If all else fails ....

... there's the slippery slope to capitalism ....arrived this week (double-click for big !)



(You might JUST be able to see the sly use of tippex on the share price !!!)

Note also that I only bought 5 shares - rather than 56 (incidentally the year of my birth - back in the 20th century - strange ...)

Hey ho - football this afternoon - wonder what the score will be 1-1 ? 1-0 ? 0-0 ? Incidentally - if you run those numbers together you get 111000 - must mean something to someone ....
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And in the midst of Sh*t

...life goes on - even @ two in the morning - Mossley fan Stuart held his 40th up @ the club tonight , and I had time off to visit ...



bit of a dodgy "right hand side" - but hey .......



only "babycam" mind ....my excuse and I'm sticking with it - my "babycam" is soooo old school these days ....
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Friday the 13th - again ....

It was Friday 13th February that we had "that meeting" at work where it all began - and I picked up my "at risk" letter before heading off for a week of "25th Wedding Anniversary" party at the Elizabethan gaff down Derbyshire way.

The 30 day consultation is over. Those "followers" who were quick off the mark late last night and early doors today may have seen some prose from my good self regarding various aspects of the "company that I have never named" during this whole kerfuffle/charade/butchering process. However - when I noticed that an IP address from Dubai had been on the site this morning, I thought it politic to remove said offerings, purely on the point I've made on that message - that redundancy will pay something - and the sack will not - even though the company has never been named - remembering also the "hits" from India a couple of weeks ago . I will freely point out that the "incompetent managment" (that got us into the sh*t in the first place) has now been replaced by a more ruthless regime - that is fact - people have been sacked on the spot - people have been escorted from the building - that is fact. I may have called one particular department a derogatory name ("piss up in a brewery" I believe) - I still believe that to be fact - I mentioned that they would - hopefully - be sending out letters containing the "meaningless scores" (that we can't divulge) today - I am led to believe that they DID print them out today - on the wrong paper (!), and then had to redo the whole thing ("theca probo" ???) ... I will await the letter in the morning. My words about a particular meeting I attended still hold true - attempting a major software change/upgrade in a ridiculous timescale "at this time", with some weird lines of communication - I still believe this to be true - may Frith prove me wrong - if only for those who will remain - maybe me maybe not me .....

However - it's Friday night - and it's Stuart's 40th birthday bash up at Mossley Football Club - so I'm going up there to try and enjoy/forget etc for a bit - won't be easy - coming home tonight I had to "step out" of Stalybridge Buffet Bar for a while - it all got a bit "too much" to be honest !

Still - football tomorrow afters - hopefully Mossley can put the two midweek defeats behind them and give Chorley a good seeing to ...

Laters ............
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What every peace-loving socialist goes for ..

... a touch of "Rambo III" on ITV4 - you can't beat a cute one-sided p*ss-take on reality (I mean - surely the Americans would NEVER indulge in that kind of torture ... would they). What dated the film for me was the quote at the end "Dedicated to the gallant people of Afghanistan" ......

Interesting point though - Sly Stallone v the "Russki baddie"-cum-whirlybird pilot towards the end (Zaysen) - looked like "John Rambo vs John Peel" to me - ho ho ..

Never mind - reality bites - time for "The Wicker Man".
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A lot happens in 24 hours ...UPDATED

xxxxxxxxxxx there was stuff here last night xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxx but I decided xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxx redundancy is better - financially - than the sack xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxx even though NO company names were mentioned xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxx (sitemeter.com told me that Dubai had been looking) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Saturday = Mossley v Chorley, followed by nosh-up in Rochdale, staying over and walking on Sunday - so expect no random numbers until Sunday afternoon/evening (same will go for footy pix/report etc). Hope you can cope - never mind me ....! (Thinking it through - I could get something up before lunch on Saturday ... hmmm ....).

Meanwhile in a regular "clear out small camera" exercise ... I offer ...



A rather dodgy-looking beer pump (!!)



Platform 2 @ Stalybridge Station on Wednesday morning - a Hyde United effort from the night before maybe ??



Wednesday night @ the Buffet - a bit of a p*ss-take - but how about that for a "Pub of Dreams" - detail below ....





Yes we like Millstone beer ....!!

Enough for now - Twitter has kept me up to speed with Mossley's 4-2 defeat at Skelmersdale United tonight - bugger is the other operative word - what WILL tomorrow bring .......
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Sod it all ...

I'm having a night off.........
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Sod Work - Football Tonight

...OK last night !!! Keeping it short - it's ten to two (my theory being if I stay up late I may get 4 hours uninterrupted kip rather than the hourly "panic wake up" as described yesterday)

To football - Mossley have gone to Ossett Albion - and lost 3-0 - my half-time call said "we should be 6-1 up on chances" - but you've gotta put them away ...

Me - and 603 others - went for the local derby betwixt Stalybridge Celtic and Hyde United - pix to be found at

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/StalybridgeHyde/

again not my best - but I claim "extenuating circumstances" at the moment - see previous posts - and posts to come I'm sure !!

A "feisty" first half - well controlled by the ref I thought - the red was apparently deserved (I was on the bloody phone at the time so - one eye, one ear, no lens !!) - there were accusations of retaliation - but I have to put my Arsene Wenger hat on and say "Je regarde rien" - or summat like that. Credit the ref - after that it could have been a "cardfest", but he used his nouse - good to see ! Celtic still have something to sort out at the back - like last Tuesday, until the goals went in, it could have been so different. A deserved win in the end mind - a crowd of 604 sounds OK - but this game should have happened on New Years Day where a four figure crowd would have been expected - curse the bloody weather (it has been the same for so many clubs who had their "local derby" game postponed over Crimbo - yep Mossley too !).

Think I'll stop there .............
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"Tower of Doom" - StarDate Monday

Well everybody turns up for work - everybody sits at their desk - everybody turns on their pc - after that - God only knows what people are doing (for any people who worry about their agency staff - they do the same - just get three times the rate !) The news from the front - when we do get the scores (albeit one week behind schedule - such is management !) there will apparently be a proviso in the letters that say we will NOT be allowed to divulge these "scores" to any other member of staff as they are classed as "confidential" - as I've already pointed out, a number like 53 or 37 or even -(minus) 15 (easily possible if your attendance record is crap and/or you've had a verbal/written warning !) is completely meaningless if you've nowt to compare it against.

OK - we have been asked to be "professional" about the whole thing - phrases like "team spirit" have also been bandied about (desperate straits ?) - but when you're in the whole "30 day consultation period", it's got to be extremely difficult to give a sh*t at times - last week was a "hiatus" with next to nothing happening - I'm sure there are people working their socks off in the vain hope that this will make a difference - I'm sure - b*ll*x I KNOW - it won't make any difference at all, as in many cases the choices between who stays and who goes have already been made - it's just that we (and those who have already "decided") have to work within this legal timescale..

It's interesting to talk to people outside of our "Tower of Doom" - to find this same scenario is happening to them as well - I know of several peeps who are in the same sh*t - my bro-in-law (works for JCB in Rocester) has been on short time since before Christmas - I know a Mossley fan whose hours have been cut from 40 to 32 (basically down to a 4 day week) - the Derby Evening Telegraph are messing with the sub-editors - it's a corny phrase, but it's happening all over - doesn't make me feel any more comfy though...

It messes with your life - big style - there are people calling in sick in so many places (psycho-sematic I'm sure in many cases) - my sleep patterns are completely b*ll*xed (last night I was waking up once an hour every hour - - same on many days over the last three weeks) - I've been sorting out my "pre-redundancy shopping list" i.e things I ought to buy while there's still money coming in (for your info I've got as far as new trainers, new walking boots, extra socks, close off the Bank of Scotland credit card - and stuff like that) - silly things you do - but are they silly ... one thing I DO know is my Euro-Millions Lucky Dip last Friday failed miserably !!!!!!

The interesting point for me is that I was made redundant during the last "recession" in the early 80s - in 1984 I got married, bought a house, bought a car - redundancy arrived soon after. Slightly different now - mortgage still there - just - but one child @ university, one still heading that way (and the eldest going her own way but not yet earning millions - if you're reading this George Martin at Abbey Road - or anyone at Fowey Studios - give her an interview !) So the knowledge of the whole job loss thing is there - but I was younger then - and still "employable".

Shall we talk about football now - cus I'm sure that's what you're really looking for - see Durham have slipped up again tonight - at Radcliffe Borough for Frith's sake !! Curzon Ashton could only draw at home to Trafford (who entertain Mossley next midweek in the semi-final of the Unibond Presidents Cup - winners to play Quorn). Mossley get the rematch @ Ossett tomorrow night - interesting to hear the Mossley Manager interview on MossleywebTV - after the 5-3 game last Saturday he has visions of a 0-0 draw - which wouldn't be all bad !! See:

BEWARE - Chris Wilcock shouts at the end !!!

Me - Stalybridge v Hyde tomorrow - I make no excuses for choosing this option - on Thursday Mossley are again away at Skelmersdale - who are on a "blip" at the moment (they lost to Quorn on Saturday in their Presidents Cup Semi - hence the earlier words) - four points would be good from the two Mossley midweekers - fingers crossed - I'm going nowhere Thursday (I did well to get Tuesday/Thursday last week !!!!!)

Nearly midnight - probably a good idea to call it a day...need to psyche myself up for the big match tomorrow night - work ? - a necessary intrusion .........
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Mossley 5 Ossett Albion 3

My second game this week with 8 (eight) goals - although a fairer spread today at Seel Park ! Original plan today was to go to Belper with Mrs Smiffy to see bro-in-law Patrick who had a nasty accident last week involving a mitre saw, tendons and a bone (don't ask). However my "snapper fight" with Belper Tim at the Belper Reserves v Graham St Prims game (Nailers won 3-1 by the way) had to be shelved for a number of reasons (don't ask).

A lunchtime drink at Stalybridge Buffet Bar to say "Hi !" to the Alfreton fans on their way to Droylsden - (they lost 2-0 by the way - and Wozza was again conspicuous by his absence !) turned into a trip back to Mossley to watch a tale of two defences (eek !) . The "Belper Connection" was there however as we saw the return of Danny Toronczak in a Lilywhite shirt - who claimed an "assist" in Mossley's opener by Reece Kelly. Not that easy though - Osset are a tidy team who quickly went 2-1 up before Lee Blackshaw brought us level just before half-time. Playing "uphill" second half saw new boy Nathan Neequaye get the luck of the bounce against the Ossett keeper to make it 3-2 - however a penalty at the other end brought it back to 3-3. However 60 seconds later Thursday night's MOM Simon Wood went for the "distance option" and cleared Ashcroft to make it 4-3 before Danny T marked his return with a fifth. Still time for Mossley to miss a penalty as well ... but 5-3 against a "team above" ain't all bad - the "return" is on Tuesday night - I handed my "apologies for absence" note into the management (I'm "glory hunting" at Stalybridge Celtic v Hyde United). Here's a "little tempter" from today - I rather liked it so if you don't want to go elsewhere enjoy this pic of new boy Nathan Neequaye ..



Oh all right then - rest of the pictures at ...

Mossley 5 Ossett Albion 3

No walkies tomorrow with Mrs Smiffy being "daarn there" and me being "oop ere" - I'm going for the "relaxed" Sunday (i.e. clean up house, sort out washing, make exotic tea for later) ....

...and then it will be Monday - and back to the "Tower of Doom" ....................
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Late Night Thing

Job update - the magical "consultation kerfuffle" has slipped a week - some people haven't even had their first interviews (!) - so the issue of the magical scores has been put back until Friday 13th (ha - Comic Relief Day ? Sounds about right). The information about enhanced redundancy payments has made "da management" stop and think however (twas a tribunal where a company who tried a similar "statutory only" route were taken to court and they lost). What it does mean however is that the issue of the final "You're out" notices - and any subsequent appeals - is now condensed into one week rather than two - end of March date is still Armageddon .... and I thought they knew what they were doing ....
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Update from Thursday

... here's the pictures ..... I may be back later (you've not had a work/redundancy rant for a day or two - I've been saving it up !)

Mossley 2 New Mills 1

(Check it out later - when I've had a couple ....)

Oh go on ... here's a little quiz ..... what is this ????



1) The "Penis of Tutankhamen"
2) The vegetable known as "salsify"
3) An typical example of "company management"

You choose - any other options welcome !!!!!
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Mossley 2 New Mills 1

....and we're all going to Wembley for the Final ... oh all right Boundary Park for the Manchester Premier Cup agin Droylsden after tonight's game. Usual stuff - i.e. nowt (uploading on t'other pc as we type) - on tomorrow night for sure....I'm just too tired ..
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Celtic 7 (seven) - Hinckley 1

(I use the "videprinter option" for Rascal !!!) At last we have pictures ... and shock horror they're not as cr*p as I felt they were last eve .... got a shout on all 8 (sorry eight) goals so there !

Stalybridge Celtic 7 (seven) Hinckley United 1

Work remains poo - although a couple of e-mails I sent out have brought some interesting results - not from the Union (they seem to give as much of a toss as the bloody company themselves) - however I have replies from other areas - the company's refusal to actually recognise the union looks a bit iffy (even if the union is failing to recognise their own f**king members !!) - and the company option not to pay enhanced redundancy payments looks similarly iffy (we have an Industrial Tribunal ruling which could be seen as precedent ..). Staff Forum "charade" took place late tonight - we await ....

Football tomorrow - the "Jop Jameside Derby" (Manchester Premier Cup Semi-Final) between the "Lillywhites" (sic) and New Mills (Derbyshire) is still on at the mo - despite sun/snow/hail/everything under the sun today - we'll see.......
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Stalybridge Celtic 7 Hinckley United 1

Will have to wait until tomorrow night - OK today night ....

You've seen the score ..................

Some "bits and bats" ...

....might be of interest to some people in these "hard times" ...

My employer has gone 'bust': how can I claim my pay owed to me?

Where an employer becomes insolvent owing debts to employees there is a special scheme to compensate these workers. This is known as the 'Insolvency Provisions' of the Employment Rights Act 1996. Under Section 184 of the Act the Department of Employment Redundancy Payments Section will pay to such workers the following debts:

Any arrears of pay up to eight weeks.

Any statutory notice pay.

Up to six weeks' holiday pay.

Any basic award of compensation for unfair dismissal from an employment tribunal.

Reimbursement of fee or premium paid by an apprentice or articled clerk.

Repayment of contributions to occupational pension scheme collected from employee's pay but not paid into pension scheme by employer - Section 124 Pension Schemes Act 1993.

Redundancy payments - Section 166 ERA 1996.

Contact must be made with the local Department of Employment Redundancy Payments Section for the appropriate forms. If a claim is refused by the Department of Employment, an appeal may be presented to an employment tribunal, normally within three months of the refusal.

Pension ? Insolvent company ? www.pensionprotectionfund.org.uk

For the majority of people below their scheme’s normal pension age the Pension Protection Fund will pay 90% level of compensation.

In broad terms and in normal circumstances, this means 90% of the pension an individual had accrued immediately before the assessment date (subject to a review of the rules of the scheme by the Pension Protection Fund) plus revaluation in line with the increase in the Retail Prices Index between the assessment date and the commencement of compensation payments (subject to a maximum increase for the whole period calculated by assuming RPI rose by 5% each year). This compensation is subject to an overall cap, which, as at April 2008, equates to £27,770.72 at age 65 (the cap will be adjusted according to the age at which compensation comes into payment. Please refer to the current compensation cap factors).

Once compensation is in payment, the part that derives from pensionable service on or after 6 April 1997 will be increased each year in line with the Retail Prices Index capped at 2.5%. Again, this could result in a lower rate of increase than the scheme would have provided.

Can I be made redundant if my employer's business is transferred to another employer ?

If made redundant because of a transfer of your employer's business to another employer then this may be unfair dismissal under the 1981 TUPE Regulations. Failure to consult the union in these circumstances could mean a payment to the employee of 13 weeks' pay. This is on top of any redundancy payment.

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PLEASE NOTE - This is purely for information and bears NO relation to any company that I personally am aware of ..
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A Sunday Walk ...

Dragged out an old book today - circa 1996 called "20 Circular Walks in and around Tameside" - and went for Number 16 (Godley to Godley - taking in Matley, Bower Fold, Shaw Moor and Harrop Edge). A mile or so in we were regretting not bringing the canoe and the gun to shoot the 'gators (not having reaching Stalybridge Celtic at this time meant I was unable to use the "Bayou Fold" pun (probably a blessing !) ...



The other problem with the start (and ultimately the finish) of the walk was the all-pervading noise of the M67 - we got used to it in the end (you have to - unfortunately). Next pic chosen for the "sunshine effects" ..



Weather improved as we went on - maybe a local walk for us, but not having done it before meant we were getting completely new angles on places we've known for years .. one here taken up on ShawMoor looking down on Stalybridge (I've uploaded it big so double-click enlarges ..) Just above the sheep's head is the viaduct that is Stalybridge Station - up again and slightly left is the blue of Ikea in Ashton to name but two landmarks ...



From the tops it was back down past the Roe Cross and heading back over to the M67 - spotted this strange "peeling paint effect" on an electrical substation/box-type thing next to the M67 ...



... finishing with either a "struck by lightning" tree (or a "let's build a fire in the knot hole" tree !)



A jolly 7 miler to take one's mind off another week of cr*p that will be work - now heading towards the "level 2 - you're really in the sh*t sunshine !" level of the 'redundancy month' - some places have "Book Month" and "Film Month" - we just have "30 days and 30 nights leading towards the wilderness" - as with last Sunday - shirts ironed, prepared for a weekly pass ... and fortunately looking forward to more "take your mind off it" stuff - the promise of football on Tuesday night (Stalybridge Celtic v Hinckley United) and then again on Thursday when we have this up at Seel Park ...



Don't know about you, but a "Jop Jameside Derby" ??? Even if you convert "J" to "T" .... New Mills ?? It's High Peak - It's Derbyshire - It's positively an "international match" ... although there are a fair few ex-Mossley players turning out for the Millers this season .. but, tis the chance of a Final (Boundary Park Oldham I believe ..) - and must therefore be taken seriously. Talking of finals ... after yesterday's 5-2 win over Marske United, Glossop North End find themselves in the Semi-Final of the FA Vase - brilliant - at Mossley we managed three Quarter Finals, but that must have been very satisfying yesterday @ Surrey Street - and a crowd of 1100+ as well - would be nice to wangle a "snapper pass" were the Hillmen to reach Wembley ... but I've only got the collateral of the Calverton pix in the 2nd Qualifying Round - the attendance at Calverton was 51 that day back in September !!! For posterity I offer ..

Calverton MW 1 Glossop NE 4

We await the semi-final draw with interest ...
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Mossley v Starbeck Locos ..

OK - Harrogate RA to the purists !! Definitely two points chucked away by Mossley today - weathered the early Harrogate storm (certainly a warning here ..) - got the goal "uphill" and should really have powered on from there - however the attacking options just seem to 'disappear', and one goal is never enough at any level of fitba ... oh yes pictures ...

Mossley 1 Harrogate RA 1

So ... disappointing really- should have done much better (aaargh ... memories of Parents' Evening last Thursday) - and twas an early departure from the club aftermatch to catch the 1755 "overcrowded nodding donkey" to Manny Vic - why overcrowded ?? Because the 1829 doesn't stop at Mossley anymore so everyone has to get the earlier one ... off to the theatre tonight to see the "Scottish Play" - but first a couple of beers at the top of the Urbis - very smart and a great view as well - as in ...




(next time I go I'm taking proper camera !!) - OK beer a touch pricey but beats going to some really really posh place like the "Living Room" and getting a glass thrust in your face (if not 'local', check out Manchester Evening News website to "get the jist" !).

The play - well I'll admit I've never been a real Bill Shake fan - it was one of "those things" you did to get "O"/"A" Levels - but I did have a rough idea of this one - and it was really well done - updated with the costumes (they all wore camouflage rather than kilts !!) - lots of "Kensington Gore" - they had to clean the floor at half-time ! The witches were great - only youngsters but very very good. It was a late finish so hotfoot to ManVic for the "last train home" - a few beers - sort out footy pix - wobble about - and now this ... tomorrow (today !) will see walk ... somewhere ...watch this space ...
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Work Crap - Nearly Forgot ... ho ho ...

Redundancy shit - continues - here's a laff - as part of the "consultation exercise" (lmao) the weekly meeting was arranged with "da management" and reps next Wednesday for 1400 - 1530 - it was later re-scheduled for 1600 - 1730 - i.e well outside core hours. I saw this as management taking this "consultation exercise" really really seriously - not - OK be blunt, they're taking the p*ss !! I immediately e-mailed the rest of the reps suggesting a "block decline" - only to be told "I've accepted" ... "I've accepted" ... "No problem with this - I'll stay till midnight" and other such sh*t. So there you have it - the management "try it on" - the reps "roll over and accept" - no doubt the next meeting will be held on a Saturday lunchtime and the reps will be falling over themselves to get into the building on time.

Me - bollocks to it - my resignation from both the Staff Forum and Union Rep is in the post. I've been emailing our Amicus/Unite rep this week to be met with .... Jack Sh*t ... last week when I was on holiday, one of the members got in touch with the union to be told "We'll get back to you" - they didn't ... they haven't - a waste of time (and nine quid a month by the looks of it).

Never mind - sometime next week someone will send me a letter that says "47" - my kick-out criteria total that means absolutely f*ck all as we are not allowed to see anyone else's scores - so why bother - the whole thing is a total charade put together by very clever people, who had they spent more time sorting out the Project Management f*ck ups from the previous regime - this whole sorry episode may never have happened. I may have said it before, but the incompetent bumblers have been replaced by hatchet men - and it's us buggers who have been doing their best - and those whose views/ideas/options have been consistently ignored by the pillocks in charge that have led to this - naturally those earlier "pillocks in charge" are now long gone ... but with damn site better pay-offs than us "low levellers" who are being sh*t on now - just think of that RBS b*stard Sir Fred Goodwin (even got a f*cking knighthoood !!!) - the price of failure is a £1898 per day pension - if I get the boot I get the Government statutory that's about £10,500 - little Freddie will get that in just over a week ....

It's like many people say these days - what is the point of being good, being honest, paying your way and paying your loans off - it's absolutely pointless - just get into the sh*t - and then beg for assistance - because assistance seems to arrive - at so many levels these days ... no doubt when I go to sign on I'll be treated like sh*t - just because I'm not a 17 year old one parent mother/father benefit scrounger ...

Happy weekend y'all ...
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Finally on Friday - Come on Glossop !

.... can't finish off tonight without wishing Glossop North End the very best of luck in their FA Vase Quarter Final against Marske United .... they should get a decent crowd as well (I could myself ... but ... we (Mr/Mrs) are scooting off to the Royal Exchange -in the evening to see ..... "The Scottish Play" !!! )

(Anyways I've got the entire photo collection from the Calverton MW v Glossop NE 2nd Qualifying Round game way back in September !!).

Seriously though - you're "over the border" vis-a-vis "Six Tame Sides" - for me - Mossley v Harrogate RA - but we're ALL rooting for you ....
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Spotify

Another plug - the new super duper internet music thingy - get on www.spotify.com, set up your account (very simple), download/install the software (very fast) and start listening ... it's brill - it's got literally "everything" (tonight at home we've had Barclay James Harvest, Kiki Dee, John Dowland - at work I found Steve Hillage and Todd Rundgren and Joe Satriani) - James (@ work) went for Billy Bloody Joel !!

There's the option for continuous music - choose your genre - basically it's brill - and free !

(and if you're that way inclined - the new U2 album is up there ...)
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Attention People of Bristol !!!

Yep - it's shameless plug time for our family friend Cleo - tomorrow sees the opening of

"Clifton Vintage Boutique" @ The Arcade, Boyces Avenue, Clifton, Bristol

It all kicks off at 12 noon - apparently the door opens and you the punter exchanges money for vintage clothing - style, quality - or just something "different" to wear on a night out.

Tell them Mike from Mossley sent you !

Good Luck Cleo ....
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If it's Thursday it must be ....

... more of the bloody same at the "Tower of Doom" - I'll tell you what really p*sses me off - some call it "gallows humour" I guess, but it's so bloody forced - we're sat there - working with people (many who we've known for many years) knowing that very soon someone is going to say "You Go" to one person and "You Stay" to the other ... and they're expecting productivity ????


Much of today was spent fannying around with "minutes" from yesterday's "consultation" - which should really have said "Company Enhancement on top of Government Statutory - NO" - the rest was (to be honest) really meaningless cr*p - but it kept the e-mail system happy for a while ... and how about this - I check my blogsite stats to find some fancy-dan search engine software - http://www.cymfony.com - is checking out my website - and strangely enough, it's coming from a Delhi IP address (and strangely enough, our company is owned by an Indian company - think they're the ones who are really pulling the strings on this redundancy exercise as well !!) - "... gain insight on what people are saying about your company" - strange that I haven't mentioned the "company name" on the blog at all this year !!! Someone's grassed me up - guaranteed ....

Had to do Parents Evening tonight as well - aaargh - say no more (he knows what he's gotta do between now and GCSE time !!) - caught the last 15 minutes of the City/Copenhagen game - and now here - have had a phone call from Andy W advising of a poss job opportunity with GMP - I will pass the info on to our Lotus Notes team tomorrow - I can do Lotus Notes development myself (irony - the Staff Recruitment System @ work is "one of mine") but like so many areas - I'm not fully trained up/certified - they never used to like training people up too much in certain specialisms at our place - just in case they left - ha !! This does put me in position poo as the "Jack of All, Master of None" vis-a-vis Oracle, SQL, Unix, Microsoft Access and Lotus Notes (turning into a cheap plug this !!!!!)

... Friday tomorrow ... actually Friday in about 2 minutes ...
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Update - Football and Work Stuff

First things first - pix from last night now up and running at

Celtic home hoodoo continues

Work ? A "staff forum" meeting today - apparently it's part of the "consultation exercise" - I call it going through the motions - we can "jaw jaw" - but it's a done deal - in other words - 50% of the company are f*cked no matter what - wonderful - enough to turn you to drink (if that turn hadn't already been made) - 'tis the stress-related smoking that's scaring me ....

Fingers crossed for the sub-editors at the "Derby Evening Telegraph" as well - it's all kicking off daaaaarn there as well (with me knowing a sub-editor) ... anyone else out there in "recession land" heading for oblivion ??? Not to worry - KFC will be "taking on" soon - with most in the North of England apparently ....
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Stalybridge Celtic v Gateshead

Celtic lost 2-1 - too late to do so much ..try

Celtic Goal
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Good to be Back ...

Imagine a five storey funeral parlour where people - either under orders or through sheer bloody-mindedness - are wandering around with forced grins and that "crisis - what crisis ?" attitude. Welcome to my world - the world where, by Friday, those who reach "stage two in the sack race" will have been selected. As predicted earlier, it looks like six will drop to three in our department ... times like this you wish you worked in the "safe areas" of the Finance Department or the HR Department ...

OK I lied about working in HR - I picked up my "at risk" letter last Friday before going on holiday - they still saw fit to send another copy to my house - does that make me doubly at risk ??) - at least they got the address right - more than they did for one poor "victim" who thought they were "safe" - until it transpired their letter had gone to number 27 rather than number 20 - I kid you not !

Not quite sure how efficient/productive our place will be this week - I believe the idea is to "be professional about it" until you are guaranteed "surplus to requirement" - after that, who knows ? Maybe the "most professional" thing to do would be to just walk out and head for the garden ..... I had to put my union hat on today as well (as well over 50% of union members have got the "dark mark"). The fact that our union has as much power as a wet f*rt in a vacuum (too busy standing up for 850 agency staff @ Cowley - that's agency staff with no rights/ t's & c's etc - those who are on three times the hourly rate of staff) - in our workplace the management are more likely to recognise Norwich Union (OK Aviva) - they keep quoting Amicus even though we're now Unite the Union.

Enough of this meandering - there's football to be had up Mottram Road tomorrow night - I just get this feeling that Stalybridge Celtic will turn this "home nightmare" around - I'm sure Mossley will do OK @ Warrington Town (a bloody nightmare by public transport - especially on a midweek eve !) as well ...

... but first - another 8 hours @ the "Tower of Doom" .... not this one (@ Six Flags America in Maryland) though !!!

the only way is down ...
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Got the walk in ....

... weather cr*p in the end, but we managed a six miler around the Holme/Digley Reservoir area - pix in the post ...

(while waiting for the weather to improve I actually ironed about 8 work shirts - wonder if I'll need 'em all ? More to the point - do I buy a weekly rail ticket tomorrow morning ?!!!?)

One important footy game today - Marske United beat St Ives 3-0 in the FA Vase and will now be Glossop North End's opponents next Saturday - we're now at the Quarter Final stage ....
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Mossley v Clitheroe

Well - first live footy game for a fortnight for me - a great excuse for my cr*p photo efforts (especially when the goal went in on 99 minutes or whenever if was) - I certainly wasn't the only one - people were streaming past me trying to escape from the ground at 89 mins - I said to York Branch "Was it worth it ??" - no answer until I met 'em in the club after the winner had gone in - but I ramble - some pix for your ....

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/MossleyClitheroe/

Win ugly ?? Why not .... Tis the sign of a team who will go places ... and it's also nice to see that Mossley managed to give (last Tuesday) enough of a "kick up" Retford ("sans Harvey"), thus enabling Belper to "do them" ("avec Harvey") 3-2 on their own patch today (with a late winner as well !!)

But what the f.... were Stalybridge Celtic doing today - OK losing - at home - again - their home/away record is something like Stafford's - p*ss poor at home but great away. Only prob with Celtic is they now have 10 @ home and 7 away in order to get in the play-offs ... Droylsden win @ Farsley ergo catching up Celtic ..... Hyde lose what I call a "six pointer" at Stafford (which completely cocks up my earlier statement !!!!!) - Curzon win - Ashton United lose ...

Mossley @ Warrington on Tuesday - I'm going for the Stalybridge Celtic v Gateshead option - if the sh*t really hits the fan @ work, I know I CAN use my Conference Photo Licence to its fullest extent - i.e. it does allow free entry (although I've never really taken advantage of this - cus I'm a proper socialist !).....

Still to go through the holiday snaps - but weather looks good for a walk tomorrow/today ...

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Return to ....

.... Frith only knows - apparently the entire IT department got "letters of doom" - my guess is that it's gonna be like "Celebrity Death Match", with the two hardware guys, the two software guys and the two Lotus Notes guys fighting it out .... there's been a few/lot of meetings this week - no doubt I'll find out more / have my "meeting" on Monday no doubt !

For now - 300 pix of an excellent weeks holiday to go through before charging everything up for some football tomorrow .... this is the cheap one-bed fleapit where I've been for the last 7 days !!!

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In the words of Yosser Hughes ...

.... GIZZA JOB !!

... because I'm on the "hit list"

... but for now - it's holiday time ..
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Late Night Transport Moan ...

.. mentioned earlier that boy has new Sunday jobbie at Pet Shop in Guide Bridge - up to now he's "had a lift" in the morning (0930 start) - with us being away this weekend (and more) we checked out public transport options, only to find that it is impossible to leave Mossley towards Ashton/Guide Bridge before 0937 on a Sunday (no better going via Stalybridge either) !!!! There are regular buses from Ashton to Guide Bridge from about 0630 on a Sunday - it's just an hours walk to Ashton from Mossley mind ............................

I could blame those t*ssers who vote "NO" for the Congestion Charge - but I won't - Mossley has ALWAYS been a poor relation in the public transport stakes - and this just sums it up really. With so many shops now open on Sundays, you might expect better methods of transport - especially as many weekend workers ARE the youngsters without the aid of petrol-driven things ...

One for GMPTE to have a look at I feel ...



(Tee hee !)
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Different Sh*t - Different Fan

Fresh from ... whatever ... today's post was going to be entitled "Wee Cough" - because I've got one - starting tonight - a bit of a seven day silver wedding anniversary booze-up/chill-out at (believe it or not) an Elizabethan Manor House what we've rented - 14 beds and open house for all the family members.

AND THEN - I get an invite @ work to a hastily-arranged "Staff Forum" meeting on Friday morning, entitled "Restructure" - apparently some of the "hatchet men" are back from the "hatchets anonymous" meeting in Abbey Dabbey. And rumours that began at the end of last week start to take on a new meaning - looks like we're in for some serious redundancy sh*t - some of the numbers quoted sound rather nasty (DTI have allegedly been informed on the 60 day "gig" - so we're talking twixt 20 and 99 - 99 is nearly 50% of the full-time staff !!! ) Therefore holiday does not begin tonight - as the Union Rep/Shop Steward/Bolshie Opinionated Bar Steward, I'd better be there. Reading between the many lines - eek !

In the words of SteveMcCroskey (Lloyd Bridges) in "Airplane" - "Looks like I picked the wrong week to ...."

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Tuesday - Football .......

....ish .

Mossley off, Stalybridge Celtic off - got out later on (after fulfilling an earlier request from Mrs Smiffy viz "make something with sprouts cus we've got some left from last Thursday's veg box") - if anyone wants the recipe let me know (it involved sprouts, chicken, carrots, breadcrumbs/cheese amongst other stuff) -it was rather nice. 2047 train to Greenfield to watch the second half of the Brazil/Italy thing - Brazil 2-0 up when I got there (Manchester City 2 World Champions 0 as it was quaintly put) - got a bit busy in the 45 mins I saw (nice to see local boy Perrotta - born in Ashton-under-Lyne - giving Ronaldinho a good crack - yellow card fair cop !!). Back home on the 2151 train (message to Bez - I went home to see my wife - you married or still ... ?? Feel free to introduce yourself to me at Stalybridge Buffet Bar - you obviously know my timetable ....) and bugger - it was bloody snowing again. One in the Brit before going home - lad was watching "Shameless" - and there was one really serious "slag off" against the people from last year's City of Culture ...

And does anyone really care about England's friendly tomorrow - an excuse for many to get away from the wife and watch in down the pub - which is what the economic world needs these days - smoking ban does help to f*ck this up mind - bravo TB and his "Nanny State" government - just amazed that they've not introduced something about swearing in front of women at football matches (non-league) ....

Lizards ?? The new ones have arrived - but I'm on laptop at the mo and the pix are on team PC ... maybe tomorrow - Romeo and Juliet believe it or not - and loads of bouncing locusts for their delictation ...

Still hitting the fan ...

... judging by the comments received - just for "balance" (as one of my few supporters has accused me of having ..!!) - and for those who can't be *rsed to sign up to AFC Liverpool's forum - I cut and paste my reply to one of the few AFCL fans who have asked a civil question (scousesnail1) - who just asked what my gripe was with Jay Chandler - I replied as follows at about 1430 yesterday in an attempt to close this one off:

OK I'll attempt to bore the pants off you and "put this to bed" - football is a beautiful game - non-league even more so (why else would AFC Liverpool, FCUManchester etc exist ??). I've been watching non-league football since the late 1950s as a pushchair hooligan at Stafford Rangers (and before you ask - I DO remember Derek Goulding when he was at Marston Road - a little later on mind !). I think what I like most of all is the honesty - you go to work - you come home - you play football - to the best of your ability - you go home. As time has passed on - yes I'm nearly up there with the "elderly gentlemen" - the "dishonesty" of the highly-paid prima-donnas is starting to make inroads in a downward direction - it's spoiling a beautiful game and when I see it with my own eyes I take it as a personal affront, a personal insult - and the "grumpy old man" syndrome kicks in. I'm afraid your Mr Chandler's attitude on the park yesterday came into that category ... what makes it even worse (and further heightens my BP) is that so many clubs and so many players do not need to behave like that - as I've said elsewhere a tight game between two very good sides - I'd be surprised if you're not promoted (and if this is classed as a "butter melting in mouth" moment ...so be it ).

So what do you have there ? Probably the nearest this opinionated b*st*rd will give out as an apology (this "grumpy old man" thing is really gonna be useful from now on) .... however many feel the need to keep this one running - the constructive comments are still pouring in - mostly from the Wirral (looking at my IP stuff) - but there's even someone called Bez from Stalybridge - we're get the "total quality" stuff that really lets so many people down - acusations of AIDS, not wanting to spend "time with the misses (sic)" , talk of "anti-Manc" and "anti-Scouse "and stuff like that - which puts all those "There's ladies around.." quotes to shame. Another one of my (few) "backers" (called "Anonymous" strangely - like most of them) talked of stereotypes - what can I say - I live in Manc-Land - nowhere have I come across as anti-Liverpool (my Grandad came from Allerton - I still have relations just round the corner from the old South Liverpool ground (or railway station as it is now !)) - I made what I (still) believe to be a valid point about one player's attitude on the day - and you get all this sh*t.

Someone else on the AFCL board (samdoddsred) made the following point (thankfully, another who didn't insult):

"Jay Chandler is one of the quietest guys that you could meet, a really nice fella and a thorough gentleman. I take my wife to every game and I can assure you that having had many conversations with him he is a credit to AFC Liverpool". Sam also pointed out that the Cheadle no 18 had been giving out sh*t and maybe "it was him that broke Jay Chandler's patience"

OK maybe I got him on a bad day and he got me on a bad day ??? I've seen him once - I've seen AFC Liverpool once - fingers crossed we'll see each other again this season - to get a better balanced view (!!) - they'll go up - no probs

I've had a few "spats" on message boards with FCUM fans, AFC Telford fans - even Mossley fans (part of the opinionated b*st*rd syndrome) - but none of them - repeat NONE of them - have ever felt the need to lower themselves to some of the crass insults that have come from the Liverpool area - my rant at 1645 on Saturday must have lasted the best part of 2.5 minutes - some feel the need to drag it out just a touch longer... and lower the tone (behind the Anonymous moniker just in case some ladies are reading). And some of them even came up with constructive options like "fill you in", or "you'll get a good hiding" - interesting to see that options of violence are alive and well in the world of non-league football (Liverpool branch) - I could tell you about the good kicking I got @ Runcorn in the mid-1970s -but I've never been one to bear a grudge....

Must go - night in with the wife of 25 years - AIDS test in the morning .....and I've realised that last Friday night at the theatre (with the wife no less, Mr Bez !!) has been completely "mislaid". ("True Love Lies" at the Royal Exchange Theatre - very good indeed) Maybe more later ....
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"Tongue in Cheek" Productions present ...

A warm welcome/wilkommen/hiya to all who have taken Ossie's advice and trundled over here to see what a total t*t I am ... for those interested in ALL aspects of non-league football - feel free to peruse the many threads of matches involving more than just the "Six Tame Sides" - Real Ale - we've loads of it here (the site is almost sponsored by that "real ale mecca" known as Staybridge Station Buffet Bar). Trains ?? We've got lots of them on here as well - most of them late of course (cue muffled laughter) - looking for opinions - I've got loads (I am an opinionated bar steward of course) Liam Coyne ? type his name in the search box at the top and see how much we appreciate him as a footballer - hard and fair and most of all .. honest - he was MOM playing for Chorley when they stuffed Mossley - and he was great when he was at Mossley as well this season (I have to say this of course - I may need protection if I'm ever in the Prescot area)

Coming soon to T*t Towers in Mossley - more bloody lizards - not content with a blue tongued skink and a giant African land snail, the new vivarium arrived today (Peter now working Sundays in "the" Pet Shop at Guide Bridge as well - work at last !!) - the lizards turn up at a later date ....

Now I really must go - ... must fly - there's food to cook (tonight it's a Pork/Cider/Apple concoction for the carnivores - and quorn and mashed potato for the veggie !). - and THEN to decide which end of my monopod to shove up ..........




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Cheadle Town v AFC Liverpool

I'm putting this together at 0300 - excuse misprunts - we've had visitors tonight ..........

It was that kind of day today ... morning was agony.. Stalybridge, Curzon, Mossley friendly ?? And then things started to filter through - 0900 - Celtic off .... 1100 Curzon off .. a phone call to Cheadle Town was replied with a "deffo on" - whoo hoo - action. Celebrated with a trip to Ashton Asda with Mrs Smiffy to do "le shop" - dropped me off at Stalybridge at about 1230 - pint of Millstone "Vale Mill" before getting the 1244 into Picc just in time to miss the 1304 to Cheadle Hulme - Cheadle Town recommend Gatley as nearest station, but I know the way from Cheadle Hulme - cus I work there ! (and it was Rail Replacement cr*p down the Airport line as well today !) Train missed. I hit the Man Picc Sports Bar to watch some of the City v Middlesborough game - 0-0 when I left Manc - 1-0 when I get into the Penny Black @ Cheadle Hulme !!

Wandered down to Park Road (tis a wander !) to see a strangely small crowd - only game on round here, what's going on - bar is chocka with people with red scarves and strange accents though. Thence to the game - piccies at

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/CheadleLiverpool

A tight game between two very good teams - but unfortunately - the whingey "squeal like pigs" syndrome (noted when watching Warrington a couple of weeks ago) kicked in once again - for Frith's sake Liverpool - you are a good team - you DO NOT need to behave like dicks - and the number 2 Jay Challender (UPDATE - it's actually Chandler) was the complete pr*ck of the day - moan .. niggle .. hack .. whine .. get involved in anything that doesn't involve - what's the point ?? Stuff like that is just totally unnecessary - and there are many out there that see right through it ....

At the end of the game I checked out who the number 2 was - and when asked why I wanted to know I said "Because he's a complete f8cking twat!" - and this was followed by the (now totally boring) "A A A there's women and kids here !!" - God Almighty - it's always those from either Merseyside or Tyneside who come up with this little gem (cus no-one repeat no-one swears in Newcastle or Liverpool do they ??? ever ever ). I have heard this crap SOOOOO often - and if to add insult to injury a (not so young) lady turns to me and says "You're a disgrace to non-league football" - she obviously a supporter of a 'breakaway' team formed in 2008 talking to someone who has been watching non-league football for the best part of 45 years - obviously spent too much time amongst the thousands at Anfield - you can't hear the rude words in amongst that "you'll never walk alone" racket can you ??? I was hoping to get some better vibes from the AFC Liverpool experience ( I still struggle with the FCUM version) - this little "spat" showed me that there are still people trying to reinvent non-league fotball for their own ends - I'm afraid - at non-league level - if a player behaves like a tw*t he deserves to be called a tw*t - look at your own players and their behaviour before turning on complete neutrals - what I was today ... AFC Liverpool had a great chance to make me feel good about fan-based clubs - unfortunately one stupid / crass / uneducated comment has - to me - put them in the same "pot" as FCUM - several years ago AFC Telford United hit the non-league scene - and by Christ some of their fans behaved like complete cocky tw*ts at the outset - however it didn't take too long for the majority to realise where they were, what they were doing, and who they were "living with" - they got there - FCUM are slowly getting there - I just hope AFC Liverpool get there too - just lose the self-righteous crap - and jump into bed with non-league - it's nice really !
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Bitton v Glossop NE is OFF !

I say no more - Mossley game off too - see ...

there was a vid here - it's buggered off

(video courtesy SJNRs site) - apart from that ... check out the Stalybridge web site tomorrow @ about 0830 - if Jamie says "yeah" - they need snow shifters - I may need to wangle with Mrs Smiffy ...

There is a Mossley v Glossop friendly tomorrow/today @ Wright Robinson Sports College - ko @ 1215 - but I'm looking for unfriendly stuff ... Stalybridge .... and after that ... Cheadle Town - check 'em out - we'll find football ... somewhere ...
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The crisis continues - but anorak cheers !

For the third morning, the coffee machine @ Greggs on Piccadilly Approach was not working - curse this weather - always my option (why pay £1-80+ at Costa Lottie when by leaving the station and walking 50 yards you can save 50p or more !).


Snow - again today (morning anyway) - probably enough to cock-up up Saturday football - although I hope to be proved wrong ....if push comes to shove, there's probably "ways and means" of getting to Bitton v Glossop North End in the Vase ...


The trains remain the same - it's really been a "big up" to Northern Rail & First Trans-Pennine - they may have been sh*te over Christmas/New Year, but this snowy week -they've been excellent !


Anyway - to today's moment of total geekdom .... last year they installed extra lights on Platform 2 at Cheadle Hulme to enable bi-directional workings - and the lights were promptly covered with sticky tape for God knows how long ... but TONIGHT ... the screens showed the Crewe to Manc train as leaving from Platform 2 - a first (for me anyway !) - so naturally it's time to whip out the camera and "keep the moment" ... feather and all ...




... it's up there with the opening of Platform 0 (zero) at Stockport Station - check out the previous post including the word anorak !!!!!

an (almost) train at Platform 0 (zero) (Stockport)
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TV Footy = Desperation

Last night - my night out - I ended up watching Tottenham v Chelsea (1997/98) together with England v West Indies (1976 @ Trent Bridge) thanks to Arsenal "bottling it" 24 hours earlier - see "Southern Jessie" words below !!

Tonight .... a lack of home TVs meant no football until now (2330) -looking forward to the Forest/Derby game !!

Weekend offers - God only knows - we supposed to have more snow tomorrow - and we've still got loads on our pavements (usual sh*t - do the roads and sod the walkers) - incidentally one point from last weekend's debacle in Colwyn Bay - I had a bag of Walkers "Builders Breakfast" flavour crisps, suggested by a certain "Emma from Belper" - my initial enquiries tell me that there are many many Emmas in Belper - but who came up with the idea ??? I enjoyed them - and they sound far more tempting than Cajun bloomin Squirrel !!

(Shouldn't Bywater have walked ????)
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Southern Jessies ....

Snowed a bit today I'm told ... 0640 this morning, Radio 4 announced the "transport problems" viz London, London, South East, London etc etc bloody etc - the flipping London Underground was suspended !?!?!?! Now tell me I'm wrong, but "underground" implies large amounts of earth etc between sky and choo choo train (yes I AM aware of the outer London "overground" - and bits of the Circle Line) - my guess is that if London was closed today the credit crunch / recession problems have in fact tripled ....

Meanwhile in a land far far away (oop north) - my trains ran normally - I slipped and slid on the pavements - we only grit roads round here (no underground you see ..) - managed a day's work - got home OK on the trains (remember - 15 miles - three trains each way ...) - believe London still shut .... some piccies from today anyways ...starting with an exotic view from my 4th floor boudoir in Cheadle Hulme - a few miles straight ahead is Manchester Airport - where planes took off and landed today - unlike Heathrow (and they want another bloody runway ??)



The "missing pic" from Friday @ Stalybridge - no flunkeys in tonight so I get to go in the posh room !!



Coming home this evening - Mossley Station - where trains were running - unlike London ..



Our back yard (believe they're called "gardens" down south ... probably closed though - our back gate is broken !)



..and finally a quick fiddle with the old steel rule - I'd have probably found deeper, but I felt that the point had already been well and truly "made" !!!!!



Football - tomorrow - no bloody chance !!!
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Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar Conservatory

The "Official" opening took place on Friday night - here's the paparazzi view (i.e. from the "wrong side of the glass" - I left the inside stuff for the professionals !!)

Buffet Bar Conservatory Opening

and for any new comers thinking, "What's this all about ??", check this out for the full story ..

Demolish - and rebuild
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24 Hours after a 6-1 stuffing ..

GRRR but not as Angry/Suicidal - here's some piccies of the "Inter City Crew" - we lost a few on the way back (believe Topsy "gained a few" in his automobile !!) ..

Win or Lose - Have a Shandy !!

Prospects for midweek - it's snowing here ... and it's sticking ... eek ...
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Mossley into Europe .. HA !!

1-6

No effort - no points - no nothing .. a total shambles - that's all you get for now (and just this is ME putting in more effort than an entire football team) ....

UPDATE - It's ten't'two - here's the pictorial shambles from our Welsh sojourn ...

Stuffed like a bunch of English

Meh !
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Wednesday Catch-Up - Woodley Sports v Warrington Town

I was so close to getting it sorted last night - until I realised it was 0200 today - I went to bed !!! Pictures from a damp and damp night at Lambeth Grove to be found at

Woodley Sports 1 Warrington Town 0

(couple of belters with baby lens from behind the goal - my excuse for not getting a decent pic of the winner as well - i.e. too bloody close !!).

Woodley continue to be the "form team" in the league with 5 straight wins - better even than Skem (or in third place at the mo, Mossley's opponents on Saturday Bae Colwyn) .. but God almighty - Warrington - what a bunch of whingers !!!! Look - if it ain't Mossley (or Stafford Rangers !) I go to football games as a devout neutral - but bloody hell on the pitch, in the dug-out, and one fine gobby tw*t behind the barriers as well - a tale here - end of game he launches into the ref big style - I advise him to stop bloody whinging - he'd have won the Eurovision Whinge Contest - SOLO ! - he says "You've obviously never played football in your life" - I counter with "Looking at your figure - you neither matey !" - this was the same gob who when Woodley were "winding down the clock" was shouting "KICK HIM !". You baulk at using phrases like "Scouse Martyrs" - but really - the world can do without that sort of thing. Admittedly Woodley were a tad lucky - I'm sure Warrington hit woodwork more than the once I snapped - so by all means whinge in frustration - but NOT FROM MINUTE 1 TO MINUTE 93 - it does you no favours at all .... there was one really fierce tackle on Woodley's Russ Headley - he hit the (3G) deck - he rolled - he got up - he carried on .. there were many lesser tackles where WarRington players were squealing like pigs - just like them Premiership wimps on the box. It's worth remembering that if you're on £70,000+ a week, you CAN make a total d*ck of yourself in front of people (I certainly would !!) - but NOT at Unibond level please ...

Warington - the Wire - the Whinge more like - so I guess, I'll be the marked man on Feb 24th ..

Mossley into Europe - we find ourselves at the whim the the new simplified Rail Ticketing System - ha flipping ha - it's easier on frickin' EBay - we've watched the 'Advance' price go from £22 up to (I think now) £30 - that magic phrase "subject to availability" - total bollox - Stu got 3 tickets - I checked prices - they'd gone up - that's after buying THREE through tix from Mossley to Bae Colwyn - I'll be REALLY interested to see how full the train is - simplified ticketing - total crap ...

Enough for now ....back soon ...
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Monday - football, ju-jitsu, politics ...

Found out early doors that the Stalybridge game tomorrow is off as Alfreton have to travel to Buxton for a Derbyshire Senior Thingy tomorrow ... tonight boy goes to ju-jitsu so I got to watch about 40 minutes of the Burton v Barrow game on Sultana @ the Railway in Greenfield - naturally my support was for the Brewers (the last time Barrow were @ the Pirelli, I was there with my "Stalybridge hat" on in last season's Play-Off Final - not so many Barrow fans there tonight ..) Burton were pretty flaccid in the little that I watched (I've since found out they won 2-1 so .. hey) - what to do tomorrow - it's Woodley Sports v Warrington ...

But now I'm watching "Bloody Sunday" - another sad indictment of British thuggery, that continues to this day in Iraq and Afghanistan - although these later skirmishes come under the "Yankee banner" - we managed the Irish problem all on our own - and before we get the "American contributions to the IRA argument" - the Protestants were similarly sponsored were they not ? Never seen this before - but James Nesbitt is doing a fine job as the MP - maybe the British "power/attitude" - up to now - is a little "overdone" - but it's only 2315 and the march has not yet begun ... sign off now to watch the "meat" ... just listening to the "voices" (scripts ?) of the Paras though - a done deal of anti-Catholicism hidden behind a "crush the IRA" agenda ??

0030 Update - and the misery and injustice continues ... 36 years on .....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/bloodysunday
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Matlock Town v Leigh Genesis

Here's the pix - you can always ignore the rest !!

Matlock Town 5 Leigh Genesis 0

Got the nod early on Saturday that the Ilkeston game was off - so that meant less of a rush down the A6 to Belper (driving through Matlock of course ..). Dump car - cup of tea then on the train back to Matlock - last time I was there, Mossley were getting a good thumping - on my 50th birthday as well !! It was good to see some familiar faces in the club before the game as well - always had a solid/dedicated fan base at Matlock...

Leigh started the better side in this "basement battle" - I can only put it down to youthful inexperience that saw the game still at 0-0 after 20 minutes. It was at that point, that I thought "First goal will win it" - confidence and all that kerfuffle ... I'd been warned about Jamie Jackson before the start of the game by "Rico" from Matlock - his days of "phoning through" have disappeared (but I've read his write up on the NLP this evening !) - and it was Jackson who broke the deadlock - second goal - no idea ... curse these indoor toilets (all I could hear was "YESSSSS !!") - number three was a bit of a cock-up on the keeping front - although to be fair certain members of the Leigh defence were starting to go AWOL by now - and I've got a great photo of a great save by Danny Morton - with one major drawback - so I've hidden (some of) my incompetence behind some "fancy footwork"...you get the picture (ho ! ho !)



Half-time - another beer in the old dilapidated Social Club - I can remember it from the 70's when coming with Stafford Rangers ! Plans are afoot for a new build however, and having seen the plans and been given the talk (come on Football Foundation get your 50% in !) it looks rather nice !

Two more goals to make it 5-0 - and to be honest it should have been a lot more (I'm afraid "you'll win nowt wi' kids" as they say) - and that win (plus Worksop's defeat and Prescot's draw) moved Matlock up from 22nd (bottom) to 19th. By niow the txts were coming through - Mossley had slipped up 1-0 whilst Belper had stuffed Goole 5-0. Train back to Belper in time to go out for a Chinese (New Ming Court - recommended)

Today - a brief walk in the mud they call Belper Meadows before home, tidy up, sort washing, cook tea, cleanup after, have bath - and then and only then - to settle down in front of a copy of Photoshop, a copy of Neat Image (demo) and some cans of "stuff" - hence this ....

This midweek sees probably Stalybridge at home to my good friends from Alfreton - and Celtic have a serious (?) problem with their home form at the moment - the 1-4 to Workington yesterday was Workington's first league away win this season - and two points were dropped last Tuesday to bottom-club Hucknall - so we'll see what the evening brings ... ooh and must get passport in order for next Saturday as in "Mossley in Europe" (Ok Bae Colwyn).
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Tomorrow ...

... first choice is Ilkeston Town v Cammell Laird - but they're having an "inspection" @ 0900 - next option is Matlock v Leigh Gabriel - sorry Genesis - who appear comfy enough NOT to have an inspection.

Tis one or t'other - Mossley have an inspection early doors as well I believe ... there's football somewhere tomoz - no worries .. off to Railway @ Greenfield now for "open mic" - might catch a bit of the "A52 derby" (come on keep up - Derby County v Notts Forest) as well....

Saturday morning update - Ilson off - Matlock it is ...

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