The bank holiday weekend beckoned. TLF arose with a spring in her paw, successful football negotiations were concluded; eschew (BOOM!) the home game on the Monday in return for a Satday that like a Fry’s Turkish Delight would be full of eastern promise. Admittedly there would be no sand, no background flute soundtrack, no mysterious plotline, no moody people in floaty scarves, indeed there would be no 1970s chocolate bar advert stereotypes, but there would be a trip to the mystery that is Billericay.
Transport was not a stallion galloping across the dunes but Julie in her car on the M25, kindly transporting Adrian and TLF towards our destination.
It always feels like someone is waiting to laugh at Billericay. Home to the eponymous Gavin from Gavin and Stacey (YES we all know it’s not actually filmed there), ‘immortalised’ according to Wikipedia in the Ian Dury song Billericay Dickie (check the lyrics, not sure the doyens of Billericay would use the word immortal) and mentioned in the George Orwell classic, Down and out in Paris and London. What’s not to like?
Team Julie
Some folk would start with the wonder of the east that is Glenn Tamplin, self-made millionaire and owner, and one time manager of Billericay Town FC – before he sacked himself. He does or least certainly had, a penchant and wallet for signing ex-Premier League players (Paul Konchesky and Jamie O’Hara for example) and some of his forays into the twittersphere could be marked down as a bit eccentric. But do you know what? While his mural might be a bit well, out there, my Eastern experience was nothing but good, so fair play to the football club.
As I said….
The ground is tidy, the staff are welcoming, there was sausage roll snackage, and the bar, that crucial TLF yardstick was spacious and well staffed. And here’s to Kay, who after our own Clarence Park bar staff is now officially TLF’s best bar lady in Conference South. It’s the first time I have ever ordered a round and been asked which drink is mine, so that she can pour that first so I’m ‘not waiting for my beer’. She also had a funny story about Guinness but that’s for another day. Even the bar punters were polite, “after you” and “actually I think this TLF was first” are not phrases you often hear during the pressure of securing your half time pint.
Weather amazing and touched that Sir Barry of Skillet checked that TLF was being sensible vis a vis sunscreen application. Nivea since you ask, but other brands are available. Fine company of the usual variety and best of all, a surprise and very welcome meeting with legendary ground hopper, Alan Oliver, who I met during my first season watching the Mighty Saints, and who is now ticking off all the conference south grounds (two to go!!).
Groundhopper and all round top bloke
The east couldn’t deliver a result, as the Mighty Saints went down 3-2, but if eastern promise = good day out, then while I never liked that chocolate bar it did deliver.
TBD (Tricky Billericay Dickie) TLF