Saturday and one of the highlights potentially of the whole trip aside from family and friends. It's been a while since I took in a live game at Franklin's Garden's and today is the day. Northampton Saints versus Newcastle Falcons and a 4 pm kick off.
The day has been well choreographed and at 1130 Kim will be collected by cousin Sarah then heading to Milton Keynes for quality time with her family. Sarah and Stu and children Grace and Jack. Kim's Auntie Claudia and then cousin Tina. Rugby not really Kim's bag and after the Travis Perkins hilarity of years ago hardly surprising. In essence and long story short Kim thought Travis Perkins an extremely popular player and our then next door neighbour in Little Brington was in hysterics.
Prior to Sarah pick up we needed to ASDA shop in Far Cotton for a few bits and pieces. So at the Hilton Hotel Collingtree we met up with Sarah and the two little ones Grace and Jack. The rendezvous easier than trying to direct Sarah into Grange Park. So with Kim safely on the road I headed back to Samantha's to prepare myself for the onslaught.
Priority one: leave the car at home
Priority two: Get Reece to pick me up and then drive to his house
Priority three: Get Reece to leave his car at home
Priority four: walk to the Foundryman's Arms to meet Jerry and our tickets
Priority five: Try not to drink too many beverages before the game (FAILED)
Priority two: Get Reece to pick me up and then drive to his house
Priority three: Get Reece to leave his car at home
Priority four: walk to the Foundryman's Arms to meet Jerry and our tickets
Priority five: Try not to drink too many beverages before the game (FAILED)
Priority six: enjoy the game
Priority seven: ration drinking during the game (FAILED)
Priority eight: stay on feet in pub after the game
Priority nine: Get to the Malt Shovel for 6.30 pm (FAILED)
Priority ten: Get home safely by taxi
Priority eleven: Get Reece home safely
So all up to priority five was achieved without issue. We walked to the pub from Reece's.
Reece and I enjoyed a couple in the Foundryman's Arms before Jerry arrived and then we found ourselves catching up two years and imbibing steadily. six pints and a cigar later (I don't smoke by the way) this dirty shirt and son Reece were well primed for the chanting and singing at the ground. the Doom Bar reference in the blog title relates to a beer I had only previously met in fiction (Silkworm by Robert Galbraith).
The ground, incidentally named Franklin's Gardens (quite appropriate I think) was packed to capacity. Quite something when you consider the Saints team lacked 14 players on International Duty. So the Saints team sheet was made up of squad and academy players, effectively Saints Second Team.
The game was a stunner. We had terrace tickets for the side of the ground but ended up at Jerry's direction under the posts close to the bar. This might go some way to explaining the failure at priority seven, fed somewhat by the previous failure at priority five.
The match report follows :
We were royally entertained for eighty minutes. Marcus was able to join us for the first half before having to return to the Plough for work and for a while father and both sons were screaming and shouting as the blinding play unfolded.
Post game we repaired to the Thomas a Becket pub in a state of disrepair. Here is lovely shot of what disrepair looks like.
There then followed a period of 'frivolity minus full memory' before the booking and then taking of two taxi cabs to our respective homes. Jerry left us to catch a train to Long Buckby and home.
I arrived home fairly early and certainly in time and in control enough to read grand-daughter Alexa a good night story. Then inevitably it was time for me to hit the sack; day done and a good one at that. Final shot is clearly night-time at some point before getting home.
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