Monday ...

Just been on "BigBrother.com" - OK the sitemeter.com website - and it seems many people are expecting me to be at the Ashton v Matlock game tonight - I reckon it's something to do with online betting because people are "Googling" the Ashton game from France, Germany, Switzerland, Poland and Rumania - and getting this site - I kid you not !!!

It's Monday - it's ju-jitsu for the boy - and I'm the taxi ....yes I'd have probably chosen that game over the Curzon Ashton v Harrogate RA game (although Curzon could do Mossley a bit of a favour tonight ....) - I did see 25 minutes of the Birmingham v Newcastle game - well I'm used to watching bottom-of-the-table stuff !!!!!

So this week - down a league but up in the top 8 - we are mostly doing Glossop North End vs Newcastle Town tomorrow night - a train to Stalybridge and a 237 up and over the tops ... it'll be nice to see Newcastle again - we (Mossley) had some good tussles back in the North West Counties days - things I remember - like losing my wallet on the car park at Newcastle - and it being found and returned - John the secretary who used to get oatcakes for us when we went down - catching the train to Stoke, the bus to Newcastle and a walk down the Lyme Valley Way ... and stuff like that...

Watch it get frosted off !!!!

Good Friday - Mossley at Bradford PA with an evening KO - and yes it CAN be done by train - last train out of Bradford is at 2230, change at Huddersfield, getting us back to Mossley for 2347-ish ..... I now find myself thinking about doing an extra game as well - if we're going to West Yorkshire, the "train day return ticket to Marsden plus a West Yorkshire Bus & Rail Rover" option opens up the possibilities of Ossett Albion v Chorley in the afternoon - there's also this crazy streak inside me that's saying "Sheffield FC v Belper Town ???"

We shall see - I was hoping if I kept writing I may get tonight's scores - but it ain't happened ...

2155 - Update - the Ashton United v Matlock game never started !!! Floodlight/Power failure in the Hurst Cross region - wonder if any hot-footed it down to the Curzon game ??

2300 - Curzon beat Harrogate 1-0 - which certainly helps Mossley insofar as that's one game less in hand for them (Harrogate) - still two points ahead of us mind !!!

Doug Peacock - RIP

Learned today that Doug Peacock has died after a short illness at the age of 66. It's probably not a name known to many of the "young 'uns" - but he worked for a good many years for the Manchester Evening News during what I would consider were the "Good Old Days" - by that I mean:

- Doug Peacock was THE non-league correspondent - 6 days a week;

- We had a Sporting Pink at about 6-15pm every Saturday;

- It contained loads of non-league stuff - and I mean loads.

It's going back somewhat - but I believe we did meet a few times in the 80s - I'm pretty sure he would not have been that impressed with the non-league coverage by the MEN these days - all this fawning over FC United in the actual paper by the Mathieson / Brennan / Glennon triumvirate. Furthermore just take a look at the MEN web-site and the link actually says "FC United/Non-League" - click on it and it's 90% of 'yes you've guessed it'....

No doubt people "in the biz" like Mike Pavasovic from Hyde United or Tony Bugby from the "Chron" will be a little more eloquent about Mr Peacock than myself - in fact I'd hope for something in the "Chron" and on the "wireless" this Friday....!!

In the meantime - RIP Doug, and my condolences to his wife, son and daughter.

Mossley v Wakefield ... 0-2 ... aargh

...two mistakes - two goals - and that really was all that was between the two teams - OK they hit the bar - they could have scored more - but they didn't....

Some pix at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/MossleyWakefield2008-1/

... very very frustrating to watch - we were playing "the wrong way" (i.e. towards the Park End in the first half) as well - but there was so little penetration (oo-err missus) up front in 90 minutes. I'd baulk at saying "we made them look good" - cus we didn't - but we didn't do ourselves any favours either.

So having missed the heroics of last Saturday, this result means the pressure is still on in the lower reaches of Unibond 1 North - maybe there will be no relegation - but the pressure is still there until the "suits/blazers" make a decision ...

No idea what's to do next midweek - in true fixture style, Monday night sees both Ashton clubs at home - and boy at ju-jitsu - grr.... Easter weekend sees a Good Friday evening KO at Bradford PA - now that goes down as a serious "bugger" travel-wise - we'll see if it can be done vis the public transport option. Easter Monday sees Rossendale United at Seel Park - they're "just above us" - but what does that mean anyway ....

The play at the Royal Exchange was hard work - interesting story - but came over really badly - you need good dialogue if you're going to have two characters on stage talking to each other for 20 minutes at a time - putting it into football parlance, they took the best (most animated/interesting) character ("whistle blower" Mary) off at half-time, and the expected (by me anyway) "push forward" did not occur in the second half - they "gritted" themselves through it - and it wasn't that pretty for us speccies.

And then - the last train back to Mossley was filled not only with the usual drunken detrius - but also Westlife fans - now can you understand the "aargh" at the top ??


I leave you with an STS "exclusive" - Mossley sub Arron Kirk - or is it actually Dickie Ticker ??

Music Update ...

click here to buy ...

http://www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/advancedSearch.do?ctx=12;2;65;-1&searchType=12&label=SOULOFNORTHSTAFFS

Does this bring Tears to your Eyes ??

..cus it bloody well should..you should try hiding your tears while listening to this at work - it was hard - I don't think anyone spotted me - on Thursday or today (yes why did I listen to it again ? I don't know - I just felt I had to) - this story has really really got to me this week ... I remember it from last year ...now it's time for justice...

http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/res/594.$plit/C_71_audio_1000921_clip_list_clip_list_item_0_clip_file.mp3

and for those outside "ManchesterZone"...read on ..

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1040567_girls_tearful_999_call

or

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1041009_murder_trial_told_of_injuries

Having had a son whose jaw was broken by similar lowlife late last year (although similar lowlife is still at large due to "lack of evidence" - viz cowardly witnesses) stories like this really really get to me....no doubt there will be Mums and Dads crawling out of the Bacup woodwork really really soon soon saying "He's a good lad really" - and other such platitudes - I need only refer to the murder of Gary Newlove in Warrington by similar scum - and similar platitudes by their scum parents. If my kids ever behave like sh*t - I'll happily tell the world - I guess I'm fortunate in knowing that they won't ...

Going back to Bacup - the bastards should swing - discuss .....

I know you're all looking for a Mossley v Wakefield preview - but this is just one story that ... - I needed to get this out of my head somehow - having wept all over Mrs Smiffy, it's time to weep all over you ....

So tomorrow we look for a last minute winner over Wakefield which will give me just enough time to say "Happy Birthday Bob" before shooting off to the Royal Exchange to see "The Children's Hour" ........

Bridge v Alfreton - 24 hours later ...

Well here are the pix ...

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/BridgeAlfreton2008/

To the day/night - well you've all read about the miserable buggers @ Stalybridge Station acting like bloody Londoners. Well life improved I guess after that - and after slagging off various users at work trains seemed to work in the evening - I got home, quick change and out on the 1857 back to Stalybridge - I knew the game was on cus Rob Gorski said so (!!!), so a quick pint of "Silver Tally" (Prospect Brewery) at the Buffet before off up to Bower Fold - via the Hare and Hounds of course - got into the ground a couple of minutes late (having been presented with raffle ticket 494 - "in case of abandonment") - but a couple of minutes is all it took for Steve Torpey to put Celtic in front. It was a touch breezy (and bloody cold on the old shutter finger !) - and there was a "bit of a squall" part way through the first half - but Celtic looked good - very good - playing it on the floor (well they were against the wind first half). Winn scored a cracker just before half-time making the score a little more realistic...

Half-time - a pint and a warm before coming back a couple of minutes into the second half - and that bugger Torpey had done for me again - apparently a "Beckham" - using the wind from 40 yards out to lob everyone !!! 3-0 up and comfy. There were more chances, but eventually it was "down a gear" - and why not when you're comfy. Alfreton did get one back with 15 to go, but it was only ever going to be a consolation.

3-1 at the end - up to third for Celtic and the news from Workington gave everyone a little "extra" in their step down Mottram Road (I speak figuratively of course - most drove/caught bus/went in H&H !!). I walked it down to the mighty Tesco (had been given a short shopping list before coming out !!) - a quick one (two ?) in the Buffet before home. Too tired to do owt much - hence the "24 hours later" thingy.....

Now need to see if Derby are pummelling Chelsea (y'never know - ask a Barnsley fan !) - and that'll do until Mossley v Wakefield on Saturday.....

Stalybridge Celtic v Alfreton Town

All comments, photos etc are severly delayed due to high winds.... well every bugger else is using it as an excuse for incompetence - so why not me !!

Stalybridge won 3-1 mind .. second goal to be found here ..

Ashley Winn

Stalybridge Commuters are Miserable Toads !

Yes - that's you lot who got on the 0730 to Manchester Victoria this morning - having first let the dozen or so "Change for Piccadilly" people off the train ..... WITHOUT TELLING ANY OF THEM THAT ALL TRAINS TO PICCADILLY WERE F**KED !!

You be pleased to know that we spent a pleasant 60 minutes on Stalybridge station freezing our extremities off thanks to your kindness /commuter team-spiritedness. And why is that bloody "Quick Stop" never open when it's needed ?

So for me - left Mossley @ 0724 - arrived Cheadle Hulme 0915. D'you know - I've a good mind to withhold my £10 into the coffers of Stalybridge Celtic this evening .... but then again it's football.

Must go - it's 1010 and I've only just warmed up .....

Crisis at Breadsall Priory ?

No no - the wedding went well - it was just this sight at the bar ...



So - a pint of Leffe it was instead..for the princely sum of £5-80 - I kid you not ...

Fortunately the free vino kicked in later (as did the poncy photgraphy !) ....

.. as did the half-time txt from Jules and the full-time call from Colin - a win at last for Mossley - what else could I do but carry on celebrating - although I did have to cut back to the keg Boddies at £2-85 as the night wore on and the free vino started to dry up.

A good day all round then - our very best goes to Amy and Andy - and the "wet men of Mossley" (yes I've seen the pix and vids on SJNR's site). This week (Tuesday) sees Stalybridge Celtic (anoth winner on Saturday against "bogey team" Workington) at home to Alfreton Town - assuming everything dries up there over the next 48 hours and we manage to avoid the winds, hurricanes, typhoons, tempests and general sh*te that is heading towards the South of England - hellfire I forgot - the "South of England" - this naturally makes it a crisis of Global Proportions if anywhere South of Watford cops for it (remember the "3mm of Snow Crisis" of 2003 - questions were asked in the House I believe !!) - bloomin' jessies ....remember ...THIS is a crisis ...

..not a bit of wind and rain ...

Going back to weddings - our oppo at work - Jonald - went off to China with his Chinese lady friend a couple of weeks ago - and returns to work tomorrow. Predictions have been made of him coming back "in the married state" (and maybe even bringing back the Mother-in-Law) - I had a txt yesterday from someone telling me it was all over Facebook as a done deal (don't know about the M-I-L though !). When I leave this - I'm going to have a look !!

Tomorrow's "Match"..

Mossley v Chorley... at Seel Park ?





I'm afraid not - tomorrow's big match is the marriage of Amy and Andy ... at Breadsall Priory near Derby:





Slight difference eh ?? Yes I'm sure you've all spotted that the Priory does not have floodlight pylons and a pie hut...


Fingers crossed that the Lilywhites can get something out of their game against another team below them - yes it's another "must win" and it's about time they won one of these "must win" games - but it is against a team who stuffed us not so many weeks ago up at "Victory Park" or whatever it's called now .... the news of Newcastle Blue Star's "self-relegation" from Unibond 1 North may cheer many up - but knowing the way these League Commitees work, I'd almost guarantee that the North West Counties "Blazers" will say to the Unibond "Blazers" - "We'll give you three of our teams - but we want one of yours in return" - or some similar lunacy.


I will be in touch with events at Seel Park via the beauty of the moby - but we must spare a thought for others - like Stalybridge at home to "Wukkie" (to stay in the play-off zone); Belper at home to Shepshed (to stay in the play-off zone); to name but two (viz. "I'm lazy and poor at research" !).

Meanwhile I'm sure you will all join me in a glass/can raising to Amy and Andy (who is part of the extended "Derbyshire Mrs Smiffy clan") - Cheers !

Mossley v Brid - in glorious "OMyGodColor"

Yes the pix are now available at ...

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/MossleyBrid2008/

If only those two woodwork strikes had gone in early doors (you'll notice I missed them both !) ... hmmmmm ... and Belper hit the play-off zone in Unibond 1 South last night as well with a win at Stocksbridge ....

Mossley v Bridlington Town

Saturday's word was "cruel".....

Tuesday night's word has to be "shocking" ... and I'm not just talking about the miserable attendance ... or the 30 minute delayed kick-off ...



Last night's first half performance - in one stock picture ....


I got home last night - and just couldn't put "virtual pen to virtual paper" ... got the pix upoloaded onto pc - but they're not open to "public view" until I get home tonight (Wednesday)- think the best one might be of Brid's number 9 (McGarry) surging forward - which probably sums it up.

I sit here at work waiting for the Oracle Database to create - and the best I can come up with is, "At least we won the second half 2-1".

Some user is going to pay for last night's debacle today ......

Wakefield vs Mossley

Cruel - that just about sums it up ... for now - pix at

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/WakefieldMossley2008/

1759 - I'll be back after tea....

1953 - like now ....

The weekend started early with haircuts for me and Peter – we’ve a posh wedding to go to quite soon, so it’s best bib and tucker type sh*t – those in the Derbyshire area may well know something about Breadsall Priory – for it is there we are going …suitably “haired”, we hared back to Mossley, I picked up bag and managed to grab a quickie in the Britt before joining the 1147 to Huddersfield. While we were all in the pub we got a txt msg “New Signing that will shock you will be playing today” – we’d found out who before the train had got to Greenfield !! Despite a 20 minute “change” in Huddersfield, we missed out on the two real ale emporia due to Topsy’s “bad leg” – we stayed in the Waiting Room near Platform 6, drinking canned beer and moaning about the “automatic doors” that stayed open just that little bit tooo long.

Arrived at Wakefield Westgate 15 minutes late (but then we all come to expect this kind of thing haven’t we ?) Armed with a few scribbled notes and a photo of the Tourist Information map on my baby Fuji we marched off – in the wrong direction. Fortunately the York Branch arrived quickly and thanks to the beauty of the mobile phone, we were soon heading the “correct” way through Wakefield, stopping at the “Six Chimneys” for that “Wetherspoon experience” – and then walking past the “Red Shed” to the ground.

The club outside looked OK (apparently very big in the Jazz world) – but we were told there was a bar on the ground so in we went – yes keg beer, but (even worse) plastic glasses !! And there was Adam Morning warming up on the pitch.

What can I say about the game that hasn’t been said already – we didn’t take advantage of the wind in the first half – apart from the “straight in corner” mind !! Second half – under the cosh a bit, Wakefield equalised, and as time ticked on we were thinking “This is a good point earned here” – and then …well you know the rest. It was very very cruel – but as has been said elsewhere, probably the best performance of 2008, and one that should give us all hope for the next of the “must win” games at home to Bridlington on Tuesday night.

Walked back into Wakefield (past some interesting hoardings - the "Dyslexic Building Company" - or is it because of "legal stuff" in case shops decide not to get involve ?) for a slurp (Black Sheep Bitter) in the “Elephant and Castle” opposite the station. I was heading for Derby – and after having found out the cost of a single – absolutely f**king criminal – I headed to Leeds for a sulk before getting a train – going back though Wakefield - which had a lot of brassed-off Newcastle fans on it ( we compared notes about late goals – and drank canned beer of course !) - to Derby. As the trains to Belper at that time are like – scarce – I nipped over the road to the Brunswick and had a pint of the house brewery’s “CherryB” – and rather nice it was – I’m not a great fan of sweet beers, but this was very very tasty – so I had another….

Train to Belper – sleep. Today – a quick walk down the Derwent (see my jolly "panorama pic" on the Belper message Board) before “lunch out” and a drive home. Take-away tea tonight (disaster !! “Spice of Life” pizza machine is broken !!)….

….and now this …bring on Tuesday …

For Those About to Panic ....

... Cheadle Town beat Norton United 1-0 last night - and if I'd have gone I would have increased the crowd by - errr - one - from 53 to 54.

However I was doing strange taxi-type things as noted in previous blog - and ended up at Man Picc station at a quiet time .. viz ...



...and guess what - my train to Stalybridge (2012) was 5 minutes late - so it's always comforting to know that - even outside the rush-hour (am and pm) - the trains are still sh*te.

Let me expand further - this morning the 0724 once again left Mossley - EARLY - one person was left running onto the platform as we pulled out - and I was not the only person on the train checking timepieces - and coming up with the same answer. These Northern Rail guards were issued with nuclear watches - OK i mean "atomic" watches linked with the mighty "Timepiece Central" at Rugby (with BIG BIG publicity at the time). What's obviously missing is teaching the dozy gits to actually a) tell the time or b) synchronise numbers on watches with actual timetables.

It really beggars belief - when we have Northern Rail throwing money at a new Ticket Office in Mossley - and First Trans-Pennine throwing money at Stalybridge Station (Ticket Office, Waiting Room, Car Park and other useless sh*t) - all we really want is trains - more of them and on time - not late - and especially NOT EARLY - as that's even worse. When oh when oh when will someone in charge - or someone with clout get the message ???

I'm not holding my breath - this country's more interested in other crap (being a Muslim without due care and attention; binge drinking - personal responsibility - sorry no way !! ; banning smoking - and putting pubs out of business (read the story about the pub in Bacup - and more to the point read the Government reply - it's astonishing); speed cameras - easy money; huge profits (gas, elec, fuel) whilst hoiking up prices for us poor punters). Christ - be careful if you've got two mobile phones - you'll probably get shot.

We're being sh*t on from all sides really - so all I can do (this week anyway) is to reduce the train price from Mossley to Wakefield from £11-10 to £9-70 by shopping around - just hope we don't get a cut-price performance on Saturday from the football team.Oh I I like wind farms - and unlike David Bellamy - I live round here. I could go on - let's reopen Woodhead Tunnel; get that Manchester Congestion Charge in place asap (and maybe double it ?).

In 1979/1980 Thatcher's Tories brought about a new vision of self-self-self and rich-rich-rich - Blair began life in 1997 as a "new order" - it all went the same way as they moved further and further to the right - and now in 2008 we find ourselves with a Labour Government and people out there behaving in the same way as people did in 1980 - it scared me then - it scares me now.

Flipping heck - a cheap Thursday evening rant - going off in many tangents - whatever next ....

Did The Earth Move For You ??

...slept through myself - obviously thoroughly exhausted after a hard night's "Crawley v Aldershot" down the pub (well there was extra-time and stuff) ..... plus I can't do Cheadle Town tonight because of some wildly complicated taxi-type thing involving going home, driving back to Manchester, dumping car and catching train home - i.e. someone else will be driving it home...

Start the Week with a .... (Non-Football)

..right pile of "stuff"...when train number one (@ 0724) leaves early (on it fortunately) - train two (@0735) leaves 8 minutes later - meaning 0758 missed. Then you get to Man Picc, run like stink to get the 0803 - and then the driver gets out shouting "Have you got the number for maintenance ?" - we left 10 late.

Naturally we had big/interesting/important stuff to do at work today involving Oracle databases (they call me the "Oracle DBA" - but I ain't qualified and I certainly DON'T get the going rate !). But when there's two on holiday and two don't turn up until after 0900 - you're covering for other stuff as well as your own ... I finally get to "my jobbie" - deleting users and starting the import at 0945.....it's still running at 1630 (i.e. hometime) - so I wait until done - run the seven sql routines required to get the db in a working state - e-mail Dortmund for a new licence and p*ss off homearound 1845. Got to see a bit of the Man City game on the way home as well (yes I did say non-football at the start - having seen the final score I now feel strangely justified).

The othe real p*sser was yesterday's walk - in the Entwistle area (yeah while Blackburn and Bolton were "on the pitch", we were somewhere between Blackburn and Bolton !) - wandering down the river near Edgworth - the whisper came .... "A kingfisher" - my (anguished) whisper was "B*ll*cks - wrong lens !"

Hence this "blurry crop" ....

When I get this new shoulder bag - I'll be able to carry a few more of these lens-type things around - and then maybe ... just maybe ...

Meanwhile - back to work in the morning - see if the new licence makes everything work - get the mithering users off my back - and think about football - another blanky-sort of week though really(at a pinch there's Cheadle Town at home on Wednesday v Norton United in the NWCFL - handy from work - but a bugger to get home from via the public transport ..

Bradford PA v Mossley

1630 - Sunday - still to come - bear with me !!

1745 - Pix now up at ...

http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r272/mossleysmiffy/BradfordMossley2008/

Got some "corrupt file" gubbins on pc - now going to try and solve !!

Peatbog Faeries @ Buxton Opera House

Belting night out - first time I've done Buxton Opera House - a very smart venue in the "olde worlde" sort of way. Handy boozer across the road - which allowed pre-ordering of "interval drinks" - we like that - my Orange and Passion Fruit J2O was there and waiting (yes tonight I was "Des").


To the gig - excellent performance - some songs we knew and some were new (so I did buy a copy of "What Men Deserve to Lose" at half-time !!). Not sure that a seated venue was totally conducive to the performance we got though - even though it is a nice place. Sitting in Row "N" with the circle above and in front meant that pictures from Baby Fuji are pretty grim. I offer up three ...









Mr Morrison (Pipes and Whistles) told some good anecdotes as well (esp. the "Locks and Rocks" tale !!) - and Adam the fiddle player may well be 30 years old next year but the hair cut makes him look about 12 according to Mrs Smiffy !






...and also 60 seconds of silent film - which - after the DragonForce gig at the MEN - I've noticed seems to come out a lot better than the stills - all that's missing is some bloomin sound !!!





So - a good night out - tomorrow (eek today) sees the "Public Transport Tour" to Bradford Park Avenue vs Mossley - and for me home via Rochdale - so no pix and stuff on Saturday evening I'm afraid. Furthermore I don't seem to be able to get on the new Bradford PA Message Board - it's not them it's this bloody computer I'm sure - that's why I can't get on FCUMs Message Board or the Soul of North Staffordshire website - looks like "Internet Options" need tweaking (or anti-sh*t programs need "calming down" !!). I'm all "signed up" and ready to go mind (via works pc - got a new 22" Widescreen monitor today - whoo - rather have a pay rise though !)

Let's see what a new Manager can do for them anyway - shame about Benny Phillips - a thoroughly nice chap...

..and don't forget - Roadhouse in Manchester tonight....

Roadhouse - Manchester - 23rd Feb 2008 - This is Seb Clarke

Plus - give The Novellos your full support as well - single out on Monday !!

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 ??"