Bricking It

I've never been keen on Cheltenham - in theory it's a nice enough town, quite genteel, but it just doesn't feel like a football town. And from the station it's a real hike to the town and the football ground. The pubs are, barring one notable exception, not too exciting either.

So with all that in mind I jumped at the chance of joining Steve for the Fulham -v- Villa game when he offered me a ticket.

And since I didn't need to leave home until late, I finally got the chance to try out one of our local greasy spoons, Ken's Cafe on Green Street, which is just done from the Boleyn Ground and highly regarded by Hammers' fans.

(left) House of Hammers

Phill Jupitus is apparently a regular and he looks like he knows where to get a good meal.

The big breakfast is excellent value - egg, bacon, two sausages, chips, beans, fried slice, bread and a cup of rosy lee for a fiver - and fairly decent quality. I was the first customer of the day but it soon started to fill up as West Ham were at home to Blackburn later in the day.

Despite engineering work on the middle part of the District line, I was able to get to Putney without any great hassle - a very pleasant walk across Putney Bridge and onto the Bricklayers Arms.

Although not officially opening until noon, there were a few people already in the pub, Steve being one of them, so he got the beers in.

The Bricklayers is an independent pub but does more or less the full Tim Taylors range as well as a few guest beers. Today the guest were all from Itchen Valley.

I've been here on numerous occasions over the past few years and I always go straight for the Ram Tam - Steve opting instead for Itchen's IVB.

I was quite surprised to find they were using plastic glasses - I know that it's a match day but we're a good schlep from Craven Cottage and it's not likely to have any bother as we cask ale types tend to be quite peaceable.

The Ram Tam was wonderful stuff regardless - it's quite hard to find outside Yorkshire but it's a lovely beer for a cold day.

It wasn't long before we were joined by Neil and Sam, Villa fans and residents of Cardiff just like Steve, despite both of them being Scots and having Scottish teams to support as well (Hearts and Falkirk respectively).

Not surprising the talk was all of Carling Cup final tickets and who'd managed to get one. Steve and Neil have season tickets so they're all right (jack). For the others it looks like it'll be the TV.

(right) Unlikely Lads

Eastbourne-based Villa fan Pat was next to join us followed by Rhodri, Steve's mate from BBC Wales.

It soon became apparent that all was not well elsewhere. John Bell sent a text saying there was a pitch inspection at Cheltenham - his next text was to say the game was postponed (or "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" as he put it ever so elegantly).

I felt slightly vindicated in giving the game a miss - though Neil and Sam are now suggesting we all make an afternoon of it in Cheltenham for the rearranged fixture.

Likewise we hear from Liz that the game between Rotherham and Macclesfield has also bit the dust - she and the other London Millers instead finding refuge in the Fat Cat. It's a hard life...

The Ram Tam failed to last the lunchtime session and we moved onto a double round of Golden Best - not surprisingly it was a bit watery in comparison - before heading off to the Cottage. The journey is as pleasant as they come - walk over the Thames and then through Fulham Palace Gardens and Bishops Park.

In previous seasons we've been in the away end proper but today we're in the neutral section of the Putney End. The tickets are a bit dear at £40 but we're in row E right behind the goal.

The game started off slowly with no side really putting the keepers to hard work. Villa looked the slightly brighter of the two teams as the half progressed but it looked like going into half-time goalless until Agbonlahor got a brace in the last five minutes - a header which sneaked over the line and then a very tidy lob over Schwarzer.

(above) Villa keeper Brad Friedel beats Zamora to the ball

In the second half Villa sat back somewhat, probably expecting Fulham to pile on some pressure but it was all a bit half-hearted. Gera got the ball in the net but was off-side and the game slowly ran down to it's inevitable conclusion.

After the game we headed back to the Bricklayers to meet Cath who'd been busy shopping at the Dr Martens shop. It was heaving with Fulham and Villa fans so after a quick beer we headed to Aldgate East and a pint in the Pride of Spitalfields.

The pub was equally heaving with a mixture of locals and Hoxton-types so we just had a quick pint of Mighty Oak's Maldon Gold and left for some grub.

It's a long time since I'd had a curry down in Brick Lane - these days there are touts outside most restaurants trying to tempt you in with a variety of offers ("35% off the bill, sir?") who get very annoying.

We opted for one of my old haunts, the Sheba, which I patronised a lot in the 80s with various medic friends from the London Hospital. After waiting ten minutes to be seated we finally got to grips with the menu - a bit more expansive that I remember though old favourites such as bombay duck are no longer available. An acquired taste it has to be said.

The food was good standard fare - nothng outstanding but it hit the spot after having nothing solid since breakfast - and then it was back to ours for Match of the Day and relive the victory all over again...

Dagenham Daze

A bright and early 6:30am start for Tony Waters leaving Darlo but a slight lie-in for me before we meet up at Kings Cross and head over to Liverpool Street. The first point of call today is one of Tony's favourites, Rossi Restauraunt, on Hanbury Street.

Previous visits here have been followed by wins so we feel duty bound to pop in.

The menu needs barely a glance as we opt for the mixed grill-style breakfast – it has all the usual suspects plus a lamb chop and liver. A true creme de la creme of breakfastery.

Despite the photographic evidence and Tony’s odd-expression we did enjoy it. He’s just not very good at showing emotion…

(left) Tony just can't be happy today

Next stop is nearby Brick Lane - once the place to go for some rough and ready curries when I was first a young lad in the big city.

Sadly today it's a bit on the touristy side with touts trying to drag you into their restaurants.

A very shabby practice and one which rarely works.

However at this time of day it's nice and quiet and we wander into one of the major Indian supermarkets.

I'm familiar with a lot of the wares on offer after 20-odd years living in the East End but we were taken aback by the sheer number and size of some of the fish in their freezers. The calves feet looked less enticing mind…

From Aldgate East we take the District Line a few stops to Plaistow and bump into Steve Duffy on the way to the Black Lion. Steve's not had his breakfast but he ignores his hunger and goes to the pub with us – that’s the DAFTS way.

Disappointingly the Black Lion has a bit of a mediocre choice of beers - Courage Best, Adnams Bitter & Explorer and Banks Original. We stick to the Banks as none of us are great fans of Adnams.

(right) DAFTS in the Black Lion

It's not long before we're joined by John and Bev plus Bev's Chelsea mate, Dave, who also has a soft spot for the Daggers. We allow him to sit with us – we’re good like that.

Last weekend we were wondering who the new manager would be and today we know who it is - "Stan" Staunton, and assistant Kevin Richardson. It's fair to say Staunton's appearance is a bit of a surprise to all of us but we're slightly reassured that he's joined by Richardson who seems to be well regarded as a coach.

Another surprise is the signing of Noel Whelan, a former team-mate of Stan’s, in an effort to bolster our Goals For column.

Tony tells us Whelan last played a professional game for Dunfermline Athletic in 2006 and who has recently left Harrogate Town as apparently he was deemed unfit. I'm afraid it seems a desperate move but hold back the cynicism and wait to be proved wrong. It wouldn't be the first time in matters relating to Darlo.

Iain and Paul join us for the last hour or so and the debate goes on. The Irish landlord joins in – like many of his countrymen he was underwhelmed with Staunton's tenure as Ireland boss but wishes him and us luck for the day. Maybe we all need to be kissing the Blarney Stone as well?

As we pass 2pm, Iain and Paul leave to drive to Dagenham and give a lift to John, Bev and Dave. We three slowly finish our drinks and wander up to Plaistow tube where we miss catching a Barking train by seconds.

The next train is a bit of a wait and we have more of a wait at Barking for the replacement bus service. We've already missed kick-off by the time we arrive at Dagenham East and it’s 3:25pm by the time we arrive at the ground. Steve and Tony get updates on the phone and we hear we're already 2-0 down.

At the away end we find all the turnstiles are shut. A steward helpfully tells us we can't come in and we have to go to turnstile 1.

We duly wander back there where we told we can pay there but have to go back to the away end for entry.

(left) The new away end - the closest we got to the game

And then a rare piece of common sense kicks in and we realise that the chances of a Darlo comeback are slim to none and we should beat a sensible retreat to the local pub.

This also meant we missed seeing Howard who was cycling to the game and thus we were spared the sight of an elderly man in cycling lycra...

The Eastbroook is a fairly decent pub full of your average east-ender types – it’s a Greene King pub which normally puts me off but they had a small beer festival on with some barrels behind the bar. We had a pint of something-or-other and it was very tasty.

(left) Tony and Steve outside the Eastbrook

Steve still hadn’t had any food other than pork scratchings so we opt to visit Brook Pie and Mash shop a few yards away. No joy – they’ve run out of pies! We couldn’t Adam and Eve it.

Obviously Dagenham has precious little to offer us today so we hightail it back to Barking – abd a quick stop at the local Wimpy for Steve to fuel up – before heading back into town.

We wander to our new find, the King Charles I, just a few minutes from Kings Cross. It’s very quiet but has some good beers from Brodies - today we have the choice of their English Best or the Californian.

And for Steve they have Brains SA – you can’t escape Cardiff totally!

We have a good chat with the landlord and catch up on the history of the pub. It’s got a decent jukebox so we play that for a while.

Tony and then Steve leave to catch their respective train and bus back home. I should really go too as I have to be up at 7am the next day for my flight to LA.

Instead I get chatting to Jamie Brodie, who brews the beers with his sister and who just happens to live round the corner, and discuss the merits of his California beer – the landlord and I like it but think it tastes a bit thin for a 5.3% beer. Not surprisingly Jamie disagrees.

I have a few pints of their bottled porters and then wander off to meet Liz at Kings Cross and finally head off home – a little worse for wear and apparently I kept repeating myself. Moi?