.

Rumours are rife that Nottingham Forest loanee, Tyler Walker, is to return home to his parent club. Tonight, due to a dead leg, he is on the bench. Our talisman can't add to his 16 goal tally, as the Imps contribute to their own downfall, by gifting the visitors a penalty kick, after some farcical playing-out from the back. I usually have a strop, on my way back to the car, when we suffer a loss. I gesticulate and moan with anyone remotely interested on Shakespeare Street.

Thank the Lord it's the weekend; I've had a tough week in the office. I jump on the No.27 bus into Nottingham and alight on Southwell Road, close to the Motorpoint Arena. I shed a bucket full of tears, as I pass the Neon Raptor Tap Room in Sneinton Market - there's no date night with their rocket fuel craft ales this evening. Tonight I'm venturing out south of the river to the land known to the bitter and twisted (me) as 'Bread 'n Lard Island.'

It's the Big Man's (Bish) birthday bash at The Botanist on The Avenue in West Bridgford (there I said it). I wander in and clock 'Big Ed' (ironic nickname) sipping on a non-alcoholic bottle of Heineken. I order up a pint of Neck Oil from the Beavertown Brewery. We're soon joined by 'Bruiser', Big Man' Moyes and Rotton. A pattern begins to emerge as the bottles of zero per cent 'lager' appear on the scene. The Shandy drinking side, south of the river, rears its ugly head - I thought I was back in South Normanton for a moment. I enjoy my hot Cumberland Scotch egg and prawn linguine, accompanied by a large, stiff gin - thank you, Big Man, for settling the bill, I thoroughly enjoyed it with a great bunch of lads for company.

I toss and turn in bed. The noise of fireworks lights up the sky. Simpletons are celebrating BREXIT, none more so than in the Tory stronghold of South Normanton, where the 'Big Babies Squad' will be off their pea-brained minds on vodka Red Bull - I thought the Neanderthals were celebrating the Silver Jubilee up there a few weeks ago, when we were greeted with a sea of Union Jacks in a village decimated by Thatcher's pit closure programme.

Ms Moon and I are up and at 'em after a decent lie-in on Saturday morning. We enjoy a croissant and a salted caramel bun before heading up to Gedling Village, where former Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Steve Hodge grew up - read his book The Man With Maradona's Shirt, it's class.

We park the car close to All Hallows Church. Mission today, on the celebrity grave hunt, is to find the final resting place of two Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club legends: Alfred Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury; buried a cricket pitch length apart.

It's Shaw I'm really interested in. I had a 'drop your bacon sandwich' moment earlier in the week during research, (yes, I do some prep for this blog, you cheeky sod, reader). I discovered that Alfred Shaw, born in Burton Joyce, bowled the first-ever ball in Test cricket for England v Australia in 1877 and also was the first player to take five wickets in aTest innings. Even more astonishing is that he is buried less than two miles from our house.

The church and spire are huge. You would presume that it's filled with hundreds of graves; it isn't. I soon locate Shaw's grave. The lettering is barely legibly; battered by over a hundred years of harsh weather, at one of the highest points in Notts. Shrewsbury's grave is close to the front gate. In 1903 he took his own life, after incorrectly believing he had an incurable disease. We drive, in silence, up to the Travellers Rest on Mapperley Plains.

The Poplars, home to Burton Joyce FC, is a ten-minute drive away. Burton Joyce is a village in the parish of Gedling district, with a population of just under 4,000. Notable residents from the past include Sherrie Hewson of Coronation St and Benidorm fame and Matthew Horne the actor who played Gavin from the hit TV show Gavin and Stacey. It was reported on Dec 20th, 2018, that Horne had been struck by a train close to the Lord Nelson pub in the village; he escaped with minor injuries.

The last time I came here, only a few years ago, was dark times for the Club. They could only raise nine men for a midweek fixture. There was no Senior section the following season, which is astonishing for a set up that boasts over 30 teams at junior level.

I'm gobsmacked to be asked to part with £3 per person at the 'turnstile' (Tupperware box outside the clubhouse). When did this creep into the Notts Senior League?  I can think of many fantastic community clubs who don't charge in this League, such as Keyworth United and Cotgrave. I bet their bar tills are ringing to four figures too, as engaged villagers proudly watch their boys. For the record, 22 people from close on a 4000 population make the effort today (at least eight are from Cotgrave).

We stand with a strong wind at our backs and get chatting to a couple of friendly folk who follow Carlton Town - one of Sticky's faves, who have been hosed off today. Cotgrave won't be that chuffed that I've rocked up, as I've seen them rolled over this season by Woodthorpe Rangers and Keyworth United respectively.

Burton get the ball down and play a game that's easy on the eye. A goal has been coming and duly arrives with the fast feet of Reece Campbell who dances his way through a static defence before finishing with aplomb.

We speed walk to the clubhouse, at the break, which isn't much warmer than outside and lacks any vibe. A lady counts today's takings on the gate. We don't bother with a tea, coffee or chocolate as we've been wiped out for change due to the admission charge. I've only got £20 notes on me (not being flash but was in West Bridgford last night, the Holmes Chapel of Notts).

The second half is a treat with two outstanding players bagging hat-tricks, scoring goals of high quality. BJ go 5-1 up with outstanding 17-year-old winger, Josh Gardner, claiming the match ball, or so he thought.

We're stood behind the goal with the 'Cotgrave Eight.' They're such lovely, upbeat people; not downhearted with the scoreline whatsoever. 21-year-old Lucas Cotterill celebrated his birthday last night with his girlfriend in Birmingham. He has the heart of a lion and is undeterred or affected by the score. He scores a brilliant hat-trick and sees another effort crash off the crossbar. Both he and Gardner will move up the football pyramid, and we'll be paying more than £3 to watch them then.

Attendance (headcount) 22

Men of the Match: Josh Gardner and Lucas Cotterill