New to the forum and Wellington

Alright folks,

Just signed up to the forum as I've just arrived in Wellington on a 2 year visa. Gonna try to get to some local games but looks like the season is drawing to a close? Got tickets for the Aussie Rules game on ANZAC day, so that should be good.

I'm from England and a Forest fan. Any others on here? Not a good time at the city ground anyway, though Stuart Pearce is apparently reconsidering coming back as manager so things could be looking up!

Any tips about making the most of my time here would be appreciated. We're living in the city centre. Love sport, music, theatre and good food.

Cheers.

Food.  So many options.

In fact.  On Saturday is the opening round of local football.  Wellington Olympic open at Wakefield Park in Island Bay.  It's by no means professional sport but could give you a local sport fix and we thoroughly recommend the Souvlaki at the Olympic clubrooms at Wakefield. 

Two birds. One Stone.

It's not Forest followed by an evening at the Fat Duck but it's a good bit of local feel.

Food: went to the Larder in Miramar Nth (end of bus route, just before Centennial Pk) before game last Sunday. Their lamb's fry plus hash browns plus bloody Mary plus flat white has to be just about the cafe brunch you'll ever find. The side of rosti plus pork belly plus black pudding ($8) was genius.

And for tasting some boutique NZ beers that cottagy place (forget name) on Tinakori Rd opposite the Shepherd Arms is pretty cosy - and tasty.

Isnt Ian Paice of Deep Purple a Forest fan? I know Don Airey is Sunderland and Ian Gillan is QPR.

Thanks for the tips everyone. And the Morrissey recognition!

C-Diddy, unfortunately I am way too unfit for any position these days!

the good stuff

You aware a young Kiwi, Dylan Burns, Nike scholarship grad, has just joined the Forest Academy?

Chap at my work has a Forest cover for his phone.  He doesn't smile much.

  Yer not thinking of the Sprig and Fern?  That's been there 3 or some years now - a Nelson chain (but a decent chain)..

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That's the name. And I later saw the (bearded) barman buying tickets to the Nix v Adelaide game at the Railway Station in front of me.

Two flagons of DB, a Leopard six-pack and 6 old DB bottles of home brew.

Do they still produce Leopard Larger?

Kiwi connection with Nottingham in the past too with Declan Edge playing for Notts County in the 1980's (1985-87). Didn't make many appearances due to being at loggerheads with the manager but a skillful winger and 26 full (42 total) caps for NZ 1985 - 1991. Last NZ game  v. England, Wellington 1991 (the only time NZ got to play the full England team - included Lineker etc. and did well losing 1-0 in tenth minute of injury time in Auckland and 2-0 in Wellington. Our side were almost entirely amateur then).

Notts County experience: 

He noted there was a lot of bad blood left at the club which signed him as a jinky ball-playing teenager in 1985.

Edge said he despised the type of game Notts County played and refused to conform to their "lump it forward" tactics

"They chucked a 12 month ban on my head, because they played a brand of football that I never liked," said Edge.

"I went to the coach and said I wasn't happy and that I was leaving. He said 'no you're not' and went nuts. They said if I do go they will put a ban on me, and they did."

Declan I believe is now coaching at the "Ole Academy" in Wellington. Previously coaching in Waikato. His English immigrant dad Eddie was a famous national league coach at Mount Maunganui and Waikato.

Declan is famous for his intensive coaching of juniors involving hundreds of passes, twenty hours of training a week and "who cares if we win or lose as long as we produce talented individuals" philosophy. New All White Ryan Thomas, 19, a starter at PEC Zwolle in the Dutch Eredivisie and Dutch Cup finalist is Declan's most famous product. Coached him individually for years.

A prominent Midlands player in NZ was midfielder Paul Halford who came here from Derby County in 1982 and was a legend at Napier City Rovers for two decades until 2001. Played for NZ. Back in the 1970's and 1980's when wages were low in British football, very talented young players would often immigrate to try their luck here - some stayed and played for NZ (Steve Wooddin from Tranmere, Bobby Almond from Spurs, Steve Sumner from Preston) while others returned and made it in English football (John Fashanu; John McGinlay - Bolton Wanderers & Scotland; Brian McAllister - Wimbledon & Scotland; Peter Mendham - Norwich City; Richard Hill - Watford, Oxford United).

Others like former England internationals Trevor Brooking, Mick Channon and Paul Mariner played in our national league at the end if their careers in the 1980's.