Words from Today - err Yesterday ....

So - twas a chance of a double-header - and and a chance to help out our neighbours at Curzon Ashton, as the supporters of their opponents on the day had decided "not to bother" for reasons best known to themselves - but broadcast to all and sundry anyway (cus there's lots of them - and that makes it right) ....

Naturally this was going to leave a big gap in the Curzon "revenue pot" - still they were able to charge for parking (I think ?) and also stand transfer (well I was offered one as I went through the turnstiles anyway). Furthermore, a £1-50 programme suddenly became worth £5 - if you fancied going to Hyde United v Harrogate Town afterwards (half-price admission you know - I spotted at least one "Tiger" buying more than one programme - hmmmmmm !!).

In the club house before the game - apparently Curzon had had a stinker on Boxing Day (hmm - you should have seen Mossley !!) Talking also to "Pie of the Tiger", Hyde had a similar "poo day" against Stalybridge that same day ...

To football - a sh*tty horrible windy blustery rainy day - made marginally worse by Curzon's "Big Roof Terrace" that lets everything in - and played havoc with my lens !! If Curzon had been bad on Boxing Day - they weren't much better in the first half today. FCUM had the majority of possession, the majority of chances and the majority of "nous" when on the ball. Thet also had the advantage of a hefty breeze, and it was no surprise really when just after the half-hour, Carden got on the end of an evil diagonal ball across the box to put FCUM one up.

The second half did see some improvement on the Curzon end of things, but they never really looked threatening - a second goal was always on the cards, and just after the hour, Nugent shot through a crowded box to make it 2-0......

....and that was that really - ten minutes from the end (i.e. 1425) I packed up shop and jogged into Ashton to get the 1437 train up to Mossley - I missed it. Taxi was the only option, and my little black cab battled through the wind and the rain up to Seel Park, getting me there in time for a pint (that's me not the camera), a memory card change and a battery change (that's the camera not me). The weather was grim (thoughts of an abandonment did cross my mind - and that was coming up past Hartshead Pike in the cab !!)

Never mind - much fannying around - keeping stuff dry - and standing in the "Condemned Stand" - all came right when Danny T got on the end of an evil diagonal ball across the box to put Mossley one up - yes it was not dissimilar to FCUM's first goal. The weather did relent as the game went on, and with about 20 to go Lee Blackshaw got on the end of a ball from Danny T to make the game safe - or so we thought. A bit of relaxation - and five (5) minutes of "time added on" (ref blamed it on 6 subs @ 30 secs each - that's three minutes ...) gave "old timer" Neil Redfearn a chance to halve to deficit - and put us all through a bit of "buttock clenching" - but we got there in the end.

...and so did Coventry later ...............

Today's Football - the early warning.....

Right - I'm on the case - today's "double header" with Curzon/FCUM for starters and then Mossley/Bridlington Town for afters (I did do Coventry/Ipswich on the telly afters as well - hence the initial delay here .....)

But for those in a rush......Curzon/FCUM will be at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/CurzonFCUM/

and Mossley/Bridlington will be at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/MossleyBrid/

....better sort out some product now ... and I might even talk about the games as well !!!

2131 - Curzon pix in 5 minutes ......

2211 - Mossley pix now up..

Not just Football ...

Today - well tonight - well last night - we all (i.e. "full 5 Smiffy family") went to the theatre, as we always do this time of year with our mates from Rochdale - "An Ideal Husband" by Oscar Wilde @ the Royal Exchange....

Now I'm not a great reader as well you might know, but I'm perfectly amenable to stuff (well I did do this sort of thing to get "O" Levels/"A" Levels etc etc) - and we've seen some good stuff in the past. Today was very enjoyable - in true OzzyWilde style, some serious, some very funny, some strange "class like stuff" that's totally alien to the 21st century - but very easy to pick up on .... and they all lived happily ever after as well !!! Gotta be betta than a f**king panto any time !!!

Here's a sneaky pic taken just before kick-off...

....and for those into Trinny & Susannah - there were some severely "posh frocks" in the show !! All in all a good night out - although with it finishing at 2225 we had time for just a quickie before "the last train to Mossley" (24 hour city - maybe - but public transport says "poo" after 2300) - hence this late post after several cans !!

And one for the train spotters now - a view out of Manchester Victoria taken just before Crimbo (on my "shopping day") - I thought it looked a touch atmospheric (again with baby Fuji mind...)

Mossley v Lancaster City

Well - no camera bag - and no three points either .... pix at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/MossleyLancaster/

What to say about today - "grim" is a pretty apt four-letter word (and one that you can get away with as well !). There seemed a distinct lack of effort all round today, and it was silly, elementary, nay schoolboy errors that led to the 0-3 score at half-time (I knew how the Sunderland and Stafford Rangers fans felt going into their clubs at half-time) - and that did include two penalties as well ....

Even going "downhill" (i.e. towards the Park End) made little difference in the second half - although Lancaster keeper Mark Thornley made a couple of good saves, we never really threatened at all, despite all three subs coming on (and I remember thinking before the game - now that's an attacking bench) - problem was that first choice didn't and neither did any of the subs when they came on !

Hopefully a Crimbo hiccup which can be put right rather quickly against Bridlington Town on Saturday....hmmm.....Crimbo hiccup - wonder if that's what they're saying down Ewen Fields way - must go and have a peep on the Stalybridge and Hyde boards after this - plus naturally a trawl through the Unibond scores ....

All I want for Christmas is ....

... a virus-free pc would be nice !! Swapped keyboards - still got problems - shifted all photos off the hard disk - now got 40 gig free - still running like a dog. If all members of STS household either stopped moaning about the problems and did something about it - or just allowed me on the damn machine to do something about it ......

A dobbing big camera bag would be nice - three points off Lancaster City on St Stephen's Day - a vial of "Felix Felicis" for use in emergencies .... a small aubergine ... but now we're getting silly....

A very Merry Christmas to all our readers from all at "STS Towers" - may your days be merry and bright - and may all your goalscorers be wearing white ...

Atherton LR v Squires Gate

A jolly morning was spent taking part in the "siege mentality" shopping in Asda - we were sensible - of course - just the one trolley, and less than 90 minutes, start to finish. Home for 1230, and once I found out that the Chorley v Mossley game and the Stalybridge v Southport games were off - the hunt was on ...Had I clocked the Mossley Message Board, I might have gone for the Woodley v FCUM friendly option, but no... after one false alarm with Castleton Gabriels, it was off to Crilly Park to see the game against Squires Gate.

As I arrived they were quite literally sweeping the water off the pitch - it looked perfectly playable mind - but I did notice some wispy, misty bits behind goal at the "Railway Line End".

Here's some pix from the 3-3 draw (abandoned after 80 minutes due to fog) ....

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/AthertonSQ/

Six goals - well I saw four of 'em !! A good game considering everything that the elements threw at the players. Squires Gate took the lead playing "downhill", but Atherton went in at half-time 2-1 up - didn't see either of them, altough I was told they were two good efforts (a shot and a header). A cracking third goal early in the second half looked to have made it safe for the home team, but credit to Squires Gate - they pulled it back to 3-3 before - with about 10 minutes left - the officials decided "enough was enough" - there'd been a couple of contentious offside decisions which I reckon hastened the abandonment.

Still - almost a full game - and good entertainment for those who "poo-pooed" the Christmas shopping - and even better for those with night-vision goggles ... !!

Stalybridge Celtic v Burscough - Take Two

First game - abandoned after 8 (eight) minutes (twas the day I saw Belper hit Warrington for six) .....

Second game - called off at 1925 last night....

Had to endure Man City v Spurs on "Albanian Sky" ... not much else to say ...

Eek .......

Monday - well Tuesday (A.M.)

...stuff, stuff and more stuff - not much in the "football" sense mind - Friday was the works "do" @ Rainbow88 in Cheadle Hulme - true to form, I had to leave before all the "juicy stuff" kicked off, in order to get home (by train) before 0653 the following morning - managed to gt a quick Karaoke in mind - "Addicted to Love" (Robert Palmer) - and no-one has laughed too much at work today, so it couldn't have been TOO bad !! Saturday's football opportunity - i.e. Ilkeston Town v Prescot Cables - was called off before I even left Mossley on the way to Belper. In the end I managed the second half of Fulham v Newcastle over a couple of pints of Harviestoun "Schiehallion" - a fine blonde beer - at the George & Dragon in Belper. That Newcastle penalty was a bit "iffy" mind ...

Sunday saw the drive from Belper to London for Christine and Kevin's wedding - a good day was had by all - and we can only wish them all the best in their time together. The day also gave Mrs Smiffy the chance for a "FriendsReunited" moment - she went to school with Christine and several of the other guests. Drove back to Mossley on Sunday evening - and since then have spent time trying to "de-virus" the pc (it's still not right - but we're getting there !) - oh and work today (with a touch of sleep in between !!).

Tuesday night - maybe Stalybridge Celtic v Burscough - and it'll be a "freebie" for all following the abandonment (after 8 minutes) of the original game a couple of weeks ago. However, with the weather as it is - i.e. 'kin cold, freezy etc. - the omens are not good.

Damn - 0031 - still need shirt ironed for work in six and a bit hours .... fingers crossed for footy later as well.

Thursday - A Pictorial Ramble

Well - let's start in the usual place - the Stalybridge Train Info System - Monday was obviously a "false dawn" - we got this on Tuesday. I've yet to take a "new pic" - as it now says "FTPE" (as in First) - but hey - I look forward to the New Year. "Find-out-stuff-time" - the only place to get some sense is talk to train staff - Stalybridge Station ?? Save your breath .....

-if it's John -"It's not my fault -I repeat it's not my fault !!" - straight on the defensive ....
-if it's Ashley - too busy looking after any lady under 25 looking lost/lonely on the platforms ..
-if it's Gary - "Under Section 257 Para 3 Sub-Section 23, I'm not at liberty to tell you anything. Now either catch a train - or drink beer at the Buffet - or I'll have you for loitering under Section 239b".

So I talked to a friendly guard (Northern Rail) on the train - the happy smiley one with the beer belly - apparently the problem is a Manc/Hudd thing - when it's been working up to now, the info has come from Manc - however it appears the system will/should eventually be run from Huddersfield - when the connections kick in ... as I said - roll on New Year ...




I had a day off work on Wednesday - did some Crimbly shopping ... now take a look at the next two pix -it's a spelling/upper/lower case thing...


Should it be ....




...or should it be ....



...now I've always worked on the "little u" - but then I'm not local - as in only 23 years 1 month 9 days.... never mind - here's a posey pic taken 'twixt Ashton and Stalybridge yesterday afternoon on the train..... note ALL pix on this thread are courtesy the Fuji FinePix A500.



..did some shopping in Top Mossley as well yesterday - came home via the ground - and saw this ....



...now it's been a while since attended a home game - my guess is that this went up sometime before the FCUM game .. oh and have you read the "furore" regarding the re-arranged Curzon v FCUM game over Crimbo - because of the TV - I bet it's making the FCUM fans so much more comfortable - yes it IS just like the"real thing" ..... big crowds, TV, re-arrangements, merchandise - what next ? A foreign pre-season tour ?? (Hint - irony here ..)

.and finally - it's a warm welcome to the latest addition to the Smiffy household - it's Pedro's Crimbo pressy - it's called Wyatt - and it's a "Blue-Tongued Skink" - and it came all the way from Southport last night - I will get some better pix when he's settled in - yes he's a "blerk" if there's any ladies out there....but for now I give you - Wyatt...




Weekend all still on as per earlier thread - though I forgot to take suit to dry-cleaners today - fingers crossed for tomorrow...

Monday Stuff - Trains, Beer, Football

Well the big news of the day is of course ....

Yep we have serious action on the Stalybridge Train Information System. I have no wish to think that serial "slagging off" on this site has galvanised TransPennine into action - cause I know this not to be true - if it were they'd be putting 6 car sets on as well in the morning and evening - still - enjoy while you can ...

Next - coming home tonight - a very rude pump clip @ Stalybridge Buffet Bar..

I only had the one as Peter was ready to return to ju-jitsu after the "broken jaw incident" of a couple of months ago - however we arrived at Greenfield to find "something else on" (Christmas Play or Parents "Do" - it is a school after all) - came home - I went back out and watched the Swansea/Horsham game - we all "dreamt the dream" between 23 mins and 38 mins - but it didn't last did it .....good effort mind.

As for the rest of the week - vis-a-vis football - nowt really except that overpaid, overhyped stuff played by people incapable of beating Croatia - reckon I'll get my Crimble shopping lists in order ...Saturday sees a rare trip to Ikeston Town for the game against Prescot Cables as it's another Saturday down at the M-I-L's.

Sunday sees a happy/sad day out for me and Mrs Smiffy - we're going to a wedding down Hackney/London way - an old friend is getting married - in a "hasty way" as her partner has been diagnosed with .... you can work out the rest .. we're all gonna make it a day to remember though.

Life can be sh*t sometimes ....

Football - 8th December 2007

Mossley v Bridlingon - OFF Ashton United v Guiseley - OFF Curzon @ Harrogate and Hyde @ Redditch - OFF Stalybridge v Burscough - Abandoned after 8 minutes - Droylsden v Rushden -full 90 - but Mr Pace reckoned it should never have started....

I went to Belper Town v Warrington Town - driving down the A6 - the weather got no better, and I was fearing the worst (as in having to do Christmas shopping with Mrs Smiffy). However there were only a couple of problem areas - one corner and the centre circle - so it was all systems go ... 90 minutes later the hardy 113 who turned up had witnessed a 6-0 destruction of Warrington Town - and it could have been a lot more ... this was playing football as well, not just hoofing it into the midden and chasing after it. An excellent all-round performance captured for posterity at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/BelperWarrington/

...taken without the aid of the trusty monopod (as in ... get to Belper, open car boot, get rucksack, get monop..... oh bugger, must have left it in Mossley). AND - I won the choccies in the half-time draw !!

Lucky enough to see some boxing last night as well - as in the Amir Khan 72 second jobbie ! Sad to see the Hitman lose later - but he'll be back, I'm sure.

I'm sure this weekend's weather has caused untold damage to the pitches of those who played as well as those who didn't. Just up the road from Belper, the Matlock Town game against Kendal was abandoned after 20 minutes as well....

Stalybridge Station Train Information System - Latest

Well we don't do times - we'll say hello/welcome now and again - we'll warn you to stand clear of the platform edge - but we don't do times - and we haven't done for months - tis a f**king disgrace - I'll tell 'em where to stick their 14% fare increase - almost like a congestion charge (!!!) - tomorrow - OK in seven hours time - I will photograph the poster that tells the world what the £1.5 million has been spent on - and we can dissect it at our leisure as midweek football games will be few and far between now for a couple of months...

Meanwhile - tonight - in case you forgot it's very nearly Christmas - and all the teddy bears named Jethro (?) are happy - incidentally you know that teddy picture I put on last Tuesday ??

http://sixtamesides.blogspot.com/2007/11/not-what-youre-expecting.html

The teddy only cost us a tenner - but since appearing on the blog, I've been able to sell it for £25 - I call that a "prophet" ...........

But I digress - tonight's VITALLY important Train Information message from Stalybridge Station - courtesy of "Transpenni" ....

Yo ho ho - p.s. your train is late due to vandalism in the Guide Bridge area -- you just couldn't make it up - could you ???

Curzon Ashton v Nantwich Town

Later folks - although there's one pic on the Curzon message board (Curzon won 5-4 on pens after 1-1 and extra time).

Tuesday evening update.....pix now available at ..

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/CurzonNantwich/

including the full gory details of the penalty shoot-out.

The game - you've got to say a fairly even one, and - as it went on the thought of extra-time (and penalties) was quite apparent amongst many of the pretty pathetic crowd of 109 - although fairs fair to Nantwich - they brought a few - there were at least two Ashton United fans (plus their Manager I'm reliably informed), one MossleySmiffy and a pro shooter from Prestwich Heys - and in the true spirit of the "snapping game" I'll give him a plug - although he didn't stay for ET and pens - tart !! Believe some team were on't'box last eve - Foolhamm or something... anyway - to the expert...some nice ones there ...

http://ammedia.photium.com/portfolio24127.html

Doing it for a living eh - and it shows - not some maverick banana-head who turns tobacco money into photographic equipment - learning "on the fly" - and he doesn't copyright his pix - the fool !! I'm enjoying it though - it looks as though I'm doing our Michelle's "Graduation Day" at Derby Uni in January 2008 as well - cus I'm cheaper than Ede & Ravenscroft - or whoever has the photo monopoly !!!

Hey ho - today got the "season-long loan" of one dobbing great lens - a 170-500 telephoto - being a f5 - f6.3, it won't do much at this time of year vis-a-vis football (what I need is a calm, collected, experienced 42 year old - i.e. someone slow !), but I might get something out of it on our weekend walks - I'll get that "Mossley Heron" in full flight one day. The problem being of course - "You either go for a walk - or you go to take photographs" ..... and most of the time a "dither/compose" period is just not built into our timetable !!

Nothing else this week - in fact that was THE one match in the "STS" area this midweek - Chorley v Woodley Sports tonight was possibly "a train too far".... (good job anyway - looks like Chorley were beating Fleetwood tonight !!)

Birthday - Woodley Away - Works "Do"

A somewhat busy day - so sod you all I'm keeping it brief - we won 2-1 - very late - deserved over the 90 minutes but cruel nonetheless (a 95th minute penalty - against a 10 man team who fought so so well - yes - cruel...)

Decent Thai food at the Ning in Manchester tonight - left the younger element to party on whilst catching my last train home (full of Kaiser Chiefs fans - and to that fat lady in Seat 61 - I predict a diet !!)

here's some pix from the game anyway ....

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/MossWoodDec07/

The "montage" for the equaliser is of course me just p*ssing about instead of being professional about it - hence the non-blue pic in the middle..if I thought it mattered - I'd be expecting money for the product - ho, ho, ho - enjoy anyroad up ...

51 - eek .... and tonight's exclusive is - my tea (OK it's a posh Sea Bass type thing !!)