More clubs than Rory McIlroy

Manchester City Youth 2 v AS Roma Youth 1

Tuesday 30 September 2014

UEFA Youth League

Played at Hyde FC

Twitter @ball_sup

Today I dragged myself forward & I have become a modern football fan.  As well as Sheffield United, I now support Man City, Chelsea & Arsenal.  I thought I might as well cover the bases.  I’m going to give the UEFA Youth League a go.  I can easily get to Hyde (for Man City games).  When I’m in London, I’ll see if I can get to Chelsea & Arsenal games.

Basically, it’s a shadow competition.  As the first team full-fat UEFA Champions League Groups are being played, the Youth teams get to grips in the afternoon.  To my outsider, untrained eye, it looks a good idea.  The top elite teams clearly see the Champions League as the tournament to aspire to.  Their own National Leagues are essentially just climbing rungs to the Champions League.  The Youth League is a way of giving their Development Players experience of playing against different systems & foreign opposition. And of travelling to foreign countries.

Maybe, just maybe, it’ll even help the England national team out in player development.  Although that’ll require the English clubs to play English qualified players.

Anyway. Good excuse to try The Sportsman Inn, Hyde. An outlet for Rossendale Brewery. Desperately quiet on this Tuesday lunchtime. Barman very helpful. 7 of their own on cask & a Thwaites guest.

Old School pub. Multi room but quite open & bright. Wooden & tiled floors. Bit frayed around the edges.

I started on the Floral Dance at 3.8%. Oh & £1.09 for half. Nice head & lacing. And, yes, lovely & floral in the mouth (but not much aroma). I'm a fan of big powerful hopped bitterness. But, this one has a nice sort of hidden bitterness. It's not powerful, but it's a stayer & you don't notice it at first. There's a bit of sweetness on the lips. It's grown on me.

Then on to Hambledon Bitter at 4%. First impressions - oh yeah, an English bitter.  Nutty & toasty on the palate. Swirling almost fudge like sweetness. The malt giving both sweetness & flavour. We forget don't we. Feels thick & coating. Not sugar water like some industrial bitters.

Finished with Pitch Porter at 5%. Didn't enjoy that. It did get better but it felt a bit sour at first. Even a bit of vinegar. Maybe I just got a duff 'un. The bitterness got there in the end. But it wasn't great.

The Hambledon Bitter was the stand out Beer of the Day. But the amount of Stone Roses, Happy Mondays & Inspiral Carpets being played over the loudspeakers at Hyde FC, I'd have been better with half an E.

Here is what I notice about games played at levels "above" what I am used to. Played at pace. Not injected pace. Consistent pace. Players get shots off quickly, minimal backlift, at power, and with accuracy. There you go. Get me Clough & indeed Hodgson on the blower.

Game opened out a bit in the 2nd half. City came from a goal behind to win it. Three good goals. It got a bit tasty & lippy late on.

Good day out that.