The Ball Suppy's 2024

Sheffield United 0 v Tottenham Hotspur 3 

Premier League 

Sunday 19 May 2024 

SUFC 2023/24 Game #71 

The Ball Suppy's 2024

Ladies & Gentlemen. Welcome to the Carrier Bag Firm end-of-season review. The Ball Suppy’s 2024.

How else you gonna get yer kicks in the Premier League?

So. The Year In Beer. A Season With Saison. The Prem On The Piss. Here we go…

Pub In The Town 2024

Awarded to the best pubs and bars in the town where the game is actually being played.

🥉 Bronze

ORA Brewing Co.

Unit 16a, Rosebery Industrial Park, London N17 9SR

for Tottenham Hotspur, 16 September 2023, lost 2-1

Less than 20 mins on foot from the Away Turnstiles. Originally an Italian Microbrewery, they now brew in North London. A bit - DJ playing unnecessarily - noisy inside. Beer service was a bit slow, due to Civilians spending an age choosing, and then being dispensed, non beer products. Scores highly due to proximity to the ground and eight of their own on Keg.

🥈 Silver

Mean Eyed Cat

1 St Thomas' St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LE

for Newcastle United, 27 April 2024, lost 5-1

Great place. Quite close to the ground an’ all. Single room. But with a Beer Courtyard out the back. I counted five pukka craft Keg and five on Cask. Very efficient service at a busy time.

🥇 Gold

The Black Dog Beer House 

17 Albany Rd, Brentford TW8 0NF

for Brentford, 13 April 2024, lost 2-0

Awarded Gold despite an odd exchange with the manager after he'd taken one of our beers off. Or maybe because of that (giggling here). The Black Dog is a superb place. I counted eleven pukka craft Keg and four on Cask. Convenient for the ground. Wins mainly on the great beer list, and the quality of the beers. Plus, it's just down the street from where I was detained for murder after the game in 1979!!!

The JC Door-To-Door Award for The Sensible Beer Bus Stop 2024

Awarded to the best pubs and bars in the unwitting towns and villages where the Sensible Beer Bus pulls up.

As seat reservations continue to fucking operate on the bus. And as I'm therefore forced to sit near the fucking back. Meaning I have to fucking fight my way past dozens of non-drinking Civilians to get to the pub in the first place. While the Ticket GangMaster lords it up the sharp end. And is often on his second fucking beer before I even get to the Pub. It's a miracle this category is being awarded this year…

🥉 Bronze

The Lower Angel 

27 Buttermarket St, Warrington WA1 2LY

for Everton, 11 May 2024, lost 1-0

A lovely beer list made up by Liverpool Brewing Co. The pub has an authentic, rough n ready, proper pub feel. It was a bit of a Saturday Morning Mad House. But the manager and staff knew what they were doing.

One customer asked to speak to a female member of the Carrier Bag Firm.

“No. It's alright. You can stay there. I just wanted to tell you I've been Bra Shopping.”

(makes gesture of holding breasts up)

I don't think any of us expected it to unfold thus.

🥈 Silver 

Northern Whisper Ramsbottom Tap Room

2 Market Pl, Ramsbottom, BL0 9HT

for Burnley, 2 December 2023, lost 5-0

Trust me. Northern Whisper are a great under the radar brewery. They've got great traditional Cask. They've got consistent straight ahead Keg. And they're not afraid to piss around at the edges. In their Ramsbottom Tap, there were four of their own on Cask. And eight on Keg.

🥇 Gold

Leviathan Brewing

Unit 4&5, 17 Reddicap Trading Estate, Sutton Coldfield B75 7BU

for Aston Villa, 22 December 2023, drew 1-1

Would also win anyone's award for the Most Unlikely Looking Bar In England. We knew it was there. We even saw their name on the list of units as we turned off the street. But, lights - there were none. Nameplates - there were none. Fuck Sake, it's easier to find out the name and details of the Shutter Company than the Brewery. But, anyway, they've used the universal (narrator - isn't universal, Phil) method of a cardboard sign propped up on a Keg. It was mobbed inside.

Eleven on Keg. Magnificent range of guests. Four of their own. Cask lines empty. “Amusing can fridge”. I did a quick beers v minutes calculation. Fuck it - I'm going through all the Leviathans.

Beer In The Ground 2024

This is awarded for beers served in the ground that the Carrier Bag Firm might plausibly select in a Pub. (Say, if there's nothing else on offer). Look. You ain't gonna get beers from smaller independent breweries in grounds anymore. But, this award is the antidote to John Smith’s & Heineken, and the other industrial lagers.

🥉 Bronze

Meantime Brewing Co, Anytime IPA on Keg at 4.7%

at Brentford, 13 April 2024, lost 2-0

🥈 Silver

Brixton Brewery, Reliance Pale Ale on Keg at 4.2%

at Luton Town, 10 February 2024, won 3-1

Reliance is a great footie beer. Sharp and zingy. Enough bitter in the finish to keep you interested.

🥇 Gold

SALT (Saltaire), Loom, Pale Ale on Keg at 4%

at Chesterfield, pre season friendly, 15 July 2023, won 2-0

Feel a little bit of a fraud including that. Coming, as it did, at a (then) non league game in pre season. But. Loom is simply the best footie beer out there. And we had it. So it's won. Luscious and inviting. Flavours nicely separated. Bursting out of it.

This is a good opportunity to remind ball suppers that Beavertown, Neck Oil is available in some stands at Beautiful Down Town Bramall Lane. No longer independent of course, But, a welcome addition to the other shit available.

(Caption: pictured v Everton, 2 September 2023, drew 2-2)

I’d love to hear from fellow fans about their Pub & Beer experiences this season. Comment, Feedback & Interact if you fancy.

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We're In London Aren't We?

Tottenham Hotspur 2 v Sheffield United 1 

Premier League 

Saturday 16 September 2023 

SUFC 2023/24 Game #10 

Let's deal with the remnants of the game first. Full spotlight ain't we? You haven't come to this Blog for yet more detailed analysis of the game and conspiracy theories. You've already seen and heard it all. Norwood didn't start. So, Souza was the front screen at defensive corners. He was not as touchline narrow as Norwood usually is. Looked a bit odd if I'm honest. McBurnie was in the zone.

You count what you can count. We took the lead. Against a (currently) top two club. We defended the lead well. And only lost the lead and game in somewhat bizarre circumstances. There's progress. As I write, we're not in the bottom three.

There was Beavertown in the ground. But, I only saw Neck Oil in the away fans compound. Anyone know any different?

We headed into the North London late afts a little bewildered by it all. Not absolutely "in need of a drink". But, deffo fucking having a drink. We set the compass for "vaguely" Beavertown, Pressure Drop, Tottenham Hale.

Our mood (which was light anyway) lit up further as The Algorithm took over. If you constantly search for Brewery Tap Rooms, then your chosen engine flashes them up, even when you're not searching for them. Don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating. I'm not suggesting Big Tech are benign. I'm just saying, on this occasion, The Algorithm brung us to;

ORA Brewing Company

Unit 16a, Rosebery Industrial Park, London N17 9SR

Which we didn't even know was there. Algorithm brung us in less than 20mins on foot from the Away Exits. Originally an Italian Microbrewery, they now brew in N London. A bit - oooohhhh there's a DJ playing - noisy inside. But, warm and sunny enough for the yard. Beer service a bit slow. Due to Civilians spending an age choosing, and then being dispensed, non beer products. Madness. Eight of their own on Keg.

ORA Brewing, What!? Pale Ale on Keg at 4.5%

Comet, Rakau, Kohatu. That looked a lot danker than it tasted. It pulled up as a nice straight ahead pale. No juice.

ORA Brewing, Limoncello, IPA on Keg at 6%

Flaked oats. Citra, Cascade and Lemondrop Hops. Lemon puree. Organic Femminello Lemons from Sorrento. Well. Fuck Sake. Gotta say it. Nowhere near as Lemony as I'd been led to believe. They really need to go All In.

ORA Brewing, Gelato Series, Sugar Cane and Pandan Leaf Sour, on Keg at 6.2%

As far as I can tell, that's the first time I've had a beer flavoured with Pandanus Amaryllifolius - Pandan Leaf. And, you know what, it didn't kill me. So, I'll have another the next time I see one.

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VAR Yourself Into A Frenzy

Sheffield United 3 v Burnley 0

Premier League

Saturday 2 November 2019

Tottenham Hotspur 1 v Sheffield United 1

Premier League

Saturday 9 November

SUFC 2019/20 Games 35 & 36

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… and still … 223 different grounds watching a Sheffield United XI. I don't want to get all pompous about it. But, the Carrier Bag Firm Ground Inventory Taskforce (GITs) have previously discussed this at some length. I even recorded the decisions in the Dem Blades Fanzine. While the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is clearly "new". I'm not counting it as a New Ground Tick. It's essentially - some new stands on roughly the same site. When United filled in "The Westfield Corner", same. New Stand. Roughly same site.

But, I will deal with the Beer. Beavertown Neck Oil & Gamma Ray on keg in the ground. OK. They're now owned by fucking Heineken. OK. It's not as it was. OK. And that Gamma Ray I had was not bang on. But, you've got to take your wins where you can. Something originally designed as not bland sugar water, on open sale in a ground, yes please.

We actually did the Tap at Beavertown Brewery before the game anyway. Happy to. It's just reasonably convenient. It seemed like a good idea to go off core. So, I did.

Beavertown & Slim Pickens (Tampa) Collab

Lollypalooza, Raspberry Ice Lolly IPA on keg at 4.5%

Not my usual thing. A bit of a poetic licence beer. I didn't discern any Hop action. It was all a bit thin & I was craning my taste buds for the lactose. But, otherwise, a reasonably decent enough fruit beer. Gentle & reasonably balanced. Not tart. 

After the game, we retraced our steps, but went the extra 70 yards to Pressure Drop. On the same site as Beavertown. Of course, by that stage, we were debriefing that - fuck me, when is "this" going to end beautiful draw, away at Spurs. VARring ourselves into a frenzy.

Pressure Drop, 50m Badge, Imperial New England IPA on keg at 8.5%.

That was a superb, full on, rich DIPA. Although it looked New England gloopy, that one was all about the bitter. Just nodding in the direction of Orange Juice. Just about grabbing the back of your throat bitterness.

Pressure Drop, Several People Are Typing, New England IPA on keg at 6.5%.

Initially, I found that all a bit harsh & clashing. But, it did settle down & mellow out. It did eventually go some way towards a bitter finish. Just not far enough for me.

Pressure Drop, The Numbers, American Pale on keg at 5.2%.

Too smoothed out. The sugar justs sits there. Nothing to add. Helpfully, the bitter gets there off the Hops much much later in the day.

Pressure Drop, Ida, Basil, Raspberry & Locally Foraged Elderflower Berliner Weisse on keg at a celebratory 3.8%.

I'd started the day with that Beavertown Raspberry Lolly. My team had been the best team, away at Spurs, and got a draw. I finished the day with some more Raspberry in that one from Pressure Drop. If owt, that was under raspberried. More foraging required methinks. But, fair do, it does keep you interested all the way down.

If you've come to this Blog looking for VAR Noise. Move on. It is what it is. The new reality. Offside is a line call. "Benefit of the doubt if it's only 3 inches offside". That's still a fucking line call. Just the line in a different place. "Benefit of the doubt if it takes longer than 30 seconds to decide". Yeah. Right. And, the keeper is only supposed to have it for six seconds you know. Just another layer of complexity. On what is just a line call. Simmer Down.

I have to say. I didn't think United would come back from that. A goal down. A VAR scrubbed equaliser. All the credit. All of it. We had the chances. Lundstram could have knee'd one in. Mousset had that spin & shot (how has that not gone in?). Lundstram rattled the post. This team man, my team.

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