Away Pub Of the year – SAFC Blog Awards 2018/19

Welcome to the 4th of 10 awards, SAFCBlog “Away Pub of the Year”. As with motorway services, there is a huge disparity in the quality of public houses.

Pubs ~ great places to get lashed. This is man who at 9am announced he, “wasn’t drinking today as I’m at work early tomorrow…..”

Pubs ~ great for eating, this photo show the versatility of the ‘outside area’ “no tables?”….”no problem, We’ll use a wheelie bin”

SAFC Blog Away Pub Of The Year

After extensive research, four pubs have been shortlisted for this years “Away Pub of the Year” award. Before revealing the winner, a few special mentions …..

Wetherby

Regular destination for us, especially handy for night matches in Yorkshire.

This season Tuesday night games at Barnsley and Doncaster were preceded by an afternoon in the market town of Wetherby. Loads of decent pubs and a disproportionately high number of daytime, weekday drinkers.

Millers Kings Cross

Not in the top 4, (its a bit of a shithole), but a firm favourite with anyone arriving at Kings Cross early morning. Open from 9am and since the demise of the splendid Flying Scotsman, it’s a regular destination for SAFCBlog.

Eastleigh FC

Not a pub, but was very handy in May, as drinking round Fratton was fraught with complications!

(Moving forward SAFCBlog will not be making any negative comments about Stewart Donald: statement ends.)

Great set up

As already mentioned the quality of pubs varies hugely….

For every Peterborough

There’s a Fleetwood

Fleetwood not a winner in the SAFC Blog awards

Fleetwood ~ closed when we went in May

Fleetwood ~ no point going out any further than this if you live there?

Plenty of new Away Pubs

Next season offers plenty of excitement regarding pub visits, with 7 new teams and 8 new destinations.

Bolton 15 minute walk to the nearest pub and it’s pretty shite, (Beehive)

Birmingham Coventry have succeeded in finding somewhere to play, where the area around the ground is just as unwelcoming as their spiritual home. At least Birmingham city centre is decent

Bury perfect opportunity to go out in the best city in the world, Madchester

Ipswich been to 86 of the current 92 league grounds. Never been to Ipswich ~ imagine it’s a bit like Norwich?

Lincoln nice town, loads of pubs. A few tinpot teams tried to make a name for themselves this year ~ expect Lincoln fans to be unpleasant.

Tranmere proper club, loads of pubs, good trip lies ahead.

MK Wimbledon Keynes there’ll probably be a Harvester Inn or a American Diner somewhere nearby?

Rotherham Wetherby it is this day.

SAFC Blog Awards away Pub of the year – top 4

Onto the top 4 from 2018/19……

Some pubs just look welcoming……

And some don’t look so welcoming……

the Top 4 is….

Charters Bar, Town Bridge, Peterborough

Sunny, loads of space, full of SAFC ~ what’s not to like?

Charters Bar Peterborough

The Crown, 318 Whalley Street, Accrington

Decent boozer, good outdoor area, cheap beer in real glasses, burger van in car park, short cut steps to the ground.

Charlie at The Crown. “Like Stewart Donald, SAFC Blog has nothing negative, inflammatory and accusatory to say about Charlie Methren”, statement ends.

The Beech Hotel, Derby Road, Burton

Burton a great town for a drink, but for those driving this is a great alternative. Easy access to and from the motorway, always loads of staff, burger van, 2 minute walk to the ground.

The Blue Boar, Victoria Avenue, Southend

Decent pub and a beautiful building. Decent choice of reasonably priced ales.

Blue Boar Southend SAFCBlog Away Pub OF The Year Winner

Blue Boar door staff

“to be fair, when James Corden had a go on Nessa, he was fatter and less famous?”

For anyone still reading…. the winner of the SAFC Blog AWAY PUB OF THE YEAR 2018/19 is The Blue Boar, Southend.

Regular readers will be aware that I’m partial to taking the odd photograph? Whilst many will be surprised to hear I’m not actually a professional photographer…. even in the world of amateur photography, sometimes a beautiful moment in time is captured, (like the tennis girl scratching her arse, or Marilyn Manson flashing her undercrackers)……

The Blue Boar ~ Saturday 4th May 2019

The next SAFC Blog Award

Unsure what the next award will be, (not that I’m making it up as I go along). 5/10 will be online in a few days, as SAFCBlog has a rest. Any sensible suggestions for any awards categories can be sent to our media team at safcblog1@gmail.com.

Still not anywhere near receiving any free stuff, so any publicity and retweets are greatly appreciated.

FTM

Couldn’t write a pub blog without a quick link to the greatest pub scene ever……….

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O8D7IZMRupM

Season awards 5/10, (TBC), in a few days