Steelmen Social Club - Corby

All the pubs, and some of the clubs it says! Well it was always going to be a difficult ask to gain entry to the Silver Band Club, handily placed around the corner from The Kingfisher, entry criteria unknown. The football club is of course open to all, entry criteria a ticket to the football... Football!

I'm not noted for my love of football, although I wouldn't go as far as saying I actively dislike the game, more a solid lifelong ambivalence born of not being reared in a football household. Five decades seems like plenty for managing to avoid going to an actual football match. Closed minds make for a serious lack of conversation around the water cooler they say. Let's go Football!

The walk from The Kingfisher took us through some of Corbys finest backstreets, jittys, dead-ends, and muddy playing fields, noting as we went how all the roads were named after notable Single Malt Whiskies. Jura Close seemed promising, but there was no time for drams now, it was approximately one and a half pints until kick-off and we had a pressing engagement at a club of note.

Arriving at the stadium from entirely the wrong direction afforded opportunities for shenanigans that we grabbed with all six hands. The Steelmens Social Club would have to wait, we'd get our pre-match refreshments at The Clubhouse, a notable live music venue on the edge of the football ground. Thus, we arrived at the bar, which was surprisingly full of Corby Town football fans, ready for more Carlings and Guinness, only to find Craft Beer! In Corby!

East Coast IPA is proper craft from a tiny  microbrewery in Suffolk, I believe. We fell on it like hop-starved beer geeks. The service was a delight too, top-ups offered without request, correctly branded glasses for Craft Beer, lovely friendly bar staff who clearly loved what they were doing, quite a find in fact. We exited through the door marked 'The Steelmen', arriving in the ground having entirely bypassed the turnstiles. Oh!

The sun was shining, we had a trio of really good beers, the teams were warming-up, and everything was right with the world. Or it would be once we'd talked the chaps on the turnstiles into taking our cash. We're not monsters!

The hapless trio, beers aloft, blending in...

So, turns out it's The Steelmen or The Clubhouse depending on which entrance you take. I honestly couldn't decide which was the better of the two, but a good venue(s) it certainly is. Seating, Pool Table, Toilets, Beer, Televisions with the football on absolutely everywhere! I've been to a few big Premiership Rugby stadiums and the facilities here are, if anything, slightly better than most. We commend it to the house...

We took to our seats, basking in the unseasonal afternoon sunshine that made for difficult viewing, but I was glad of the Speedos. But not before a cheery barman told us he would likely be shot for letting us take glasses outside and pitch-side. Oops! Sorry fella, our mistake. The sound of a firing squad (or was it the Corby drummer sneaking in a rimshot) signalled it was time for more beers, served in safe and traditional plastic this time, we'd already lost one cheery barman... Now, look down there, one of the lovely bar staff, can't praise them highly enough. Lovely-lovely!

So, here comes the football, of which I'll not embarrass myself by commenting too much. Other than Corby was robbed, obvs'. In fact Banbury scored their goal somewhat against the run of play, I thought Corby could and probably should have had a couple by half time, but it wasn't to be. It was a top afternoon of sport, and really impressive cloud watching for my part, a good noisy crowd and fine Brummie company. Robbie The Raven waved at us (or he/she may have been gesticulating about the pitchside glasses), and I forgot to get a selfie with him/her. Next time Robbie, next time...

Rather poorly placed netting obscures the view at one end of the ground

Spot The Ball

Clear tripping hazard in the goal area, unresolved at final whistle

Thankyou Corby Town, you were awesome!