'Our Joe' drops me off in North Bridgford. I've thoroughly enjoyed my Sunday morning outing to Clifton. The local Nottingham characters, out in force, are well funny. Poets Young Boys are through to their second cup final. I'll be able to watch this one, as it's on my patch, at Carlton Town, and not some god damn awful 'plastic pitch.'
I swing open the front door of the Dispensary Bar at my all-time favourite pub, The Embankment - the artist formally known as Boots Social Club. Bar staff are preparing themselves for an avalanche of customers as it's Mother's Day. My mood is good. I down a chocolate and orange stout, peg it down London Road and bask in the early spring sunshine at the Word Famous Neon Raptor Taproom.
The Sunday morning cup semi-final blog is well received by both teams - thanks for the entertainment lads. Ms Moon celebrates this news with a six-episode TV binge watch of Bridgerton Season 3 on Netflix. I sit in the armchair shaking my head in disbelief, every now and then. There's still a week's worth of Emmerdale Farm and Corrie to catch up on after our holiday in Tenerife.
I'm only in at work for three days. Big news to report on that in the coming weeks. I manage to listen to a couple of Undr the Cosh podcasts. I don't really take to former Preston and Burnley winger Keith Treacy, but Wayne Biggins is good fun and seems a top bloke with a catalogue of witty anecdotes.
It's Wednesday evening, and I'm disembarking from the Ruddington 10 bus, outside the Ibis Hotel, on Fletcher Gate, in Nottingham city centre. I'm desperate for a haircut, a fact I'm quite proud of at 58 years old, despite my greying appearance.
I wander down hipster Hockley. There's no sneaky craft ale at Jam Cafe today. To my disappointment Curtis and York barbers are closed, with the front shutter pulled down. I'm seething folks. I mean it's not even 5 p.m. yet. I sulk and skulk across the bottom of Lower Parliament Street and head through Sneinton Market before turning left up Carlton Road.
I notice a barber's up a side street (Bath Street). A guy is just leaving the chair and settling up his bill. The barber is from Bosnia and doesn't mince his words - "get in the chair and I will sort you out." I have to shout out, into a remote control, a few songs I would like playing. It's like the Steve Lamacq Friday Request Show on 6 Music. He likes 'Blue Monday' by New Order despite it being a Wednesday.
The guy is a legend. He finishes off by giving me an Indian head massage. We've both shared some life stories. His are quite sad and life changing. I like him a lot and promise I'll be back. Eko Barbers if you're wondering.
It's Thursday morning. I kiss Ms Moon goodbye as I'm away for a few days on Sticky and Mac's Ale Tours. I'm obsessed with the north of England, where all the best beers are brewed. Mac and I share breakfast at YOLK, a business that's housed at the bottom of Goose Gate. It's sister bar, next door, is 31K, a cocktail place that Ms Moon is very fond of, particularly when it's my round ...OUCH!
I enjoy filter coffee accompanied by wild mushrooms on poached eggs, served up with crispy bacon and Hollandaise sauce on the side. It's soon mopped up and walked off up to the train station. Destination is the town of Halifax - another northern, hidden gem.
We change trains at Leeds and stay on Northern Rail until we reach the town of Rochdale, where the singers Gracie Fields and Lisa Stansfield are both from. Remember Phoenix Nights? Where the quiz compere says "and the answer is, the Shroud of Turin." "What did we put?" ..... "Lisa Stansfield" ... lol.
The purpose of this trip is to visit as many towns and villages we can that are situated on the Halifax to Manchester Victoria line. A couple of pubs are ticked-off in Rochdale and Todmorden before we check-in at the Premier Inn back in Halifax.
There's time to get some snap before the evening session. I would say, next to Manchester and Leeds, that Halifax has one of the most exciting craft ale scenes in the north. Crowd favourite is the Victorian Craft Beer Cafe which I previously ticked off after managerless Nottingham Forest beat Huddersfield back in September.
We're back on the train line in the morning. Star of the show is the beautiful sun-soaked town of Hebden Bridge. 'Our Kid' correctly points out, on Facebook, that it often gets flooded, after I say I want to live here, following a two mile stroll up the canal. We hop on and off the train in the afternoon visiting Mytholmroyd and Sowerby Bridge.
It's 6 p.m. and we're settled in the back room of Three Pigeons in Halifax. The pub is humming with talk after the Qatar World Cup draw. An elderly guy in the corner grabs my attention after he hears me mention Notts County. Turns out his brother, Bob, made over 200 appearances for the Pies. It then dawns on me that he must be the brother of legendary Huddersfield Town and Leicester City striker Frank Worthington. The guy is so modest and unassuming that he doesn't even mention that he was chief scout for Sam Allardyce at Bolton and was responsible for bringing Nicolas Anelka to the club. Check his Wiki.
We finish the evening back at the Victorian Craft Cafe with its 28 beer selections chalked up on the blackboard. Mac and I enjoy the company of Ian, a Notts County fan, who lives close by and follows this blog. He's a lovely guy. And thanks for reading 'em mate.
It's Saturday morning. We have a full English at Ricci's in Halifax. It soaks up some of the alcohol we have consumed over the past few days. It's a long journey back home due to changing trains. We finally dock in at 1 pm.
Sticky jnr has gone to Blackpool to watch the Tricky Trees with the lads from The Boot Room in West Bridgford. Forest are already one to the good as I part company with Mac in town and head towards Bunkers Hill to watch the second half. On entry to the pub I stare at the TV screen in disbelief. "Johnson has just scored two goals mate" says a customer.
I watch the second half with a cross breed 18-month-old Collie/Spaniel called Roy. He's got the hots for me and won't leave my side. Must be the splash of Joop I put on earlier in the day to disguise the beer fumes. We have a little kiss and cuddle when Sam Surridge wraps the game up on 82 minutes with a smart finish.
Ms Moon says she's off to see her mum who is recovering from a hip operation. I cross over onto Manvers Street and spend an hour with landlord Steve at the Partisan Tavern. His boss, Tony, will be feeling chipper, as the Pies have beaten Southend 3-0 at Roots Hall. Lincoln City have bagged three points too, down at The Valley, at Charlton Athletic. Not a bad day, eh?
Ms Moon is so excited that she hardly slept a wink. I've a proper little treat lined-up for her. Yep, a Sunday League debut for the good lady. The plan was for breakfast at Albie's on Carlton Hill. We're a bit short on time though as real hoppers never miss a kick-off. We settle for a croissant from Tesco Carlton.
A Notts Premier League fixture is being played a ten minute walk away at Carlton Rec. We wander up the road through a Frank Goulding housing estate that leads us to the ground. Phoenix Top Spot are playing a Clifton team called Amari's Universe - named in the memory of a young lad who passed away unexpectedly at just 21 years-old. He was a team mate of 'Our Joe' at Clifton All Whites Under 19s, who was a lovely lad. He was training to be a lawyer. Life's not fair!
It's an excellent, open game of football. Josh Gardner, a player I admire, opened the scoring after some untidy defending by Phoenix. Cameron Thurgood equalises in the second half and at one stage they look like they could push on. The excellent Conor Moore scores a late winner to secure the three points. To be fair, Amari's Universe have worked the Phoenix stopper hard and he has done well to keep 'em at bay.
I notice a lady on the sidelines watching her son playing. She works on the tills at Carlton Tesco. I say to Ms Moon shall we ask her what's 'on offer' this week. Ms Moon says not to bother her on her day off!
Man of the Match: Dave Worthington, Big Sam's scout in Three Pigeons, Halifax
Attendance: 33 - Ms Moon head count - I'm still bleary-eyed from West Yorkshire
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