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Early start yesterday morning to set off for Middlesbrough. To get there by train from Leighton Buzzard you have to jack-knife via London, travelling to Euston then tube to King's Cross to catch a mainline train to Darlington. So as you can imagine, the fare is one that leaves you thinking "I only want to travel on the train, not buy it." But Hartlepool was one of the 92 I hadn't done, and Uncle John was mad keen to join me at this game and have me as his house guest, so it had to be done.
At King's Cross there was a queue of Harry Potter fans a mile long lining up to have their photo taken holding half a trolley sticking out of a wall bearing a sign 'Platform 9 3/4'. I wonder if it's like that every Saturday, or if there was just a HP fan event on in London yesterday? Next to the photo feature is a shop also called Platform 9 3/4 dedicated to all things Hogwarts. I've seen the first three Potter films and enjoyed them so bought the first book there to read on the train.
At Darlo, phoned Uncle John to let him know I was there and popped into the station café for a very tasty heated chicken wrap while waiting for the Middlesbrough train. Uncle John, Aunt Pauline and their son Ronnie were at Middlesbrough station to meet me. We chatted about family news, work and football on the drive to Hartlepool and Aunt Pauline dropped us right outside the bar at the football ground.
We enjoyed a couple of pints of the local beer, Cameron's, and watched Cardiff beat Forest on the big screen - much to Uncle John and Ronnie's pleasure as Forest are one of Middlesbrough's promotion rivals. At 2.40 we made our way down to the away end. Once through the turnstile Uncle John and Ronnie made for the Gents; while they were there my pal Keith, the Scouse Luton fan, came up to me for a quick chat. Alas, by the time Uncle John and Ronnie emerged they'd missed the chance to meet one of football supporting's greatest characters.
Uncle John and Ronnie enjoyed the atmosphere in with the travelling Hatters, and even picked up and joined in with a couple of the chants. They were happy to sing along with 'We hate Watford' as the Hornets are another of Boro's promotion rivals! Luton took the lead through Mark Cullen late in the first half. Half time brought happy news for John and Ronnie - Boro were 1-0 up at Brighton.
Jim Stevenson seemed to have sealed the points for the Hatters, netting the rebound after the keeper parried a free kick with nine minutes to go. Tension returned when Hartlepool pulled one back from a penalty in the 90th, but Luton comfortably held on for the win.
We walked down to Morrisons car park where Aunt Pauline had agreed to pick us up. I'd set off at a faster walking pace; when the other two caught up with me Uncle John said they'd been worried for me in my Hatters shirt mingling with the Pools fans, but I'd had no trouble - only one monkey-hanger saying to me "How the hell did you win? Worst team I've seen all season!" We stood around for a while and John checked the other results on his phone - Luton stayed 4th, while Middlesbrough had won 2-1 at Brighton and moved up to 3rd.
Finally Aunt Pauline showed up and we set off for the Transporter Bridge only to find it closed for renovation. Meanwhile Ronnie was chatting on his mobile to a friend, who had the hump with Ronnie over his not being able to come to a party the weekend before because of work, but they eventually agreed to go drinking that night and so we dropped him off.
Uncle John, Aunt Pauline and I went on to a hotel-restaurant they knew well. More chat about their family over drinks and dinner; ?Uncle John told me about his two daughters, polar opposites - one of them a real diva princess, the other a Waynetta Slob! I went for an excellent chicken breast with rice. An advert in the hotel lobby said that they were staging 'An Evening with Adele' in two weeks - it was pretty clear that the young lady performing is a tribute act, but Uncle John said, laughing, to a receptionist on our way out "I'll be back in two weeks, I'm expecting to see Adele - it says An Evening with Adele on there! Wonder if she'll bring the baby?"
We headed to their home in Nunthorpe, passing a parade of shops en route; one of the shops was a Chinese take-away, Colin Cheng, of which Uncle John and Aunt Pauline both spoke very highly - "we never get Chinese from anywhere else". Uncle John showed me up the stairs to where I'd be sleeping, in a mezzanine room that was the diva daughter's before she moved out, then we watched some of X Factor, Aunt Pauline turned in and Impopped upstairs for a little rest before rejoining Uncle John for the Football League Show.
In the morning Uncle John knocked me up some bacon and sissies and let me glance through the north-east Sunday Sun before they dropped me at the station in plenty of time for the 8.50 train, with "Let us know next time Luton play near us, or if you fancy seeing a Middlesbrough game to help towards the 92" ringing in my ears.
Back home for a superb Classic Retro Countdown of 1974 and a tasty roast beef and Yorkshire at the Axe.
At King's Cross there was a queue of Harry Potter fans a mile long lining up to have their photo taken holding half a trolley sticking out of a wall bearing a sign 'Platform 9 3/4'. I wonder if it's like that every Saturday, or if there was just a HP fan event on in London yesterday? Next to the photo feature is a shop also called Platform 9 3/4 dedicated to all things Hogwarts. I've seen the first three Potter films and enjoyed them so bought the first book there to read on the train.
At Darlo, phoned Uncle John to let him know I was there and popped into the station café for a very tasty heated chicken wrap while waiting for the Middlesbrough train. Uncle John, Aunt Pauline and their son Ronnie were at Middlesbrough station to meet me. We chatted about family news, work and football on the drive to Hartlepool and Aunt Pauline dropped us right outside the bar at the football ground.
We enjoyed a couple of pints of the local beer, Cameron's, and watched Cardiff beat Forest on the big screen - much to Uncle John and Ronnie's pleasure as Forest are one of Middlesbrough's promotion rivals. At 2.40 we made our way down to the away end. Once through the turnstile Uncle John and Ronnie made for the Gents; while they were there my pal Keith, the Scouse Luton fan, came up to me for a quick chat. Alas, by the time Uncle John and Ronnie emerged they'd missed the chance to meet one of football supporting's greatest characters.
Uncle John and Ronnie enjoyed the atmosphere in with the travelling Hatters, and even picked up and joined in with a couple of the chants. They were happy to sing along with 'We hate Watford' as the Hornets are another of Boro's promotion rivals! Luton took the lead through Mark Cullen late in the first half. Half time brought happy news for John and Ronnie - Boro were 1-0 up at Brighton.
Jim Stevenson seemed to have sealed the points for the Hatters, netting the rebound after the keeper parried a free kick with nine minutes to go. Tension returned when Hartlepool pulled one back from a penalty in the 90th, but Luton comfortably held on for the win.
We walked down to Morrisons car park where Aunt Pauline had agreed to pick us up. I'd set off at a faster walking pace; when the other two caught up with me Uncle John said they'd been worried for me in my Hatters shirt mingling with the Pools fans, but I'd had no trouble - only one monkey-hanger saying to me "How the hell did you win? Worst team I've seen all season!" We stood around for a while and John checked the other results on his phone - Luton stayed 4th, while Middlesbrough had won 2-1 at Brighton and moved up to 3rd.
Finally Aunt Pauline showed up and we set off for the Transporter Bridge only to find it closed for renovation. Meanwhile Ronnie was chatting on his mobile to a friend, who had the hump with Ronnie over his not being able to come to a party the weekend before because of work, but they eventually agreed to go drinking that night and so we dropped him off.
Uncle John, Aunt Pauline and I went on to a hotel-restaurant they knew well. More chat about their family over drinks and dinner; ?Uncle John told me about his two daughters, polar opposites - one of them a real diva princess, the other a Waynetta Slob! I went for an excellent chicken breast with rice. An advert in the hotel lobby said that they were staging 'An Evening with Adele' in two weeks - it was pretty clear that the young lady performing is a tribute act, but Uncle John said, laughing, to a receptionist on our way out "I'll be back in two weeks, I'm expecting to see Adele - it says An Evening with Adele on there! Wonder if she'll bring the baby?"
We headed to their home in Nunthorpe, passing a parade of shops en route; one of the shops was a Chinese take-away, Colin Cheng, of which Uncle John and Aunt Pauline both spoke very highly - "we never get Chinese from anywhere else". Uncle John showed me up the stairs to where I'd be sleeping, in a mezzanine room that was the diva daughter's before she moved out, then we watched some of X Factor, Aunt Pauline turned in and Impopped upstairs for a little rest before rejoining Uncle John for the Football League Show.
In the morning Uncle John knocked me up some bacon and sissies and let me glance through the north-east Sunday Sun before they dropped me at the station in plenty of time for the 8.50 train, with "Let us know next time Luton play near us, or if you fancy seeing a Middlesbrough game to help towards the 92" ringing in my ears.
Back home for a superb Classic Retro Countdown of 1974 and a tasty roast beef and Yorkshire at the Axe.
