Good riddance Mansfield

Mansfield were relegated from the 3rd Division last night. Thank God for that. Hopefully I'll never have to go to Mansfield again.

There are some places you just take against. I remember going to Mansfield for the first time in 1993, the Saturday after we had been to Liege to watch City in the Cup Winner's Cup. If I remember correctly, a week earlier we had played Millwall away. And then we had to go to bloody Mansfield.

I had the flu. It was an open terrace and it was raining. It was quite the most miserable afternoon anyone could hope for. And then on the way out, and I'll never forget this, their poxy little excuse of a football firm, called The Carrot Crew, cornered me and mocked my clothing. Unbelievable. I had the flu for God's sake, so what if I was wearing my cosy Fruit of the Loom sweatshirt.

Then about a decade later we played Mansfield in an end of the season affair. It was fancy dress I was told, so I dressed up as a woman. Typically I boarded the coach to find everyone else in various shades of grey - not a clown in sight. Oh well. I drunk so much and so quickly at the pre-match pub stop that I was sick against the bus. If I remember correctly there was a bottle of Gold Label involved.

Then when we got to Mansfield I got lost. I wandered round terraced streets in drag, with my Tina Turner wig on. At least there was no Carrot Crew this time. Oh no, this time I ran into Forest's firm ; about 30 of them. There was no choice, I would have to braisen it out. I walked straight through the middle of them, said "Hiya Boys", and winked. To this day I don't know how I got out alive.