I had a basic plan for last Saturday. Get up early and finish work on last weeks blog about Bloxwich. Go to Walsall Arms for a breakfast sandwich. Go to Digbeth Dining Club at Walsall Arboretum then The Met Bar (Wharf/Bar 10) for England v Switzerland. Easy yeah? No. This is me we are on about.

It took much longer to work on the blog than I thought and so I was an hour later leaving the house than planned and I was now ravenous. The breakfast sandwich was now going out of the window and it was the works instead.

Although it was only the second Saturday of Walsall Arms breakfasts, Jodi who was serving knew the drill. Mug of tea and no tomato or mushrooms. It was another successful breakfast mission but it was time to head to the dining event at the Arboretum although actually eating there was now being pushed further back into the afternoon.

I stepped outside. It was drizzling. I hadn’t brought a coat. It’s July plus it was dry when I left the house. I’d checked the BBC weather app and it had said 80% chance of rain all day until 7 pm when it dropped to zero percent. So it would be dry just as the England match would be finishing and we might be launching ourselves into the canal in despair.

I thought about pressing on as I’m only out for a few hours but then common sense kicked in. This doesn’t happen to me often. I’m going to be out in the open for several hours. It’s a 10 minute walk back to the house. Go and grab a raincoat. I knew people that were going to The Arboretum but we hadn’t arranged a meet up as such so I wasn’t letting anybody down with how late I would be rocking up.

It didn’t help that I saw a cat on my road. They normally run off from me but this one was relaxing, looked up and gave me a big meow which I always like and he accepted fuss.

I grabbed a raincoat and set off. Down Church Hill, past Katz and to the front entrance of the Arboretum. I knew from Facebook that the event was near the Wildlife Centre. I knew not where that was but assumed it was by the Visitor Centre. Yes yes yes, I know you should never assume. You make an ass out of u and me etc etc but I didn’t know how big this event was. It wasn’t by the Visitor Centre.

Jayne had checked into the event on Facebook neary an hour earlier so I rang her. The line was crap and she couldn’t understand me so put Sean on. He said they’d come away and were heading to the Toby. I liked the thought of them going to a dining club then heading for a mossiv carvery. He later confirmed that they had decided it was beer time and gone to the Toby for a pint and taxi to The Met. It’s times like this we really miss The Park Tavern.

I digress. Sean said that the event was down the other end. So I walked and soon found it but it was up an embankment which was very overgrown. So I walked and walked and eventually found a gap for me to nip up. I had clearly taken the wrong path. Not for the first time in my life. So basically I should have used the entrance by The Grange Playhouse. The one that is 15 minutes from my house. Organised Evans strikes again. I had to walk around the temporary fence to get to the entrance but at long last I was in.

There were lots of food stalls, one coffee stand and 3 or 4 bars along with a DJ to get some tunes blasting. And loads of people. I thought the rubbish weather and the 5 pm England match might have put people off but this wasn’t the case. There were quite a few people in Birmingham City shirts which surprised me. Well it’s been a few years since we’ve played them so I took it they were here for this event and then popping to some pubs to practise ahead of our pre season friendly with them on the 27th.

I bumped into Mark and Sarah. The former I see regularly but the latter I’ve not seen since a random meet in Cannock Wethersppons a few years ago. Things escalated quickly and within minutes I was serenading Sarah with the chorus to my favourite Shania Twain song “You’re Still The One”. There is context to this. I told her where I was watching the game and we talked of The Wharf of old and I mentioned the time we had a dismal defeat at Scunthorpe and afterwards we went to a Shania tribute night at said bar and she didn’t do that song. Sarah said she didn’t know it but recognised it from my rendition. I think she just wanted ,me to sing it to her. I didn’t mind. It’s not often I get to sing to lovely ladies.

I didn’t stay long. It was soon 3pm and I knew that Swill was getting to The Met at that time. I grabbed a double headed ice cream from a van outside the perimeter fence (which people without tickets could go to) then I set off. There was a performance going on in the bandstand so I watched that for a couple of minutes then proceeded.

I got to by what was Chicago’s and received a message from Josh. He was in McDonalds. I’d not seen him since Thursday (quite long by our standards) so I popped in. He asked about my day. He then summed it up. “So you paid £4 to go to a dining club, didn’t eat there and now you’re having a McDonalds?” Yeah. Me in a nutshell. Those divine limited edition Mozzarella Bites aren’t going to eat themselves are they? They are in danger of pushing Nigella Bites down to number 2 on my bites leader board.

Josh had got his wife Lyndsey and their 3 kids with him but not Mad Max the dog. As I’m round Josh’s all the time me and Max have properly bonded and Lyndsey even says I’m his favourite person. I’d have given him a Mozzarella Bite but he wasn’t under the table. I did check.

Josh and his entourage were off to The Locker (Saddlers Club) so I bade them all farewell and headed to The Met. It was rammed which was good to see and the atmosphere was lively. There was a good group out. Swill Mase Beth Sean Lauren Ian Jayne Chris Hannah Panda Dan and Martin were all out on international duty so I joined them. Swill’s brother Ant, who I haven’t seen in decades was also out so it was good to see him.

At half time the usual England anthems started to play and I headed to the bar. Swill mentioned that he’d just waited half an hour to be served. This would not be likely to change with the half time rush so I strolled to the Brewers Fayre next door and got served straight away.

I rued missing out on World In Motion, Three Lions and Vindaloo but as I supped my Madri here I was treated to Waiting For A Star To Fall by Boy Meets Girl. I was 14 when this came out and I really fancied the woman in the video.

The penalty shoot out win sparked joyous scenes and there were no despairing dives into the canal after all. Panda bought a tray of Baby Guinness shots which rounded off the proceedings nicely.

The group started to dwindle. I asked Swill what the plan was but he must have thought he was on 1 Versus 100 as he dodged the question. I asked another 3 times and he avoided answering. I felt like Jeremy Paxman interviewing Michael Howard.

Mase announced that he and Beth (Mrs Mase) were going to The Registry. I was on board with this so made a final toilet visit. I was mid flow when I realised I had company at the urinal. Coxy, who I didn’t know was even in the building had joined me for a natter. He’d already had his piss so there was no danger of us crossing the streams. I hadn’t seen him for ages so it was good to chat. Next time though Coxy let’s do it in the bar, or at Bescot Stadium. Best of both worlds maybe? Bar at Bescot Stadium.

I think we only had one pint in The Reg, Panda offered me a lift home in his taxi which was very decent of him as he lives at the opposite end of the Walsall borough but I couldn’t let him go out of his way so I declined and took a very pleasant stroll. Fantastic day with lots of good people. There is nothing like football for bringing people together. Now come on England in the final tonight.