Birmingham Tour 2016

The day began, as usual, in Tony’s Café about 09:45 for a slap up breakfast to see us on our way to Redditch, via Leighton Buzzard. The Regiment traveled to Redditch last season on the train and were looking forward to another interesting day out.

Redditch United had postponed a game on their pitch the previous Monday, so there was some doubt among the Regiment as to whether the match would be on. As we approached Milton Keynes, the sun was shining and phones started chirping that there was a pitch inspection due at 11:00. As we pulled into Rugby, it was clear the game was off and a back-up plan needed plotting. Connor Calcutt’s father, informed us of a German market in Victoria Square in the city centre. Now this sounded like a plan!

 

We had already sourced a new pub to try near to Birmingham New Street for the journey home, so made our way towards the Post Office Vaults on New Street, literally a two minute walk from the station. A pub for real ale connoisseurs, it has an excellent range of eight real ales, with 10 ciders and perries and hundreds of bottled beers from around the world.

   

We sampled The Titanic Stout, Bateman’s Mocha and the excellent homemade mulled cider. We then ventured into the German market, where we had some excellent German pilsner in proper glass steins. We were slightly glad the game was postponed at this point.

A stroll round the market to eat two foot German sausages and cheese stuffed pretzels was followed by a visit to the Wellington on Bennett’s Hill. The pub was packed and once served we found ourselves a table and raised our glasses in our normal salute. “TO THE REGIMENT” we cried, when from a rather sozzled lady on the next table came the reply “I WISH I WAS THERE” as half the pub erupted in a huge cheer. The Regiment keeping a low profile, as always.

With 16 hand pumps there was plenty of choose from and we had the Left Hand Brewery’s Black Jack Porter, the excellent Wye Valley H.P.A. and Oakham Citra.

Once back in Dunstable, we met with a few more Regimentals in the Wheatsheaf, where we rocked into the wee small hours of Sunday with a great band and a few more beers. Football was long forgotten, as was the trip to Redditch on a Monday night in February.

Paulton Tour 2015

The day started with an early start at Tony’s Café for breakfast and had the supporters waiting for the arrival of a coach and players at 09:30 at Creasey Park, our designated departure time. Eventually, the players arrived, one by one, then the coach, before the manager and physio made a stylish late arrival.

We were looking forward to our return to Paulton after last season’s trip, but the Red Lion was a little disappointing this time. We were spoilt last season, as they had a BBQ and a live band, but even without those the closure of the skittle alley really bought the mood down. They still sold beer so all was not lost.

The amazing Butcombe Bitter is brewed less than 15 miles from Paulton, in the Somerset village of Wrington. It’s clean dry taste has won it many awards, including the Bronze Medal at the Great British Beer Festival in 2013. It was accompanied by the reliable Doom Bar from the Cornish brewery Sharp’s.

Clearly not learning from our visit last season the only thing screwed down in the pub was the huge parrot cage, which Kevin tried befriending. This only served as a distraction as we released a Christmas reindeer from their festive display. It was clearly being held against its will, so it would be deemed a mercy mission.

It was decided, on the walk up the hill towards to ground, to name the poor chap after our first goal scorer and was subsequently named STEEEEEEEVE after Steve Wales’ goal direct from the corner just before half time. With a goal from Connor Calcutt in the second half we also came home with all three points and another successful day out was almost complete.

On the way home, we have a stop at Hemel Hempstead, to drop off some of our players. Whilst we were there, the driver informed us that due to his magical mystery tour out of Somerset, he was out of driving hours and could not continue back to Dunstable.

So we were stuck in a lay-by in Hemel waiting for a driver to finish the journey. Fortunately, this was not on the scale of the famous Tolpuddle take over on the way home from Weymouth and before too long were back in the Bird in Hand for a couple of liveners.