Our return from our month-long Orkney trip led quite nicely into the start of the Boro season and a home friendly against Spanish side Espanyol. In the same weekend we also managed to get a bit more of the Yorkshire Wolds Way in, covering twelve miles in an out and back route, heading north from Nunburnholme.
Our walking was delayed as we detoured into the church at Nunburnholme to have a look at the Commonwealth War Graves. The service had just finished, and we were invited inside for coffee, biscuits and a tour of the interesting stuff.
There was a stained-glass window that was more than seven hundred years old. They were hoping to have it restored, which would involve taking it apart for cleaning before sandwiching it between two pieces of toughened glass. They also have a sarcophagus dating back nine hundred years that was recently dug up accidently whilst repairing the drains.
Highlights of the walk itself were a couple of red kites and watching a glider released and then soaring upwards.
For the Espanyol game we decided to get a box. Split between twelve it was fifty quid a head, which is less than a tenner more than you’d pay walk-up for a regular West Stand Upper seat. Our thinking was largely driven by Tom wanting to bring his son, Nolan, for his first game and trying to make it as easy as possible with a kid who has only just had his first birthday.
We were served chicken and rice for a pre-match meal. Alistair’s little brother Jem was also attending his first Boro game and he highly rated the chicken nuggets that came as a kid’s option.
Our seats were in the back two rows of the West Lower and whilst they were great for the kids to wander down to pitch side to track down Roary the mascot, I think I prefer a more elevated view from an upper tier these days.
On the field it was good to see former Boro player Kike get a decent reception on his first return.
I thought that we looked ok in the three-three draw, with a couple of new signings on show. It appears that we have bought extremely well in this window, and it bodes well for another promotion push.
Trail of the Lion King 