It's 5pm on Saturday 20th December and I'm slouched in a seat at a table in Carlton Town's clubhouse with 'Gilly' and 'Biscuit.' We've just witnessed a thrilling and breathtaking game of football with the Millers squeezing home 2-1, after a dominant second half display. Lamin Manneh continues his impressive scoring streak by bagging a brace. He's the quickest Non-League winger in the Midlands .. FACT.
The visiting fans from Rugby Town have been magnifique. They are easily the best to have graced Stoke Lane this season. They are still singing Christmas carols in the clubhouse when I depart in an UBER just shy of 7pm, as the raffle draw has dragged on a wee bit. More importantly vital funds are raised for the promotion push towards Step 3. If successful, every game will be a Cup final next season. Although, in my opinion, many of these lads are ready for the test at that level.
The supporters' Christmas party continues at Lincoln Green's Brickyard pub, which is perched on top of Carlton Hill. It's good to see the fans choose to support local businesses. It's one of the group's core values, be it chip shops, pubs or indie stores. The Millers following has grown so much in recent years, as disillusioned supporters of professional clubs look elsewhere for their footy fix, having been priced out by the likes of Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur - who some of the lads follow. There's a proper sing song in the pub backroom which will no doubt have cheesed off some of the regulars but it will be kerching as the tills ring out for Christmas. My favourite chant is "Basford United .... we're coming for you", which they certainly will be on Boxing Day.
Christmas Day is a quiet affair. Poor Ms Moon has had a slipped disc for over a week now and has barely moved out of the armchair. I decide that gallows humour is the best form of medicine. Add to that the good lady can't move quick enough to give me a clip around the earhole after another gag at her expense.
I have a lazy day on Boxing Day monitoring the scores. Carlton blow a two goal lead at Greenwich Avenue, conceding two late goals. 'The Carlton Cattermole' is enjoying his best run of form since his return to the Millers from Stamford. He was the stand out performer against Rugby and I bet he enjoyed scoring against former club Basford United, a few days later. It certainly got me off the settee, punching the air.
Christmas Day was tinged with sadness when Nottingham Forest announced the passing of legendary left winger John Robertson, who contributed majorly towards their League title and two European Cup wins. I used to watch 'Robbo' a lot with my schoolmates back in the 70s. He was that good that opposing managers used to double-mark him; without much success too. There's a minute's applause, in his memory on the Saturday, prior to the Manchester City fixture at The City Ground.
I catch the bus down to Lenton with Faggsy to watch Dunkirk v Radford. I used to love following the club when Harby and Uppo were joint-managers. Their youth teams were revered and feared. It was only a few years ago that the Boatmen Under 18s knocked out Lincoln City and Coventry City out of the FA Youth Cup. It just seems dead down there now. I enjoy some craic with Big Glenn and 'ASBO' as Radford come away with a 3-3 draw. Fags and I enjoy a few beers in The Navigation, on Wilford Street, in town, after a brisk walk in freezing conditions.
The football schedule is kept to a three mile radius due to Ms Moon's glass back. There are signs of improvement following a few visits to the chiropractors. It puts the kibosh on a New Year's Eve outing to the Comedy Club, which was being hosted by the Secret Garden.
A day earlier I grabbed one of the last remaining tickets for the Forest v Everton game. The Tricky Trees had plenty of possession but big Igor Jesus up top was running scared of James Tarkowski from the off. James Garner ran the show for the Toffees and killed off any hope of a return to The City Ground with a man of the match performance.
New Year's Day afternoon is spent down at Meadow Lane. The Pies are going through a sticky patch with key leaders missing in midfield (Palmer and Robertson) through injury. Jatta has gone off the boil too. Accrington Stanley, built on a shoestring budget, are excellent value. I chat to a player's father during the game - it's surreal watching him witness the highs and lows of his lad playing football at a professional level.
I booked a cheap train ticket to London (for Thursday) a few months ago. The plan was to have a day out, tick off a few CAMRA Heritage pubs and travel back late evening. That nincompoop, Alex Beresford, on ITV weather (we don't watch BBC News anymore since the Huw Edwards thingy) has put the fear of God into me, with a weather forecast that is predicting Armageddon. I throw some spare socks and pants into my rucksack before heading off for breakfast at my favourite Italian haunt in town.
I do get anxious about affected travel during bad weather and have spotted a deal at a Premier Inn in Canning Town. I'm back down London again on Saturday with Deano for the Leyton Orient v Cardiff City game. I phone Ms Moon to talk about whether she's happy for me to stay a few days. I get the green light unless there's a worsening of her back condition. Her daughter Becky only lives around the corner.
I head up to Highgate for a stroll around and tick off a few classic pubs before wandering up to Crouch End and Hornsey. The weather takes a turn for the worse as Storm David Guetta sweeps in from the west. I finish up soaking wet through after wandering the streets of Poplar, in Tower Hamlets. It's not a place to be on your 'Jack Jones' folks. The final pub is on its last legs. The 80 year old landlady says they only have John Smiths or Carlsberg on. It's like being given the choice of watching a game at Basford United or Derby County. I head back on the Docklands Light Railway for a bite to eat at the hotel and to change into some dry clothes too.
It's rinse and repeat on Friday, minus the rain. After a hearty breakfast I jump on the Piccadilly Line towards Harrow. A few more Grade II pubs are visited in Pinner and Ruislip before I return to the City. I do a recce up in Hampstead as I fancy setting up basecamp there when Ms Moon and I visit London Town in springtime. The Holly Bush is my favourite pub. I clock a hotel for the notebook, down the road, opposite Belsize Park tube station.
I'm loitering outside Leyton tube station at 11.30. the following day, after taking a steady walk from Stratford International. My mate Dean Gripton emerges from the escalator. We immediately engage in a conversation with a couple of Orient fans as we head towards the ground. We stop to admire a statue of local hero Laurie Cunningham - read his biography, it's bloody brilliant. He joined Real Madrid in the 1970s at a time when the fascist Spanish leader/dictator, General Franco, had died only a few years earlier. It paved the way for future black players to make a living in La Liga. Cunningham died in a car crash in 1989 at the age of 33.
There are three Good Beer Guide entries to visit today. The Leyton Orient Supporters' Club has ten cask ales to choose from. We move further up the road to the wonderful Leyton Engineer, a glorious building on Leyton high street. The final destination is Coach and Horses where the O's supporters revel in the glory of Macclesfield Town knocking out FA Cup holders Crystal Palace at Moss Rose, in Cheshire.
I'm a guest of Dean's today, so enjoy some hospitality in the sponsors' lounge. The food is first-class and the staff are friendly. Table-topping Bluebirds have sold out their allocation. They make a sloppy start when they get caught out with the Orient forwards putting pressure on the ball. An alert Dom Ballard whips the ball off the keeper's toes leaving himself with an easy tap in.
Cardiff's star striker, Yousef Salech, misses a golden chance when he can't lift the ball over an advancing 'keeper. His second bite of the cherry results in a sublime finish, having turned a defender, running powerfully in a diagonal direction before blasting the ball into the roof of the onion bag. He is a man mountain of a player with a deft touch. A big move will come his way soon. He is of Palestine descent but made his mark in the Danish Superliga.
There's time for a cup of tea and a slice of cake before returning for the second half. It's scruffy and disjointed for a while. A flurry of substitutions disrupts the pattern of play. Orient manager Richie Wellens kicks every ball whilst his counterpart, Brian Barry-Murphy, remains measured, calm and collective. The game finishes all square. It's a fair reflection on the game. Cardiff haven't done enough to win it.
Attendance: 8,423
Player of the Match - Ms Moon, slept in the armchair for three weeks
Best Song Heard on the Radio: Suede, Antidepressants
Best Beer Supped This Week: Had a Porter at Palm Tree, in Bow. Forget the name
