It’s a bit long this week, and I, for one, am not surprised, as it’s a city I’m very fond of (although I can take or leave the football supporters!). The only thing I’d add is that, if you are a real ale fan, take in the Victoria in Beeston (next to the railway station) on the way there or back, as it’s one of the country’s finest real ale and real food pubs, owned by CAMRA Investments.

I have to confess one thing as the opening line to this guide, I dislike the East-Midlands, basically because as a West Midlander I’m just hopelessly prejudiced, and secondly because I’ve been to Leicester, twice.

That said, you really can’t fault Nottingham for a drink, apart from when Forest are at home that is, when for some bizarre reason many pubs become out of bounds to out of towns, like us.

However, an honourable mention must go to one of the greatest pub names ever, especially at this time of year the one and only “Bar Humbug” on Friar Lane just off Maid Marian Way heading into the town from the station – where Nottingham middle managers go to have affairs with their secretaries, a lovely secluded modern little watering hole, despite its pretentious overtones, I quite like it.

Certainly Nottingham boasts contrasting establishments, and when the Walsall boys play away some of them demand scantily clad women to serve pre-match ale. So Hooters Bar was raised.

Notts County versus Walsall was undoubtedly in the original business plan, but ho hum we went up and then Forest came down so on it thrives. Lots of dangerous looking glass, weak lager and tasteless food, but as much twenty-something pierced belly-button you can shake a fluorescent spare rib at, assuming you can tear yourself away from Sky Sports.

Conveniently situated for the station as well, just right and right again, straight down and over the main road, sort of on the way to the ground, but who cares?

There is however a sobering experience at the City Ground, that being the painful wait in the ticket queue that can take anything up to 30 minutes, so if you are ticket-less go there first on your way to “The Larwood and Voce”, (right next to the cricket ground in Fox Road off Radcliffe Rd.). This will give you a realistic idea of available drinking time in what is really the best choice for away fans, at a mere six minutes walk.

Unlike most of the other pubs around the ground the bouncers at The Larwood positively welcome well behaved visiting fans, and more or less give us our own bar, to the right as you walk in. The atmosphere generated in there as we watched Wolves blow promotion against Man City one Easter Monday set the tone for later in the day when we undertook the essential “do or die” element of the great escape.

One of my favourite beer facts about Forest though is the way they serve the lager in the ground (Fosters). Several pints at a time from machine looks like it’s been lifted from a dairy farm. I long for the time when I can go and order 8 pints and get served in seconds; sadly I haven’t got that many mates.

Two words of caution, the stewards; already mentioned on the message board, standing up will not be tolerated to Monty-Pythonesque extremes, so no funny walks either.

Secondly the Bentinck Hotel (immediate right turn out of the station, on the road you walk down for Hooters). It’s Pink, but not “pink”, but “eh-up duck” it’s strange. If you like eccentricity with your beer, go in here for one, and I mean one, although I wouldn’t recommend drinking the draught unless you want to spend entire afternoon rubbing cold meat pie into your gums to mask the taste.

This pub should be in Royston Veysey, or vice versa looking at the regulars. But at least you can get served as I don’t think anyone in there has heard of Nottingham Forest, and even if they had it would be quicker to evolve another life-form than to make the connection between the Railway station over the road and the fact that it’s Saturday afternoon. Quite touching, and worth patronage for that reason alone.

Forest Fan Lee Walker emails UptheSaddlers to add: I’m a forest fan and read your report on beer drinking with interest! Just to let you know, Bar Humbug is now a lapdancing club due to a giant error by the city’s licensing team - apparently they submitted the application as part of their licence renewal, and some clerk missed it. Anyway, it probably won’t be open…