FA Cup Fourth Round
Saturday 27 January 2024
SUFC 2023/24 Game #42
Sheffield United U18 0 v Birmingham City U18 2
U18 Professional Development League
Saturday 27 January 2024
Played at Shirecliffe
SUFC 2023/24 Game #41
Sheffield United Community Foundation A 3 v Derby County Community Trust B 0
Community & Education Football Alliance League, North Central 1
Wednesday 24 January 2024
Played at Handsworth
SUFC 2023/24 Game #40
This week's beer adventure was on Woodseats. I was brought up at the bottom of Woodseats Road in Sheffield. My Dad used to play snooker in the Woodseats Social Club. One year, the Committee did the end of year numbers and found they could offer Members 5p off a drink. My Dad and his mates immediately switched to drinking halves. That way, they got 10p off a Pint rather than a Bob. Fuckers.
Over Christmas 1977, I worked behind the bar in The Big Tree. Baptism of fire, that ‘un. A coach used to go from the Tree to Sheffield United away games. They called it - The Snakebites FC - coach.
Previously, I've been a #BigFan of Guzzle MicroPub on Chesterfield Road. But, recently, a number of other pubs/bars have opened on Woodseats. So, I went for a big catch up.
The Boston Arms
676 Chesterfield Rd, Woodseats, Sheffield S8 0SD
By the gennel, on a corner plot, next to Woodseats Primary School. Bar in the front room with some seats. A separate side room. And, I hear, some additional seats up top. When I went in, there were three Casks on. Including Abbeydale Moonshine. And a Keg list that was a tad safe & uninspiring. It's context ain't it? SALT Loom, the best in ground footie beer around. A go to. But, if it turns up on Woodseats, I'm all - fuck me, not again.
Still. I was on a little bit of a crawl. And I can only drink one at once!
Brew York, JARSA, IPA on Cask at 3.7%
They've acronymed it bruv. From Juicy And Refreshing Session Ale. Very nice beer. The initial burst is citrus. That hails a long way down. But there is some tropical fruit down there.
Mesters Tap
706 Chesterfield Rd, Woodseats, Sheffield S8 0SD
Same side of Chesterfield Road. The other side of the ‘spoons. Opposite Woodseats nick. My mate Craig was once locked up in Woodseats nick after a United home game. When he came to on the Sunday morning, the Copper asked him his name and address.
“What you asking me that for? You've locked me in all night. So, you must have took those details when I came in.”
“We did Sir, but we don't believe you're called Keith Edwards. And we don't believe you live on Shoreham Street…”
The outlet for Little Mesters Brewing. A single room affair. There was a hand pull. But no sign of anything on it. Seven on Keg. But those included Camden Hells, Pale and Stout.
For the uninitiated, Little Mesters was the phrase given to self employed craftsman in Sheffield. Often self employed in the cutlery game. The last living Little Mester was reputedly Stan Shaw. Stan died in 2021, aged 94. Legend has it he made knives for the Queen, US Presidents and Elvis Presley. Stan was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2017 for his services to manufacturing in Sheffield.
Little Mesters Brewing, Stan, IPA on Keg at 4.6%
That was named after Stan Shaw. It was an OK, but safe, keg IPA. Falling a little way short of the sort of Craft Stan and the other Mesters were famed for.
A longer schlep along Chesterfield Road, past The Big Tree, to a Gaff I did not even know was there until my guide/kidnapper pointed it out.
The Herd
5 Holmhirst Rd, Woodseats, Sheffield S8 0GU
The best way I can describe it is - a mini food court. The Baaa (fuck sake). No Forks Given (breakfast and street food). Dough Bros pizza. And maybe others. I was too taken aback by the wonder of it all. And this is in Woodseats.
SALT Huckaback, Hazy IPA on Keg at 5.5%
Mosaic, Citra and Amarillo Hops. The Citra coming through. A lot. Just the right amount of joooooce.
So, finally, just across the road to;
Guzzle MicroPub
843 Chesterfield Rd, Woodseats, Sheffield S8 0SQ
I've still got great feelings about Guzzle. I just think their throughput means there'll always be a new and interesting cask doing the rounds.
Neepsend Brew Co., Alphito, Hazy Pale on Cask at 4.7%
Superb. Double dry-hopped Mosaic and Azacca. Wheat and oat malt base. Smooth as your chosen smooth thing. But some dandelion bitterness coming in.
Very enjoyable little trail up in Woodseats. Which I thoroughly enjoyed. I inevitably felt the Boston Arms beer choice was a bit "safe". I found the Mesters a bit odd. Didn't really feel like they were showcasing their own beers. Herd was a surprise and lovely.
But I still feel Guzzle is the best of a good bunch.
A poor show from the U18 Blades. Who couldn't really get anything going at all. Although, they were a bit better after the substitutions. The Young BlueNoses extending their lead at the top. They're now five points clear of Crewe. And, seven clear of Barnsley in third. Birmingham certainly fully deserved their points from this one. United remain in eighth.
Ryan Andrews in goal.
Set up as a back three this week. Prunty (armband and attitude) in the middle, Okyere on his right, Tahir on his left. Sam Colechin wide right and George The Trialist wide left.
Jackson Blaize up top on the right, Marshall Francis on the left. Looked like Sam Aston anchoring midfield this week. Billy Blacker to the left, Ethan Cummings to the right. But, they were very fluid across there.
Ethan Cummings fired wide on 24. But chances were scarce at both ends, despite BCFC being well on top. The Young Blades conceded on 41. George The Trialist made a mistake on the left corner of the penalty area, got robbed, and as Keeper Andrews came out, the striker went down over his outstretched arm. Penalty. From a defensive error. It's Shirecliffe. There's not many watching. You can hear what the players and staff are saying. That's part of the fun. Penalty. From a defensive mistake. And didn't Jayden Prunty let EVERYONE know who had made the mistake, and what he thought of him.
Keen readers will recall that Prunty had onfield slanging matches with both the bench and teammate Beattie, last week at Barnsley.
Ryan did really well to save the Pen. And, got an awful lot on the second go off the rebound. But he couldn't keep it out. One Nil Blues. The nearest defender to the scorer as he tracked down the rebound was George The Trialist. So, Prunty had another fucking go at him for not getting there first.
There's passion. And there's leadership. And there's out and out bullying. This Blog has been a supporter and “friend” to many Academy Lads over the years. But, we call it as we see it. Always.
“Jayden, you can fuck off with that eyeballs out berating of your teammates anytime you fancy.”
George The Trialist didn't come out for the second half. I hope he was putting Deep Heat in Brunty’s keks. Like for like Mekhi Haughton-Parris replacing George.
We went two down on 60. Failed to clear a corner. And the West Midlands Lad lobbed/volleyed it back in.
The Coaches changed it all up after that. Noah Kiwomya coming on for Marshall Francis. Blaize dropping back into midfield. With Blacker and Noah up top. We looked much more lively and coherent after that. Kiwomya even hitting the bar on 83.
But, that was it. Everyone back to the dressing room for a bollocking from Prunty!!!
Good team to watch ain't they Brighton? Just constantly looking to move it. And move it accurately to someone's feet. Not hopeful hot potato like a lot of United's play. And then. They don't give you a moment. Good positioning in the first place. And boom. They're on you. And, you feel they've got that decisive, clinical thing going on in the opponent's box. Not a bad fucking blueprint that.
Cup Run(neth) Over.
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