Weather Today ....

Just playing with camera (from the safety of front door step !!) ... and yes - if you click on 'em they get bigger !



and similar (but slower) ....



Outlook for the midweek games - Frith only knows ...
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Salford City vs Mossley

Yep it was on in the end - the scary weather never quite made it up here - Ashton United's game at Hednesford was called off early doors, and Droylsden got precisely 18 minutes at Solihull Moors - take a look at Carl's pictures..

http://www.bloods.fotopic.net/c1574432.html

he could put some of them in the surfing section - if there was a surfing section !!

Anyway - to me - haircuts were a miserable failure - Giuseppe has broken his shoulder and Peter's mate appeared to be "off" - so .... he got hair wax from Superdrug - I got the new DragonForce album "Ultra Beatdown" from HMV - AND IT'S GOOD \n/

Once we got the "thumbs up" from Salford it was easy - 1257 to Manchester Vic, and straight on a 98 bus to Moor Lane - by now the sun was out !! The game - here's a little "tempter" (exclusive to "STS" as well !!!)



Mossley won 4-0 - easily 4-0 - it should have been a lot lot more - the last 20 minutes Mossley were cutting through the "Ammies" defence at will - 'twas just bad finishing, greed, showboating, and - believe or not - a great performance from Salford Keeper Martin Campbell - which kept the score "reasonable".... here's the pix ...

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/SalfordMossley1/

At half-time I'd noted the large number of cameramen "with a Mossley bent", so I decided to "go short" in the second half and try something different viz. crouch behind the net with me 24-60 (which enabled Aaron to "have a go" with my 70-200 - looking forward to seeing how he does !) - hence the "net enabled stuff".

After the game - the heavens opened - so we 'snuck' a taxi back to Victoria in order to get on the cattle truck that was the 1829 to Mossley - it was thoughtful of the Northern Rail staff to cram everyone on (including the bikes) before announcing that there would be a delay because of "no driver" - yes they cock it up at weekends too....back in time to see the kick-off of the Andorra game - after 10 minutes (when England were not six up) - I went home - believe they've sneaked through 2-0 - yes 2-0 - against Andorra - 2-0 if you missed it - against Andorra - latest FIFA rankings I can see have England at 5 (just below France) and Andorra at 132 (just below St Vincent and the Grenadines).

Thank heavens for a comprehensive away win - I'm talking about Mossley you fools ...!!!

Next week sees the "new FCUM" roll into Mossley - yes FC Halifax Town are the visitors on Tuesday evening - they started the season with a 1500+ crowd and a 0-3 home defeat - believe the attandances have dropped off a bit, but I'd still expect a tidy number to come over the hill - hopefully including Chris, a Halifax fan who is a member of the Stalybridge Buffet Bar "teatime club" !! The same evening sees Stalybridge Celtic entertain Southport in the Sultana Shield - so expect streakers, penalty shoot-outs, floodlight failures (no cameras this year I believe though) crowd ejections and the like at Bower Fold !!! And yes I noted Celtic's "late late show" at Farsley today - keep it going !
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Weekend Preview ....

...wet ...more wet ...and a touch more in the precipitation stakes Already the boards are buzzing with the "Will it be on, Won't it ?" type stuff - I guess I could only guarantee Woodley Sports v Newcastle Blue Star at the moment, because of the "plastique" - the aim remains for Salford v Mossley ... but t'other half-decent option is Hyde United v Hinckley United - which could then be followed by a "jump on train" to Glossop for the Glossop Beer Festival - because regular readers might remember me doing same last season (after the Hyde v Gainsborough game).

At this moment - 2151 - it's not raining outside our front door (cus I've just opened it and had a look !) - decisions tomorrow can probably be left until midday anyway - and me and small (!) Peter are going for haircuts tomorrow - our regular is "Figaro" in Ashton (Warrington Street) - recommended - I get the chap of Italian extraction and our Peter gets the young lady who sorts out his complicated requirements (stuff on hair, straighteners etc etc etc)...

oh - and if anyone has a better version of this picture - I know someone who'd love to know ......click on it for "bigger and better"



(save me having to fanny about too much in Photoshop !!!)
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Happy Thursday

Here's a silly one from the news today ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7599141.stm

..can just see that happening over here - not - cus you can't smoke on the platforms anymore ...

Keegan's gone as well ....I've still got fearful toothache - if anyone out there in the Greater Manchester area knows of an NHS Dentist who's "taking on" please let me know - I have a "complicated mouth" (which stems from a serious car accident in 1986), so private would cost me a bloody fortune - and my previous (NHS) dentist in Cheadle Hulme has now "gone over to the dark side".

Football - not tonight ....!!!! Should be Salford City v Mossley on Saturday - should be .....
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Stalybridge Celtic v Solihull Moors - Pix Up !!

Hope to get some stuff up tonight - don't hold breath mind - I got as far as getting pix onto computer last night - had a very brief look (it was v late !) and wasn't too impressed. A good 5-0 win for Celtic though - once the first one went in it seemed like a question of "how many ?".

See what I can rescue tonight ....

Wednesday Update - http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/StalybridgeSolihull2008/

better than nowt - just .....
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The Last Day of August 2008

Well it's all over for the teachers and the pupils - summer that is - so me and Mrs Smiffy went off for a "summer is over" walk - as you will see from the pix, summer ended as it began - with some really shyte weather !!! Woke up to the sort of weather we normally see on November 6th (i.e. mornng after bonfire night).

Went for a local trudge - out the front door, turn left and 13 miles later approach front door from the other direction - heavy going too - (for those who know - Scout Green, Heyheads, Carrbrook, Swineshaw Ressies, Ogden Clough, Wilderness, Chew, Indians Head and back on the bridle path to Mossley) and true to form the mist was later joined by some incessant rain - well what do you expect in August ??

Some snaps... one man and his dog - approaching Higher Swineshaw ..



The new concrete reservoir wall at Higher Swineshaw is getting the "dry-stone wall cladding" treatment (probably the same company that did Jack and Vera's in Corrie !)



Just left Chew - going over Indians Head - a rock with a grumpy face (you can see the "easy road down" in the background)



More silhouette-type things - just to prove that we were not the only nutters out on a day like today !!



Football this week is fairly quiet as most of the lower leagues appear to have left it "free" for possible FA Cup replays - Tuesday night however sees Stalybridge Celtic take on Solihull Moors in't'"big league" - that'll do for me - the official "I'm Coming..." e-mail has been sent to the Press Sec ...
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Glossop NE vs Belper Town (FA Cup)

Yes I've been quiet since Bank Holiday Monday - possibly due to the lack of games to go to and the "return to work" syndrome that happens after a Bank Holiday weekend (which of course had a week's holiday preceding it !)

What can I say about the week - the "bad boys" were First Trans-Pennine who failed to run a single morning train for me "on time " this week - in fact Tuesday - first day back - the 0735 was 30 late so I ended up going to Victoria - arrive 0747 - and then run - yes run over to Piccadilly to get the 0803 (pointless waiting for a tram - you wait 6 mins and it takes 12) - and the next three days were a mix of "8 late", "10 late" and "7 late" - whatever - they'e all only in it for the money they don't give a toss about the customers (even the pre-recorded "sorry" messages are so ... unbeleievable ..)

However - we do the week to get to the weekend - and today we went not up the road to the Mossley 3 Ramsbottom 1 game - but off to Surrey Street to the Glossop take on my good friends from Belper - and by God, the "big boys" from the Unibond were given a mighty scare today, only sneaking a win in about the 93rd minute.

Good to see the "Belper Crew" both on and off the pitch (I'll be down there several times between now and Christmas I'm sure) - and of course the "Belper snapper" Tim - my mentor in the early days of DSLR (well it was his 'cast-off' camera wot I purchased !!!).

Here's Tim's pix

http://www.timharrisonphotography.com/NailersAction/GlsspH090809/album1.html

and here's my efforts

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/GlossopBelper/

So £1500 in the bag for Belper - and Mossley too - now need to check the already "pre-drawn" next round ....
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Harrogate RA v Mossley

To begin with - it was good to realise the gobsh*te that was Vince Brockie would not be in attendance ....

Anyway - 1147 train from Mossley - the full "eco-crew" were there (i.e. me and Jools - I'm hoping that the Bank Holiday was the excuse for the piss-poor attendance) Beers in Leeds (a natter with some of the Festival "returnees" as well - Friday night was "bad weather" but it got better apparently - this must be the first year since ... when me and our Michelle / our Duncan have not done either Leeds or Download) and then train to Starbeck - last year there were loads on the train - see

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

But it's 2008 - so - some pix from today - I reckon Aaron's got better views of the Mossley goals - but then again he's got a tie !!! You'll have to excuse the lack of titles on some - while everyone else was learning the name of the new guys - I was messing with the Euro thingy so I didn't get a proper pre-season @ Mossley - anyway pictures at

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/HarrogateMossley/

A not too special first half.. second half started badly - a goal down even before JF (Asst Mgr) had taken his seat !!. I have to be honest - I felt we never looked like we were going to lose - but then again we never looked like we were going to nick it at the death either - but we did !! so .. big up to the team who played for a full 90 and a little bit more, i.e. Mossley ..

Next Saturday is the FACup v Rammie - it would be nice to do this one (and maybe Tony Cunningham and Phil will be down) - but I'm leaving the pix to Aaron - and I'm heading down to Glossop ....

Mossley v Warrington Town

Back to winning ways - although I didn't see 'em lose on Tuesday !! 4-1 today - and it could have been 5 or 6 - before half-time ! Pics at ..

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/MossleyWarrington/

Still on holiday so ... I'm going to do something else now ...match reports to be found elsewhere - or even tomorrrow I guess !!

In short - looking good up front - need to play for 90 minutes not 45 - a few tweaks required at the back - other than that - I'm happy ...
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Back from Norfolk ...

...well about six thirty anyway ... a good break was had . Having seen the forecast for the rest of the week the decision was made to jettison the tent and go B&B - the right move in the end - we had some good weather - we had some bloody awful weather - stuck in the "middle of nowhere" yesterday during a 40 minute thunder / lightning / monsoon, watching the narrow roads flooding up to our ankles comes to mind - never mind - we dried off on the outside in the "Kings Head" in Holt whilst knocking back "Woodfordes Wherry" (mostly my drink of choice this week although I did have some Adnams and Greene King as well - in fact Mrs Smiffy was on the "Old Speckled Hen" in Holt). Big up to the barman in the "Kings Head" - when Mrs Smiffy threw her pint on the floor whilst wrestling with sodden clothing, he chucked us some towels to clean up, followed by a replacement pint - much appreciated ! So this week - Monday - 13 mile - Tuesday - 5 mile (following a 200 mile drive) - Wednesday - 15 mile - Thursday - 10 mile - today - not a lot !!

I've done a few snaps - for the railway enthusiasts, feel free to check out this lot

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/NorfolkRailways2008/

Some others - here's sunset over Cromer on Tuesday night ...



...and a windmill at Cley during our "Norfolk Coastal Path" walk on Wednesday ...



and the roof of the crypt at Walsingham Priory/Abbey on our way home today (Walsingham is the pilgrimage capital of England apparently) ...



Tomorrow - let's see if Mossley can carry on where I left them last Saturday with a victory over Warrington Town - yes I (now) know they lost at home to Radcliffe on Tuesday but .... obviously the big matches locally are at Stalybridge (home to Southport) and the Droylsden v Hyde local derby but ...
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Holidays - Day 1

Well it's good to know that people like Northern Rail - and all the other associated "Profit Centres" - are happy to screw up your holiday travel as well as your normal everyday work travel ! Our plan today was the "Station to Station Walk" between Littleborough and Marsden. An early start from Mossley was f**ked due to signalling problems at Manchester Victoria - we finally arrived at Littleborough at 1016 - rather than 0846 - it was raining - we left the station - and NOWHERE were there any signs indicating the start of the walk - however armed with OS map and GPS we got going. When we arrived at Hollingworth Lake we nipped into the info centre in case they had any leaflets etc - nowt ... it looks like the arrival of the "Pennine Bridleway" has seen the end of the "S2S" ..(you have to remember our OS Map of the area is a touch old !) A lot of time was spent in the vicinity of the M62 - we walked under it - we admired the queues !! Anyway we made it across - about 11 miles in the end - last bit into Marsden was a bit "heavy" to say the least - weather showery and generally sh*tty throughout so camera stayed mostly in bag (still drying out from Saturday night's "MozFest" !). Arrived in Marsden to find the "Tunnel End" pub shut - d'oh ! Never mind, we got to Riverhead Brewery Tap (now an Ossett Brewery pub) and settled down for a while - me on Ossett "Silver King" and Mrs Smiffy on Riverhead "Butterley Bitter" - home to check out where to go tomorrow. Plan is Norfolk - but the weather is "Norfolk and Good" all over - throw tent in car and go .................. Some pix...




Under the M62 - do they call it Rakewood Viaduct ?



Monday lunch on the M62 - queues and queues and queues of lorries - open the bloody Woodhead Tunnel and get this sh*t off the roads .... saw this for a while on the walk - and probably covered more miles on foot than these gas guzzlers managed in the same time !!



Wonder why people do this sort of thing to waymarks ... wankers maybe ?

Heyho - tomorrow - there's a steam railway "down there" as well (NNR) so ... let's see.. should be back for a Saturday game somewhere ....

(Fingers crossed for Mossley v Radcliffe tomorrow night as well !)
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Clitheroe v Mossley - Part 2

Pictures now up at:

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/ClitheroeMossley/

..and this morning's brekkie included some garlic pork sausages from Cowman's !

Clitheroe v Mossley - Part 1

.. a comfy 2-0 win at Shawbridge - pictures coming soon (some time tomorrow morning I hope !) - also this evening we had the first trip to Mossley's answer to Glasto - well weather-wise if nowt else - the first day of Mozzfest08 - dreadful evening for weather (Hare & Hounds was full mind !) .... I offer up a couple ..

The Unibond Begins .....

A late late view on stuff. Mossley kick off away at Clitheroe in about 14 hours - I'll be doing the normal "It's great on the train" which then enables a couple of shandies in the "New Inn" amongst others - and some "jolly flavoured bangers" from Cowman's the butchers. I think most are travelling by automobile tomorrow - a great shame, but 45 minutes against 120 does tempt a few of these "non-believers". Other starters of interest to me tomoz include Ashton United at home to North Ferriby and Belper Town taking on Loughborough Dynamo. ..

Never mind - I believe I made it onto Channel M tonight !! ("Face/Monopod in the Crowd" type thing I assume) . I'm now the owner of a hi-vis jacket would you believe for those "just in case" moments - it needs to be suitably adorned/annotated with scribbly things like "http://sixtamesides.blogspot.com" and "total amateur" (I have a magic CD pen that should do the trick - maybe something to do whilst "on the train" !)

Let the Unibond begin - Frith bless all who sail in her ........
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Usual "It's Late" stuff - Glossop v Alsager

It's 0200 - bloody norah !! That game I missed last night - was played - and was a 7 goal thriller with Oldham Town edging Padiham 4-3 - "bugger" came to mind.

Never mind we got one in tonight at Surrey Street, Glossop beating Alsager 2-0 when at half-time you'd have gone the other way .... team talks are obviously not like what we at Mossley used to be used to - when Jason Beckford could turn victory into defeat with one telling remark -allegedly. Anyroad up - the pix are fun - we have the "turning point" in the first half when the Glossop custodian made a point-blank save when Alsager were well on top - we have the first goal - that wasn't - and we have the second goal which was a free-kick that Beckham would die for .....

Enjoy.....

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/GlossopAlsager/
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The Great (bloody) British (bloody) Summer - Part 735

What an absolute arse !!! This is "the week" - Mrs Smiffy down at brothers in Looe, Cornshire (weather "glorious" this morning) - so it's get the footy in !! Celtic last Saturday, Ashton United last night - tonight was to be (wait for it) Oldham Town v Padiham...

The morning was spent - at home - waiting for plumbers to do their duty (they did) and "Financial Consultants" to consult - he did. Afternoon at work - then the weather went to r*tsh*t... I got the "snapper gear" - went to the station for the 1829 train - 10 late - it really started hammering it down - I thought "no" - "I don't want to go" - I rang the only contact number I had for Oldham Town - and got the immortal "beep-beep-beep" - this only confirmed my "sod it" mode - a few beers in the "Britannia" then home through the drizzle ... tomorrow is my "last chance" before Mrs Smiffy returns - Glossop NE v Alsager Town.....

... weather permitting ...
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Ashton United v Stockport County

Back to pre-season friendly mode ...

Natch Stockport sent ressies (first team have a Carling Cup game in 18 hours !!) - no-one will have impressed whoever was in charge tonight enough to be even on the bench at Leicester - or am I being brutal ?? 2-1 to Ashton - they looked the hungrier tonight - despite their boss telling me that was not their best "friendly performance" - that Danny Johnson is a hard taskmaster mind !! Guest "scouting" appearances by the Mossley Managerial duo of Chris Wilcock and John Flanagan (I did mention Ben Deegan's first half performance to them (they sneaked in at half time !!) )

After the game got back to Stalybridge Buffet Bar to find "Turnstile Bob" (Stalybridge Celtic) doing the quiz - having done the Hyde game beforehand - he said "You missed nowt !!" - apparently not a great game - will check out the Hyde board soon - cus I've the morning off work for personal/small boy reasons.... in fact here I go ...now ......

Seem to have prob with link - try it now ..

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/AshtonStockport/

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Wolfmother Split Up !

...from the RollingStone.com site ....

After only one album, Wolfmother have announced via their website that they are splitting up. Initially, keyboardist/bassist Chris Ross left the Australian trio, citing irreconcilable personal and musical differences. Not wanting to simply fill the void and continue on in a changed line up, drummer Myles Heskett followed Ross’ exit. That leaves singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale, who said he would recruit new musicians and continue on as Wolfmother. After touring the world from 2006 to early 2007 on the strength of their self-titled debut, “longstanding frictions within the group” finally came to the forefront, forcing the band to take an extended break to consider its future in late 2007. Earlier this year, the band regrouped to start work on their new album and to “road-test” new material. But after this weekend’s Splendour in the Grass Festival in their native Australia, Ross decided he had had enough. The band said they ask “fans to please understand that in spite of their best efforts over a long period of time, they just could not find a harmonious way to work together and that has lead to the decisions announced today.” In their short history, Wolfmother sold a half-million copies of their self-titled debut album in the U.S., became a Guitar Hero favorite and even won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2007 for “Woman.”

Shame that - bloody good band live, very tight. Often considered Led Zepp rip-offs (tosh I say) - however we'll now see which way the talent goes ....

On the football front - tonight sees Ashton United play Stockport County in a pre-season friendly - when you consider Stockport's season began on Saturday with a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield Town - what will they send to Hurst Cross ??
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Not Enough Hours in the Day

Here's today's pix for starters

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/StalybridgeTelford/index.html

It's after 3 (another "3 in the morning" - aaarrrgghhh !!) - so the rest will follow ..... I've not even seen how Mossley got on in their friendly @ Duki Town yet...see what Sunday brings ....albeeback ..
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Tomorrow/Today

..well it is three o'clock !! It has to be Celtic v Telford I think...I'll say no more !

Back Home ....

...they'll be thinking about us, de-dah-de-dah-de-dahhhh (England World Cup Squad 1970)

No - home from Wales- Wednesday weather OK - few spits and spots but nowt too bad - a long (OK 13 miles in the end) walk from Carrog to Llangollen and a couple of pints of Flintshire Bitter in the "Cotton Mill" (strange this - Facer's Brewery used to be based in Salford - moved "over the border" a couple of years ago) -very refreshing indeed.

Today it was Llandudno - and the weather was crap ! I left wife, m-i-l, 2 s-i-ls and 1 cousin to return to the mother country (work tomorrow - eek today !) - home about 8 - clear up bombsite (actually not that bad ...!) - hole in pavement outside house again - and it looks like this time United Utilities have connected to a different pipe (maybe the right one this time !!). Whatever - I got to have a go with some new software tonight - you've seen the Monday pix from the Curzon/Hyde game I guess - and seen my remark about "noisy" pictures - now see here...I downloaded a demo of NeatImage and within minutes "that picture" of Phil Edghill turned from this ....



to this ...



(Double-click on pix to see them in all their glory - the difference shows up so much more) Now that's neat ! Trouble is - tis only a demo, and I'm loathe to buy any new software etc until I can get off this goddam pc at home (that's been used and abused by the entire family since 2005) and onto "a machine of my own" - it's on the shopping list (and has Mrs Smiffy approval too !!)

Weekend football - I'll get round to thinking about it tomorrow (eek today) night - still got work to do (plus phoning United Utilities & Plumber - when this is all over - there WILL be a tale to tell - but not just yet)

Monday - oh bugger Tuesday ..

..off to Welsh Wales this afternoon after work - train Crewe, train Chester, bus Corwen (nearly 4 hours I think !).

But first - you'll need pix from tonight's Curzon 3 Hyde 0 game - I need to pack bags - - tell you about the morning rail shambles @ Mossley (0654 cancelled 0724 cancelled 0757 arrived 20 late) - tonight not much better - but hey that's privatisation for you (how's y'gas bill by the way ?!?!)

Enough of this shilly-shally - it's 0020 and not even been thru the pix yet - apart from this one I took with BabyFuji - part of the "snapper takes pic of snapper" series maybe (but "snapper takes pic of self" - a touch weird !!). Stick with me - I'll get t'other buggers up soon....meanwhile ...aargh ... blogger decides not to upload direct ("Internal Error" - hides a multitude of sh*te that ...) - so it's off to Photobucket - more time down the pan - grrrr - and it's probably not worth it anyway ......now it's 0032




0200 - well - we got there in the end ... some of them VERY noisy - in the ISO sense - something else to learn (or something else to run 'em through - Noise Ninja is it called ??) - anyway it's far to late to fuss much more ..

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/CurzonHyde/

Back at end of week !
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Sunday - oh bugger Monday

..not much really - been to Stalybridge (and Tesco too !) - Mrs Smiffy in Llangollen-ish so what do you expect - as in "No Walk" today ..

Still well chuffed with yesterdays's pix mind

England v Holland - the Final - Pix now up

...for those who don't know - Holland won 3-1 - match turning probably on something called "half-time" - England down to 10 men (awful challenge by Scott Curley - lucky to come out alive - seriously !) - yet they took the lead - 1-0 @ half-time - we all reckoned "next goal would win it" - and it did ....the future's Orange ....or should that be Oranje ?



(was almost tempted to watermark this pic - nice isn't it ??!!??)

It's 2215 - Pix coming soon


0130 - OK I lied about the "soon" but here they are anyway - and I'm pleased with them... so nerrrrrrr !

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/EnglandHollandFinal/
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Poland v Hungary

The 3rd/4th Place Play-Off tonight @ Stalybridge Celtic - finished 5-1 to Poland - well-deserved - and yet ANOTHER red card for Hungary (they certainly don't help themselves !) Pix at

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/PolandHungaryPS/

Guess what - it's 0200 - Final later today @ Boundary Park - England v Holland - admission free ..

(Updated Saturday with some "sharper" efforts (i.e. a dabble with Photoshop !!))
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Holland v Hungary - Part Two

Here's the rest of the pictures...

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/HollandHungary/

So tomorrow sees me watching Hungary v Poland @ Stalybridge for the 3rd/4th Place Play-Off - and I must try to get orgainised for Saturday @ Boundary Park for the Final - use the "Mossley connection" maybe ??
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Holland v Hungary - early draft !

The "other" semi-final of the INAS-FID Championships - England were beating Poland 3-2 in the one at Boundary Park this (last?) evening. Due to it being 0030 I can offer up only these few f'now - Holland won 3-0 by the way - Hungary's cause not really helped by an early (10 minutes ?) red card...

I give you more tomorrow - but for now - the three goals (and the third will make Tigerroar (NonLeague Photographers site) go "grrrrr" - I know this to be true ...



Some of the Portuguese squad in the crowd - Texeira and Paulo for two anyway ...



1-0



2-0



3-0 - oops - beaten for speed - maybe a Canon rather than a Sigma might just have .....



We're in the Final !!
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Tidy Tidy Fuji Fuji

In the absence of me "going footy" tonight, I felt it time to clear all the crap (and the good stuff mind) off the trusty FujiFinepixA500 that travels with me always - just in case I get that "once in a lifetime" chance (remember the IRA bomb in Manchester - I know Carl who was "in the right place at the right time" !!)

So I give you ......



My windowsill @ work - my view on Agency staff - courtesy of Dilbert and a little "tweaking" ...



The fields over Belper Meadows - the day after the Belper/Hednesford game when me and Mrs Smiffy went for a gentle stroll (i.e. less than 7 miles !)



Last Friday @ Levenshulme - "just a couple" - as they say !!



Tonight @ Stalybridge - the "ones in the know" may have noticed the feather pointing towards Manchester Victoria - and a Trans-Pennine train (i.e. a Manchester Piccadilly train) heading towards it - apparently a signal failure at Picc..

Football - tomorrow - yep it's the semi at Curzon - hot news is that there might be a couple of my pix in the local paper on Thursday from last Wednesday's England v Portugal game - I might have have a lot in last season's Mossley prog/wbsite - and some on the Stalybridge Celtic site as well (thanks Iain !!) - but this will be a first "in print"...

Today the "Reporter" - tomorrow .... something else !!
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Anglezarke Moor

..between Horwich and Chorley. No football today - a wander round the West Pennine Moors on possibly the hottest day of the year (?) I've since heard that Holland beat Poland 4-1 today, so it's England v Poland on Wednesday @ Boundary Park, and Portugal v Holland on Wednesday @ Curzon Ashton....

...but I digress - a few snaps from today



A view across Anglezarke and Rivington Reservoirs



I have this thing about "dead trees" ...



Sign on the fence at White Coppice Cricket Club !!!



The old (Round Loaf - ancient burial mound) and the new (Winter Hill "telly stuff").

Football - looking to Wednesday now I think - tomorrow night it's the train to Stockport then Edale - just for the night - where Mrs Smiffy and friends are camping...back to work Tuesday.
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France v Portugal

Avoiding the hype that was probably occuring up Boundary Park, Oldham way I trotted down to the Tameside Stadium for the third time in less than a week to see the battle for 3rd/4th place in Group A - finished 4-1 to Portugal. In the other game, England beat Hungary 3-1, so they go through to the semi-final - at Boundary Park. Hungary will play either Poland or Holland at Curzon - both games next Wednesday.

Pix from today at ..

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/FrancePortugal/

.... it might have been the "bottom two" in the group, but there was some real class out there today - the unknown "number 9" had great vision and a sweet left foot - the tubby "Lister lookalike" Teixera belied his physique - and it was a hot afternoon. The French were certainly not outclassed, but the right team won - no arguments there.

Now to find out what else has happened "in the vicinity" today - eek yesterday ...did clock a bit of City losing @ Hamburg on the Curzon telly - but you know what I mean ....

Oh and nearly forgot - Curzon v Notts Forest on Monday - don't think I'll be there - but a certain "Mr A. Cole" is a definite starter (and I don't mean Ashley !!) ...that's what I've been told anywhere....
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England v Portugal - 24 hours late ...

.........thinking through - there's nowt from my second half at the Mossley game on Tuesday - bloody close season too much to squeeze in !) - good night at the England game last night - plenty of atmosphere - flags, face painting - and a crowd of over 600 - and we all saw England win 5-1 after going one down - pix at

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/EnglandPortugal/

..and here's the "tempter" - to drag you all in - whoo-ha-ha-ha .....



A very good night out indeed - hats off to Curzon Ashton who did much of the stuff themselves (that means you Mr Galloway !!) - the FA may have been handing out the complimentaries, but I for one am really disappointed with the publicity machine behind this tourney - it could have been sooooooo much better - maybe when Ingerland get through the Group Stage into the knock-out (pretty much guaranteed after a 10-0 and a 5-1 !!!) it may well kick into action - especially with the use of Boundary Park (where England play Hungary on Saturday - and where one of the semi-finals - yes the one which WILL involve Ingerland - will take place) - one silly thing that stood out for me last night was when a member of the Hungary squad (who were there watching) came up to me and said "Excuse me - man toilet ??" - well his English is far far better than my Magyar !!! Naturally I directed him to the room where the ref left his clothes ... not !

Tuesday - Mossley - Hyde - well I did only get there at half-time - and I was playing with a new lens (not as good as hoped - blame it on lights !!) - here's a couple or three from that night where Mossley turned a 2-1 deficit into a 5-3 win




Liam



Darryl



Hyde's Lee Rick I believe - Aaron asked for this one !!!



Same as ....

- an altogether belting performance with a cameo "four goals in not very many minutes" by Danny Egan - the better stuff can/will be found on Aaron's site - not yet mind (skool hols as well - slacker !!!) but check out ...

http://www.mossleyweb.com/MwebFrameset0809.htm

for a few.....

Saturday will probably see me at Curzon again - for the France v Portugal game (avoiding the Ingerland hype @ Oldham - leave that to others ...)

Poland v Sweden - 24 hours late !!

...well I've stuff to do - even now it's after one in the morning and Mossley have beaten Hyde United 5-3 tonight (I only got to second half - furniture removals etc etc tonight) !!! However last night (!) @ Curzon is here to see ..

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/PolandSweden/

8-0 to Poland - thoroughly deserved (I lost count to be honest - thought it was six !!) The Poland number 10 - Rafal Mordon - one tasty player ! A shame about the poor attendance

Tonight at Mossley is a different story - maybe later - maybe even later I'm maybe @ England v Portugal @ Curzon (gotta complimentary !)... who knows...

.

The Great Fire of Manchester 2008

Some pix etc taken on the way home (by train) yesterday (courtesy "BabyFuji)"




Coming into Piccadilly from Cheadle Hulme



Heading out to Stalybridge - just before Ardwick Junction .....

...and a bonus video - coming past Longsight Depot ...




When I get home tonight I'll try to sort out the stuff from the Poland v Sweden game ...
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We've been Away ....Part 37

A 40th birthday party - not mine - in Belper (coupled with the Belper Town v Hednesford Town friendly - 2-1 to Belper)

Football pix at

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/BelperHednesford/

This coming week - will have to try one of the "European Learning Disability Championship" games - Poland v Sweden tomorrow (@ Curzon Ashton) or maybe Poland v Germany on Thursday night (@ Stalybridge Celtic). Here's hoping the rapidly increasing Polish population in Tameside are aware of this - should add some noise and colour to the proceedings as well ....England play Portugal on Wednesday @ Curzon and there are some midweek afternoon games ... sod it - get your head round this link - full fixture list !

http://www.thefa.com/England/DisabledTeams/INAS-FIDEuro2008/INAS-FIDEuro2008.htm

Now to bed - the teachers and pupils may have broken up - but the computer geeks still have to suffer the slings and arrows of idiot users and thieving management - allegedly ...
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The Great British Summer... NOT

As I sit here at 0025 - eek - listening to the rain hammering down outside - as it has on and off all bloody night - I panic - and this at pre-season friendly stage !! Already there is a post on the Mossley message board worrying about the game against Droylsden today (weather related post that is) - OK I won't be there myself (it's Belper Town v Hednesford Town for me) but when you're worrying about waterlogged pitches - IN JULY - something's horribly wrong .... and you can't blame the "credit-crunch" for it either !

Did I mention a possible new lens in the offing ?? I've blown some ciggy money on a 24-60 f2.8 - Sigma of course (cheapskate - or credit crunch watcher - you choose !) - gives the option of just standing close to the net (under cover ?) on a sh*tty wet July evening and getting some stuff like that - and if it's not up to footy it will at least replace at the 28-105 in my bag ! Must stop now - I'm quoting numbers and sounding geeky - anyone looked at http://www.graphjam.com - tis funny - I particularly like the "cake or death" and the "Beach Boys California Girls" graphs - who thinks of this stuff ?

.. and did I mention Todd Rundgren @ Manchester Academy in November ?? Tickets booked - naturally ..........
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EB Streymur 0-2 Man City

Well that was the plan - Mrs Smiffy out on an "End of Term Teacher Jolly" - home to find "it's on Sultana Sprouts" !!!!

Too late home to see first half - 1946 to the Railway @ Greenfield to see second half in a "Blue Friendly" boozer - only to find two guys hogging the box watching Oldham v Doncaster - as in Rugby - that northern version !!!!

Now getting to the Faroe Islands is tricky - getting to Boundary Park to watch an Oldham home game is not - so big poooo to you lazy barstewards - that's the sort of "travel" behaviour you get from Manchester United fans ...

Anyroad up City win 2-0 - and I get to see the latest in the Greenfield Station update .... my God... Northern Rail blue stuff, stone cladding and the roof supports are wooden - will they be putting Yorkshire Slates on top ??? What a mish-mash .......

Other news - I'm now officially "licenced to snap" at Conference Level (thank you Keirina) - now I'm allowed "big league" standard, I'd better learn how to use the bloody camera I guess !!
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Mossley v Stalybridge Celtic ...

..for the Frank Robinson Trophy - that's two wins to one for Mossley now after tonight's 3-1 win - it's far to late to talk stuff - the first friendly of the season for both so read into that what you will - and remember - the phrase is "not too much" !! (Pass this on to 'Celtic1909' - he appears to have given up on 2008/09 already !!!)

Some pix at

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/MossleyBridge/

At one stage there were 27 photographers within 47 inches of each other - we'll see how Aaron's (MAFC) and Mrs Bob's (Celtic) turn out later no doubt ...there may have been more !!
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Panic DEFINITELY Over ...

Weird eh ?? The only way to sort it is to delete ALL your internet/e-mail protection - to get the e-mail that tells you you can't receive any e-mail or get on the internet !

Not to worry - all back up and running - AVG back on - and the new version of Zone Alarm (the cause of all this sh...) now loaded .....

So - tomorrow - Mossley v Stalybridge Celtic - tonight it is raining - tomorrow - well ..... oh and referring to a previous post - the pictures I sent off for from www. snapmad.com arrived today - and they look rather good at 7x5 - hopefully Martin Pearson (the Stalybridge Celtic keeper in said pix) will be up at Seel Park tomorrow night. The last time I tried something like this (viz Peter Wright's header for Mossley against Leek) he left the blooming club 7 days after the pix were taken/processed/prepared to "hand over" !!

Anyroad up - now we're back and running - some pix from the weekend up Dent way ...



Flinter Gill



The "Old and the New" - High Laning Campsite



Saturday Night sunset looking towards the Lake District ....yeah I'm sure I could faff with the picture to bring up the dry-stone wall in the foreground - but life is short ... !!



Sheep-shearing near Rawridding Farm - the wool is sold for 5p per kilo - the big money is made further down the "fiscal line" !!! Yes, the rip-off world is everywhere - no wonder some farmers just burn the stuff - honest !
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We Appear to be Back ......

...albeit warily - I've been deleting left right and centre this evening - including the complete uninstall of Zone Alarm - which seemed to do the trick !!!!!!!!! I open up e-mail to find one from Zone Labs (allegedly - have sent a copy to work to verify) which said (don't click on the link unless you're sure - I'm not - yet !) ....

Dear Customer,

Installation of Microsoft Update KB951748 may result in loss of Internet connectivity.

Click here for more information on how to resolve this issue.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Thank you - ZoneLabs ...

Still Quiet

Appear to have internet issues @ home - eek. Camping knocked on head however due to weather - look out ! Here comes the boss !!

Having a Quiet Week ....

... i.e. no football - catching up on "Life on Mars" Series 2 - only the final episode to watch now - football option this week would have been Woodley on Thursday - however it's me at boy's "Parent's Evening" that night ... Saturday would have been Curzon v Duki Town, but we're weekend camping in Dent (I'll try to avoid pix of Ribblehead Viaduct !!) - bet the weather's gonna be sh*te !

Have twiddled with some pictures tonight and sent them (electronic like) to an on-line photo-processing place - if they come out "oreet" I'll give the place a plug - 7 pix (7" x 5") for £2-18 inc p&p - we'll see how it turns out...

Next season's fixtures all out now (Conf & Unibond) - places to go, matches to see, calendar to fill, wife to keep sweet (!!) - still waiting for me Conference "ticket" to come through - time yet though ...

Mossley Training Session @ Hollins School

You really think I went ???????????????????????????????????????????

Jeez - I know football may well be the drug to take over from Nick O'Tine - but .... a training session - on a skool pitch ??? Come on ...........

So I didn't - Mrs Smiffy went into darkest Manchester to meet friend - I hoovered (Dysoned ?) before heading the same way about two hours later (stops at the "Brit" in Mossley - Brakspears Bitter - and Stalybridge Buffet Bar - Copper Dragon Golden Pippin) - on a different tack however - my aim was to see the "mega-pic" in the Urbis Centre in Manc - 300 pics taken from the top of the Beetham Tower and "collaged" together on a wall @ Urbis - I got there - and it's roped off !!!! Some special gig tonight - probably in aid of the bloomin picture !! Anyway - best plug ... Aidan O'Rourke is the photographer - check out

http://www.eyeonmanchester.com/

I then had a wander round the Manga exhibition in very same building - having had kids in the Pokeman era - and one who still watches Akira as well ... me, I'm a Miyazaki man but - a well laid-out exhibition which I believe will be there until September - and yes it's free - and worth a look !!



Thence to the Royal Exchange to meet Mrs S and our mates from Rochdale (Penny & Paul) and watch "HayFever" - a Noel Coward play that was brill - very very funny - very well acted (the cast were all "into it" and it bounced off the audience really well - thoroughly recommended if you get the chance)

And my day's pictures - with the baby Fuji - are at ...............

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/InManchester/
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"Reduced" EBay Action tonight ...

... as in "cheap cheap" - and we had a winner !! A ticket stub for a Steve Hillage gig at Newcastle City Hall in 1979 - I saw him on that same tour in Sheffield City Hall - I was at Sheffield Poly at the time (got some photos somewhere as well) ....

99p plus a quid p&p - cheaper than all this photographic gubbins eh what ...... since read about that lens I "nearly" got the other night - review said "not good for moving objects" ... so maybe a blessing in disguise....now going to check out Sigma 24-60mm f2.8 and/or (maybe just maybe) a Canon 85mm f1.8.

Oh and for the pic people - this was on at Stalybridge Buffet Bar earlier this week ...

"The Snip" - Something to Do ...

...well Murray's out so - I bought a new iron and tidied up my left wrist - you know what irons look like (if you don't you're a sexist old git who should be sat in front of the telly being waited on hand and foot by wife, who would of course be reading this to you as well) ... but ... left wrist ... here goes ...

Here's all the crap "in situ" - Leeds 2006, Download 2007 and Alton Towers 2008..



Next - Mrs Smiffy with Mr Snipper



Oooooh look - Mr Snipper "goes for it" ..... at speed ....




eeek - see the bare wrist .....



..and finally - the "remnants" next to some hastily scribbled Blue Square North fixtures for next season (they're out today you know ......)



... who knows where the next game comes from .....I didn't get an NLP last Sunday so ... we'll see ...
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Summer Football - HA !!

Well .... a balmy July evening in downtown Woodley - that's Woodley Stockport not the Reading version ... last night's "predicted" timetable worked well - the problems began for as the 330 bus left Hyde about 1925, and it started "spitting" - I got off @ Woodley precinct (under reconstruction) to be greeted by bloody monsoon conditions - it's a several minute walk from the "main road" through to the ground - all it took me to get p*ss wet through and panic about the water resistancy of my camera bag. Into ground (free) - into bar - get beer check gear - all OK. Started to dry self and went for a peep outside - they'd started somewhat earlier than 2000 - OK 15 minutes but ... the next 70 minutes were spent under the shed, out for a bit, getting wet, drying off a bit - then getting wetter than I was in the first place, whipping out the beer towel and generally doing all the stuff you're supposed to do between November and February - in the end I gave up (about 2115 - so about 10/15 minutes missed) - it was 1-1 when I left - the Duki Town equaliser was a screamer that I (+ camera) did NOT expect (a poor excuse for "I missed it !!").

Some pictures at ...

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/WoodleyDuki/


I got the 2130 back to Ashton - thence to Stalybridge Buffet Bar for a couple - then home - then here ....
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Football Kick-Off Alert

Tomorrow (eek today) the Woodley Sports v Dukinfield Town pre-season friendly game will be kicking off at 2000 hours - and not seven as originally touted !)

Handy for me anyway - Mrs Smiffy in Leeds (via train there and back) - me picking up car @ Stockport at 1700 (our Michelle moving to Stoke and bringing car "part way back") - I then pick up our Peter from his "work experience jobbie" in Guide Bridge (finishes @ 1800) and return him - and car - home. I can then get the 1857 train to Ashton, folowed by 1915 (?) bus to Woodley .....

Football's coming home/back/whatever .....

...oh and if anyone wants to see any more Dragonboat pix - there's a few at

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/DragonBoats/

enjoy .........