York City Away (Pre-season)

Feels fookin' ages ago this. Admittedly yes it was, Pools last pre-season game and now we're four games into 2011/12. However felt a need to post a blog and meant to do this at the time.

Nice easy away fixture this which is a regular on Hartlepool's summer playlist, five years on the bounce I believe. Just two of us made the journey and therefore treated ourselves to first class tickets on the 50 minute trip on East Coast. After a couple of complementary teas and a few Stella 4% consumed, it was the short wander across the river to the Stone Roses bar.

Enjoyed a few jars and some quality tooones on the jukey, squatting in the wonderful Madchester surroundings from opening time to mid afternoon. Starting to get in my stride (both in lager consumption and matches of fussball) before the minor embuggerance of Pools vs. York.

On the walk up past the minister we heard a few noisy 'Hartlepool' chants reverberating off ancient stone walls. Heart stirring stuff usually but at a friendly with our Yorkshire neighbours it seemed a bit sad. Ended up walking behind this lot of noisy little urchins (approx 5 kids) - usual suspects. One lad wearing his only bit of Stone Island (a thick knit despite the hot July weather, presumably wearing it because it was Stoney and he's a hooligan) and the other dressers in the ranks all G-Star and Gio-goi. A smartly dressed bunch then...

At the newly renamed original Bootham Cresent (No longer KitKat Cresent - doesn't that sound like a nestle branded ice cream based pudding?) and got a surprisingly good searching thanks to the noisy dicks up front. Not sure what I could conceal in my Ralph polo mind.

Disappointed I couldn't find a programme seller. They're overpriced (last time was £2 for a six page special shared with Bolton Wanderers match the following Tuesday) and never opt for them, but enjoy putting money in a Conferences clubs pockets - so unlucky Ministermen.

Pools kicked off surprisingly wearing the all black away kit, despite it not being new and no colour clash. And then the first half finished. Nothing memorable at all - and that's not because of the beer fug blocking it out. It wasn't the best. Two teams looking to get it down the flanks and getting cut out by wing back - and if the defender was beaten then the cross went behind. At least the chant happy group got tired and napped.

The second half was brighter affair. Nobby Solano came on for Pools and looked a touch of class, showing some good touches and through balls. Pools were on top. So obviously York scored. A quality free kick flying into the top corner, past the flailing Scott Flinders, scored by arguably the man of the match - Trinidad international Andre Boucard.

Poolies equalised ten from time through Adam Boyd, smashing home from a couple of yards out - the lads woke back up "He shoots from the left, he shoots from the right - Adam Boyd sniffs a line tonight". Apparantly. Allegedly.

So a draw again with YCFC. At least it was going to be until City scored in the 90th minute. 2-1. Adding insult to injury was standard class on the rattler home.

Clarks Ashcott & RL (Recent Purchases)

Pretty pleased with these pair of Clarky's Ashcott for the sale price of £34 and free p&p. Quality sings through all round - even before you get into them what with it's solid box, booklet and many layers of wrap. Easy simple design with clean lines and shape, comfiest things I've ever had on my trotters with their signature crepe sole - it's like strolling on white fluffy marshmellow clouds. Clarks do things properly and these shoes are the dogs for the price. Absolute steal.

Next up yet another canny TK bargain. A plain cotton weave sweater by Ralph Lauren and although I'm not a fan of white jumpers this was too good to pass up - hidden away in a dark corner of the store in clearance and mine for the low low price of five english pounds. Bloody hell. How it had been missed by many I'll never know but I know I'm happy about it.

Finally is another cheap pick up from said store, again for a similar fee in their final clearance. Brand shall remain nameless as it's certainly not one I'd ever wear (although some who don't know better live in it thinking it's Funky Cool Understated and Klassic), but for the price and the desert booty style I thought they'd be better inside the tent pissing out than the other way round.

Match Worn

Never actively sought to collect any match worn gear (mainly because I don't like footie shirts or owt) but have amassed a handful of bits in the past few years. Most recently has been the training coat and drill sweater, complete with squad numbers, free from a Glaswegian bloke I've gotten to know through work, who turns out is one of the weights coaches at Pools. Never had the jacket off seeing as it's become my new 'going to work' jacket.

Another favourite, as featured in my 'true colours' blog, is the acid house meets children's finger painting class away shirt circa 1995-97. Truly horrendous but a fleabay pick up for only £4.20. No Nationwide league patches on sleeve so suggests it's from reserves and/or friendlies. Deffo match worn for two reasons though - one squad numbers were unavailable on replicas in those days (at least at HUFC) and there's quite a few turf stains from Priestfield, Saltergate or Deepdale, or wherever it was worn.

Finally is the signed and frame away shirt from the 2003-04 season. Stephen Carson's number 12 shirt complete with Nationwide patches, signed by first team squad and manager from that play-off season. The added bonus of having a shirt from a player who made little or no significant impact at Pools (only played a handful of matches), is that I can pinpoint when this was used. He only made the bench in two away games where we'd need a change of colours and they were Wycombe Wanderers and QPR. So it's from then. Strategically placed on the landing outside the bairns and and the bog door, so can see it always when I'm checking on the baba kipping or dropping my load.

Panic

On the streets of London.

Stone Roses Bar York

It may have crossed your minds, after reading my previous posts, that I'm quite a little bit fond of that whole Madchester thing. Well you'd be right of course. I enjoy a whole host of varying musics, but especially this era - love everything about it. The bands, the swagger, the attitude, the clobber etc. Everything but the drugs really. I also love the pub it inspired...

This quaint little place in the centre of York is certainly my favourite boozer in the whole wide world. If any normal day lad was going to run a pub, surely this is the model to go with? Classy wall art and framed records, plethora of pool tables, an antique fuss-ball, jukebox, Coors on tap and most importantly Scampi Fries. The women who go in see it as just a pub, the lads who go in see it as an experience, neigh, a way of life. Actually I suppose that's true of most pubs but more so in this one.

Get to visit semi regularly with Hartlepool playing YCFC every year in pre-season, and this makes a nice (and usually quiet) drinking hole prior to watching the ministermen beat us (2-1 this year). Makes going away with Pools that little bit extra special surrounded by all this quality swag on the walls whilst supping a nice cool pint and listening to some solid sounds. Magic.

Strangely two of these bars exist in the UK and are both in Yorkshire (the other in Leeds), suggesting that the Madchester scene broke down the barriers of that whole War of the Roses thing.