Issue 007 saw us take the piss with some deeply unhelpful guides to the teams we'll be playing this coming season. Now, with the help of the Riff Raff's font of alco-geographic knowledge, we've put together something slightly more sincere. But only slightly.
Clitheroe
Saturday 14th August
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 8.33am
Travel time: 3h23m
Route: Northwich -> Manc’ Picc -> Manc’ Vic -> Clitheroe
Pub potential: Excellent
Distance to ground: Low
Away day potential:
Not entirely sure how, but it'll longer to get to Clitheroe than Workington via public transport? This could be minibus territory though. A great first away day in the NPL and a ground we’ve won at before.
Market Drayton Town
Monday 23rd August
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 3.40pm
Travel time: 2h28m
Route: Hartford -> Shrewsbury -> Market Drayton (bus)
Pub potential: Average
Distance to ground: Medium
Away day potential:
Some decent pubs, plus a stop in Shrewsbury. Has potential, but is it worth the ball-ache of all that travel? Would require a half day to do properly.
Runcorn Linnets
Monday 30th August
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 10.12am
Travel time: 13m
Route: Hartford -> Runcorn
Pub potential: Poor
Distance to ground: High
Away day potential:
We’ve all been here before, let’s face it. You could probably walk it if you wanted to, and it’s a Bank Holiday so you’d have time to as well. The highlight of the town is Wetherspoons. Still, it's better than Widnes I suppose. Taxi to the ground again.
Leek Town
Tuesday 7th September
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 15.33am
Travel time: 2h29m
Route: Northwich -> Stockport -> Macclesfield -> Leek (bus)
Pub potential: Excellent
Distance to ground: Low
Away day potential:
The pub potential here might make the transport faff worthwhile. The fact it’s a midweek game now might undo that.
City of Liverpool
Saturday 18th September
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 8.36am(!)
Travel time: 2h08m
Route: Northwich -> Chester -> Childer Thornton (bus)
Pub potential: Poor
Distance to ground: High
Away day potential:
Why are the local away days so crap? It's quicker to get to Kendal than to the bottom of the Wirral? Really? Pssh. End of a long country road miles from any pubs or stations.
Workington
Saturday 25th September
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 7.55am(!)
Travel time: 3h07m
Route: Hartford -> Crewe -> Carlisle -> Workington
Pub potential: Good
Distance to ground: Low
Away day potential:
Average, but would be much higher if it wasn't almost in Scotland.
Prescot Cables
Saturday 23rd October
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 9.12am
Travel time: 1h43m
Route: Hartford -> L’pool Lime St -> Prescot(bus)
Pub potential: Good
Distance to ground: Low
Away day potential:
If it wasn't for the 45m on a bus this would be a good away day. As it is, it’s probably a shame this isn’t a midweek.
Glossop North End
Saturday 13th November
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 9.33am
Travel time: 2h
Route: Northwich -> Manc’ Picc -> Glossop
Pub potential: Excellent
Distance to ground: Low
Away day potential:
Last time we did this we just about caught the last train home. I think that speaks for the quality of the Glossop pubs.
Trafford
Saturday 20th November
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 9.33am
Travel time: 1h23m
Route: Northwich -> Alty -> Stretford -> Urmston (bus)
Pub potential: Excellent
Distance to ground: Medium
Away day potential:
Despite finishing with a bus leg, this away day has awesome pubs in neighbouring Urmston and isn't that long to travel to.
Kidsgrove Athletic
Saturday 11th December
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 10.40am
Travel time: 1h30m
Route: Hartford -> Crewe -> Stoke -> Kidsgrove
Pub potential: Excellent+
Distance to ground: Low
Away day potential:
A mid-trip stop in Stoke is bumping up this away day from dire up to an A*. Or, if you’ve got a spare week’s worth of holiday, the Trent & Mersey Canal goes right through Kidsgrove.
Rylands
Monday 27th December
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 10.12am
Travel time: 1h15m
Route: Hartford -> L’pool Sth Parkway -> Warrington Ctl
Pub potential: Good
Distance to ground: High
Away day potential:
Two decent craft bars in the town and a short taxi ride to the ground. Being the day after Boxing Day might change things.
Bootle
Saturday 8th January
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 10.12am
Travel time: 1h24m
Route: Hartford -> L’pool Lime St -> Aintree
Pub potential: Good+
Distance to ground: Medium
Away day potential:
This would be shit if we didn't plan on stopping in Liverpool centre first. Mid-journey pubs bump this one up to a decent and familiar day out.
Colne
Saturday 22nd January
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 8.39am
Travel time: 2h28m
Route: Hartford -> Crewe -> Preston -> Colne
Pub potential: Poor
Distance to ground: Medium
Away day potential:
The town is on the opposite hill. If you ever saw the Riff Raff do pre-season training, you know we're not walking up that.
Ramsbottom United
Saturday 5th February
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 8.33am
Travel time: 2h50m
Route: Northwich -> Manc’ Picc -> Bury -> Ramsbottom
Pub potential: Excellent
Distance to ground: Low
Away day potential:
Long travel time, but finishes with a steam train past the ground!
Newcastle Town
Saturday 19th February
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 10.40am
Travel time: 45m
Route: Hartford -> Crewe -> Stoke
Pub potential: Excellent
Distance to ground: High
Away day potential:
A second away day in Stoke? Yes please! Short taxi to the ground again.
Marine
Saturday 12th March
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 10.12am
Travel time: 1h21m
Route: Hartford -> L’pool Lime St -> Blundellsands & Crosby
Pub potential: The Best
Distance to ground: Low
Away day potential:
Away day of the season right here. The loop of pubs from the station to the ground is excellent finishing with a chippy next door. Top stuff.
Widnes
Saturday 26th March
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 10.12am
Travel time: 45m
Route: Hartford -> Runcorn -> Widnes (bus)
Pub potential: Awful
Distance to ground: Medium
Away day potential: I don't know what's more soulless, a 14,000 seater stadium with 100 fans, or the local pubs. Awful away day.
Kendal Town
Saturday 16th April
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 8.39am
Travel time: 1h58m
Route: Hartford -> Crewe -> Oxenholme -> Kendal
Pub potential: Excellent
Distance to ground: Low
Away day potential:
I mean, we’ve researched and posted the details for a single dayer, but on Easter Saturday this has WEEKENDER written all over it…
Mossley
Saturday 23rd April
Departure time if you want to get some pubs in: 9.33am
Travel time: 1h43m
Route: Northwich -> Manc’ Picc -> Mossley
Pub potential: Excellent+
Distance to ground: Medium
Away day potential:
Pubs based on taking a pit stop at Stalybridge, Mossley is awful for pubs. There’s a massive hill from station to the ground too, but should be a good way to finish the season.
NB:
All times checked once. At best. If you’re lucky. In July. Neither the Riff Raff nor 2 Bags of Sand accept any liability for you being stuck in Macclesfield half an hour before kick-off on a Tuesday night.
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