The Big Man drops me off outside The Embankment in 'North Bridgford.' He's on an 'airport run' so hasn't got time to hang about. I wander into the Dispensary and shout up a pint of Orsino, from the Newby Wyke Brewery, located in Grantham, Lincs.
There are a few stragglers left in the pub, from the early kick off at the world famous City Ground. My oh my, what a two an eight some folk are in, after the Tricky Trees 2-1 win over The Sheep. I get gassing to a couple of lads, who are slumped in leather-covered armchairs in the corner of the pub. One of them is incoherent. He makes his excuses and heads towards to the exit door. He's coaching Dunkirk Under 18s in the morning, up in Mansfield. I share a drink with the other guy ('Bolly') who has drank himself sober after a 12-hour session. Turns out he played for Hickling FC, in the Notts Amateur League, back in the 90s. Tony Mac, of this parish, was his manager and 'Barthez', another good mate of mine, was in the nets for them. Small world, eh?
It's Sunday morning and I feel bright and breezy. Ms Moon is off to do a spot of shopping and will be calling in on her elderly mother, who lives in West Bridgford. I love nothing more than to while away a couple of hours in a hostelry on a Sunday lunchtime. I have to earn it, though. I head up Carlton Hill and turn right onto Standhill Road, where Lincoln Green's The Brickyard sits on the corner of the street. I amble through a maze of alleys and ginnels, that lead me up onto Porchester Road. I wander through Private Road in Mapperley Park, an affluent area of Nottingham. The average price of a house is a cool half a million pounds. Destination is Sherwood. More importantly Kraftwerks craft ale bar.
250 specialist craft ales from around the world are available for selection. I'm like a kid in a sweet shop. The guy who runs the bar is one cool dude. He knows his crafts and loves his music too. The Stone Roses Greatest Hits is on the dukey. I have a couple out of the taps from Black Iris Brewery, who are located in New Basford, Nottingham. I finish off with a Glasshouse brew that has overtones of honey and melon in it. With it being 8% abv it sends me to sleep in the taxi on the way home.
I've been coming down with the lurgy all day on Monday and still feel as rough as a badger's bottom on Tuesday. Forest have a rearranged fixture versus rock bottom Barnsley. I make the call at 6 p.m. that I'll go to the game. Ms Moon is none too impressed, calling me an idiot on several occasions.
I take my seat in B4, in the Peter Taylor Stand, half an hour before kick off. The DJ needs to raise his game as he blasts out the exact same playlist from previous games versus Luton and Sheff Utd. He could take a lesson or two from The Pies DJ across the water. It was some set he played a few weeks back when Wrexham were in town.
Forest start the game sloppily, giving the ball away cheaply. Barnsley's threadbare team almost snatch the lead when a shot flashes narrowly wide of Brice Samba's right-hand post. U Reds respond to the rallying cry from 'A' Block. Aston Villa on loan striker, Keinan Davis, picks the pocket of a Tykes defender to put them ahead. Ryan Yates, arriving late, like Bryan Robson used to, makes it 2-0 shortly before the break.
I spend the second half in the company of NFFC diehard Jitz Jani. He's enjoyed a few pre-match jars at the Larwood and Voce and has partaken in a prawn curry rather than a 'prawn sandwich.' Steve Cooper won't be happy with the second half display. The highly sought-after 20 year-old, Brennan Johnson, puts the game to bed after a powerful run down the right-hand flank by the athletic Djed Spence.
I have to knock off from work early on Wednesday. This bloomin' virus has finally beaten me. I retreat to bed and don't re-surface until 11 a.m. on Thursday morning, returning to work asap as the world of software never sits still.
I'm cheered up by the delivery of a couple of books by Postman Pat. 30-Minute Suppers from the BBC Good Food Guide will be a midweek ratings winner at Chez Sticky's. I will also be able to relax in the armchair and thumb my way through 'Four Iron in the Soul' by Lawrence Donegan. It's about a former member of Scottish indie bands The Bluebells and Lloyd Cole, who abandons the music scene to become a golf caddy for a pro on the European Golf Tour. Thanks for the tip Adrian, I look forward to reading it.
It's the last Friday in the month, which can only mean one thing: Tony Mac's Real Ale and Craft Ale Tours. Destination today is England's second biggest city, Birmingham. I'm first up in our house and like a kid on Christmas Day morning, despite my runny nose and hacking cough. Mac and I have breakfast at YOLK in Hockley before hooking up with 'Mad Dog' at Nottingham Railway Station. Coops is a late withdrawal.
We've 14x pubs to cram in and only a 9-hour window, with a lot of walking in between too. Birmingham is an impressive city with a mixture of modern, Victorian and Edwardian architecture. We rattle around the pubs in the vicinity of New Street before heading out into the suburbs. We enjoy tapas at an Indian craft ale bar and some strong crafts at Burning Soul and Dig Brew. We make the last direct train home with minutes to spare. The night is finished off with a couple of swift ones at Beer Head Z.
There's no trace of a hangover on Saturday morning as Sticky Palms Cleaning Services spring into action. Again, I was going to watch Bestwood, but I've heard, on the grapevine, that they've a few missing and the fixture doesn't look all that attractive (finished 0-0 lol).
I surf the Nottinghamshire Senior League website. Let's not forget folks, it's the 'Best League in the World.' Crowd favourites, Nottingham Community FC, are at home versus Rushcliffe, a team who I've never seen play before. There's one slight problem as there is 'Bob Hope' of getting a bus down there as the ground is below the Nottingham version of the Spaghetti Junction. Ms Moon hasn't seen out her four-match ban, following a hissy fit at Netherfield, a few weeks back. Beggars can't be choosers.
We jump in the 'Rolls Royce' after an award-winning Tesco Finest Prawns, rocket and homemade Marie Rose sauce sandwich. Stick that in your restaurant, you loudmouth Ramsay. Paul Gambacinni's Pick of the Pops from 1989 won't be on long today as it's only a short trip. It's a godsend, to be honest, as the music is woeful. Gambers plays Mike and the Mechanics 'Living Years'. It's a particularly sombre song that becomes even sadder when Ms Moon belts out the chorus in a high pitched chord. I'll be back at that hearing specialist, in West Bridgford next week, to make sure I haven't got a perforated ear drum or any lasting damage.
We're going to meet Adrian down at the Dave Eastwood Sports Ground. He's really embracing the groundhopping culture after last week's debut up at Trafford FC. So much so, that today he's even brought a flask of coffee with him. Naeem Rashid, Community's secretary is one of my favourite characters on the NSL circuit. His face lights up when he sees me approaching him. He asks for a photo with Ms Moon despite me pointing out that she deserted us both, in Nottingham Community's hour of need, when they were trailing Netherfield 1-0 a few weeks ago.
The big news from Naeem is that star man 'Kante' is not back from holiday in Ghana, so not available for selection. The blustery conditions spoil the first half. We have some great craic and once again I get to meet some new people who are in it for the love of the game. A Rushcliffe unfortunate own goal, off the keeper's back, separates the teams at half-time.'McKlopp', the Community manager, is prowling the touchline, barking out instructions. 'The Meadows Pirlo' Ryan Perkins is on the injury list (man flu he later tells me) and can only make the sub's bench. It's blowing a gale as the fag end of Storm Malik nears. Community kick with the wind at their backs.
Adrian and I shoot across to the cafe, just after the break, to grab some much-needed chocolate bars. I have a Toffee Crisp and Ms Moon a Kit Kat - thanks Adrian. Rushcliffe restore parity following a faux pas by the Community 'keeper, bless him. Two late goals see Community over the line. I'm so chuffed for them all. Special mention to Rushcliffe for their contribution as they played the game in a terrific spirit. They are in the notebook for a visit some time soon.
Man of the Match: Community 10 Jacket ('Bubba')
Attendance: 21
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