Last Saturday it was Walsall v Crewe at Bescot. A match that always sticks out to Saddlers of a certain age and to mark this my old mate Paul Mitchell came down from Bingley to drink beer, watch footie and the great band 5th Chapter then crash at my house. He is my 5th longest standing friend having got chatting to him outside the club shop at Doncaster (a) in 1992. Myself, him and his now wife Cara shared a flat in Hawes Close back in the 90’s before they moved up north but this would be the first time he’d set foot in one of my gaffs since going solo.

He turned up bang on time but I’d forgotten to tell him the bell doesn’t work so eventually he knocked and got in. His first comment was he could tell the house was mine as it’s “very Walsall.” I’ll take that.

We headed to Walsall Arms. Asps was already there having gone early to take advantage of the full English breakfast and pint for £10 deal. We timed our run superbly arriving just as he was up the bar. He got himself an ale along with Oakham “Citra” (me) and Titanic “Plum Porter” (Paul) then we were seated.

Those pints went down well and it was my turn to purchase and just as I approached the bar on came Everlasting Love by Love Affair. I was trying to save my singing voice for the match and live music on the night but this is just one of the best songs ever and I had to give it portions. When I finally meet Mrs Right, that is going to be our song.

Before departing we all visited the loo. Paul commented that it looked a bit suspicious and it probably didn’t help that the capacity of the toilets in there is 3. Two standing and one seated but we had to go.

Next up was Katz and this was busy with fellow Saddlers including Tomo and Sue, Micky Lees, Neil Adams and Marvellous Matt Stacky. It was ace but after a short while there was an exodus to go to Railway Club in Pleck but me and Paul opted to stay put. Asps grabbed a sausage roll and also bought one for me and Paul to share which was unexpected but went down a storm with both of us.

Upon departure Matt gave both of us a Cadbury’s Chocolate Eclair sweet. I eventually popped mine in my mouth just as Paul was looking at Ubers. Suddenly he said the Uber was 2 minutes away. I had to neck a third of a pint with the sweet still in mouth which was a strange beery and chocolate experience. Then I had to say goodbyes and run upstairs to the loo. I eventually got in the car. I still had the Eclair in my mouth. They certainly don’t diminish quickly.

I had a rant in Palfrey at a house with a big Father Christmas outside (it was 9th of November so totally justified) but soon we were on Bescot Crescent. At the retail park the traffic was stationary so Paul told the driver that we would get out there so he could turn round. We got out, he didn’t turn round. Instead he sped off down the now clear road in front of him while we started the additional 10,000 steps that had now been added to our day.

The crowd at the match was just over 8000 which I think is the biggest for a league game in years. The ref was shit and bought into all of their coffee house tricks of the opposition. I think if one of our players had farted in a Crewe players direction he would have awarded them a free kick and reached for a card. They took the lead. Don’t ask for a description I was still in the bar even though I wasn’t drinking. Well, I say that but I’d have had a coffee had the vending machine been working.

I was in the stand for our equaliser. We could have nicked it, the ref must have been on a promise as he didn’t add on any additional time despite numerous stoppages during injury time. The draw was probably a fair result but it was nice to see the ground so busy and I got nowhere near my season ticket seat. Saying that though I don’t get near it when the crowd is low, and I don’t even know which seat it is. I know the row so I’m awarding myself a point for that.

I headed to The Locker to meet Paul who had been in the upper tier in the ground. For some reason there was only 3 lights on, at the other end of the room to where we were and we could hardly see a bloody thing. Guys we’ve just had a big crowd you can afford to put more lights on. Paul spotted that I somehow had an ant on my head, which he blew off. Crack your own jokes, I’m not that puerile.

The DJ was in excellent form and it was a good atmosphere. The DJ who took mine and Liam’s picture in The Crown for the recent Willenhall blog was in and he came to say hello. Chuffed that he remembered me after that one off meeting and recognised me amongst the gloom.

It was soon Uber time again. Paul found one that wanted to pick us up on the Broadway – quite the stroll from where we were. “Say it doesn’t work like George” was my response. True though, it would have been far quicker for him to drive down as the traffic was now clearing, unless he wanted to charge a waiting fee. We declined him and found one who would pick us up from outside. Things you have to be grateful for nowadays eh?

We went back to mine so Paul could change then walked to Walsall Arms with me getting a drive by “Evoooooo” on Pool Street from Laura and Pezza who had just had a successful mission at Danny’s Chicken.

We met Kay and Simon in there, had a couple of beers then made our own visit to Danny’s. Paul was not happy that paying by card isn’t an option in there. The line “cash is King” is not in Paul’s vocabulary as it is with most people. He proper grumbled at having to use the in store cash point. Pez and Laura had done a job. They must had cleaned the place out as we had to wait for food but we didn’t mind. I had a chicken burger which was epic and one piece of chicken. It’s such a good place this.

We ambled down to The Watering Trough. Landlady Angie was on and declared that she loves me as I walked up the bar. Nice welcome. She then told me to try the Mild. I’m not really a Mild drinker but it was a decent pint.

We were there to watch the band 5th Chapter featuring fellow Walsall FC fan Martin Key on bass guitar. I’ve seen them twice before, never sober and I wasn’t exactly that at this juncture either but for once I was going to see the whole set having got there late the other two times.

A few other Walsall fans were in so it was another good crowd. 5th Chapter do covers of great songs and lead guitarist and singer Ellie nails them. We had classics like All The Small Things, I Predict A Riot, Teenage Kicks, Naive and Are You Gonna Be My Girl?

During the interval I nipped to the loo and was was joined at the urinals by a lad who struck up conversation saying he’s from Birmingham and that Walsall is amazing. Naturally I agreed post haste. There was some context as to how he had come to this conclusion but I cannot remember it for the life of me. Sorry. I don’t minute everything that goes on during my days.

Set 2 began with 20th Century Boy, a song which I always thought began with the line “Wednesday’s fine, Wednesday’s good.” Fortunately I recently heard the Placebo version and clocked what it actually is. It was nice to sing it correctly or everyone in the pub would have pointed and stared.

More goodness followed in the form of Not 19 Forever, and one of my favourite Beatles songs Twist & Shout. The encore was held up by the drummer disappearing with someone shouting “he’s gone for a shit”. He returned, Ellie declared “he’s finished his shit” which got a big cheer. Final song was Chelsea Dagger, which is an epic way to round off any night.

Cracking evening, band was ace, Ellie was on good form interacting withe audience including telling Paul to “fuck off back to Bradford” when he gave banter. Song of the night was a magnificent rendition of Basket Case.

Class day, with great people.