Red Dogs

Nottingham  0  Crowle Colts  3

Central Midlands League – Division One North

It was always destined to end in failure, a Nottingham Sunday League game in January where the hosts Red Dogs were playing someone I’d never heard of, I can’t remember the name of, nor do I have any inclination to go back and find out the origins of.

Anyway, quite how I got cajoled into going to pub football is purely down to my mate Steve, who has made a bit of an alarming habit of it this season, but it was probably alcohol related and given it wasn’t too far away, I thought I’d try it.

Bad move, nothing doing, not a corner flag, not a match official, not a car in the car park, it was simply not taking place. On further inspection of Full Time a bit later on, yes, it was off, and as far as Sunday League football watching goes hereon in, you can insert it firmly up your jacksie!

Ok, it needs further clarification. I found out at the beginning of Winter that Nottingham FC, who were new to the Central Midlands League (and remain something of a mystery due to no social media), had moved from Lenton Lane to Melbourne Park on the Western outskirts of the City. Steve, who sees spending a Saturday at such a venue as something of a waste when it could be done at another time, spotted that the Red Dogs used it as a home venue on a Sunday, hence the idea of ticking it off for some good old pub football.

It failed, clearly, but I mean, Red Dogs, it didn’t sit well anyway with me. Watching the real Red Dogs on TV is painful enough, but watching what is clearly a team of supporters was pushing the boundaries too far, no, it was probably for the best.

Anyway, it had to be done one way or another, and with league leaders Crowle Colts in town, it was the perfect opportunity, notwithstanding the fact I had to be at a Hotel not far from blighty at 5.30 for the Wedding Anniversary celebrations, meant that it ticked so many boxes. It also ticked another box, my old mucker Derek lives a couple of minutes from the ground and with some horse trading to be done on the paper front, I was now into three birds – one stone territory. Boom, as the kids say these days!

It's changed since I last went, for no game, they’ve railed the pitch off nearest to the entrance. That came as a surprise, I was expecting rope, but I got metal, that opens the door now for my mate Dave who only does railed pitches. Not being funny, rope / metal, anyone would think he had a fetish?

Right, location wise Melbourne Park is just off the A610 which runs from the M1 to the City Centre. You get to the junction that was the old Commodore International, turn right and then a few hundred yards later you turn left into the ground. It’s an expanse of pitches with a centrally located changing block, that’s kind of it, apart from the railed pitch, which is a mighty fine railed pitch I have to say.

In the distance I spotted some familiarity, in the shape of four well known members of the travelling fraternity. You see, another foible here, some hoppers don’t like to go to games where a reserve team is involved, so on the basis that three quarters of this league is reserve teams, is does limit the choice somewhat. So, when a first team is visiting, it is an attractive proposition to the great unwashed of this World.

This lot were not the great unwashed though, Messrs Berezai, Hardy, Groves and Berry were convivial company throughout the afternoon’s proceedings, although stood a short distance from us was another well known face, nicknamed after a form of public transport popular in Blackpool, he was praying for a goal, you see, if a game ends 0-0 he has to go back and watch another game until a goal is scored. I didn’t laugh about the two consecutive goalless draws at Shelbourne in Dublin, not one bit…….

Stood on the grass bank that runs down the side of the pitch, we witnessed the league leading visitors ease to a 3-0 victory. Nottingham gave it a good go, but Crowle had that bit more quality and were deserved victors in the end.

You know what though, it felt somewhat strange to be at a game so close to home after the recent jaunts down to Essex and suchlike, I could get used to it, if there was anywhere new to go!

So, that polished off all the local leagues for another season, and unlike Steve, I did it without seeing a single second of pub football, just………