Advance Post - Friday - no Football - but .....

..we're all off to Buxton to see the Peatbog Faeries - discovered by "chez Smiffy" whilst on holiday in Scotland in 2005 - saw them live in Fort William (Market Square !!) in 2006 - now - Buxton as part of the "Four Four Time" Festival of Music ...

They're from the Isle of Skye and they look like this:




It's Celtic (with a capital "K" !) - and it's rock, it's trad folk/jig/reel, it's jazz, it's - all sorts... recommended listening is "Croftwork" - geddit - although I like "Welcome to Dun Vegas" a bit more than the rest of our "clan"...

PS - If anyone can get to Buxton (our car is full) - we've a couple of spare tickets - should be £15 - yours for a tenner (each !!).


Saturday = Football - thank Frith !! We're all off to Bradford Park Avenue - an interesting trip via the beauty of public transport - but we'll make it (have yet to tell the "troops" - only found out about an hour ago - I'm going back via Rochdale - so they're going to have to go it alone !!)

Thursday - No Football ...

....so you get the dregs from "baby camera"... obviously train related !!


This one makes me laugh - can't understand why though ............... !!!




Marvel at the time of the next train to arrive at Stalybridge ......this was last week but hey ....I can be late too !!





Isn't "stepwell" a wonderful word - next job is to get a pic including the word "overbridge" ...



And you don't see many in this livery at Stockport Station (this was tonight) - OK it's an "East Midlands" train now - in need of a lick of paint/sticky-backed plastic - but it looked unusual - so "click" ...

Wednesday - No Football

Well that's the header up and running !!!

And that's y'lot .....

Tuesday - No Football

..so we go to the pub to watch the Liverpool game (hardly likely to go out tomorrow - believe it's that Red team - and our Duncan's coming back from Uni for a few days tomorrow afternoon)

Interesting really - Inter's Materazzi was "done" via reputation - and the fact that the two "dreadful fouls" were inflicted on non-English players ...i.e. "soft tarty diving buggers" - so Inter down to ten men - can Liverpool win - my first view was "It's gonna be tricky" due to the lack of non-English in the Liverpool team - gosh it was SOOO European. One quote from the commentators tonight which I appreciated "A big player with a small pain threshold" - could have applied to about 95% of all the players on the pitch - but it was an English commentator, so it obviously applied to some "Johnny Foreigner" (i.e 95% of the players on the pitch) ...

Anyroad up - they won 2-0 (Liverpool) - so the commentators were happy too (can't have "Johnny Foreigner" winning on Brit soil - or is that Gillette soil - or Yankee Soil - or who owns ???)

All this FC United crap - I reckon Glazer and his cronies have looked after Manchester United FC plc etc far better than the Yanks who took over Liverpool - is it any wonder there was talk of "AFC Scouse" in the Non League paper on Sunday - at least the Liverpool fans have something to moan about - unlike the United fans....

Yeah yeah - there's a few generalisations in this post - but you've got to say that the Glazers seem to have done a better job than the Gillettes etc at Liverpool ....obviously people will talk of Managers etc - but it's Liverpool who have been on the "Finance Pages" of the newspapers with "talk"...

..bored now - plus I'm "out of my depth" talking about this "big footy" - he he !!

I was at the Railway @ Greenfield tonight - I've got some pix - but most are of Bob in a state of collapse - today was the funeral of Paul Crowther - so much beer had been drunk during the day (and a few "Asbachs" later on no doubt..) - Paul died in a car accident in France betwixt Christmas and New Year - hence the delay I guess - I knew him - we agreed on some stuff (George Thorogood !!) we disagreed on other stuff (racism basically) - but while my lad was doing ju-jitsu in his earlier class (i.e. 1830 - 1930) my time was spent with the "teatime crowd" at the Railway - so we nattered...RIP Paul.

Monday - No Football ...

...but you could read

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080218/tsc-space-astronomy-eclipse-moon-50a9c9d_1.html

or marvel at "Sunset over Stalybridge" this evening ....

..untouched by Photoshop and all that "stuff" - an orange glow that's rather pretty in one way - but scary as hell (global warning) in many others ....

Mossley vs Bridlington Town ....

....or should I say "Stalybridge Celtic vs Alfreton Town" ?

....or should I say "Oldham Town vs Chadderton" ??

Go for the latter - more later - we have visitors .....will wait until most are in bed .... !!!

0110 - Well here we are ...but what a silly day - started at 1257 with a quick trip down to Stalybridge on the train to say "Hi" to the boys from Alfreton - a couple of drinks and then back to Mossley on the 1342....arrived Mossley, started up Old Brow (the "1 in 3" option to the ground !) only to meet someone coming down saying "It's off !! It's off !!".

"Eek" - a quick double-check via the beauty of the moby - whilst heading back to the station - confirmed the game had been called off very late due to frozen stuff. So it was back to Stalybridge on the 1357 train - go and check whether my "Guess the Gate" prediction in the Alfreton sweep was anywhere close .... back on the Buffet Bar side - they're all still there - I moan "Mossley game off" - they moan "Ours too !!" ...



All dressed up and nowhere to go - the Alfreton Supporters bus @ Stalybridge today !!! Plus Paul's Tool Emporium in the background - you want it - he's got it !!


Now if I'd have been up at Bower Fold - I may well have caught a 237 bus to Glossop - cus their game was on (but I didn't know this of course !!) - but - I had "Chadderton FC" plumbed into my mobile phone (from the Manky Prem Cup game v Mossley earlier this season !) - I rang - "First Team are away today - at Oldham Town" - RESULT !! Transport was ordered and there was still time for a snifter in their club before the game in the Vodkat League Cup (Quarter Final) ....some pix to be found at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/OldhamChaddy2008/

Truth was that Chadderton always had a touch more than the home side - and I'm being heavily diplomatic here I think !! 2-0 up at half-time and the foot seemed to be taken firmly OFF the pedal once the third goal went in not long into the second half. Failed to get a programme (my fault) otherwise I might have got myself organised with some better captions to the pictures - but that's why I'm not a professional y'see !!!

Plus it was bloody freezing - I can understand why some of these games were called off - it wasn't too bad this morning - it must have just got colder at pitch level as the day went on, and the known "dodgy areas" would just freeze immediately. So to those at Stalybridge moaning about the postponement - I don't think putting the covers on last night would have made any difference, the way the weather has gone today - the freeze probably happened between 1100 and 1300 today, hence the late call-off at both Bower Fold AND Seel Park - in fact someone told me that the Crewe game was called off at 1455 - QED on that one from my point of view, but it fits in with my missive above !!

Lift back into Ashton thanks to Ian (another Mossley fan who found his way to Oldham - as did the Mossley Manager Mr Quinn !!) and time to watch a bit of the United/Arsenal game before a train back to Mossley (where I watched rest of first half at the "Brit").

Home - food - visitors - snooze in front of "Donnie Darko" (weird film that one) before getting second wind - i.e. NOW !!
Tomorrow - a walk probably - but fairly local as it's gonna be flipping cold again !!

The St Valentines day "Massacre"

Well - I'd scabbed the day off work - and with Mrs Smiffy being of the "Educational Persuasion" - it was Half-Term.


A match made in heaven - me having spent Mon/Tue/Wed in work during the warmest time of the day - and enduring two cold footy evenings - I was faced with a bitterly cold St Vals - and when we got to our walking destination - just ouside of Chipping in the Forest of Bowland - not only was it cold, but we also had typhoon-like winds - and the first 1.5 miles of the walk were "straight uphill" ! There is a scribble in my "little notebook that goes everywhere" - it says "Is this the best way to converse ??" - yes I held it to Liz - she laughed !!


Anyroad up we climbed Parlick - and we climbed Higher Snape Fell - coming down the other side we were somewhat shaded from the gales !! A 6 mile walk ended up feeling like a 16 miler - at least it didn't rain...


One grouse - it's allowed, I'm over 50 !! - has anyone else noticed, whilst walking in Lancashire that footpaths can suddenly change from "very well signposted and well defined" to "where the hell are we, where's the stile and surely that should not have barbed wire on it ??" - yes it's down to which landowner you're passing through - and I firmly believe that a high majority of Lancy Landowners are bastards - blocking footpaths - removing signs - ensuring piles of sh*t around stiles - we bought a couple of books in Chipping on our way home - you never know - some of the walks in them may prove my earlier premise wrong - I'd like to think so, but this is NOT the first time we've come up against this "aggressive anti-walker" feeling in the Lancashire area - plus even trying to find the car park - which was a couple of miles out of Chipping - the roads can vary between having a name and going into single-track "tarmacs to nowhere" - it's as if they want neither car owners or even walkers.


Note then - the Post Office Ltd - a de-nationalised buch of tw*ts if ever I saw one - wish to close down the Post Office in Chipping - a great place - we bought our books in the PO - they have an Art Gallery behind it - a "crafty type" area- a very nice place indeed. Local Post Offices need to be kept open - especially in the more sparse areas. I'd normally say immediately, "Help to keep it open" - but the other side of me says, "If it's only used by these miserable landowners - make 'em travel !!" I leave you to weigh up this quandary - I'd like to think the the "shop" would still survive without the PO "salary" - but I may be wrong ..... meanwhile I leave with a couple of low-res piccies from Thursday ....





The GPS "went haywire" part way round - I put this down to American War Satellites......





..and some "broken silvery tree bits" ...not up to Hyde United's "Creepy Tree" ..but ...


Tomorrow - it's Mossley v Bridlington Town - with Brid being "bottom but one" this is a "MUST WIN" game for the Lilywhites - can't really say anything else.....however - if I'm really good for a while tonight/tomorrow morning, I may just get a chance to get down to Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar around 1300 to "check in" with Wozza and the rest of the Alfreton Town Supporters Bus for a quick pint and an "offload" of a quid for the "Guess the Gate" raffle for their game up at Stalybridge Celtic - my first thought - i.e. now (2121 hrs) would be 466......we'll see !!

Catch-up - finally "caught up"

Well - we got there in the end ....

Hyde United v Ashton United (Monday Night) at ..

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/HydeAshton2008/

Stalybridge Celtic v Southport (Tuesday Night) at ..

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/BridgeSouthport2008/

words ??? Hmmm....

If you're into "deja vu" at Bower Fold ref the floodlights - why not try this posting from November 2006 ...

http://sixtamesides.blogspot.com/2006/11/lights-go-out-on-celtic-stalybridge.html

Same pylon as well ......

Stalybridge Celtic v Southport

Yes I made it - but just like last night we had "delay" (last night - extra time - tonight floodlight failure !!)

I think- I know- tomorrow - i.e. Wednesday - I'll finally get round to sorting out pix and words from both the Hyde & Bridge games - it was 2-2 in the end tonight - all sorts of "tight yet sloppy" and stuff like that....

Pix from both Monday and Tuesday are now on pc - if you can bear with me till this time tomorrow ....you'll get pix/words/all stuff...

(If I was to tell you what I'm trying to get my head round at work - for my pitiful wage - you'd understand the "delays" that are occuring in the real world (i.e. other than football) this blooming week). I'm think I'm fairly safe to say "All Project Managers - can't". )

It's coming ....really ...I'll get there ............

CORRECTION - Sunday 10th February 2008

I have made a cock-up - in the "Sunday" post I equated the ambulance outside the pub shortly after the derby game with "trouble". I've since found out that this was NOT the case - someone was quite literally "took poorly".

A shining example of me failing to engage brain before putting typing fingers into motion. My apologies if I've caused offence to anyone ..... next time I will do my research more thoroughly.

Once again - sorry.

Hyde United v Ashton United

Well it finished 3-2 to Hyde United after extra-time........sneaking this in at work on Tuesday morning - too bloomin' tired last night to do owt ....more to come - with pix - honest - also we'll see if I get time off for good behaviour tonight (i.e. Stalybridge Celtic vs Southport).

If yes - it may be Wednesday !

Sunday 10th February 2008

An important day for many people today - I freely admit that my view on things is/was not that intense - but I was happy to go with the flow as they say. Anyway, my day started a lot earlier than 1330 - in the absence of Mrs Smiffy - and looking out of the bedroom Velux to see blue skies - I wandered off "down the canal", taking with me a 170-500mm lens that Steve at work has given me on "long-term loan" (he's got a 400mm prime - so he never uses it !!) - first time I've had a real play with it - and I give you - three pix from the walk .....















Strangely enough, my walk up the canal meant that I arrived in Greenfield at about 1159 - so it was only right that I popped into the "Railway" for a late liquid brekkie - unfortunately with Sunday trains being two hourly, I then had to stay and watch "the match" - and I have to admit - my sympathies since moving to this neck of the woods all those years ago have always been with the "blue" side of town - and a thoroughly deserved win it was if I may "neutrally" say so - caught the 1530 back to Mossley to be greeted with .....






Yep - the game is over - the ambulance service "get to work" ........aren't we a wonderful race of people ??


A quickie in the "Brit" - which was a damn site busier than the "Railway" - before wandering home to play with pix and stuff - watched "28 Weeks Later" this evening - thank God the Yanks are on our side (hopefully you've all spotted the irony there !!).


What I will leave you with this evening - apart from the promise of a footy-related thread tomorrow night (as in Hyde United v Ashton United) - is something that "hit" me this afternoon when Ronaldo made one of his many forays "to the ground" - I think the commentator must have said some of the words - but I whipped out me pen - and after a bit of time - came up with this.......


"Bloody Refs" - by Smiffy - 10 Feb 2008


A tangle of legs
The player goes down
"Penalty !" was the shout
From around the ground
But NO ....
"Play on" was the cry
From the 'man in black'
As the 'lucky' defender
Turned defence into attack
The Sky TV pundits
Saw it every which way
"No foul" was the verdict
After multiple replay.
So the game carried on
With much shouting and screaming
"Bloody Ref" is the mantra
Whatever your leaning .........

Here endeth the posh stuff !!!

Mossley v Newcastle Blue Star - Part 2

Today - one of those interesting days - unveil a new Chairman - welcome Mr Astley - the money problems at the club are finally out in the open (for those who don't - 50% wage cuts and the like) - a "minute for Munich" (I thought it was for John Quarmby but - hey - what do I know ... ) - and a 1-1 draw on the pitch.

Probably a good result in the end - the first 45 minutes seemed to be the first time these 11 (OK 13) guys had even seen each other - ever ever !! Two subs in the first half hour didn't help much either I guess...and it was at about the 35 minute mark that we started to look like a bit of a team rather than 11 total strangers. But then it was half-time .....
Fortunately we came out second half looking like a team that was either going to get something out of the game - or go out with a 6-0 defeat - I guess "cavalier" is a good word - and it's my kind of attitude as well !!!!! An equaliser from one of the subs (Mike Fish - who should have been on from the start) - and an absolutely storming performance from the other sub Darryl Weston (who should have been on from the start) helped (in a way !!!) to allay any fears about what was going on at the other end - as did some "profligate" Newky finishing. (Blooming heck - home alone and I've used "cavalier" and "profligate" in the same thread - whatever next ?) We could even have sneaked an unlikely win had Fishy's late late effort hit the net - and if it had hit the net it would have been "Goal of the Season" - no messing ..!!


Oh - what the hell - have another bonus picture ..... !!!




The last 45 minutes can be seen as a building block for next Saturday - I tell you - this 18 team league is a pain in the arse - any little bits of confidence have to be carried forward seven days as there are so few midweek games.....

Meanwhile the Smiffy bandwagon can sneak in a Manky Premier Cup semi-final at Hyde on Monday (as Mrs Smiffy is away until Tuesday - and no ju-jitsu for small boy) - so Ewen Fields/Tameside Leisure Park is a rare treat......might even do Bridge/Southport on Tuesday night - but then again having been there for the last two home games and seen two Celtic defeats I may be seen by many superstitious people as "Albert Ross" - we'll see how it pans out ....

Mossley v Newcastle Blue Star - Part 1

Pix are up - tonight I'm almost as efficient as Belper's "Snapper" in getting the pix up - now I've just been on Belper's site and ....... they're not there yet ????!!!!??? Whoo hoo - I win - for a change - but I'm sure you're not looking in to see some cheap and niggly/nasty "picture-race-type" thing (anyway Tim's are always worth waiting for - cus he's a proper snapper - see http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction.html) - however tonight is unusual for me - home alone -so pc is all mine. Maybe I'll just shut up and offer up ...

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/MossleyNewky2008/

..plus of course - a special "STS" exclusive ...






Now if it's words on the game you're after - well I stuck one post on the Mossley Message Board - but come back in an hour or so and read "Part 2".

It's PROMO Time .....

I make no apology for this shameless plug - witness below three links to the HMV website which link to three CD singles coming out very very soon (it says 25th - we believe it should be 11th) ......

http://www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1&sku=764936

http://www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=282;2;-1;-1&sku=764957

http://www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1&sku=764965

All I can say is get out there and buy them .... listen to the clips on ...

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=213887118

label details at ..

http://www.thesoulofnorthstaffsltd.co.uk/

or check out BBC Radio Stoke's web site (I think it's search on "subculture")

By doing this small small thing (£3 each ??? less than the price of a pint in certain quarters), you will not only be getting these guys high up in the national indie charts - but you will also be helping towards my daughter getting a proper wage-earning contract with this record label ...

....because if you buy these CDs you will see on the inside cover the words ....

"Engineered by Michelle Smith" - note FIRST NAME on all three singles

Here's The Novellos ...






and The Title ...





..and The Raphaels excuse crap - black on white with baby Fuji ....








Plus read a review of the bands from last Saturday's "showcase" event at the Victoria Hall in Hanley ...

http://stokesounds.blogspot.com/2008/02/sons-ltd-presents-raphaelsthis-is-seb.html

Plus always happy to plug another photgrapher ......

http://www.gigjunkie.co.uk/SONS/index.htm

My wife writes educational books - my daughter engineers quality indie music........I just blog about and take the odd picture !!!!

Chorley v Mossley

Well- you may be aware - you may be unaware - but there are "Six Tame Sides" - I never get around to watching some of them - but Mossley is the "premier team" at 'Chez Smiffy'.

It's been an "interesting" season up to now - obviously all the last season sh*t, pre-season sh*t and the like is well documented - but since the start of the season it's been fairly "uppy downy", fairly "roller coasterally", but it's kept us all interested - keen - wanting to help the team - that's the team on the pitch and the team off the pitch - over this "first season anew" if you like.

There's been good days (Skem at home ?) - there's been bad days (Curzon - twice ?) - there's been f*cking awful days (Lancaster on Boxing Day ?) - but it seems that the start of 2008 has seen everything - both on and off the field - go totally pear-shaped (I would have said t*ts up - but I'm better than that) - one point in January - players leaving - serious "ructions" off the pitch - of which there has been little in the way of "official" comment (it's worth pointing out here that I am a shareholder in the club - it may well be time for us shareholders to stop "pussyfooting about" by keeping mum on what we've "heard on the quiet" - and maybe start demanding "official" information - or an extraordinary meeting - or 'something' - because it's now getting rather silly - and I think rather serious).

Tonight - if you're looking for pictures you'll have to bloody wait as it's my mouth that's in gear rather than my camera at the moment. We took the lead with a penalty - and that really was about it. We were playing a team that lost 7 (seven) nil on Saturday, lost their manager on Sunday, got a new one on Monday, won a game on Tuesday - it's like Solomon bloody Grundy...

Kenny Mayers was still behind the bar when we got there at "minutes before kick-off" - I'd got home by 1740 - dashed in - got changed and grabbed camera stuff to catch 1757 back to Manc - met Jules in Manc and we got the train to Salford Crescent and thence to Chorley. While Kenny told us he'd "packed in the playing side", he was serving his notice behind the bar (he was the Social Club manager as well as playing - ex-Mossley as well you know).

The game - started well with the penalty - but then .....we're back to looking for more erudite options. Obviously the Chorley players were "on trial" for their new Manager Tony Hesketh - plus the added "p*sser" that two of same were former Mossley players as in Jordan Goodeve (who should NEVER have left) and Steve Burke (who I actually sponsored last season when he was at Mossley).

True to form - Jordan has a blinding game - Steve Burke scores two (last time I sponsor him !) - Liam Coyne (who's never played for Mossley but we've had two other Coynes - Ged and Tony !!) has a great game. Apart from the penalty I stopped to wonder whether we had another clear-cut chance (obviously the erudite ones will sort this anomaly out - but it's 0045 so you get what you're given at this time). The subs bench tonight - players who "haven't really featured at all" this season - fortunately one of them was a 'keeper as one of this season's few successes (Ashley Connor) pulled something in the second half - and it wasn't a woman .... J-P Lewis came on and did extremely well once those kicking boots were warmed up !!

Not long after the third goal - we left - grateful thanks to Paul and Ian for the lift back to Mossley through some sh*te weather - a couple in the "Rag" (looking for the troops who hadn't turned up at the game - they hadn't turned up at the "Rag" either - to miss the game is serious - to miss the "Rag" is probably tantamount to becoming a Stockport County fan (3-2 at Bury tonight - the chase is on with Rochdale)).

Weather held out for the first half - it went a bit grotty second half - but then again so did Mossley. This is now getting serious - and questions need to be answered - fast. We'll see what the rest of the week brings - home game with Newcastle Blue Star on Saturday.

But if you're REALLY interested in REAL football - I believe those overpaid buggers are in the "Toblerone Trophy" later this evening .....

Tonight's pix will be at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/ChorleyMossley2008/

but (0100 hours) they're not there yet .... at 0145 - they are there - them floodlights are really pants .....

Stalybridge Celtic v Nuneaton Borough

Sorry I'm late - busy busy, you know what it's like .....here's some pix to start with

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/BridgeNuneaton2008/

The game was only on due to the sterling efforts of some two dozen fans who cleared the snow from the pitch in the morning (two of the pix are courtesy of Martin's cameraphone !) So it was a bright, sunny afternoon, with me fortified by a couple of pints of Thwaites in the H&H, that saw 336 turn up for the only game in Tameside - a touch disappointing really, given that there was a sizeable contingent from Nuneaton.

First half - fairly even really - confidence was high that there would be goals in the second half with Celtic "kicking downhill" - and an early chance was cleared off the line - here follows the "STS exclusives" of ......

the "Burke header".....

....and the "Travis lineclear" ....

Unfortunately that was about it for Celtic and either Nuneaton stepped up a gear, or Celtic put diesel in a petrol engine (!!). Nuneaton's first goal was a bit scrappy - but you've got to be there to get it - and the Celtic defence weren't. Even the substitutions didn't seem to help much although there was one effort near the end which had some of the crowd shouting "goal" - but as the picture shows, Nuneaton keeper Acton kept the ball out as he landed...

Another disappointing showing from Celtic - I had started to wonder if it was me that's the "bad luck charm" - although I can't be blamed for all eight home defeats ...

Anyone in Stoke-on-Trent tonight ??

Get down to the Victoria Hall in Hanley for the SONS (Soul of North Staffordshire) Showcase Event

http://www.remotegoat.co.uk/event_view.php?uid=19602

..and if you see anyone important (e.g. Phil Jupitus and the like), tell 'em, "That Sound Engineer at the record label is really good - she deserves a contract don't you think ??"

End of January Clear-Out !!

Yep, tidying up the "baby camera" ...



OK - so Stalybridge Station is getting even more money thrown at it - apparently Mossley Station is getting a new Booking Office - should take two weeks - this is the view of the "New Booking Office" - three weeks on .....



Seems to be a fact of life these days - a freebie from the Manchester Evening News on "Job Day" - given out on Manchester Piccadilly Station.

#

A "Dead Branson" - the 1624 broken down in Stockport Station yesterday (Wednesday) evening .... it was "Virgin Champion" - chump more like ...




The "Tickers" will never get this bottled beer - brought into Stalybridge Buffet Bar on Tuesday night by Andy - home brewed by his neighbour - we all had a bit - it was gorgeous !!



£20 million plus spent on doing up Manchester Piccadilly Station - and still the roof leaks - platform 6 this (Thursday) morning..

Not snowing yet .......(2241 on Thursday night).....

Mossley v Radcliffe Borough

Two points "hurled away" in the end - a 90th minute equaliser said it all really. To be honest we never looked comfy at 1-0 or 2-1 - and I don't know about you but the late late subs by us were not a good idea (i.e. we were 2-1 up at the time - shaky - but still 2-1 up). I dunno - you'll get more erudite stuff in other places tomorrow no doubt - meanwhile, some pix at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/MossleyRadcliffe2008/

Very disappointing - the 100/105% we were getting out of the players earlier in the season seems to have dropped - to at most 50% - wonder if there's a reason for this - those who went to Skem on Saturday reckoned it was a lot lot less than 50% - but then again I was at Harrogate - so I understand fully where they were coming from.

In true "buggeration" mode, we move on to play Ossett Albion on Saturday - they're 4th in the table, so it's not going to be easy...what makes tonight worse is that we've dropped another place with Wakefield beating Clitheroe.

All of a sudden, it's starting to get difficult - both on and off the pitch ........answers on a postcard please to ....etc etc etc

Trains - as promised - the CRAP diatribe ....

...or to put it more bluntly - all train companies are shiT - and I really mean shIt. I could stop now and many people would understand - but hey let's go for the sHit I went through just these last seven days - yes there were floods, typhoons, earthquakes and other such "reasons" - for part of last week - but over the year you get the same old ShiT week in week out - they do not need a crisis to f*ck up - that's just a bonus - plus a good old "Act of God" enables "cancellations without reparations" - and they milk it for all they can get - oh yes ....

Oh and if it's fact that they- or you - want -

Monday 21Jan08 AM - 0724 from Mossley cancelled due to "staff shortages" i.e. someone got up late !! I caught a bus from Mossley to Stalybridge and only made the 0735 train to Piccadilly because it was 6 minutes late - then - and ONLY THEN after that - sh*t happened, weather wise....

Monday21Jan08 PM - Nowt from Piccadilly - get across to Victoria - "Go to Platform 6" - no "Go to Platform 3" - no "Go to Platform 4" - home late.

Tuesday22Jan08 AM - no trains from Stalybridge to Piccadilly - stayed on the Mossley train to Victoria - and ran like hell across Manchester to get the 0803 from Picc to Cheadle Hulme - got there with 90 seconds to spare - the train left at 0818 - 15 late - for NO dicernable - or communicable reason - I could have f*cking crawled across Manchester and still caught it.

Tuesday22Jan08PM - restricted trains from Picc - not only restricted - but f*cking overcrowded - there had been signs saying that Trans-Pennine and Northern Rail "are working to minimise disruption" and don't travel "unless it is deemed absolute (sic) necessary". So they DON'T put extra carriages on - they don't advertise their wares - if running - until the last minute - we had it bad - God help those travelling between Huddersfield and Leeds !! This whole "working to minimise disruption" crap - they don't care...I think I've said before, a lot of the time it's not incompetence but indifference - and that makes it a whole lot worse ....

Wednesday23Jan08AM- Another run from "Vic to Picc" - this worked - whoo hoo !

Wednesday23Jan08PM - Arrived at Picc to find a surprise "late change" - it was virtually empty because obviously it was a last minute "put on" - and you had to be there to catch it ...

Thursday24Jan08AM - Whoo hoo - back to normal - trains from Stalybridge to Picc - however - we have a "signalling problem" between Guide Bridge and Manchester - so we arrive at Picc 16 minutes late (0807) meaning I've missed my connections to Cheadle Hulme - and I've got nowt till 0832.

By now I'm bored with writing down the "stuff of the geek" - although I do have a Friday morning "note" that at Picc I got onto the 0758 to Cheadle Hulme at 0752 - but we STILL left Picc 5 minutes late.

Two stories from the weekend - first one told to me - Saturday AM - the 1157 from Mossley to Vic - it was busy but not overcrowded. However once it left Stalybridge - and only AFTER it left Stalybridge - it was announced that the train would NOT be stopping at Ashton-under-Lyne for "safety reasons" - just love the way the announcement was left until AFTER it had left Stalybridge station - but then again "communication" is not a word used by ANYONE in the rail business these days - you've gotta find out for yourselves.

Me and Mrs Smiffy went "down town" Saturday evening taking in a meal at La Vina on Deansgate (quick review - too noisy - table booked for 2030, sat down at 2100 - too noisy - sorry guys won't be going back - £3-15 for a pint of San Miguel in case you need to know). We came home on the last train to Mossley - the 2300 - a 4-car unit pulls up - only the first two cars were available - asking why we were told, "We're waiting to see if it's necessary to open up the back two" - I laughed loudly - the two carriages are packed on a normal Saturday night - but tonight we had the pink stetsons and illuminated deely boppers of several hundred Spice Girls fans - but hey we'll wait until you're all in each other's pockets before we open up the back two carriages - you lazy people - sod the customers, let's make it easy for the staff.

And road users moan about the odd coned-off lane ... trouble being that until this - or any - Government gives public transport a sporting chance with money and support - and we actually get something relating to a regular, efficient service - people will continue to buy bloody motor cars - people will continue to pollute the country - and poor old Mrs Smiffy with our "one car covering five people" will continue to having parking problems on our street with next door one way ("two people two cars") and next door t'other way ("three people three cars") - and that's just our immediate neighbours - our street is awash with not only multiple car households, but f*cking 4x4s and people parking on pavements and all the sort of sh*t that comes with a reliance of the f*cking internal f*cking combustion f*cking engine - and yes I do drive - but only when necessary - and with an efficient number of people in the car. How many of these gas guzzling lumps of sh*t spend 22 hours a day doing absolutely nothing apart from blocking streets and filling car parks ?

I think the day that the oil runs out will be celebrated by me in the same way that "Thatcher Resigns" was celebrated. Not long now I feel....

Meanwhile - football - tomorrow we need to see Mossley getting their *rses in gear in what has now become a "bit of a six pointer" against Radcliffe Borough.

PS - I WILL be walking to the game - even though it's SOOOO uphill, it's almost worth hiring a 4x4 ........

Ashton United v Stamford

Check out the time - eek - been out in big city tonight - La Vina on Deansgate...last night - a Burns night do at a mate's house in Longsight involving haggis and bottles of Deuchars 80/- bitter.

But this afternoon - I took in Ashton United v Stamford - Skem/Mossley wasn't really "on" - due to tonight's appointment in Manc - and the fact that Skem is unreachable via public transport unless I'd started on Friday afternoon - aaah the beauty of "New Towns"....

Yeah it's 0050 - so all you get tonight is pictures - at

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

Weather permitting - we may be out walking later today - so any updates (still owe y'all something about the state of trains this week - and there's been two crackers today as well to bulk up this thread when I get round to it !) will come on line Sunday evening probably ... you can't wait can you ....!!!!

Fancy a (non-football) laugh ?

This is one I've been saving since the weekend. I managed to get a peep at "Derbyshire Life" magazine, the January 2008 edition - apart from football photos, I do have a go at outdoor/walking/landscape stuff - and I love Karen Frenkel's photography (plug = http://www.karenfrenkel.info/ - see also this month's "Peak District Life")

Now as you may have gathered, I am not one of those who worship at the "Church of St CombustionEngine", so when I saw this quote I managed to laugh on more than one level - I give you Andrew from the "Spotted Cow" in Holbrook......

"If I see a certain 4x4 come into the car park, I know I've got to get some dauphinoise potatoes on".

I'll leave it at that - it's on page 17 if you fancy having a peep in the newsagents.

Please be assured - I'm not trying to rip the guy who said it - he used to be in IT before he moved into the food trade - it's just that if the wrong phrase falls into the wrong hands - those "wrong hands" (me) are going to make the most out of it !!!

Now as I worship at the Church of St Delia - Gratin Dauphinois takes best part of 90 minutes (page 284 of Lady Deels "Complete Cookery Course" - the bible that was given to me and Mrs Smiffy as a wedding pressie in 1984) - so I guess it's a long walk from the car park to the restaurant ..........

Cheer up Bridge ..

....despite last night's defeat - here's a small accolade that was presented to Staybridge Station Buffet Bar last Saturday - by Wozza no doubt, and the rest of the Alfreton Town Supporters who drop in whenever they have a game within 345 miles of the Buffet Bar !! Last Saturday's win at Hyde sort of evened it up I guess after the previous week's loss to Stalybridge Celtic.


So for those who haven't seen it - here's the award for the "Best Away Pub of the Year 2006/07"..



.... oh and if you're looking for something about the railways after this week's shambolic efforts - I'm saving it all up for an "end of week diatribe" !!!

Stalybridge Celtic v Burscough

Well - what a bloody let-down - Ok missed first attempt (abandoned after 8 mins) - went to second attempt (frozzed off) - tonight it was third time unlucky - a sloppy performance from Celtic if I may say so - well beaten by Burscough tonight - pix available at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/2008BridgeBurscough/

Not a lot more I can say about tonight - again the weather was cr*p - twas free entry due to all the "gubbins" from the first game - there was a bucket - which raised £370 - I'd love to know what the crowd was - cus we all had to "click in" through the turnstiles - to me the bucket money total is a disappointment - good to see Mossley old boy Ciaran Kilheeney as well...

Every good run has to come to an end mind - and a kick up the arse has to be a good thing - back to Mr Burr to sort the team out for Saturday at Barrow - to me a tricky one, especially after tonight's "after the Mayor's Show" performance - over to you Mr B ...

Back - after a LONG weekend ...

...which actually started on Thursday night with a drive down to Belper after workies. Friday saw our Michelle's "Graduation Ceremony" at Derby University - our house now contains a BSc to add to the two BAs and a MA - and yes she was on the same stage as Roy Wood !! Friday evening saw me and Mrs Smiffy in the newly (ish) refurbished Ritz Cinema in Belper watching the low-budget Irish film "Once" - I would thoroughly recommend it - the film and the "ickle cinema".

Saturday - bought a suit for a wedding in March - ouch . The weather had made me cagey - I had the contact numbers for Belper, Ilkeson, Matlock, Eastwood and Gresley but I didn't have to go too far as the Belper Town v Kidsgrove Athletic game was called "on" quite early on. It should have been a win for the home team, but there was much spurning of many many chances.....new boy Gavin Allott looked useful (interesting to know how Richard Tracey feels though ...). Pre-match saw me watching the Sheffield derby - thank you to the George and Dragon - and Rupert ! - Sunday saw a bit of this and a bit of that - some "taxi-driving" - got back to Mossley about 1700 - looking forward to getting back to work for a rest !

I'll rustle up some more words and pictures as soon as .....

2045 - some footy pix now at..

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

and here's the brainy bugger in our house (!!!)

No Football ? Let's BURN stuff .....

Shades of "The Wicker Man" @ Stalybridge Buffet Bar this evening ....... "sans Edward Woodward" mind ...this is what happens to stuff that kids make at school, and don't want to keep/don't need for coursework etc - yes it gets recycled - and it keeps the drinkers warm ....enjoy the blaze - and admire the handiwork as well ....

Guess What ....

Game off tonight ... looks like blooming TV again

Football - something different ...

Tonight - Chadderton v Ashton United is off ... but tomorrow - how's about ....

Altrincham vs Thailand ????

Weather permitting - that's the one for me - and for anyone else out there in blog-land who fancies it - it's a 1900 KO, admission £5/£2.....

Next Monday they (Thailand) are at Hyde United - but maybe - just maybe - my lad will be returning to ju-jitsu (which knackers up Mondays and sometimes Wednesdays for me) - so I'll take my chance tomorrow night.

Vince Brockie - in short...

....not worth wasting too many words on this - midway through first half - I'm behind the dug-outs - an offside fails to go the way of Harrogate. Mr Brockie unleashes a fusillade (!!) of expletives at the linesman - who tells him to shut up - nevertheless the good Mr Brockie continues.

I remark out loud, "You're a fine role model to these two young'uns" indicating the two 9/10 year old kids standing yards from me. He turned and replied to me in the same vein as he replied to the linesman - so loud in fact that the linesman turned around. I shouted to the linesman that it was me he was giving it out to, and not him.

Don't get me wrong - I'm no prude - but I did nothing wrong - as I said in an earlier post, Mr Brockie may have come across on the BBC as a nice chap in charge of the underdogs - but to me, he's just a foul-mouthed individual who obviously has trouble interpreting the phrase "role model".....now if the dug-outs were on the other side of the pitch ...........

Harrogate RA v Mossley

God - weren't we crap ..... yes we were - pardon me for answering same ...

game at ...

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/Harrogate2008/

journey home at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/Harrogate2008/Harrogate2008travel/?action=view&current=b7ded65d.pbw

If you're looking for a match report - look elsewhere - today was not unlike the Lancaster home game on Boxing Day - nowt up front, and a godawful shaky thing at the back - and when the normally 100% reliable Ashley Connor has an "off day" betwixt the sticks - it seems to permeate through the entire squad ... plus we were missing a few today - but that's no excuse for the awful performance today - once we realised we weren't three up after a good 20 minutes - we gave up - in my eyes anyway - brutal, but I think not far off...

I will be adding more on today's game - on a separate post - which will be entitled something like "He might have looked/sounded good on the BBC, but Vinnie Brockie is a mouthy disgrace to the Non-League game" - keeps you hanging on eh what - but its nigh on 0100 now - and sleep is required....

Friday Morning/Evening Train Info

Platform 1 (to Huddersfield and beyond) - Not working;

Platform 2 (to Manc Vic/Picc) - Working;

Platform 3 (to Man Vic) - Not working;

Now HOW did that work ....?

(Oh and if anyone out there catches the 0735 to Manchester Airport on a morning - is it just me or does it sound like "Manchester Bearport" when chap - Garry ? - is announcing ??)

Tonight - a curry @ Zeera in Castleton (the Rochdale one), - me driving ergo 2 pints of Pokey Pola - returning home @ 2145 to a complete shambles - my advice is, "If you're only 4 stone wet through, about 15/16 years old, and have some kind of eating disorder - don't drink too much wine". No doubt me and Mrs Smiffy are now in the sh*t - in some people's eyes anyway - for going out ..... we'll have to see how this one pans out - or gets suitably hushed up / forgotten about - not unlike my lad's broken jaw incident where the protagonist remains free - and will remain free due to lack of evidence (witnesses too scared to testify). What makes this one all the more galling is the complete lack of communication from the Police - too busy harassing smokers no doubt ....

Watch tomorrow's football get rained off when we're halfway to Harrogate - if we're really lucky, they'll tell us early doors - or the train will be late, giving that little bit of extra time before we shell out £13-90 for our Day Returns to Starbeck ....

Welcome to the (bloody) weekend ...

SNAFU @ Stalybridge Station

Well they promised us a working Train Information System in the New Year....so here's a working one from last week (Thursday if I remember rightly) ...



OK so the 1812 train to Huddersfield was running nigh on 20 minutes late - but hey, at least we knew....

Yesterday evening however...we had this (scuse blur - my sides were splitting at the time) ...





...and they want to spend still more money on this Station ?? Piss-ups and breweries come to mind...but if you're interested, have a look at


http://tameside-eye.blogspot.com/2008/01/stalybridge-train-station-upgrades.html


All I (and 101% of the rest of us "customers") want are reliable trains and reliable information - the above two pictures show that the British rail system seems incapable of providing both at the same time. (PS the system was still "down" today (morning and evening)). I was also told that Warrington's Info System was "down" yesterday - so my guess is that all Trans-Pennine "owned" stations Info Systems are run centrally - or should that be cocked up centrally ?


I wonder when John Major last caught a train - he certainly "left us a legacy" back in 1995 - what a tosser ! Never mind - a gleaming waiting room may be useful to lurk in whilst waiting for the "Godot Express" ("Trans-Pennine would like to apologise for the delay and any inconvenience caused" ) - they don't give a toss - many moons ago they had one of these "Meet the Management" sessions @ Stalybridge, so I put my oar in about overcrowding on Trans-Pennine trains morning and evening - result - I still stand morning and evening - ergo they don't give a toss..

Just as long as they keep their bloody hands off the Buffet Bar - if that ends up like those two aberrations on Manc Piccadilly ......Frith help us. Should I get onto the shortcomings of Mossley station while I'm here ?? Better not - I'll only get even more depressed...

Football - Choices - Chances - Wrong'Un ?

Tuesday night - Monday night saw the Chadderton/Ashton United option called off about 1700 - tonight saw the Trafford/Hyde game called "on" mid-afternoon with the rider that "the pitch won't take any more water" - I checked weather.co.uk who promised showers/wind for the evening. I decided - "no". Other options were Stockport v Grimsby - kick off @1915 - and Droylsden v Farsley in the Setanta Shield ...

In the end it was sod 'em all - Trafford - would have needed the car - came home to find Mrs Smiffy on her way out in car - but to be honest the rider put me off anyway. Stockport - kick-off too early - and the same prob I would have had @ Droylsden - no "camera ticket" - at Conference level it's my own fault - I have the forms - I just ain't returned them - and I suppose that if I had a Conf Ticket I could have tried the blag move at Edgeley Park (did the Stockport Senior Cup Final there last season !)

So ...pub ... Railway @ Greenfield .. Chelseas v Everton - hoping for the "Everton backlash" after their "performance" agin Oldham in the FA Cup on Saturday. Not long after SWP put Chelsea in front we got thunder/lightning/wind/rain outside - maybe I chose right ? Everton managed to equalise after Mikkel was red carded but in true "big team style" Chelsea nicked an undeserved winner. My book has all sorts of bits and bobs in it like ...

Sky commentary - absolute crap - talking of Everton "damage limitation" after 40 minutes/away goals after equaliser/tomorrows game every 10 minutes - not a commentator - more a salesman ..

Pienaar - can't play - Yobo can - African Nations Cup rules - FIFA - one team OK another team - hmmm.

Joleon Lescott - my MOM - but everything seemed to go pear-shaped in the last five minutes - involving him !!

Roll on the real world - i.e Saturday @ Harrogate RA - cus I ain't watching t'other game later tonight ..

Mossley v Bamber Bridge - First Thoughts

An all-round "Bad day at the Office" - some pix to keep y'all going for now anyway ..

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

A game where we didn't deserve to lose - but didn't deserve to win either - a bright start seem to just fizzle away - and despite playing "downhill" in the second half - when it was still 1-1 - a winner always seem to be too much to expect . Don't get me wrong - there were chances, but it all seemed a bit disjointed, the wrong ball at the right time, and vice versa.....might come up with some more later, but for now ...harrrummph !!

FCUM v Mossley

2336 - It's all you're going to get from me anyway .....

Our “grand day out” began naturally at home – that’s Mossley Social Club that is – please excuse our brand loyalty, but it’s always worth a local gathering after Christmas Day/New Years Eve – just to check out the headaches/hangovers/new jumpers. Sadly this year there was little of all three – although Welly was a “touch quiet” !! A few beers – and a carry-out bottle at 1330 saw us mounting the MightyMossleyMiniBus up to Gigg Lane – and in no time at all we were signing ourselves into the Bury Social Club – for a quid !! Now in the good old days of “real” non-league it was maybe 10p or 25p to sign into an opposition Social Club – these days it doesn’t really exist – until today – never mind I’m sure it’s Bury’s fault…. Time for a couple anyway and to see the “mighty Chelsea” turn round a 1-0 deficit (when we left Mossley) into a 2-1 win (when we got to Bury).

Time also to bump into Gary who sold me a copy of UTB (the fanzine – to be read later) before fighting our way (well there was only 16 on’t’bus !) into the Visitors End. Rucksack was dutifully searched and I was told to “keep away from the yellow lines” – until John came over hand handed me my first ever ever ever Press Pass – well that’s non-league football for you ! Never mind I’m sure it’s Bury’s fault…..

The floodlights at Bury are actually not that good …either that, or I may have had a crap day at the “lens end”. You decide …

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

Never mind I’m sure it’s Bury’s fault…..

The game – well, the better team won in the end – their first goal was well offside, they were not 5-2 better than Mossley, but – the right team won on the day. The crowd was only 2,017 – disappointing I thought. Mossley brought their maximum, of that I’m sure – and we noticed – hurtling back down the M60 towards Ashton – some cars with FCUM fans coming off at our junction – hey what’s wrong with supporting a local side ? Or is this in keeping with the Plymouth/Ireland/Iceland fans of “big” United (big “Tameside” flag etc etc) …. Never mind I’m sure it’s Bury’s fault…..

Some stuff noticed from today – the chant “..and if you are a City fan surrender or you’ll die” – does this refer to Lancaster City ? – the only “City” in our league…The stewards – OK – they’re obviously Bury based, but obviously happy to tell the “elite 200” to “sit down” whilst studiously ignoring the 1,900 standing elsewhere. Never mind I’m sure it’s Bury’s fault ….Why did FCUM ‘keeper Sam Ashton tell the tiny ball-boy to “leave it” when the ball went out of play ? Nervous of the Mossley come-back ?? (must have known something we didn’t !!!!) And why did he make a total t*t of himself when the fourth goal went in ? Now that was the sort of behaviour that you read about in the “big league” – maybe he has ambitions – just totally unnecessary though. Never mind I’m sure it’s Bury’s fault….. Programme - the £2 programme - still had Woodley in bold on the stats page (a touch out of date here - but - hey - it's Christams..) - excellent programme mind - but I felt the outer wrapper ("Help the Homeless") was crass, tasteless and very badly timed - this time of year there are real homeless people out there on the streets - a club with no ground - who's fault is that - and are you likely to die due to the cold weather ? This was probably the "piss Smiffy off moment" of today....

Now sod this – I’ll leave it up to the experts – or those who stand back for several hours – to fill in the gaps. I have work in the morning – and I still need to “do the rounds” – believe Celtic have done the double over Hyde and Belper have drawn at home with Goole.

Saturday sees us “back in the real world” at home to Bamber Bridge – let’s hope they leave their armed robber at home (get well soon PC Katie Johnson) – would be nice if they left Mr Salmon downstream as well…..