sports
January 16, 2026
The pub that changed me: ‘It was close. It served Guinness. And it had (just about) functioning toilets’
Every week my DisOrient FC team and I would show up at the Park Tavern, our second home, drown our sorrows after a five-a-side match and forge ongoing friendships
TL;DR
- The Park Tavern was the closest pub to the five-a-side pitches where the DisOrient FC team played weekly from 2011 to 2016.
- The pub was chosen for its convenience, serving Guinness, and having functional toilets, despite other pubs in the area being considered 'better'.
- The team used the pub to dissect their matches, often with humorous discussions about their losses.
- The Park Tavern became a place of both joy and triumph, notably when the team won the B League and celebrated with prosecco.
- The landlord allowed the team to display their trophy behind the bar.
- The pub's regulars were initially bemused by the football team, who were not their typical clientele.
- The author expresses a desire for the pub not to change, appreciating its traditional nature.
- The most significant takeaway from the experience is the strong friendship formed between the team members.
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