... and yet more cheerfulness !!!!!

"Six Tame Sides" makes it to the final - in two categories no less !!

http://www.footballbloggingawards.co.uk/categories.html

Grateful thanks to all who voted - let's see what happens next - looks like a night out after the Mossley v Burnley friendly on 14th July anyway ...

Things can only get better ... now I REALLY must sleep ...

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Stafford Rangers 3 Barnet 0

Not the best quality DVD (it's a copy of a video copy of an 8mm or 16mm reel I think !)...but ...

sod politics ... THAT's well cheered me up !

(Plus finding this pic as well - me at Wembley on that day in April 1972 - courtesy of the Stafford Newsletter)

  



















Me near front holding up Stafford Rangers scarf - you can just see a "hint of tank top" too - fashion icon !!!
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Some Political Meanderings ...

It's Friday night - Mrs Smiffy is "away for the weekend" - a few beers (not that many mind - I'm working tomorrow !!!) - and all I hear on TV is banks banks banks ...

Let's be blunt - they're (bankers) all criminals - and the politicians who wobble on about it are all similarly criminals ....

Where do I start ???  At the bottom maybe ...

- last week's wages that should have been paid in on Friday finally made it through on Wednesday this week - I was lucky - I could cope - but it's caused some serious sh*t for a lot of people - and as an ex-software developer - I know how it should have been done;

- we then learn that the banks are "fixing the rates" (OK Barclays are taking the stick at the moment ... but it's fairly obvious that ALL of the banks were in on it - cartel is a dirty word - but it's out there ... ) - and today there's more - they've been screwing over small businesses - those very businesses that the politicians have been telling us will get us out of the recession - ha !

- we hear the histrionics from both Tory and Labour about these so-called "banking miscreants" - those spokespeople are obviously not intimately bothered are they - because they're all rich (either through family wealth or being involved in banking themselves ...)

- Cameron gets involved in "Eurozone" talks - as if he's an important member of the squad - err we have the pound, not the Euro - so shut up and stay out of it - it's someone else's problem ...  why not stick to screwing over the under-25s in your own country ?? Yep ... let's get the kids to move back in with their parents ... certainly covers up the fact that there's not enough new housing being built - probably because the builders are only interested in building hi-spec houses for the rich rather than affordable houses for the "rest" (not enough 'margin' in the cheap stuff eh ???)...

Hopefully it won't be too long before the majority of this country's poplulation realise that we (the majority) are being taken for a ride by the "establishment" (politicians, bankers - you know, the sort of people we used to look up to). You vote Tory - you vote Labour - you vote Liberal (ha ha ha - you fools !) - it doesn't matter - they're ALL p*ssing in the same pot.  It astonished me how many people derided the "riots" - it was so "Daily Mail/Express/Telegraph" wasn't it ?  I truly believe that that are a large majority out there who try their damndest to remain within the "norm" - but secretly wish they shouldn't ... how many of these "comfy" people are not "comfy" - getting on in life (50+) - worrying about their jobs - worrying about their pensions - still having to support kids who can't leave home because they don't have jobs (or can't afford to get onto the property ladder) ? Why on earth do we now have "products" called 'payday loans' at obscene interest rates (a few years ago we used to slag off 'loan sharks' - now it's apparently legal !).

Footballers are supposed to be involved in this so-called "Respect" project - that's been a joke hasn't it ???   We the "ordinary people" have been brought up to 'respect' those above us - that is also a joke - and what really sticks in the craw is that these so-called "establishment figures" appear to be so far above the law - "I'm not resigning"; "I'll forgo my bonus" (still receiving £4m+ per year without it).  RM today announced £211m profits - boss Moya Greene receives £370,000 bonus - yet there have been 5,000 redundancies this year - it just doesn't add up.  Mrs Smiffy has this week been offered voluntary severance/redundancy - her diary is full, yet they (Tameside Council) are apparently happy to get rid - crazy crazy crazy ...

The gap widens ...  I could go on but I'm trying to keep some  kind of positivity in my life - back to work tomorrow - my "day off", but I've been asked to work it - and on a 24 hour per week contract (which finished today - no renewal contract yet - AND I'm already rostered to work next week - mad !), I've got to go for it ...

Rant over - we really DO need more football - although well done England cricket today/tonight (and hard luck Heather Watson !)  Going to watch a footy DVD now - the 1972 FA Trophy Final ...

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One of those Days ...

... when you wish you took a decent camera to work ... coming back from Uppermill towards Greenfield today - via the canal for a change - I came across this on the towpath, ironically (?!) close to the "Herons Reach" housing 'complex' (OK one single street !) ... this was as close as I could get - and for the second time in a week - I was reduced to cameraphone ...

Meanwhile in the world of football namesakes - I see Tom Cruise has moved from Arsenal to Torquay ... and closer to home there's a rumour that the ex-Ashton United player Tom Baker has left FC Halifax Town to move to Droylsden (this one needs to be confirmed though !). Got me thinking (for a change) about others ... James Dean who used to play for Stalybridge Celtic ... Paul Weller (who also apparently played a couple of games for Stalybridge Celtic in 2004) ... Michael Jackson (ex-Bury) ... Robbie Williams (ex-Altrincham) ... to name but a few.

The football season cannot come soon enough ...

One other "bit of a giggle" that came my way - from the Olympic Torch relay in Ashton-under-Lyne last Sunday featuring two Stalybridge Celtic fans - one as torch bearer and one as "comedy moment"  - I give you Martin Plant and Tony Worral !!!

(P.S. - wages came through eventually - just before the latest banking scandal broke !!!)
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In the words of Diana Ross ...

... for last weeks wages to appear in my bank account - yep a victim of the RBS computer software "glitch" - it was like old times listening to some geek on the radio this morning talking about 'batch processing' and 'rollbacks' ... quite brought a tear to my eye (actually that was probably due to the big 'minus sign' in front of a three-figure number !!). Panic ?? Naaah (in legacy software we trust !!!)

Some local football news - and very interesting it is too ... Ted Davies has joined Stalybridge Celtic ostensibly as "Head of Recruitment" (to quote Celtic supremo Rob Gorski), but I imagine he will get involved on various levels due to his experience and contacts - he spent a lot of time as Chief Scout for various Football League clubs and has been involved in youth development projects as well ...

 ... naturally the "interesting point" is that he spent last season at Hyde FC where he was very highly regarded before leaving (like pretty much everyone else - well almost) at the end of the season ... something of a coup here for Celtic - even some of the Hyde fans are wishing him luck in his new post - that's how much of an impact he made at Ewen Fields last year ! (LATER UPDATE - in the interests of balance ... there's a fair amount of vitriol appeared since I wrote the above as well ...)

July 1st draws ever closer - it's an important date in the non-league calendar - the date when non-contract players can start putting pen to paper for clubs - and hopefully the words "football news" can start appearing here a bit more often.

(actually a more important date for me at the moment is June 29th - when my latest RM contract finishes - no news yet of renewals either ... just keep going in I guess !)

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Questa è la vita

... as they say in Venice ... however, the best team went through didn't they ??  Must admit part way through the second half (when England REALLY were under the cosh) - and the Italians brought on Alessandro Diamanti - I expected the worst (if I had an online betting app, I would have been ready to put money on him scoring the winning goal - being well aware of his time at West Ham - in fact here's one he scored earlier - was praying it wouldn't be pens however - although it did look that England were playing for that ....)

Hey ho ... suppose next stop is "Come on TeamGB !!" ... although we'll get a few non-league friendlies under our belt before the Olympics kick off ...

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Tonight's Pre-Match Meal ...

1) Antipasti

2) Spag Bol

3) Semifreddo

... OK it's roast chicken really ... but this idea worked for the Ukraine game (the culinary equivalent of "lucky underpants" !!) so ...

No camping so went over to friends in Rochdale, stayed over, had walk this morning as well - and guess who completely forgot to take camera with him - epic fail !  However - it gave me a chance to try out the camera on the new cleverphone - it's not bad !

Right - let's finish that food and get ready for some football ...

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After the Lord Mayor's Show ...

... after the euphoria of last night ... it was back to earth with a resounding SPLASH today - a solid 4 hours walking in pouring rain (having already got wet through just walking from train station to office) - a truly AWFUL day delivering papier mache at times ... and naturally today I had loads of "sign-fors" - and the two delivery cards are now drying off on top of the fire - pretty much like everything else.

Even so (excuse semi-pun !) here's t'other one from last night ...

Plan was a camping weekend in Edale starting tonight (with me dashing back to work on Saturday and dashing back to Edale straight after) - that was suitably knocked on the head for obvious reasons ! Have heard - but not yet seen - about the moistness at the Isle of Wight Festival this weekend - at least I saw Pearl Jam "in the dry" !!  Cricket washed out as well (surprise !) - just need Greece to win tonight - although it doesn't look promising after the first 45 ...

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Pearl Jam - one from tonight ...

... last toon we saw as you have to remember that Manchester is a "24 hour city" whereby last trains out of town leave at 2300 ... and gigs finish later than this - aargh !  So Eddie and the guys start playing "Alive" at 2253hrs - we just made the train - hence the very "abrupt" finish on the video (courtesy babycam - hence quality leaves something to be desired - it even includes other peeps dashing out for similar 'last trains' I guess) - anyway suck it and see - twas once again a thoroughly awesome performance - tight, professional - and done with feeling - and a lovely Fathers Day pressie - thanks kids !!

... and when I get a chance ... I've got "Even Flow" to upload as well !!!

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One down ... one to go ...

Just watched the national cricket team ease to an 8 wicket win (on the internet of course - none of this Sky rubbish at chez Smiffy).  Home early enough to prepare a nice three course meal as well:

1) Kapusniak

2) Kotlety

3) Halushki

all to be washed down with a glass or two of Chernihisvskie

(for more information on this national style of cooking ... see here )

OK ... it's actually Pork in Cider (with a bottle of Bishops Finger !!)

Next stop - a large screen telly in a hostelry ... 


PS - While waiting for the Ukranian stew to bubble - I nipped out into the garden - and took this picture of a lesser spotted cabbage purple ... or some such butterfly/moth-type thing - unfortunately the bumblebee pix didn't work - my excuse is of course "wrong lens" (it was just a 'grab the camera moment' !!) - one for now anyway ...

...now time to eat ...
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Fathers Day ...

You get the weirdest presents off the kids ...

 ... but then when you open the third one ... it all makes perfect sense ...

... nice - very nice !!! 

A little bit of "checking back" through the blog brought up Leeds Festival 2006 (proof that this IS a "Veteran Blog" - don't forget ... Vote for Me - and I guarantee more football soon !!!) where they were my "Band of the Weekend".  Ironic really, as while I've been watching the footy etc "down the pub" this past week, I've also been seeing adverts on Sky for the Isle of Wight Festival this coming weekend which features Bruce Springsteen, The Darkness ... and Pearl Jam. 


(PS - anyone got any use for a packet of tampons ??!!?)
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Catching Up ... Slowly !!!

They call this a "footpath" !!

Got back Saturday evening - all trains perfect going down and coming back ... until that last "Three Mile Leap" from Stalybridge to Mossley (20 mins late - bravo Northern Rail ... OK the first "train" going down was theoretically Northern Rail - but it was actually a Rail Replacement Bus to Huddersfield so Northern Rail are NOT getting the credit for that !!).

A good weeks' walking - we clocked up just under 80 miles over the five "walking days", with about 60 of 'em actually on the "Ridgeway National Trail"  - tended to get wet just as we were getting towards the end of our walks each day - which left little/no time to get stuff dry (one of the first jobs when we got back !) - some good digs as well (B&Bs and pubs) ... some good food in the evenings ... and some good beer as well (once getting over the £3-60 a pint shock anyway !!) - even managed to get in at the tail end of a beer festival at the Fox and Hounds in Uffington !  Pub of the Week ? I reckon it was the "Inn With the Well" at Ogbourne St George (gets "Food of the Week" award as well !) ... although the rest of them all did well (Red Lion @ Avebury; Fox & Hounds @ Uffington; The Swan @ East Ilsley; Perch & Pike @ South Stoke; King William @ Hailey; The Chequers @ Watlington - it was just that "£3-40/£3-50/£3-60/even £3-70 a pint" that was the scary bit for us impoverished Northerners !!!  

A few pics from the week ...

The Ridgeway Walk - and More

So ... home Saturday evening, start drying stuff off, shopping/tidying/more washing on Sunday ... and back to work today !!  Finished in good time to prepare evening meal to within an inch of readiness (thus giving me two hours parole down at the Brit to watch the England game - can't complain about a draw really I suppose - always going to be a bit cagey at the group stage).  Home - eat tea - suffer massive migraine (been having a few of these recently - unable to pinpoint why at the moment - bit of a bugger ...) - wake up - finish sorting holiday snaps - and now this ...

Next job really is to scour the length and breadth of the "Six Tame Sides" area for more 'catch-up' info - found a few transfers on the Hyde site - spotted that Woodley Sports are now Stockport Sports (!?!) ... but that's probably a job for Tuesday night ...

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It's Taken This Long ...

... to get it together using cleverphone & wi-fi - hardly worth it really,as we should be home in about 6 hours !!

Luvverly Jubilee ?

... a "bit of a do" on our street today in aid of "our glorious leader" ...

 

cakes ....

flags ...

 

 ... and more of the same ...

... there were people there as well - but you know me - I don't 'do people' if I can help it (annoys Mrs Smiffy a lot when we're out on a walk - and I wait ... and wait ... and wait ... to take a pic after all the people have walked over the hill/out of the picture etc etc). 

Anyway - I'm on my holidays !!!!  Catching our first train (which is actually a rail replacement bus !) at about 0900 later today, heading for Swindon (eventually !!) before catching a bus down to Avebury - where the stones are (and the pub where Strange Fruit met for their re-formation - if this loses you - Google "Still Crazy" !!!).  From there - a 70+ mile trundle across the country towards Princes Risborough - apparently this walk pretty much follows a ley line across the country  - but that's Mrs Smiffy's territory -I just take the pics !!

Expect little on here next week - although I may try to do some updates via this new fangled phone thing wot I have got !!


(PS that Swiss Brass Band I mentioned yesterday (they're called Music Frohsin Oberburg)came 2nd in the Friezland contest !!)

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Whit Friday Bands

... somewhat lacklustre !!! Early start @ work meant early finish - a couple of beers (in strangely empty pubs) before going home.  Change, tea and then out for a stroll.  We headed out of Mossley down the canal - and we could hear nothing !!  There's now only one contest in Mossley ("up top") but no sound of brass at all ... down the canal and  arrived at the Friezland Band Contest.  Fairly busy people-wise but fairly muted - large gaps between bands didn't help (and running out of the "decent beer" - i.e. the Millstone Brewery stuff - didn't help much either).  Our band of choice was the one from Switzerland (didn't catch name unfortunately), but the whole event seemed ... well lacklustre - and it took me till nearly the end to get camera out of bag - weird !! So ... just a couple from the twelve (yes - just 12) I took tonight ...

...yes there IS a band called "The Camping and Caravanning Club Brass Band" !!

... some slo-mo with me avoiding flash !

That was Whit Friday - there were the usual "dickheads" out on the streets of Mossley as we left and returned - but that's probably every Friday - not just on this once "special" day.  So many of the band contests have "bitten the dust" due to lack of help/volunteers, police interference due to cr*p behaviour - and ultimately finance (the prize money has to come from somewhere !)  The morning walks of witness will surely continue ... but it seems that this great local institution is shrinking at an alarming rate - and turning into "just another Friday" - sad ...

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