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Tuesday (pre game) was busy - up early, recycling to tip the train to Manchester with Mrs Smiffy and small boy to see the reptiles (amongst other things) at the Manchester University Museum .... lunch @ Tampopo then me home to get car go to vets bring our reptile (skink) home (abcess removed) before driving to game - problems - skink not ready so I couldn't take car .... time to improvise ... to Stalybridge to catch train and get some photos of the walls going up on the conservatory - then train to Buxton and catch bus from there - twas at Piccadilly where it all started to go wrong with signal failures on Platform 14 - hey ho - got to the game on time - see previous post - and got back to Mossley for 0950 today.... here's the bits and bobs...
The Buffet Bar Conservatory "Diary" - updated 29Oct08
A lizard thing from the morning ...
Two engineers helping to bring Platform 14 to a complete standstill (thus cocking up Platform 13 as well !!) ...
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One bridge too far for Belper I'm afraid - and if you add up the two games the better team did win over the 188 minutes - so that's two of the "Six Tame Sides" into the 1st Round Proper - this is the place to be watching non-league football - not Gigg Lane !!! A healthy little run for Belper mind - and some well-earned - and well-needed - money into the bank - I've "had a sniff" about where it might go - can't tell natch ...!!
Some pictures to be found at
written by Cornelius Ryan - film starring Sean Connery, Dirk Bogarde, Michael Caine
(you get the idea !)
I had fun getting there - and getting back was fun too - I'll say NO MORE !!!!
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get voting (you may need to register first) ....
more useful than a Scottish by-election
... otherwise it's Wakefield on 2nd December ...unless you live in other places ...see:
... for Curzon v Hinckley updates ... try....
this link 'ere
...or wait for unibondleague.com to put the results up .....
2115 - 1-1 last I heard !!!
2140 - looking like ET
2145 - ET
2215 - Second Period of ET begins ..
Pens ..............and Curzon win 3-2 on penalties to set up a home tie against Exeter City on November 8th ..... it could have been Mossley ....onto tomorrow .... Droylsden or Belper to get the gig up at Darlington ??
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... extra hours kip - no walk (painting to do in the downstairs loo) - FA Cup draw ...
... completely forgot to carry on in "crapsnap" mode to get the Curzon (or Hinckley) v Exeter City picture ... I was too busy leaping for nationalfail.co.uk to see if it was feasible to do the Belper game AND get back to Manchester in time to do the Airbourne gig with our Michelle @ the Academy - and YES - it's a goer !!!! Just leaves the "slight" problem of turning up for a gig with a large bag of camera stuff !!! A minor detail ....!
Well has everyone seen that amazing bit of "non news" that's filled the TV for the last 24 hours or so ??? I mentioned possibly going up to the Lake District for a couple of days as well. OK - it rained a bit - it was a bit blowy - people who go on these kind of things tend to "go prepared" - hey it's England - it's October - that bloke criticising the organisers must be one helluva self-publicist - what a prat !! Someone else who was interviewed was asked about this criticism and they said words to the effect that "I think you'll find that 100% of the people on this event see this critcism as .... wrong" ! It was when the "ticker tape" came across the BBC News24 screen saying something like "Penrith Hospital has had no admissions from the Lakeland kerfuffle", you thought - that was news ?????? When it went from 1,700 unaccounted for... to 44 ... to 17 ... to 0 .... it made perfect sense - people had been getting on with it - sorting themselves out - while some hysterical loons were "wobbling on" all over the TV - in point of fact some of it was actually better than some of the progs last night !!
So - a week's holiday ...what will Monday bring ???? Not the Lake District that's for sure !!!!!!!!!!
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Well that was some game .. the Droylsden fans bemoaning their poor performance whilst failing to acknowledge a belting second 45 minutes from the Nailers - ironic in a way that the two MOMs in the club afterwards went to the two keepers !!!
It was good that the visitors from Derbyshire were welcomed with some typical Manc weather (!) - the first half has to been seen as Droylsden's - there was one moment when the Belper keeper Paul Pettinger (fondly remembered up here as a Stalybridge keeper who "leaked a few") was throwing himself from one side of the goal to another. Not that Belper were fazed by the opposition - they put some good stuff together - while Anthony Wilson had a "quiet" game (in my opinion anyway), both Lee Stevenson and Ben Walker "made themselves known" up front ....
If the Bloods shaded the first half - Belper came out after the break with all guns blazing - and made the team from two divisions above look really poor - OK it could have gone either way towards the end - but the Conf team certainly knew they'd been in a game (and in the club after it was good to see Unibond Curzon Ashton had snatched a draw at Conference Hinckley as well )
So .... the draw for the FA Cup 1st Round "Proper Like" is apparently on the telly tomorrow lunchtime - it will be interesting to see what comes out of the bag for all teams "still in it" - while Droylsden might fancy a local bash against Oldham or Rochdale, Belper might look to Leicester or Notts County....the Tuesday replay looks like a "goer" for me - we're on holibobs this week anyway - the car is "in dock" on Wednesday a.m. so .....
Plus today we had a "meeting of togs" - Droylsden snapper Carl, Belper snapper Tim - and the "neutral" (viz moi !) .... you now get the holy trinity of pix ... !!!!
Carl from Droylsden ...
http://www.bloods.fotopic.net/c1600943.html
Tim from Belper ...
http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/DrylsdnAFAC0809/album1.html
And ....
http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/DroylsdenBelper/
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... well I'm sure you knew the date anyway !!
I'm on holiday - for an entire week - so b*ll*x to the imbeciles that run Northern Rail / First TransPennineExpress / Simon Carves etc etc - I don't care ! I only hope that Bertie the Bus will get me to the Butchers Arms Droylsden before 1500 tomorrow - yes Mossley have a game @ Chorley (travel made all the harder by the complete "shutdown twixt Mossley/Stalybridge and Manchester) - Stafford Rangers are back "up our way" after a 7 day break (they'd better play for 90+ minutes rather than slacking off like they did at Hyde last weekend) - and all this despite the fact that I do have a certain affinity with Stalybridge Celtic - but no - tomorrow it's Droylsden v Belper Town - for rasons outlined earlier in the week...
Basically I'm just a football team "slag" - but I have many reasons - all perfectly valid - so nerrrrrrr !
As regards the "holiday" - nothing concrete planned yet - there'll be some walking done, no doubt - possibly Lake District for a day or two .... at this moment it's "one day at a time" - and tomorrow is FA Cup...
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After work today - slipped into big city Manchester and finally purchased the new Todd Rundgren album "Arena" ... and we're back to the "good old days" - can you say that - I like the "No World Order" era as well. Anyroad up - "Arena" - with guitar, guitar and more guitar - track 1 - "Mad" very reminiscent of some of the later Utopia stuff ("Oops Wrong Planet" - ish) yet still showing some of the "individual" stuff ("MountainTop" could have come off side 2 of "Faithful") - natch on this album, the master does the lot .... and does it very very well ! Incidentally Track 3 ("Mercenary") contains what is to me the "ultimate rock riff" (at about 2.00 minutes) - one that crops up in all sorts of places from "More than a Feeling" by Boston to "Hamburger Concerto " by Focus - there's even bits of Ronnie Montrose/Sammy Hagar on the track "Gun" - I love it ......
It will be interesting to see what the line up is on November 6th - last time I saw Todd on the "Liars" tour @ Bridgewater Hall in Manchester (July 2004 - can't believe it was that long ago) he'd got former Utopia bassist Kasim Sultan in the band .... wouldn't it be nice to see those two with Roger Powell and Willie Wilcox - and them all do a version of "Singring and the Glass Guitar" - but it's late and I'm rambling/old/dreaming out loud ........after last night/this morning's finish, I think it wise to exit stage left .....
While I'm in anorak mode - about 6 minutes 14 seconds on Track 2 ("The Fire Still Burns") on the new DragonForce album "Ultra Beatdown" - "China in Your Hand" by T'Pau - that riff - honest - check it out !!!!!
Did I promise myself an early night tonight ?? Well 'tis earlier than yesterday .............so far .........!!!!!
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...in glorious video ......GASP - as the plastic flys up in the wind.....
APPLAUD - as first Mandy - then Mick - go for the "supporting role" roles ....
Keep the brolly - there's no roof yet - hang about - there's no bloody walls either .....
We wait for REAL movement - naturally .....
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Too bloody late for much more - nearly two o'clock ! Comfy 3-0 win - here's some pics - and it DIDN'T RAIN on me !!
http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/MossleyChadderton/
Nighty night ....
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Well - had our nosh in Longsight on Friday night (venison no less !!) - back home for 1000 Saturday then hot foot to Ashton for hair cuts (me & Peter). Home - trip to tip (downstairs bathroom all but finished) and got dropped off in Ashton (Mrs Smiffy having hair cut) and a bus down to Hyde arriving in time for a pint or two at the "Sportsman" - BUT NO !!!! It's shut "until further notice" - eek !! (found out later it's only for refurb - so all you CAMRA peeps - don't panic !!) Went straight to the ground instead.
First time I've seen the old "home town team" since April 2007 @ Altrincham - a mixed performance from both teams - I'm sure Hyde are the happier with the 1-1 draw - always helps if you concentrate and play for 90+ minutes - where Stafford slipped up - a golden chance to make it 2-0 went begging - and on 92 minutes Hyde equalise - I've no idea where the 4 extra minutes came from - word was timewasting - but I've seen far worse punished with far less. Pictures at ..
http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/HydeStafford/
Rochdale in the evening for more food (moussaka) and home today - to this ... I know Mossley won comfy (well so I was txted !) - now I need to find out what else happened yesterday ...
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God it was wet last night - it's taken a good while to dry everything out (including me !!) - but .. the right result in the end - God knows what damage it's done to the pitch with home games on Saturday and next Tuesday - let's hope for the Indian summer this week ..... oh yes ...pix at
http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/MossleyRadcliffePCup/
Remember - I got rather damp for these ...... !! (and here's a little STS exclusive as well - "aquatic handbags" ....)
Are England playing tonight ?? I must check the score - no rush mind - not that important ....eh ?
Almost forgot - the Mossley Message Board is "down" at the moment - some cock-up during an upgrade (sounds soooo familiar !!!!) so you'll have to make do with this and mossleyweb and SJNRs blog and ...etc ...
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It was WET - be patient - stuff WILL come ....(and I had to do Ashley first !!!)
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After 32 years "on the rails" Ashley has finally finished - many will know him from his time on Stalybridge Station - others will know him from his work carrying the Madonna on Whit Friday in Mossley - many many others will just "know him" ....
Tonight - a "bit of a do" at the Buffet Bar - it may have got livelier later - but I did have a Presidents Cup game v Radcliffe to do ... but best wishes to Ashley in his retirement ...and some pictures from "babycam" from the early doors stuff...
http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/ByeByeAshley/
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... a trip to Hinckley United - a place last visited by Mossley for a 6-1 thrashing in the FA Cup back in 2004, a couple of years before the "Knitters" moved to their nice new stadium (leaving the amazingly balanced wooden Social Club to .... fall down maybe ???
Still it's Curzon who get the trip to the Marston Stadium - you'll notice little in the way of Smiffy comment from last Saturday - having only seen the last 20 minutes or so, due to far more important commitments elsewhere, I don't feel sufficiently "knowledgeable" to pass any sort of judgement. All I will say is that, from the little I saw, there wasn't the urgency and pressure that I'd seen in the second half against Bamber Bridge, and that the substitution just after getting the equaliser at 3-3 implied "hang on for the replay" - not a good move when there are players like Mickey Norton about .....
So as cups go for Mossley - down to the last two, one tomorrow (Presidents Cup at home to Radcliffe Borough - who've already beaten us on our patch) and the Manky Premier Cup a week tomorrow at home to Chadderton (who beat us in this competition at their place last season). It will be good to get "back on track tomorrow" night before getting back to league action on Saturday. The other 4th Qualifying Round game that naturally caught my eye was Droylsden v Belper Town - on 25th October - when Stafford Rangers come to Stalybridge Celtic and Mossley are away at Chorley - minds will be made up at a later date, but - this being the "Six Tame Sides" site my two outstanding grounds this season are Droylsden and Hyde (who are at home this Saturday to .... Stafford Rangers !!).
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..and finally - car had a bit of a car wash yesterday - and Mrs Smiffy mentioned tonight that the temperature gizmo on the panel was a "bit off" - looking at this .....
..as that is actually 157.1 degrees Fahrenheit (!!!) I'd tend to agree (and before anyone makes a smart-ass remark about Radio 2 - tonight was "taxi night" (Mrs S here, Small Boy there) and I'd been listening to the "Rhythm and Blues Show" with Paul Jones, containing a live acoustic set from Walter Trout - don't laugh, Google him). That's all folks ...
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Christ it's late - a 2-2 draw which on the second half performance should have been a win, but hey-ho - happy with a point after the horrors of the first 20 minutes .... some less than special pix at
http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/MossleyBamber/
(well it is late - and the weather was REALLY crap !!)
Here's a bonus "condensation" pic - poss a reason NOT to go in the club at half-time and fiddle with bits - because you come out and you get this ... eekk..had to hide under the stand and take things apart (lens/filter etc), polish and put back together again - hey it's just like work, viz "Have you tried turning it off and turning it back on again ???!!???"
Talking of work - computer/database still shyte - we're now into day 8 of trying to sort stuff out - but we are getting there - now I need sleep (finished really late today - needed taxi home from Ashton in order to say "Hi" to Mrs Smiffy before going straight out) - tomorrow I need the 0654 train - and its 0130 now ...aargh ...
A busy weekend awaits - tell you more later ........
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You're going to have to wait ... turned up all prepared - and then along came "The Man from the Chron" as they say, so I bowed to the professional (even though he was a Nikon Man !) and left him to it. All I can offer you is ....
Tee hee ... we went walking instead - might put some pics of that up later - the might of the River Tame and all that - it was certainly powering down the valley at Scout Green this afternoon ..... but now - a bath !
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It's 0200 - so don't expect miracles at this time of the morning !!
Here's some pix ..
http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/MossleySPSTrophy/
I'm late because ...there's life beyond football - that was one crazy/stupid/ridiculous last 10 minutes today - OK we were dreadful in the second half ... but 5-1 ???? Everything they touched in the last 10 turned to gold/goal - it was just unreal .....
I drank several (changed nowt !!) came home and watched "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" with Mrs S - weren't the Germans a bunch of complete bastards ?? OK war = war, but not content with killing the locals - they turn on their so-called allies as well - how to make friends and influence people eh ?? (We're not innocent either if we look back through history - and I'm sure it's happening as we speak in many many countries) First time I've seen the film - when it came up at the end - "Dedicated to the THOUSANDS of Italians EXECUTED by the Germans ..." - very very moving.... makes you think about the "friendly fire" stuff when the Yanks are killing ours .....
Other footy - I've done the Hattersley FC pix this morning - not looked at them yet - time / mandolins / Mossley etc etc - we'll see how it looks... and the irony is ... tomorrow is "Chairman's Lunch" at Mossley and due to unavailability/non-arrival/general SNAFU (look it up !!), I've been asked to go and do team photo tomorrow/today betwixt 1200 and 1300 !!! Falling - as it does - on "walking day", Mrs Smiffy not too impressed (!!) - however if she drinks some of the Bucks Fizz while I take the pix - we'll toddle off straight away for a local walk...(I did have an invite to the "do" itself - but these sort of things are not my cuppa tea ...
To Tuesday then - Bamber Bridge also leaked 5 goals today in the Trophy - so it should be a tale of two football teams ...
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What a week - where do you start ... death - Neil @ Woodley, obit for Sean from Stalybridge was in the paper this week - and I also learned that Leek Town had lost a big fan in August - Paul Smith - there's a really lovely and very moving tribute to this guy on youtube from his daughter Kelly - see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVQ1d2b7ABM
All the above pales the rest of my week into "bleurrrrgh" really - I've had serious sh*t with Sun hardware, Unix operating system and Oracle database this week - at 1600 today we thought we'd sorted it all - at 1630 we realised all was still "not well" - something for Monday by then - I was thirsty (even though it was Friday !) - and we'd all had enough this week - you sort the disks - you sort the corrupt files -and then just when you think youve ....... grrrrr
Football - tomorrow - well it should be Mossley v Stocksbridge Park Steels in the FA Trophy - but having seen the weather this week - and not having seen the weather forecasts for tonight/tomorrow ... back to "bleurrrrgh" I guess - obviously there are other options (first would be Stalybridge v Redditch United - yes the team that got stuffed by Belper Town last Saturday !!).
Also doing a photo favour tomorrow lunchtime for a mate at Stalybridge Buffet Bar - now need to "gen up" on the tricks of the trade for taking "team photos" - and having seen this link this week on the Belper board - I'd best be on my guard, although I believe I'm doing the youngsters ... and just offering my services all of a sudden became a bit of a minefield - with Mrs Smiffy working in education with youngsters all the "legal this that and t'other" came to the surface - thankfully all cleared up - you read all this stuff about school nativities and parents with video cameras - so much needs to be taken into account these days - sad but true I guess ...
What else this week - I'd thought about doing something about overcrowding on trains - took some pics with babycam, but they weren't brill - just take it as read - cattle trucks (sorry "standard class") morning and night peak....
Mrs Smiffy out tonight with sister (just passing through) so I get the chance to use .... the record player which is just behind this pc !!! I'm onto my second Steve Hillage album as we speak ("Motivation Radio" - done .... "Open" part way through side 1) - isn't it quaint - "sides" seem so short and you have to physically do stuff like lift arm, flip disk, put arm back on - those were the days - and still will be in this house with the amount of vinyl we've got !!
Must go - time to put side 2 on ...!
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