It’s a year today since the first ‘Cockfield’ blog!

To say it’s been interesting is an understatement and I must admit I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, mind you; it’s starting to take over my life!

Take last Saturday afternoon for example; I was in the Bottom House watching the Nottingham Forest v Newcastle match and enjoying a pint and a bit of banter with the lads.

A lot of people in Cockfield support Newcastle and most of the others that follow football, go with either Middlesbrough or Sunderland, with ONE exception; Tupper’s nephew Jamie!

Jamie is a Nott’s Forest Fan. Why? I haven’t got a clue! It seems a strange club to support when you’re from Cockfield but there again Tupper supports Man U so there you go!

To be fair, Jamie was getting a bit of stick off some of the lads.

Comments like; ‘There’s only two Nott’s Forest shirts in the whole of the North East and the other one’s still in the shop!’ and ‘There’s only ONE Forest supporter, One Forest Supporter…’ and so on!

I was just coming back from the bar when a solitary voice started shouting ‘GET IN, GET INNNNN!’ Jamie turned and with a huge grin on his face shouted, “Hey Dowsey, Stick THAT in yer blog!”

Fair enough, there you go Jamie!

People have asked me which is my favourite ‘tale’ from the last year and I have to say it’s not easy to single one out. Tupperisems are, of course, some of the most popular and I love Ally Milroy’s tales, but if I had to choose one, it would be ‘The Cockfield Moon Landing’.

Since it was written George Fielden has sadly died. Geordie - as he was known - was a good friend of mine and a very popular bloke in the village. He liked a drink and a smoke and was pretty canny on the horses! Geordie only ever backed ‘second favourites’, a system which seemed to work quite well for him, although he knew WHEN to put a bet on!

Anyway, here’s that blog once again for anyone who missed it… The Cockfield Moon Landing!

The Raby Moor pub at Burnthouses, (sadly closed now) was one of those drinking holes that was almost exclusively for the lads.

In its heyday it was run by Trevor and Elsie Parnaby, then, by their son David and his wife Annette.

The lads would take the short walk up Black Path, and settle in for a long afternoon (and night) of watching the racing, dominoes, darts, pool and of course DRINKING!

In those days, four of Cockfields most lovable rogues were regulars there. Namely, Geordie Fielding, Lenny Watson, Donald Lindsley and Norman (Piggy) Sams.

Sadly Donald and Piggy are no longer with us. ‘Got Away’ as they say round here.

Now when I say these lads could drink, I mean they could DRINK !

One cold clear night, the four of them were walking back from Burnt’ after an ‘All Day Session’. Reports have it they could hardly stand, never mind walk.

As they made their way down Black Path, Geordie stopped to relieve himself. As he stood there, he found himself stood next to a large puddle, and in it, was a reflection of the moon.

“Whaaaaz that I‘s stand‘n on?” slurs Geordie, pointing into the puddle.

“It’zz da moooon” Lenny manages to get out.

“Well how the @%$*^+ing hell have we managed to get up here” says a stunned Geordie !

I’d have loved to have seen the look on Mission Control’s face when he re-entered his house !

Got a Cockfield story?

E-Mail nigeldowson@yahoo.co.uk