retiredmartin

April 2026. Stockport.

“City, tearing cockneys apart, again“. That’s the only post-match chant this PG version of the blog can bring you from an evening at the Etihad when I lost my voice and risked a permanent ban for my shouts of “and your beer’s not very good” at the Arsenal fans. You can’t swear at football matches anymore.

James was quickest to check on me…

Mrs RM had checked in at Stockport Travelodge, a good option on a day hit by train delays and marathon runners.

I’d left the car opposite the Magnet, and too the 192 from Piccadilly down the A6 through Ardwick and Longsight,

perhaps the biggest collection of closed pubs anywhere on the CAMRA website. This one is open though;

All rather different in Stockport, awash with great pubs like the Magnet,

where I felt duty bound to celebrate a win that might not be decisive come season-end, but a great game nonetheless.

Bathams, Castle Eden and Three Tuns ? It’s like Punk never happened.

As this is a diary some of the entries, like that Alderley Edge snippet, there’s a few where I don’t have a lot to say,

apart from “Great to see mixed ages“, “Genesis ugh“,

and “Oh, the Batham’s went quick, better have a Marble“.

I’m not sure if I looked frantic, or they were just scared I’d drunk two pints in 10 minutes (the Marble notably crisper than the Bathams), but the gents opposite took their sipped pints and scooted away. Probably to the garden.

It would have been better if Mrs RM had walked the 5 minutes to join me, but I reckon this sign outside the Magnet is spot on.

I really want to read that National Geographic article now. I should never have cancelled the subscription when we moved to Sheffield.