Sheffield

A weekend in Sheffield in February might not be to everyone's tastes. But the excuse for this trip was to watch Coventry play at Sheffield United. And the real reason was to see my old school friend who lives up there. So, first things first, the journey. Which starts at my favourite station St Pancras. I had a few minutes to spare so wandered around and took a few snaps.

Bronze of John Betjeman, one of my favourite pieces of public art and one of the best modern pieces certainly

The gigantic Meeting Place by Paul Day, much more naff than the Betjeman statue, except for the relief on the base which is really enjoyable.

Then the match, which had been brought forward from Saturday afternoon to Friday night.

In truth this couldn't have gone much better for the Sky Blues. A true game of two halves. City dominated the first half and led at half time from just about the only real scoring opportunity we had. The Blades looked awful. Second half they came out and suddenly they dominated the game, with their bigger players looking particularly threatening. They duly equalised with a bullet header and now it seemed just a matter of trying desperately to hang on for a point. They were all over us, and then with only a few minutes remaining, we broke away and a not very powerful shot was parried into the path of our centre-forward who popped in the gift very neatly. 2-i. Now as any football fan will know, nothing gives greater pleasure than an undeserved late winner totally against the run of play. And United looked beaten straight away. They really didn't threaten again, and the packed City end drifted off happily into the night. All the other results on Saturday went City's way and suddenly promotion, or at least the play-offs, look a distinct possibility.

So Saturday, with no match to go to, we spent on lunch. Well, it was Simon's present for my 50th, so he and his partner took me to Fischer's restaurant at Baslow Hall in North Derbyshire. Now as I say, Sheffield may reasonably not be to everyone's tastes, in part a somewhat run-down northern industrial city. But it does sit on the edge of the Peak District, which offers some of the country's finest landscapes.

The restaurant is suitably fine. We went for the seven course British tasting menu, the sort of menu where the waiter comes and announces each course, and indeed each wine which accompanies each course. It does all make for a very entertaining meal as there are lots of things you would never have eaten , and certainly wouldn't try at home. Things like the roast pumpkin mousse  or the onion consommé with a Stilton froth (no, I have no idea how you make a Stilton froth, but there it was a frothy white layer sitting on the soup, looking like a cappuccino  The main course, if there was such a thing amongst them all, was a lovely saddle of venison with aubergine purée  In any event, it was all delicious, and with seven glasses of wine (including a sake with the chocolate "tea" dessert) and the compulsory glass of champagne to celebrate my birthday, I felt pretty sozzled. The afternoon turned into a snooze in front of the TV watching the late game, Crawley v Swindon (and another good result for City - a draw).