BFTG Forest

[LUX]

I think discovering/going back to interesting pubs has appeal for many travelling supporters, and makes it a far more enjoyable day out than a home game. As an exile, it has given me the occasion to meet many of the posters on this Board, mostly good experiences.

As an example at Forest away 11(? we won 4-3) years ago, I met quite a few for the first time at that pub behind the station papes refers to above (the Rouge, Floyd ....)

[stealthpapes]

And full disclosure - I've met papes and he's a fine gent.

I'm sure he is but I don't get the fixation that he and Green have with drink on a football day.

Probably because , for so many years, I have always travelled by car I am on that day only concerned with the football, however for the first time ever this season have considered both giving up the season ticket and having a drink or two instead.

We missed an entire half at Fulham once because I was flying back from Ghana and got delayed.

I hope that sentence sums up why I'm intensely relaxed about missing a few minutes here and there.

I think discovering/going back to interesting pubs has appeal for many travelling supporters, and makes it a far more enjoyable day out than a home game. As an exile, it has given me the occasion to meet many of the posters on this Board, mostly good experiences.

Yeah, exactly this. At Hull, I even went to a Sea Life Centre.

[stealthpapes]

Don’t know but that papes bloke seems like a wrongun

At Hull, I even went to a Sea Life Centre.

[Millsy]

We were shit.

There's no excuses or way to dress up a 4-0 thumping.

We're in serious trouble and Ince/Rae are far from being even the faintest hopes of an answer. Ince identified we're fine going forward (of course we are, amazing attacking squad) but can't defend and with some proper time on the training ground has 'fixed' one of those things. Unfortunately the wrong one.

Our only hope is Dai has a proper management team on the verge of taking over asap.

[Whore Jackie]

Football Post: There's no spark, pace, drive or desire. So we inch the ball around the pitch, make a mistake and they score. I don't even know what happened at the start, we were walking along the Trent, heard the roar and went "nah, too early for a goal". Of all the players, Barker rose his head above the parapet by actually playing with some purpose. The rest? I wouldn't even say bad, there's no calamities, there's no fuck ups, its all just universally below the standard required.

Day Out Post: I've slated Nottingham in the past. Came here once as they were demolishing a cigarette factory and the place reeked of fag ash. Been back since, once or twice, and its a pleasant away day. Beerheads, micropub tucked away outside the station worth it for a pint of a session IPA then a catch up of some fruity New Zealand IPA. Uber to the ground, just in time to miss the first goal. Bottle of warm carling at half time. Slightly stronger than the team's performance in the second half. Trent Navigation Inn, a few hundred yards over the other side of the river for a pint, sat out in the Brewery yard. Bustling pub, nice tiles. Little walk to a statue of Notts County's best manager and also a very long serving stalwart ("Between joining the club in 1957 and retirement enforced by arthritis in the hip in 1983, during which time he filled numerous roles including trainer, coach, caretaker manager and scout, Wheeler never missed a first-team match – 1,152 consecutive games.").
Back to the city centre for a whistle-stop tour of three pubs all claiming to be Britain's oldest. First, the Bell Inn. The front, and the position, made us check we were right. It's a Greene King. It's right on the main city square. It was very stag/hen do friendly. It also goes back like a TARDIS with side rooms, three + separate bars, a rather lovely panelled room right at the back and, yeah, actually quite nice. Next, Ye Olde Salutation Inn, a proper metal pub. Again, lots of little side rooms and 'caves, tours available at management discretion'. Suitably loud. Castle Rock Brewery provided the pints here. We'd passed their Brewery earlier in the day. Finally, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, with its cubby holes cut into the castle foundations themselves. A bit tourist trap, sure, but a very comfy cosy pub.
Nottingham: solid one.

Been to Nottingham a few times, but bar Meadow Lane, the university campus and, ahem, Conrads strip club, hadn't really looked around it. It's a decent city, bigger than you expect, with some really quite nice architecture in the centre and the three stadia around the Trent are pretty impressive. Castle Rock's Vat and Fiddle was our pre-match pint venue, under the shadow of their brewery. Cracking boozer, with a great selection of ales plus various hot and cold cobs. Opted for mince and mash which certainly ticked a box or two. Bit restricted post-match as I was driving and my youngest is 16, so Fellows Morton & Clayton on the canal was decent enough with numerous TVs and not too many twats.

[skipper]

Why didn't Joao start? Isn't the point of the game, to field your best team?

[Hendo]

Why didn't Joao start? Isn't the point of the game, to field your best team?

Didn't he miss most of the week/training due to illness?

[Stranded]

Why didn't Joao start? Isn't the point of the game, to field your best team?

Didn't he miss most of the week/training due to illness?

Had tested positive for Covid on Monday apparently.

[South Coast Royal]

And full disclosure - I've met papes and he's a fine gent.

I'm sure he is but I don't get the fixation that he and Green have with drink on a football day.

Probably because , for so many years, I have always travelled by car I am on that day only concerned with the football, however for the first time ever this season have considered both giving up the season ticket and having a drink or two instead.

We missed an entire half at Fulham once because I was flying back from Ghana and got delayed.

I hope that sentence sums up why I'm intensely relaxed about missing a few minutes here and there.

I think discovering/going back to interesting pubs has appeal for many travelling supporters, and makes it a far more enjoyable day out than a home game. As an exile, it has given me the occasion to meet many of the posters on this Board, mostly good experiences.

Yeah, exactly this. At Hull, I even went to a Sea Life Centre.

Not deriding your pub crawling in all parts of the country at all but my typical matchday is such a contrast.

Over the years of travelling away I haven't managed a Sea Life Centre (there is one here that I haven't even been to) but have taken the opportunity to look around at the towns and cities.
There used to be a TV programme called "Nairn over Britain" ( or something similar) where the bloke used to travel around in his Morris 1000 (which even then was quite old) exploring towns and cities that would be deemed unfashionable and I remember such places as Halifax, Bradford, Burnley, Walsall etc.

Often on my away visits I would meet up with my fellow Royal from Rochester who has been one of the most travelled Royals of all time I would guess and he is an architect.
Halifax or Bradford town hall can be interesting when sharing what an architect sees.
Rotherham indoor market isn't bad either and the first ever pound shop that I went into was in Doncaster.
The dockyard at Barrow has its attractions.

As you can see , I really know how to push the boat out and shoot for the stars on matchdays.

[Mr Optimist]

I'm sure he is but I don't get the fixation that he and Green have with drink on a football day.

Probably because , for so many years, I have always travelled by car I am on that day only concerned with the football, however for the first time ever this season have considered both giving up the season ticket and having a drink or two instead.

We missed an entire half at Fulham once because I was flying back from Ghana and got delayed.

I hope that sentence sums up why I'm intensely relaxed about missing a few minutes here and there.

I think discovering/going back to interesting pubs has appeal for many travelling supporters, and makes it a far more enjoyable day out than a home game. As an exile, it has given me the occasion to meet many of the posters on this Board, mostly good experiences.

Yeah, exactly this. At Hull, I even went to a Sea Life Centre.

Not deriding your pub crawling in all parts of the country at all but my typical matchday is such a contrast.

Over the years of travelling away I haven't managed a Sea Life Centre (there is one here that I haven't even been to) but have taken the opportunity to look around at the towns and cities.
There used to be a TV programme called "Nairn over Britain" ( or something similar) where the bloke used to travel around in his Morris 1000 (which even then was quite old) exploring towns and cities that would be deemed unfashionable and I remember such places as Halifax, Bradford, Burnley, Walsall etc.

Often on my away visits I would meet up with my fellow Royal from Rochester who has been one of the most travelled Royals of all time I would guess and he is an architect.
Halifax or Bradford town hall can be interesting when sharing what an architect sees.
Rotherham indoor market isn't bad either and the first ever pound shop that I went into was in Doncaster.
The dockyard at Barrow has its attractions.

As you can see , I really know how to push the boat out and shoot for the stars on matchdays.

And to think I “wasted” all those Third Division away days at grim northern outpost towns by totally ignoring the local architecture and getting shitfaced in grotty backstreet pubs (Staff of Life in Bury anyone?) and clubs and visiting greasy takeaway places…it is only for the grace of God that I don’t (yet) have Mad Cow Disease.

[Jackson Corner]

We missed an entire half at Fulham once because I was flying back from Ghana and got delayed.

I hope that sentence sums up why I'm intensely relaxed about missing a few minutes here and there.



Yeah, exactly this. At Hull, I even went to a Sea Life Centre.

Not deriding your pub crawling in all parts of the country at all but my typical matchday is such a contrast.

Over the years of travelling away I haven't managed a Sea Life Centre (there is one here that I haven't even been to) but have taken the opportunity to look around at the towns and cities.
There used to be a TV programme called "Nairn over Britain" ( or something similar) where the bloke used to travel around in his Morris 1000 (which even then was quite old) exploring towns and cities that would be deemed unfashionable and I remember such places as Halifax, Bradford, Burnley, Walsall etc.

Often on my away visits I would meet up with my fellow Royal from Rochester who has been one of the most travelled Royals of all time I would guess and he is an architect.
Halifax or Bradford town hall can be interesting when sharing what an architect sees.
Rotherham indoor market isn't bad either and the first ever pound shop that I went into was in Doncaster.
The dockyard at Barrow has its attractions.

As you can see , I really know how to push the boat out and shoot for the stars on matchdays.

And to think I “wasted” all those Third Division away days at grim northern outpost towns by totally ignoring the local architecture and getting shitfaced in grotty backstreet pubs (Staff of Life in Bury anyone?) and clubs and visiting greasy takeaway places…it is only for the grace of God that I don’t (yet) have Mad Cow Disease.

Yes I was the same just getting drunk and fighting. However my first attempt at a cultural visit was to Preston around 1981. This was my first long away trip north I have previously only ever been to Derby matches. So I made an effort to get to Preston a few hours early to take a look around. Now let’s face it back then Reading was not renowned for its architectural splendour, but the moment I came out of Preston station my first reaction was my God what a shit hole.

All I could see was closed down shops factories and a massive Asian population wearing shell suits. Now I’m not a racist in any shape or form but this was the first time I had ever been anywhere where the Asian population outnumbered the white residents by at least 3 to 1 so this was something of a culture shock especially coming from Reading at that time. Now I don’t want to dish Preston as I’m sure it’s a lot better now than it was then I wouldn’t know as I haven’t returned but the one thing that trip to do was put me off going on city tools prior to games.

[Mr Optimist]

Couldn’t agree more JC!

It is not as if growing up in the 70s and 80s I wasn’t experienced in visiting our friends in the north, as my dad is from Sheffield so we would regularly make trips up to there and it felt like another world. Sheffield is a great city, I AMA little biased admittedly, and has some remaining architectural merit that wasn’t bombed to shit in WW2 or torn down by zany 60s town planners on acid, great pubs and clubs, friendly people that spoke funny, but some of the mutant backwaters you visited in the Third Division, made Sheffield feel like New York!

Mansfield, Hull, Chesterfield, Burnley, Oldham, Hartlepool, Stockport, Crewe, Huddersfield, Rotherham, Port Vale…notable exceptions though being Chester, York, and surprisingly good nights out in Wigan!

The one saving grace when being relegated from Division 2 the last two times was a weekend trip to the Vegas of the North, Blackpool, and even that is knackered if it happens this time!

Definitely less of a north south divide these days though than 40/50 years ago.

[South Coast Royal]

We missed an entire half at Fulham once because I was flying back from Ghana and got delayed.

I hope that sentence sums up why I'm intensely relaxed about missing a few minutes here and there.



Yeah, exactly this. At Hull, I even went to a Sea Life Centre.

Not deriding your pub crawling in all parts of the country at all but my typical matchday is such a contrast.

Over the years of travelling away I haven't managed a Sea Life Centre (there is one here that I haven't even been to) but have taken the opportunity to look around at the towns and cities.
There used to be a TV programme called "Nairn over Britain" ( or something similar) where the bloke used to travel around in his Morris 1000 (which even then was quite old) exploring towns and cities that would be deemed unfashionable and I remember such places as Halifax, Bradford, Burnley, Walsall etc.

Often on my away visits I would meet up with my fellow Royal from Rochester who has been one of the most travelled Royals of all time I would guess and he is an architect.
Halifax or Bradford town hall can be interesting when sharing what an architect sees.
Rotherham indoor market isn't bad either and the first ever pound shop that I went into was in Doncaster.
The dockyard at Barrow has its attractions.

As you can see , I really know how to push the boat out and shoot for the stars on matchdays.

And to think I “wasted” all those Third Division away days at grim northern outpost towns by totally ignoring the local architecture and getting shitfaced in grotty backstreet pubs (Staff of Life in Bury anyone?) and clubs and visiting greasy takeaway places…it is only for the grace of God that I don’t (yet) have Mad Cow Disease.

My son has done mostly the same as you over the years and sees it as the "matchday experience" to coin the dreadful marketing phrase.

BTW, it hasn't just been architecture-I enjoyed the marina at Swansea, the castle at Norwich, the beach at Redcar (For Middlesborough),
a racing stable visit near Stoke, the market at Darlington, meeting a mate's mum and dad who lived in Blackpool, winning a sweep on the Scottish Grand National in a Hearts pub, top fish and chips in Grimsby and Southend, a (rare) piss-up in Newcastle (overnight stay), a market in Nottingham etc., etc.

[leon]

Not deriding your pub crawling in all parts of the country at all but my typical matchday is such a contrast.

Over the years of travelling away I haven't managed a Sea Life Centre (there is one here that I haven't even been to) but have taken the opportunity to look around at the towns and cities.
There used to be a TV programme called "Nairn over Britain" ( or something similar) where the bloke used to travel around in his Morris 1000 (which even then was quite old) exploring towns and cities that would be deemed unfashionable and I remember such places as Halifax, Bradford, Burnley, Walsall etc.

Often on my away visits I would meet up with my fellow Royal from Rochester who has been one of the most travelled Royals of all time I would guess and he is an architect.
Halifax or Bradford town hall can be interesting when sharing what an architect sees.
Rotherham indoor market isn't bad either and the first ever pound shop that I went into was in Doncaster.
The dockyard at Barrow has its attractions.

As you can see , I really know how to push the boat out and shoot for the stars on matchdays.

And to think I “wasted” all those Third Division away days at grim northern outpost towns by totally ignoring the local architecture and getting shitfaced in grotty backstreet pubs (Staff of Life in Bury anyone?) and clubs and visiting greasy takeaway places…it is only for the grace of God that I don’t (yet) have Mad Cow Disease.

My son has done mostly the same as you over the years and sees it as the "matchday experience" to coin the dreadful marketing phrase.

BTW, it hasn't just been architecture-I enjoyed the marina at Swansea, the castle at Norwich, the beach at Redcar (For Middlesborough),
a racing stable visit near Stoke, the market at Darlington, meeting a mate's mum and dad who lived in Blackpool, winning a sweep on the Scottish Grand National in a Hearts pub, top fish and chips in Grimsby and Southend, a (rare) piss-up in Newcastle (overnight stay), a market in Nottingham etc., etc.

And why not. Each to their own.

[Hound]

Used to love going to all those towns you’d never dream of visiting unless they had a football club

I did try to balance seeing a few ‘sights’ with a couple of beers in the pub before the game, try to get a reasonably rounded experience

Finding hard now to remember much difference between the likes of Bury, Rochdale, Wigan etc. preferred the more Notts/Yorks side I think - Chesterfield, Mansfield etc - seemed to have a bit more charm maybe

Preston isn’t that bad fwiw. Very wet though.