Scottish Championship
Tuesday 27 February 2024
Ground Tick #473
For One Day Only. Many, many years ago, I was co-opted into the Airdrie Section B Firm. Went on their away coach an’ everything.
Class Bs were available - up hooter variant. I went Buckfast!!!
“Hey Diddely Dee, We Are The Section B
With hand grenades and tommy gun
We're off to fight the Motherwell scum”
Tonight, the Airdrie fans were sat way over to my right. As I look up my place at Tannadice Park for my 473rd Ground Tick. Sat tonight, in the Family Zone, things have certainly changed for me since I was (briefly) Section B. I'm not a Grass. But, they have also certainly changed for my Airdrie Host from all those years ago. He's “gone on to bigger and better things”.
Fuck Sake. That's got to be one of the most “subtle” unwelcoming experiences I've ever had in a Pub.
The Bank Bar
7/9 Union St, Dundee DD1 4BN
First up. I've ordered my beer. He's pulled it up nicely. Put it down to let it settle. Took me money. Then he's gone to top it up. But, he's gone for the Fyne Ales Jarl handpull. Editor's Note. I ain't fucking ordered Jarl. I've stopped him just as he's got a thimbleful into what is now a Beer Cocktail.
“No worries Mate. Easily done. You caught it just in time. I'll happily have that one.”
I smiled out the correct etiquette. Without a word, nor a facial expression, he silently pulled another full pint from the correct handpull. He put that in front of me. Then, unsmiling and grumpy, he put the other nearly pint up. And said;
“You might as well have this one as well. It's no use to me.”
I left it where it was.
I've described his demeanor perfectly. Subtly Unwelcoming.
I took A SINGLE PINT back to the Carriage Bag Firm alcove.
MóR Beers (Dundee), Cold IPA on Cask at 4%
A party of half a dozen noisy blokes were a-coating and a-handshaking and a-hugging as they left. Three punters came in for “the barman treatment”. And two more were sat in the window. I swear down, as soon as I'd got my beer and the blokes left, matey started stacking chairs on tables. Then he started picking up all the beer towels and emptying the trays. All this going on around us and on the adjoining tables.
“It's half fucking six when all these - we're closing signals are going on. Half fucking six.”
Much, much better out at;
The Ship Inn
121 Fisher St, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 2BR
Three Cask front & centre. Two from Loch Lomond Brewery and one from Stewart. Barman extremely welcoming. He wasn't fazed when I told him I was going to sit down, compose myself (we'd walked from Dundee), take my trousers off!!! (waterproofs - did I say we'd walked from Dundee), and consult the Sacred Beer Lists before I chose.
Loch Lomond Brewery, The West Highland Way, Pale Ale on Cask at 3.7%
A lot of lovely citrus on that one. With a little bit of spice. Excellent.
The Airdrie fans congregating in one section behind the goal. And the vast majority of the stand opposite me empty. I presume they know what crowd they're expecting. And sell tickets accordingly. But, it was easy to feel you're just sat looking out onto an empty stadium. The crowd was 7,867.
Dundee United & Raith Rovers are duking it out at the top of the Scottish Championship for the automatic promotion spot. After this week's shakedown, United remain top on goal difference. Plus 33 having played 25 games. Raith are just plus 11.
So. This defeat did not go down well with the Tannadice faithful. Airdrie sealed it on 90+4. The Boo-Urns began on 90+4. And are still fucking going for all I know. Airdrie had opened the scoring on 60.
The Pie of the Month was Steak & Black Pudding.
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