92 Clubs – Day 1 – Accrington, Aldershot, Arsenal and Aston Villa
Well! Day 1 is now complete.
I stayed overnight in a guest house called Maple Lodge at Clayton-le-Moors just up the hill from Accrington Stanley‘s ground.
Maple Lodge Guest House at Five in the Morning
It was clean with a very comfortable bed and it was an only a twenty minute walk down the hill at five in the morning for an early start. It would be a nice affordable base for a weekend at the football, with a but of exploring in the area and on the moors thrown in.
I arrived at the ground early, as I needed to catch the 6:17 train out of the town to Leeds to get a train south.
Accrington Stanley's Ground
The ground is signposted off the Whalley Road and is very much tucked away in the houses. It was quiet, but then what do you expect in the dark early on a Saturday morning. I was welcomed by a friendly ginger cat though.
It took me about twenty minutes to walk down the hill to the station, which is a model for many small towns. Unfortunately, the large Tesco’s next door wasn’t fully open and all I could get to eat was a couple of EatNakd bars. The cashier was also not in the best of humour after working a probably not too busy night-shift on his own. I do wonder about the economics of opening supermarkets all night. Even the self-service tills were broken.
It was from Leeds that I got the 8:05 after the 6:17 from Accrington had got me in on time. It was then a quick route by Victoria and Bakerloo line to catch the 10:53 to Aldershot, where it was a short walk to the ground.
Aldershot Town
Although, I did take a roundabout route getting to the ground, which is actually visible from the station.
It was then back on the train and then on to the Emirates for Arsenal.
At The Emirates Stadium
This picture was taken by a Spanish tourist. If you think I looked hot and bedraggled, you’re right as it was the hottest October 1st since 1800 and God-knows-what.
The Emirates incidentally, was the only place where there was someone to take my picture. The cat at Accrington didn’t want to know.
But at least I was running early and had time for a trip home to have lunch and a shower before going on to Aston Villa.
I left Euston at 17:03 and at just after 19:00 I was outside the ground.
Villa Park - Note the Moon on the Right
I could even see the moon over the stadium. How Romantic!
It was then back to Birmingham New Street and I caught the 21:10 back to London.
I was in bed by 23:30.
I shall update this post as time goes on, as I’ve just written it hurredly as I rush off to Barnsley.
But the amazing thing in some peoples minds was that I caught eight trains yesterday and none were late, although one might have been early. There was no delays on the four Underground trains I caught either.
My only problem was that finding gluten-free food was difficult, as neither Leeds or Birmingham Marks and Spencers in the station carry gluten free sandwiches. But of course, I cooked myself a hearty lunch.
So Day 1 has the same answer to the question of what do you call 1,000 American lawyers at the bottom of the sea? – A good start!
A Silly Suggestion
Someone has just written on my JustGiving page, that I should eat a pie at each ground. For someone, whose father was a medical doctor, it is not good advice, as I’m a coeliac and the pies would do me untold damage.
Thanks to all those who’ve contributed so far!
The Elusive Genius Gluten-Free Fruit Bread
I found some at Waitrose in Eastfield last week, but despite labels on shop shelves in other Waitroses, I’ve not found any more.
Either there isn’t much of it or what there is sells well! I suspect the latter.
Remember many coeliacs are in their fifties and sixties and in many cases, fruit bread was a treat at Sunday tea. It ceertainly was for me.
Let’s hope Waitrose open up their computer system, so we can see where the bread is available. But then we’d do a raid on the shop.
The Daily Express Annoys Their Jewish and Muslim Readers
According to the BBC this morning, the Express is giving away a voucher for a free gammon steak today.
I would link to the Express, but as when you access that website, it opens another window selling the viewer something he or she doesn’t want, I won’t. I wonder how many others hate that practice with as much venom as I do?
I did find the details on the excellent Money Saving Expert website. Here is what you get.
Just spotted the add in todays paper
Weekday paper is 45p, Saturday 70p, Sunday £1
Get from Budgens & Londis
Saturday – Gammon Steaks
Monday – Crumpets
Tuesday – Natural Yoghurt
Wednesday – Pack of Wagon Wheels
Thursday – Ocean Spray Cranberry & Blueberry Drink
Friday – Quaker Porridge Oats
What a wonderfully balanced diet! Especially for a coeliac like me. Cranberries are also banned if you’re on Warfarin.
They didn’t mention that you could tear the newspaper into squares and use it for toilet paper.
The Shelf Life of M & S Gluten Free Sandwiches
On My 92 Clubs trip, I shall be relying heavily on Marks and Spencer’s gluten-free sandwiches. In their Upper Street branch on Sunday, I saw an egg & tomato salad sandwich reduced to £1.25. The Sell/Use By Date was the 18th of September, as this picture shows.
A Reduced Marks & Spencer Gluten-Free Sandwich
I decided to put them in my fridge and see what they tasted like after a few days.
I eventually had them for my lunch yesterday, the 20th, and they were as delicious as they usually are.
I shall be checking the store every time, I go to the Angel. After all, where can you get a wholesome gluten-free snack for £1.25?
That’s the Last Time I Travel First On Virgin Trains
My trip down from Blackpool wasn’t a nightmare, but it could have been better.
It was my fault that I booked First Class because I thought I’d be using my laptop and wanted to take advantage of free wi-fi. But I didn’t take the computer and after a good journey up in Second, I’d rather regretted it, as I find the Second Class seats better than First, as I don’t have a very good back.
I was hungry, but I thought I might get something to eat. All I’d had since Blackpool was a smoothie and a banana in the station buffet. Often there is aFirst Class Lounge, where I can get some fruit and coffee. But not Preston!
On the train, as it was Saturday, all the food offered was biscuits or an apple.
So effectively, I paid the extra for First Class for two cups of coffee.
And then the train was 55 minutes late into Euston. I shall be claiming a refund, if Virgin offer one. I can’t find anything about that on their web site.
As it was, the lateness ruined Plan B,which was supper in Carluccio’s in Islington. Luckily, I had some cold Musks sausages in the fridge.
How Do McDonalds Add Gluten to a Cappucino?
I thought a cappucino was gluten free! But according to the information in the McDonalds at Blackpool, it’s not!
Gluten-Free From Liverpool to Blackpool
On Friday, I’d eaten well in the Victoria Gallery and Museum and then I’d had a gluten-free sandwich from Marks and Spencer on the ferry.
There were no gluten-free sandwiches at Lime Street Station. But this is what Marks & Spencer say on their website.
I broke the journey at Preston and managed to get a gluten-free roast chicken and pesto sandwich in Starbucks, which isn’t my favourite type, but it still filled a hole. Not too far from the station incidentally.
At Blackpool I checked the city centre for something to eat and there was nothing. Even Pizza Express seemed to serve a restricted menu, which didn’t have the salad nicoise. In the end I walked down the promenade to the football ground and didn’t see anywhere I’d have eaten, if I wasn’t a coeliac.
I did see this shop though.
Anos Pizza in Blackpool
I didn’t even ask!
So I didn’t eat anything. Not that I was that bothered at first, but as time for the match drew on, I felt I needed something. So I went into McDonalds and bought some fries and a Coke. The manager was very helpful and at least I used the time there to make a visit to their very clean toilet.
I couldn’t help thinking as I walked down the promenade, that there is nothing that would tempt me to stay any time in Blackpool. I’ve even seen better trams in a museum. This broken clock summed up Blackpool.
A Broken Clock in Blackpool
Or does it only work, when they switch the illuminations on? The picture was taken at 11:18
The National Cafe at the National Gallery
I had a good lunch with a friend at the National Cafe at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square.
They were quite happy to check the menu and modify it accordingly to make what I ate gluten-free.
Is Fred Goodwin a Coeliac?
The reason I ask this question, is that we have one important thing in common; we both hate pink vanilla wafer biscuits. In my case, I’ve avoided them all my life even before I was diagnosed as a coeliac and of course can’t eat the normal ones now. But I’d never write an e-mail about it, as Fred did and I reported here.
But hope is at hand, as Sainsburys are now selling Pink Panther gluten free vanilla wafers.
Who’s to know, if Fred might have liked them? If he had, the train crash that was RBS might not have happened.
The Anonymous Widower 