ENJOY BURTON 0 THE TOON 2 *** PRE SEASON FRIENDLY 2021-22

 Posted '12:20pm bells' Saturday 31st July 2021

Updated Sunday 1st August

"THE JOY OF BURTON!"

It woz yet anothaa train journey, this time to the Midlands where we played Burton Albion!

Az we couldn't get a train back (coz of the kick off time) we booked a hotel next to Burton Station.

After a few liquid refreshments in a real ale bar next to the hotel caalled 'The Weighbridge', it woz time to make the 25minute walk to the groond, but not before stoppin off at another boozer caalled 'The Lord Burton' for some scran!

It started 'chucking it doon' (heavy rain) and by the time we got inside the groond we were soaked to the skin!

Aroond aboot 1,200 Toon fans had made the journey and they were in good voice az the game kicked off.

TOON FANS PACKED THE SMAALL STANDIN TERRACE BEHIND THE GOAL AND THE SEATS IN THE MAIN STAND, NEAR THE CORNER FLAG!

It wasn't lang before we took the lead when a Joelinton cross eventually foond Jacob Murphy and he volleyed home from just inside the box in the 6th minute!

TOON FANS CELEBRATE THE FORST GOAL!

NUFC were on top and should have increased wor lead on at least 3 occasions, but couldn't get the baall into the net again!

HT 1-0 to 'us'

It didn't take lang however to double wor lead when Joelinton sent an unstoppable heeder into the net, from a Ryan Fraser corner!

Chances for Gayle and Murphy went 'a beggin' and so we had to settle for a 2-0 win!

That SMB Steve Cram famously once said to Toon fan Brendan Foster "enjoy Burton!", when NUFC were relegated and the mackems stayed up!

We certainly DID enjoy Burton that next season az we beat them twice ---and then Burton were the team who relegated sund'lind to the 3rd tier of the Futbaall Leegue 2 years later!

Enjoy Burton?---You bet!

"AN ALARMING OCCURRENCE!" 

After the match, thankfully it had stop rainin' and so 'Sarnie Steve', 'Blondie Alan the Morris Dancer' and 'me', heeded back towards wor hotel, but not before stoppin' off at 'The Alfred' boozer on the way where several pints of the local real ale were consumed, to celebrate wor victory. Then the landlady spoilt it aall and said she woz chuckin us oot az they were closin' at 'midneet bells'! (What a disgrace!)

We retired to the hotel Ibis where me and 'Sarnie Steve' were sharin a disabled room----not that we are disabled, but thats where they put us, with alarms in the 'tool shed' and next to the shower!

The twin beds were pushed together, so aa moved mine away from hiz to give us some space and went to sleep!

And then at '6:25am bells' precisely 'aall hell' broke lose when somebody started hammerin' and brayin on the door!!!!

F***in' hell---Woz the hotel on fire!---woz mee forst thought????

Sarnie Steve jumped oot of bed in hiz borthday suit (not a sight to behold!) and answered the door!

It woz the hotel manager and one of the emergency alarms had went off!

"Its the alarm near the beds!", he shouted frantically, az we looked for it, but couldn't see it?----I moved mee pillow to reveal an alarm behind and switched it off!---The alarm had been beside the bed on the heedboard when we went into the room, but az a'd moved mee bed away from Steve's, aa didnt notice it, az it woz now behind the pillow and aa had set it off az aa moved mee heed on the pillow! 

(Yi couldn't possibly make THIS up!)🠟🠟🠟

THE EMERGENCY ALARM BEHIND MEE PILLOW!!!!

It woz time to get up anyway, az we were on the '7:30 bells' train back to the Toon!---On arrival back at 'The Central' aa jumped on a bus and went yem to dump mee owerneet bag and get some scran, what wor lass had made!

Within the hour aa woz oot again and on me travels to Gatesheed stadium where wor U23/ academy side were takin' on 'The Heedbangers'-----and lost 4-1---and this iz another tale that shhould NOT be missed, when aa post it on Munday!---Honest, it's a classic az well!

Az per usual "Watch this space on Munday!"

GANNIN FOR A BURTON!

 Posted 'high noon bells' Friday 30th July 2021

In a few minutes time we will be catchin' the train to Burton from 'The Central' (train station) for a '7:45 bells' kick off, where wor forst team are playin'!

Coz we can't get back (coz of the kick off time) we will be stayin owerneet at a hotel next to Burton station!

And then on Saturday mornin' when we travel back, we are off to Gatesheed International Stadium, where wor U23 youngins will be playin Gatesheed's forst team in a '3 bells' kick off!

Match reports and pub pix on both games will appear here sometime on Sunday!---Az per usual, "Watch this space!"

NUFC HAND ME DOWNS!

 Posted 'high noon bells' Thorsday 29th July 2021

"CAN WE BORROW JOE WILLOCK AGAIN, PLEASE?"

When I woz a bairn in the 1960s it wasn't unusual to have large families.  A family ower the road from me at the time had 10 members and were on the breadline!  (I woz an only child)

Other richer families with just 2 or 3 kids used to feel sorry for them and give them their 2nd hand clothes, that their kids had worn oot!

They were caalled 'hand me downs' and one poor kid from the family of 10, who would be seen in their old clothes, woz cruely nicknamed 'Rodney Rag' by the richer kids!

It's exactly the same at NUFC now, where we are lookin' for 'scraps' and 'cast offs', that the likes of 'The Arse' and Moan U divvint want, az 'Brucey' holds oot the beggin bowl, pleadin for 'hand me downs' from the richer clubs!

It's where we are I'm afraid and we'll just have to grin and bear it and hope against hope that the takeower finally happens!🙏

THE ROTHERHAM NEW YORKERS 1 THE TOON 1 *** PRE SEASON FRIENDLY 2021-2022

 Posted (from) 11:17am 🔔bells' (onwards) Wedinzday 28th July 2021

"THIS IZ DEFINATLY NOT THE 'BIG APPLE!"

The difference between New York in America and New York in Rotherham couldn't be greater!

Whereas the USA version haz sky scrapers and neon lights, the Rotherham version haz boarded up shops and pubs and 🐀rats in the street, az we foond oot lookin for an open drinkin den!

A pub!---but it woz closed!!!🥶

"New York---but where are the skyscrapers?"

We eventually foond one caalled The Bluecoat where John Smiths woz £1:85 a pint!

"IZ THAT A SKYSCRAPER IN THE DISTANCE?"

After a few liquid lubrications there, we heeded for the New York Stadium, but not before encountering a smaall rat in a narrow alleyway, which ran between mee legs and into some derelict building near to the pub!

In complete contrast to the streets nearby, the modern silver and red stadium stood oot like a beacon against the dark clouds above, which threatened heavy rain and had deluged the area for a few hours before kick off!

Inside, an advertising board in front of the away section said 'VISIT ROTHERHAM', which begs the question: Who the hell in their right mind would want to visit this place!?(Roland Rat) perhaps?)

"I'D RATHER VISIT GAZA CITY!"

Anyway! The game kicked off with huge gaps in the red seats, with empty seats in the home sections and quite a few in the Toon end az well!

Rotherham started the better side and they took the lead in the 8th minute, through an unmarked heeded goal by Smith  who beat  4th choice keeper Woodman in The Toon goal!

The rest of the half woz dreadful from a Toon point of view and wor anly shot woz from Callum Wilson at the far end from us!---booos from the away section greeted the half time whistle!--dreadful fare from NUFC!

A flying yellow 'Mr Man'--the best action of the 1st half!     PS: Travelling companion 'Blondie Alan the Morris Dancer' 'googled it' and told me that the yellow object woz in fact 'Sponge Bob Square Pants'! (How could I not know that?)

The 2nd half wasn't much better and the fans directed chants at wor absent owner to sell the club-----to The Premyaa Leegue, caallin them corrupt and to Brucey, who they said woz a sh*t Steve McClaren and a sad mackem b*stard!!!

"Sing in the 'ERIC TRIGG FOODS PUKKA PIES STAND!" 

We finally made the breakthrough in the 84th minute when Hendrick, playin up front, heeded home in front of the Toon fans from a corner by Murphy!

1-1 woz the final score against this Leegue one side, who shud have won!

Very unsatisfactory!

ATTENDANCE: 4,370 (Just 1,488 Toon fans, which iz nearly 2,000 less than were at Donny last Friday)

More pix 

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Rotherham's old groond qwaataa of a mile from their new one iz still standing, 6 years after they left there for the New York Stadium in 2015

NEW YORK HERE WE COME!

 Posted 'high noon bells' Tuesday 26th July 2021

"NO!--- Not THAT New York!"

Today 'The Toon' are off for a friendly in New York! 

Unfortunately, NOT the one on the east coast of the USA -----the one in the New York district of sooth Yorkshire, for a '7:00pm🔔s' kick off v Rotherham United at The New York Stadium!

And for the 4th time in 9 days 'The NUFC mad-sad groundhoppers' will be catchin a train at 'The Central' to gan to a Toon match, followin wor 'sorties' to York, Donny and Darlo --this time to Durham, where 'Blondie Alan the Morris Dancer' iz pickin' us up in hiz 'jam jar (He lives near Durham) and drivin from there! (It's dodgy to get back by train)

Thunderstorms and heavy rain are forecast, so it will be wise to take a waaterproof  coat!

A Geordie Times match report and pix will appear here sometime on Wedinzday!

Az per usual "Watch this space!"

348 blackwelll meadows, darlington

Ground number 348

Date of First Visit: 24th July 2021

Blackwell Meadows, Darlington

Darlington 1

Newcastle United U23s 3 (Tom Allen, Dylan Stephenson (2)

Friendly fixture

Attendance: 700 (includin' a few Toon fans)

1st HALF AZ 'THE TOON' ATTACK 'THE BIG FOREST END'

"IT'S JUST LIKE WATCHIN' BRAZIL!"

For the thord time in six days we were on the East Coast line, this time the short trip to Darlo, where wor second string were in action! Indeed, we were back in The Central(train station) just 10 hours after gettin back from Donny, to watch the forst team!

After a 30 minute train ride we were there and heeded straight for the toon centre bars! The Hole in the Waall woz wor forst port o caall, where we bumped into some of the lads!

It woz then onwards to the Quakerhouse where a pint of Quaker woz on the medicine menu! (Wot else in Darlo, who's nickname IZ 'The Quakers'!)

After a few 'gargels' there it woz time to gan to the match, which woz a canny way from the centre of Darlo!---A taxi woz flagged doon and 'off we went' to the ootskirts!

For the forst time ever I used a scan code on mee phone to gain entry, az there were nee tickets!

The clubhoose woz of course wor forst stop off point in the groond, where more of the local brew woz consumed! (hic!)

The teams ran oot and The Toon were in their new black n white striped strip, while Darlo sported a replica of a Brazil strip, rather than their black n white hooped shirts!

Indeed their number 10 woz the spittin image of the great Pele, who of course wore the famous number when Brazil won the World Cup 3 times!

"IZ THAT PELE BY ANY CHANCE?"

The Toon took the lead at the 'Big Forest End' when wor number 7 Tom Allen ran into the box and hit an accurate shot into the corner of the net, with their goalie well beaten!

Darlo had chances to equalise, but couldnt make the breakthrough and we went in at the break 1-0 up

To totally confuse things we ran oot in the 2nd half with a raft of changes--indeed aa later foond oot that a completly different X1 played in the 2nd half!

Anyway!--The home side hit back in the 51st minute with a set piece and it looked like a Toon player had touched the baall before it entered the net?

25 minutes later we retook the lead when half time sub number 21 Dylan Stephenson fired home when put through by Longelo ar the Darlo Ultras End!

             ⬅️The Darlo Ultras End

The win woz completed in injury time when a misstayk in the Darlo defence let in Dylan again and he had the easy task of puttin the baall into the net!

We celebrated wor great win against 'Brazil' with a few more liquid lubrications back in Darlo, before catchin the train back yem!

More pix from Darlo

The futbaall club groondshare!

The clubhoose balcony

The Darlo trainer, not somebody yoo would pick an argument with!

A knitted bollard in the centre of Darlo-- one of hundreds dotted aroond the place???

Fact file:

This woz the 3rd different groond in Darlo where 'The NUFC mad-sad groundhoppers' have visited to watch The Toon, alang with Feethams and The Reynolds Arena! 

DONNY 2 THE TOON 3 *** FRIENDLY

 Posted '10:30am 🔔bells' Saturday 24th July 2021

BRIEF MATCH REPORT (More to follow when aa get time)

3 goals from Ryan Fraser, Sean Longstaff and Callum Wilson in front of 3,300 travelling fans sealed a 3-2 victory at the Keepmoat Stadium last neet!

It woz great to see away fans back in great numbers after an absence of 16 months! (Although a few got into York's new groond last Sunday!)

Today we are off on the train again, for the thord time in 6 days--this time to Darlo to watch wor U23s in action at Blackwell Meadows-- a new groond for 'The NUFC mad-sad groundhoppers' and wor 2nd new groond in 6 days, followin wor visit to York! (We've been to Donny before, so that wasn't a new groond!)

A match and Darlo pub crawl report from today's game will appear here ----eventually!

The drinking den we went to before and after the game

Attendance: 6,787 (half from The Toon!)