Lower Leagues Hike

[Pacman1903]

A belated start to my new quest. Would have went to Elgin on Monday but I was screwed by Sunday timetable trains. Still swithering on if ill concentrate on league by league or just hike my way round our country

So with the Heelan league ticked off, the Gable Endies (quite possibly a HFL team next season) were the first port of call. Train check, carryoot check,snag baps check, Pacbro making the train without sleepin in check. A few pints in the Picture Hoose as its right next to the train station and would have been rude not to. That followed by a couple in the Market Arms. Then to a cold Links Park

Montrose are pish and ive said previously this is their year for going down. Yesterdays showing didnt change my mind. Pish but beaten by a quite tidy side in Elgin Outplayed from start to finish. No creativity, no clue. Elgin on the other hand were tidy and played some nice fitba at times and it was noted that they have reluctance to lump it at any point. All their play was on the deck and looked good. Maybe this is the year they might get promoted. Easy day at the office for them 3-0 and 3 points. If Montrose find themselves in yhe playoffs again im sure Buckie,Brora or Cove or even East Kilbride, Spartans could beat them. Few pints in the Royal Arch complete with an Iron Maiden/Twisted Sister conversation with a local after before jumping on the train with a few Stellas

Also a bit of warning,if anyone finds themselves at Links i have to warn you. Do not get a pie. Quite easily the most disgusting thing i have eaten and without exaggerating you could pour the grease out of them. (Pacbros jacket was spootered by it)Pretty f@cking foul and pacbro,pacpal and myself all made the mistake of having one. F@cking gadz min

Anyway Forthbank next weekend





Special careyoot for the start of my new travels

[InversneckieDob]

Haven't been to Links Park for Donkeys.

Been a regular visitor down the years though, I was there the famous night they turfed Hibs out of the League Cup (wan't to say 75?) with Les Barr's 75 yard winner.

The last time I wa there was for an Inverness game in the 2nd or 3rd division.
A pal of mine was running the ICT supporters club and got a special deal on a corporate package at Links Park.
So a car load of us headed through from Inverness (thankfully I wasnae driving).

We arrived dead early and the first think I noticed was that there was a bright, shiny new stand where there'd been a rickety terracing last time I was there.

Because we'd pitched up so early, yer man Bryan Keith (I assume he's nae Chairman any more?) met us and gave us a tour of the stand.
Nice wee setup as I recall, we also met the then manager, the boy Dave Smith who'd been a successful non-league manager.

Anyway, cracking day, great food (first time I tasted Guinea Fowl) loads of swally and great hospitality.
I was substantially the worse for wear by the time we got back to Inverness.

[Pacman1903]

Am I right in saying Forfar play on a fake pitch?

[Pacman1903]

Stirling Albion just tweeted the match prices for todays game at Forfar. Ill take that as a good sign. Wheres my scarf and mittens

[Pacman1903]

Forfar wasn’t my game of choice today but after the weather my safety head won and I thought the A90 was a safer drive than the A96(Elgin v Annan). Left Meldrum with only Cowan and Cosgrove for company, quite the norm for my travels. The snaaa was quite bad between Meldrum and Newmachar but once Dyce was in sight it cleared up. Once past Stonehaven there wasn’t a drop barring up in the hills

I got to Forfar with 40 minutes to spare so I went for an uncharacteristic Guinness in The Plough which was the scene of a quality piss up after a Dons Scottish Cup tie in 2012. Nae so rowdy today as there was a bout 10 folk in and a man of about 60 with a peppa pig tshirt on.

Headed to Station Park and the saying “when in Rome” sprung to mind (nae that Station Park resembles the Colloseum). I was in Forfar so I was to indulge in a Bridie. An excellent piece of fitba cuisine. Better than that f@cking abomination of a pie I got at Montrose last weekend. But I have to moan about the coffee as it was boiled bitter bowf.

The game started well first half was decent. End to end with nothing between the teams. Both side hit the post early doors. Albion took the lead on the half hour after a decent move which led to the initial shot hitting the post leaving a an easy finish past the stranded keeper much to the delight of the decent travelling Bino support (more than some teams bring to Pittodrie). But with an up there is a down and couple of minutes later Albion crucially missed a pen. A poor weak worm burner of an effort. Easy work for the keeper. 5 minutes later The Loons equalised through Cox, a probably deserved goal as there really wasn’t anything between them. A mention for Cox who I thought was the best player on the day,a hardy wee c@nt. Speaking of which the game was littered with a lot of decent meaty challenges. Nothing wrong with that. Sportsound regular name check Gavin Sw@nkie also seems a tidy player for Forfar.

At half time I decided I would swap my vantage point and mix it up with the Bino massive and get hear a bit of their banter. By the time I had a piss and met someone on route I established that in true old school fashion they had swapped ends to be closer to the end they were attacking. Ach well

The second half was a damp (freezing cold) squib and was pretty much a bore with nothing of note happening barring Albion hitting the post again, that and poor officiating. No matter what level you are at you get it. One thing I did notice during the second half was the aforementioned peppa pig mannie was standing next to me. He was now wearing a wolf for a hat and was carrying a camcorder bag (minus the camcorder) theat had a green Tellytubby wearing an aviator jacket sticking out of it. Eh?

Going back to meeting someone at half time. In December the mascot of the month in FourFourTwo magazine was Forfars very own Baxter the Bridie. So part of today was about meeting him as well as my lower league hike. Check the delight in my face

.
Whys that sideways?

Anyway nae the greatest game overall but a decent way to spend a few hours. Only issue. Nae getting to see that fat hun manatee Gary Bollan get beat

[Mason89]

Get yerself to a Sons game with the Boghead Youth Army (hated but rated)

[Pacman1903]

I was actually thinking ill need to do it before they bugger off fae the Rock. Ill give you a shout min

Fits their mascot?

[Mason89]

Pele the Elephant

[Pacman1903]

Hes nae as good as Norrie the Scorrie up at Wick

[Pacman1903]

Cowdenbeath v Elgin tonights tempting