It's been 28 days since I last put pen to paper. It's a winter break that Jurgen Klopp can only dream of. Christmas has been and gone in the blink of an eye. It's been action packed both pre and post Santa.
It's Thursday 14th Dec and I'm sitting in the car with Crazy Steve and Little Al. Cotgrave Trev is at wheel and is about to turn off the M1 at Junction 35A. We're not all that far from Stocksbridge Steels FC which has sweeping views of the Pennines. It is, of course, where Foxes striker Jamie Vardy began his career. Just my luck he was on an electronic tag the day I went to watch him play v FC United of Manchester in 2010.
I'm on a day out with the gang, looking for Victoria Cross graves, CAMRA Heritage pubs and celebrity graves. The first pub we visit is The Old Bridge Inn, in picturesque Ripponden. It's a Grade II listed building which is reputed to be one of the oldest pubs in West Yorkshire. It's also home to the Annual Pork Pie Competition where butchers flock from far and wide. Hinchcliffe's Farm Shop, in Huddersfield are the 2023 champions. There's no Melton Mowbray pork pie on the counter, so I have a smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich instead.
The highlight(s) of the day for me are the visit to the grave of former 'It Ain't Arf Mum' actor Don Estelle ("Lofty") and a game of cribbage with Crazy Steve, supervised by the landlord and landlady in the games room of the Bridge Inn, in Rochdale, a town where the singers Gracie Fields and Lisa Stansfield were born. It reminds me of Rave On's quiz in Phoenix Nights where a few folk are huddled around Young Kenny's table. The quizmaster shouts out: "And the answer is ... the Shroud of Turin." What did we put?" asks a confused quizzer. "Lisa Stansfield" is the reply.
I'm back out on manoeuvres on Friday. It's bad news for Tony Mac and I at our favourite breakfast haunt, YOLK, in Hockley. The manager Jan and his partner (the eggs Benedict chef) have upped sticks and opened a new joint in Bristol. We have a below average fry up at Hockley Kitchen.
It's the 'Keyworth Massive' Christmas party in Peterborough. Matt Limon and Coops join us on the train and we're met in Posh by 'Chopper Harris' and my old school chum 'Ackers.' Hand and Heart is a big heritage tick off for Sticky. It has an art deco frontage and a Second World War memorial inside the front bar - one of only 60 such memorials in the UK. A cracking day is had by all as we visit some more Good Beer Guide entries in a residential area of the city called Werrington.
There's no football on at the weekend as I'm on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory duties at MSR Newsagent, on Front Street, in Arnold. A table is set up outside the shop where I sell chocolate to the general public. The British shopper has a weakness for confectionery, particularly during the festive season, and this is despite blustery conditions and squally showers - it's bloody freezing folks; the new set of thermals, recently purchased from Blacks, don't 'arf come in handy.
I'm down Stoke Lane on Tuesday evening after hoovering up a wonderful chippy tea at 'The Plaice.' Newton Aycliffe, from County Durham, are the visitors - a 250 mile round midweek long haul trip. Carlton's poor disciplinary record is questioned again with yet another ridiculous sending off for retaliation - it nearly cost them relegation last season, as well as valuable funds being drained from club coffers in payments to the FA. Playing with ten men, for well over an hour, results in a 3-0 reverse. It's annoying as the visitors aren't all that - they only raise their game in the final half an hour when some fresh legs are sent on from the bench.
I barely move from my armchair over the three days of festivities. I've an annoying dry cough and the sniffles. The two Paddington films cheer me up somewhat. I suggest to Ms Moon that we pick up a jar of marmalade from the worst supermarket in western Europe (Carlton Tesco) on our next visit, so I can make some sandwiches.
The afternoon of Friday 29th December is the Carlton Town Supporters' Club Christmas Party. A gaggle of supporters gather in the back bar of the King William IV, on Eyre Street, in Sneinton. We finish up at the glorious Bath Inn to the rear of Sneinton Market. Regular readers will know the landlord of the pub is the son of former Dr Who actor, Tom Baker.
A few of us jump on the 26 Southwell bus, which drops us close to the Millers' Bill Stokeld Stadium. Grimsby Borough are tonight's opponents. Carlton have shown character and bounced back from disappointment. On Boxing Day they beat Margaret Thatcher's (the milk snatcher) Grantham Town 3-2. Fortune is hiding for Tommy and Mark's young guns this evening. The woodwork is Grimsby's saviour, although they themselves fluffed their lines from the penalty spot earlier in the game. Another home loss is a tough one to take, as is a malfunctioning sound system that has cheesed off East Midlands DJ of the Year, 'Casually Dan' no end.
It's the first Wednesday of the New Year and the beginning of four days off work. Ms Moon and I have lunch at a traditional and elegant restaurant called Josephine's, which is opposite Nottingham's Theatre Royal, a stunning building, which is where Laurel and Hardy played at the fag end of their career in 1952.
The afternoon is spent at Broadway Cinema where we watch a tear-jerker of a film called One Life. It stars the Welsh actor Sir Anthony Hopkins. It's the true story of a London stockbroker who rescues more than 600 children from Nazi-occupied Prague. Your heart must be made of stone if you don't weep at the ending. I fought long and hard to fight back the tears. But boy did they stream.
It's the first Friday Night Club outing of the season. Because of the inclement weather, we thought we'd keep it local. We witness scenes of devastating floods, particularly in Newark, where the banks of the Trent have burst like a party balloon.
I was born in Lincoln in 1964. It has never felt like home, but I enjoy my visits to Sincil Bank and the city's magnificent hostelries. Mac and I head down High Street to begin our session at the Golden Eagle. It's a tough area of town, with groups of undesirables hanging around on a few street corners - this will only grow in a few weeks' time when D***y County's flock rock up in town.
We tick off a further 8x pubs which include some beauties such as: Imp and Angel, Tiny Tavern, BeerHeadZ and Adam and Eve. The train conveniently stops at Carlton on the journey home. I'm back at HQ for 10 pm.
The Millers are away at North Ferriby, up in the East Riding of Yorkshire on Saturday. I've had my eye on Radford FC v Bourne Town for some time now. Big Glenn confirms the game is 100% ON. Ms Moon fails a late fitness test due to an Emmerdale Farm back catalogue series record frenzy.
I have a chat with Our Joe on the bus into town. He's buzzing after Keyworth United recorded their eighth win in a row, The feelgood factor has returned to the club now it's ran by, and played by, Our Own. I meet Crazy Steve and Little Al in Six Barrels Drafthouse. We have a couple of pints before jumping on the tram towards Noel Street.
Big Glenn kindly shouts me up a cheese and red onion cob from the kitchen whilst I sup a pint of chesnut mild. Crazy is invited into the kitchen to see what meats are available. He turns up his nose at beef tongue and corned beef, prefering instead chicken tikka.
I say hello to 'Asbo', 'Tank', 'Daisy Reilly' and 'Shoey' before joining the lads and Faggsy. The first half is uneventful apart from an unfortunate own goal after an in-swinging corner isn't dealt with by the 'keeper.
I avoid Big Glenn like the plague at half-time. as I've previous form here. that Radford usually lose when I attend. It's a good game in the second half. League leaders Bourne have strength and energy in abundance. A free header from another corner seals Radford's fate. The only thing to cheer us up is a little ditty from the Raddy Army congregated behind the goal. They sing "Oh Hyson Green ... is full of fun ... it's full of crack, prossies and Asda, oh Hyson Green is full of fun"
Attendance: 107
Man of the Match: Bourne 8 jacket
No comments:
Post a Comment