Thursday, May 23, 2013

Oops !!!

Last year I got a reminder ... this year I didn't ...

So if you're reading this at about 2000hrs on Thursday - you must have used sixtamesides.blogspot.com ... because the web hosting account for the "posh one" (i.e. www.sixtamesides.co.uk) expired -  aargh !

Anyhow ... have just renewed for another 12 months (it's free via www.freehostia.com), so all should be back to normal ... soon.

In the meantime - it was back to work today - nice to see the hailstones bouncing off my cap this afternoon (aah the Great British Summer) - tomorrow is Whit Friday (big local holiday round here - much marching of brass bands and churches etc) - so we're all in very early to try to avoid stuff.  However, it should mean early finish so we can all go home, put on our best bib and tucker and go out in the evening and watch brass band contests and drink a few shandies.  We'll see if last year's "lacklustre effort" (as I called it) continues this year - a good day/night for all which over the years has been slowly ruined by the p*ssheads, I'm afraid - people are staying in due to the aggro, some band contests have 'finished for good' ( see my 2012 post - or my 2011 post - and if to prove a point that's it all been going pear-shaped for some years ... my 2007 post !!!)

In fact if you wanted ... you could substitute "Trans-Pennine Rail Ale Trail" for "Whit Friday" - great ideas ... ruined by morons ...

Rant over - if you can read it in time !!!
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

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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Sunday, May 19, 2013

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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Saturday, May 18, 2013

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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Friday, May 17, 2013

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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Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Monday, May 06, 2013

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 ...




Sunday, May 05, 2013

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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Saturday, May 04, 2013

Big Game Tomorrow ...




... up at Mossley ... the fight for the play-offs ... should be one hell of an atmosphere ... worth £8 of anybody's money (if you're doing nowt !)
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Friday, May 03, 2013

Thursday Wander ...

... out for a bit of a stroll tonight ... took new camera (with another "old faithful" lens attached ) all part of 'getting to know you'  process I guess ...












































Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Midweek Meanderings ...

... well there's no "proper football" so ... 

Starting with some "sad news" - Ashton United Manager Danny Johnson is 'moving on' ... he's accepted the Manager's post at Nantwich Town.  After six years at Hurst Cross - up and down and up and down - he's done a great job there, working on tight budgets but always putting out a good squad, finding a few little gems on the way ... and always very approachable for a natter.  An amicable split I'm glad to say - everyone at Hurst Cross is fully appreciative of Danny's work there and he leaves with everyone's good wishes.

Next ... Cammell "bloody" Laird - buggered up my "If If If" post last night by winning - so it's now definitely/mathematically 'perm any 2 from 3' on Saturday afternoon vis-a-vis the Evo 1 North Play-Offs - takes me back to the heady days of 2006 at Gresley when Mossley were losing and mobile phones were going here, there and every bloody where checking results elsewhere (thank you Shepshed that day !!).  It could well be the same this Saturday ... although these days we all have Twitter to keep us up to date - however might still offer up my mobile number to Trafford and Ramsbottom - can just imagine 1645hrs on Saturday ... waiting ... waiting ... team staying on the pitch ... waiting ... and this is just to get into the bloody play-offs !!!  Now that the Conf North has finished, it would be nice to see a few "extras" turning up at Seel Park on Saturday as well (and personally I'm praying for an "easy Saturday" at work so I can get there early enough to start taking photos) ... incidentally a big plug for Dave Bauckham ... he came up for the Mossley/Ramsbottom game - and there's a cracking album of pictures here:

Mossley/Rammy - Dave Bauckham's View

Fortunately Belper Town don't have this worry on Saturday - guaranteed 3rd place in the Evo 1 South - unless they can turn an 8 goal difference around (assuming Coalville lose as well) - at least 3rd place guarantees a home tie in the Play-Off Semi-Final ... Mossley can only hope for 4th or 5th (assuming all goes to plan) ... which means travelling (New Mills or Cammell "bloody" Laird !!).

Can Barcelona turn it round tonight ?? Does anyone really care ?? Will Mourinho move back to England ?? Does anyone really care ??

Time to cook tea ... does anyone care ??
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