What I Did on my Holidays ...

... three days off this week - not through choice but ...

As with most holidays, it's time to do all those jobbies that you never have time for - doctor's, hospital appointment etc etc.  To add insult to injury, I've managed to chip a tooth exposing the filling below - so an emergency dentist's appointment has been added to the list.

Lazy day on Monday (did buy a pair of bathrrom scales and a Freesat box though) ... yesterday spent virtually all morning in the hospital (I'd been sent there by dox for an x-ray) - so spent a happy hour in the waiting room watching "Homes under the Hammer" - gripping stuff this daytime TV !!! Headed off towards Manchester after that ... via Droylsden because I wanted to "have a go" on the recently opened Metrolink tram extension - such is the geek in me.  

 Got some cheap trainers and a fancy SCART adaptor (automatic - none of this cheap 'button pressing' stuff) to cope with new Freesat box (plus DVD and Nintendo Wii).  A quick whizz round the Football Museum - I'd done it not so long ago (pics here), so it was just a peep at the latest "changing exhibition" which was "Football and Fashion" ... and then home (with a rare - these days - stop-off at Stalybridge Buffet Bar).  Some REALLY boring pictures from babycam at

Day out - Tuesday 21May13

Now you've all fallen asleep (?) ... so far today (1030), I've done the doctor's appointment, bought a new SatNav via Tesco Direct (used a shed load of vouchers to bring it down to just £39 !) - sorted yesterday's pics (staying awake somehow !) and written this ramble.  What next in the thrilling lifestyle of someone without work or football ??

Talking of Tesco ... anyone seen this story today ("Mayor Drives Car into Tesco Store") - brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "Click and Collect" !!!
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Stalybridge Celtic Legends Night

... another jolly night out (and like the Mossley do I got fed as well !!).

Some excellent 'rabbit' from all three speakers - I reckon they'd all do very well on the "After Dinner Circuit" - good plate of chilli, a few beers ... and miss the last train home !  Some pics from the night at

Stalybridge Celtic Legends Night 18May13

Now ... is it worth buying a "Non League Paper" today - or not ?
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Mossley Presentation Evening ...

... and a good time was had by all ...

Once I'd got my head around using the external flash with the new camera I started to get there as well (never been much kop at this indoor/portrait type stuff !).  Plus this new AutoFocus system is still a bit of a learning curve ... I mean ... what the hell happened here ??

OK ... f1.8 lens = DOF but I'd got all AF points selected ... hey ho - enough jargon ...

Anyway ... my tip for Player of the Year failed to materialise (might as well not bother with a lottery ticket tonight either ...) - but it was a good turn-out of both players and fans - and some of the half-decent pictures can be found at

Mossley AFC Presentation Night 17May13

Didn't get too wet today ... as I was arriving for work I spotted one of my 'customers' and family heading for the railway station bedecked in claret and amber on their way to Wembley - so I'm well chuffed for them after today's result (as in Bradford City 3 Northampton 0) - and I hope he got some good shots with his "film camera" - some of Ian's earlier work can be found here.

So ... home at a sensible time - sorted through last night's pictures ... and it's soon time to head off down to Stalybridge for their "Legends Evening" - also got an invite to a "bit of a do" just round the corner from Celtic's ground - apparently there is a barrel of "White Nancy" from Bollington Brewery all set up - probably in the "shed" !!!  Best not overdo it ... might be a long night ...
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Ten Days On ...........

... so I guess the period of mourning is over ...

What the hell - it's over - and Cammell Laird didn't even make it in the Play-Off Final either (Trafford going through on penalties) - at least Belper can say they were "beaten by the winners" (with Stamford beating Chasetown).  In the Evo Prem, FC United dipped out yet again, losing to Hednesford - helluva crowd at Keys Park for that game mind - nearly 4,500.

So ... anyway ... what does one do now ???  OK I watched the FA Cup Final - and certainly the best team won in the end (God the memories of watching Stafford Rangers play Wigan Athletic in the Northern Prem back in the 70s came flooding back ... that crowd of 8,107 at the old Springfield Park is still - I believe - the record crowd for an NPL/Unibond/Evo-Stik game).  Hey ho - and by coming second in the league and "only being FA Cup Final runners-up = "THE SACK" for 'Henry' Mancini.  Just shows how pathetic the "top level" of football in this country has become.  Mossley "only" made the play-offs and won the Manchester Premier Cup - that's not a sacking, it's probably a deportation to Oz ... only joking Ackers - may you remain !!!  Fell asleep in front of the Chelsea/Benfica game ...

So ... anyway ... what does one do now ??? Well there's always cricket I suppose ... but - just for now - a couple of indoor events - in a couple of hours time it's the Mossley "Player of the Year" awards night ... and tomorrow at Stalybridge Celtic it's a "Legends Night" - strangely enough Mrs Smiffy has bobbed off for the weekend daaaarn Derbyshire way so ... you can guess the rest !!!

Note that one of the Stalybridge "Legends" tomorrow night is a certain Tony Sullivan - who is now Manager at ... Cammell Laird; I'd best make sure they know that when I'm pointing the camera at him, IT IS JUST A CAMERA ... no hidden machine gun or anything like that !!

It's took ten days ... and that's it ??  'Fraid so ...

OK ... here's the "League Setup" for next season

... subject no doubt to appeals/teams folding etc etc etc etc etc ... and I've NO idea what a "SUSTEM" is either ...
 
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Weekend Pictures ...

... and not a football in sight ...

Wharfedale 05/06May13

Still totally gutted ...
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Gutted ...

... just back (1800hrs) from North Yorkshire weekend (arranged ages ago ... before the season extension f*cked everything up !) ...

Title says it all ... Mossley lose to a 93rd minute winner @ Cammell Laird (karma for that 93rd minute Skem goal on Saturday maybe ??) ... and Belper lose 4-2 AET in their Play-Off semi - after being 2-0 up in the first 20 ...

Going to pub while Mrs Smiffy in bath ...

Mossley make the Play-Offs ...

Can't say much - it's too damn late and we're up and away for the holiday weekend in not many hours ... here's the pictures though ...

Mossley 3 Harrogate RA 0

All of which means an away trip to Cammell Laird ... on Monday afternoon - not Tuesday night as I originally thought ...  the above first sentence says it all ... hope someone's taking a camera ...
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