It's 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday October 26th and I'm sat in Castle Rock's The Embankment pub. It's where Jessie Boot housed his first ever dispensary outside of Nottingham. It has an iconic black and white facade at the front of the building and was once known as Boots Social Club. If there was ever rain stopped play at the cricket across the road at Trent Bridge or it was the lunch break, my mate Ackers and I would pop across for a couple of frames of snooker. In all honesty, all I was interested in was potting a couple of pints of draught bitter.
I'm sat with my two lads, 'The Keyworth Georgie Best' and 'Our Joe.' KGB is still smarting from the Tricky Trees 0-4 drubbing by the posh lads of London, Fulham. As reported on these very pages, he headed for the exit on 61 minutes when the third goal went in. He stormed into 'The Boot Room' and shouted up a pint of full fat Coca Cola as he's on 'Dry October.' Meanwhile 'Our Joe's' initiation song at his new club has gone viral on social media. The landlady wasn't too happy at the Nags Head, in East Leake, that a few pint glasses shattered as he belted out Cher's 'Believe' which somehow hit the top of the pops in 1998.
We enjoy a natter and grab some tea. I wish the KGB a safe journey to QPR's Loftus Road ground where Nottingham Forest are playing on Friday. I cross over London Road and onto Meadow Lane. My e-ticket is scanned at the turnstile. I manage a quick chat with Alan Jackson and The Taxman who is now also a Pies season ticket holder. Jacko asks me how I managed to miss Che Adams when I was scouting for the Pies. Adams was picked out at a trial for Ilkeston Academy by former Chelsea and D***y County striker Kevin Wilson. His progress was rapid and he had the choice of many clubs. Sheffield United paid a fee for him.
I sit in the Derek Pavis Stand about ten rows from the front. The first thing I notice is how much my vision has improved. I'm back to see my specialist tomorrow so he can check on my progress. Notts are on the back of an excellent 2-1 victory over big spending Stockport County who brought a 1700 following. The Hatters showed their intent by signing Antoni Sarcevic who was captain at League One Bolton Wanderers.
High-flying Bromley, from south London, are tonight's visitors. They are managed by Andy Woodman who was goalkeeper coach for Alan Pardew at Newcastle United. He is so funny on the Undr the Cosh podcast - give it a listen if you can.
The first half is tit for tat and cagey as both teams weigh one another up. The game is played without risk. I begin to wonder at half time if this is going to be my first 0-0 in nearly two years. That thought is soon put to bed one minute into the second half with captain Kyle Cameron scoring a pearler following a brilliant passage of play.
Notts remind me of my team Lincoln City, the rub of the green never seems to go their way. They concede a farcical goal and then Cal Roberts hits a howitzer of a shot that rattles the bar. The Pies will be disappointed to have only taken one point and now have a tough away fixture at Grimsby Town's Blundell Park on Saturday.
I complain to my specialist on Wednesday morning that my vision is impaired under artificial lighting and that I'm in considerable pain. I'm prescribed some strong anti-biotics and further drops. The improvement is amazing. Ms Moon reports some sad news on Wednesday evening, Natasha has been shot and killed on Corrie. I ask if she is the fit one. I'm in the doghouse for the rest of the evening.
I celebrate Tommy's birthday (work colleague and good friend) at The Frame Breakers in Ruddington on Thursday after work. I swing by Junkyard on the way home and browse the best beer menu in Nottingham. A couple of Basqueland beers ensure an uninterrupted night's sleep.
It's Friday evening and I'm beginning to feel a tad under the weather. There's no date night with Tony Mac in town. In fact I struggle to get a couple of cans down my neck. I watch the second half of QPR v Forest. The Tricky Trees look to be heading for a narrow defeat until a Jack Colback deflected shot flies into the net. I punch the air from my armchair. My eyes turn back to the TV set. I see a youth celebrating on the front row. He's grimacing and gasping for air as fans clamber over seats to celebrate with the players. It's none other than 'The Keyworth Georgie Best.' I go to bed with a huge smile on my face.
I'm still feeling rough on Saturday morning. I take a lateral flow test as I've a busy day ahead and don't want to put people at risk. It's negative, so it's all systems go. The plan today is to catch the 26 bus to Southwell to watch their final ever game at the War Memorial Ground. I'll then shoot back home as we are at Peggy's Skylight, in Hockley, early evening, for a James Bond night followed by a meal at Bistro Pierre in the city centre.
I catch the 11.27 outside Carlton Tesco. It's a great journey as the bus navigates around the village of Burton Joyce where legendary Notts County manager Jimmy Sirrel was laid to rest. It's then onto Lowdham and Thurgarton, villages where I enjoyed playing cricket as a 17-year-old for Keyworth. I alight the bus outside Southwell Minster.
I wander up to the Saracen's Head, a pub built in 1463, which I've frequented on a few occasions before heading up towards Market Place. I chance upon a posh bakery where I buy a granary smoked bacon cob smothered in Brie and mayonnaise. I still feel peckish and fancy something sweet. I spot a Birds Bakery. I can't resist a caramel doughnut. I wash it down with a Ribena soft drink. There's no real ale today, which is a shame as the place is snided out with some quality pubs.
Southwell is a Minster town in the Newark and Sherwood district of Notts with a population of 7,000. The Bramley Apple was first seeded in Southwell back in 1809. I take a stroll around The Minster admiring the three towers and two spires that are bathed in glorious late autumnal sunshine.
I walk up the road that leads me through an archway and into the War Memorial Recreational Ground. There's a Bowls Club and Tennis Club as well as the football ground. The leaves have changed to a beautiful golden colour on the trees. I do a few laps of the ground whilst the teams warm up. I recognise Southwell's Blair Bryant. He's a great lad who used to play for the Clifton All Whites Sunday team with 'Our Joe.'
Ironically, today's visitors are Keyworth United, a village I lived in for over 45 years. Word up is that they are resting up a few senior players as the League is their priority; today is a Cup game. If true I find this astonishing as they only play 22 games due to many teams dropping out of the League. The NSL is not what it was. I miss the best message board in the world. Nothing gave me greater pleasure than waking up on a Sunday morning to read a drunken posting made by Big Glenn in the early hours of the morning after a beer-fuelled evening in town following a controversial defeat for Bilborough Pelican.
I stand next to Tom Siswick's mum, Caroline and a guy from Newark who used to live in Keyworth back in the day. There is a minute's silence in the memory of Southwell stalwart, Mick Gregory. The young Keyworth side are under pressure from the off. City exploit gaps down the visitor's right hand side and finally take the lead on 18 minutes. Wolloch misses a good chance for Keyworth with his shot going the wrong side of the post.
The Southwell centre back has a torpedo of a throw-in. He can actually land it to the far side of the penalty spot. He gets an assist on the stroke of half-time. The game looks over on 54 minutes when Southwell make it 3-0.
Keyworth pull a goal back a few minutes later through Siswick and enjoy a good spell of pressure. Wolloch strikes a free kick inches wide and Ben Healey sees a header bounce off the underside of the bar. I'm walking back up to the War Memorial gates when the ref blows the final whistle for the last ever game on this ground. I'll miss it for sure.
Attendance: 153
Man of the Match: That caramel doughnut at Birds Bakery.
No comments:
Post a Comment