Pre-season training

You always know the football season is round the corner when it's time to visit the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court.

And given that the venue is a mere two tube stops from my office, I decide to pop along each day to see various folk.

Tues - that's trade day - and it's wall-to-wall bloggerage, not to mention the Ratebeer folk polishing over the US brews. I'm near the Dutch/Belgium bar and some kind souls leave me some lambic beers they don't like.


Wed - I bump into Argyle fan and DAFTS associate, Geoff, before myriad London Millers arrive after work.

Liz calls through with news of the 17 point deduction for Rotherham - cue a debate on what we'd all like to do with Brian Mawhinney whilst Chris Turner takes comfort from a friend...

Thurs - my chum Richard (left) is down from Northallerton - as is part-time Macc fan and beer fest chum Trevor (right).

We hang around Bar Nouveau, mainly so Trev can tick a few new brews off but it eventually turns into a day of talking bollocks - it's what Trevor does best...






Fri - DAFTS day - John and Steve join me as we dig into some beers and investigate the pies from the Crusty Pie Shop. Not as crusty as I'd like but their pork scratchings make up for that.

The place starts to gets a bit too busy in late afternoon - the office brigade arrive and it gets far too noisy for wee delicate souls like us.



We decamp to the Harp, near Charing Cross, and meet up with Brian who has just spent a second day at the Oval. It's a bit cosy but the Landlord is on good form - the landlady sees that we've been to the GBBF and is keen to know our opinion on her wares.

All in all, I'm a bit weary after four days supping and socialising but tomorrow we're back to grim normality - football on a Satdi.

Come on Darlo!!