Football Tonight

Pictures ...

Faces

Yes it wasn't Hyde - more tomorrow - I'm knackered ...

WEDNESDAY UPDATE - yeah I didn't go to Hyde (a 94th minute winner for Southport must have been a right bugger mind) - a wet/dry/wet day at work and then I came home to a deserted house ... Mrs Smiffy and small boy had buggered off out on the "geocaching trail" ... we did buy a new GPS when we came back from the Lakes (the old one - and I mean old ... probably 12 years old ?) had finally lost it's waterproofness - that Monday @ Ennerdale Bridge killed it off - and Mrs Smiffy had been thinking about this geocaching stuff - so there we go - new GPS with paperless geocaching options !  So they came home late - so Hyde would have been a struggle ... BUT then I was told "The Tale of the Dentists" - small boy is looking for an NHS option and had rung a dentist in Hyde ... "Yeah no problem - come down and fill in the form".  So he did - and when he got there ... "Oh no we're not taking on NHS at all - bye-bye" - a totally wasted journey, which sort of re-affirmed my absence in the Hyde area on Tuesday night (promise I WILL turn up sometime this season though) !

So ... I'd heard on the grapevine about a "semi-behind closed doors" game up at Mossley (OK more a training session with some opposition - in this case Wythenshawe Amateurs).  So ... why not - so much for "behind closed doors" (maybe more of an "unadvertised" game !).  By the time I got there Mossley were already 2-0 up ... but I'd decided not to bother too much with the action - rather going for a bit of "face painting" if you like - the sort of stock pictures that newspapers like to hoard.  Hence what you see in the album linked above.

So ... onward to Saturday ...
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Let Battle Commence !!

OK ... so the North West Counties League began on the 3rd August ... and the Football League and Conference Prem kicked off on the 10th ... but bear with me ...

It's that time of year when you find football blogs coming out of hibernation - so many just seem to "close down" at season end (not mine of course ... I thrill the world with "What I Did On My Holidays", or "Look How Well My Spuds Are Growing"), but then the bloggers start to "rev the engine" during the pre-season friendlies before hitting fourth gear at season start.  

 At my (non-league) level pre-season friendlies can be sooo much fun - "Who the hell is that in the shirt with no number ??" is the most oft-used phrase, followed by "He looks useful" (and then you never see him again due to the club up the road offering a fiver more).  Pre-season friendlies are not just for the players ... the bloggers have to sharpen their "virtual pens", dust off their copies of the "Des Lynam Book of Football Cliches" ... and generally enjoy themselves (often in shorts) in half-decent weather without worrying about cups of hot steaming Bovril to keep out the chill.

So ... and we're talking non-league here of course (I have no truck with that "big stuff" !) - what does the new season hold ?  Teams will win all their friendlies - yet come heavily unstuck when the season starts; and vice versa of course - message boards will be full of great hope ("We've signed some belters !!!") or gloom and doom "Why have all our belters buggered off ?").  We all have to learn the names of our new sponsors (I mean Skrill ?? Isn't that what whales eat ??).  We have to cope with/moan about admission increases (RPI + 1% and all that stuff). Yet ... we can't wait for the season to begin - and then the real action begins - both on the pitch and also in "blog world". 

They say a picture paints a thousand words - in that case I've written millions since August 2006.  I have to admit personally that as the years have gone on the words have decreased and the pictures increased - but that's just me (I’m getting old – after a game I need to relax, drink my Horlicks and be in bed by 9 !).  There are hundreds of blogs out there - and at my "non league" level there are some absolute crackers.  Which naturally brings me on to the Football Blogging Awards.  A great idea which began last year in a fairly low-key way (I put my victory in the "Veteran Blog" section down to just that !!!).  Now we're into the second season - we're talking bigger, we're talking better, and hopefully there will be a lot more involvement at all levels (shame that there's no category for "Best Non-League Football Blog" though - but again ... that's just me !).  With this years awards taking place at the National Football Museum in Manchester, and a major sponsor (The Betting Directory) already on board it can only be onwards and upwards ...

... which all us football fans are fervently hoping for – for our teams - as the season begins ...  BRING IT ON !

(EDITOR'S NOTE ... this was written especially (and on the fly !!!) for the football blogging awards website - having won one last season I thought it good to help to promote this season's awards (OK I was asked !!).  Can't imagine I'll get anywhere near winning this season - but you never know !!)

  

Mossley vs Chorley

Fresh from walking up and down hills in the Lakes, it was a somewhat shorter walk (but still up a hill !) to Seel Park on Saturday to see Mossley's final pre-season game against Chorley (part of the deal that saw Keil O'Brien move from Mossley to Chorley last season).  A fairly healthy crowd considering it was a friendly and we're in the middle of "holiday season" saw a very good game - if no goals.  Chorley (once again !) are being tipped as possible promotion candidates in the Evo-Stik Prem, and they sent down a very useful team, including the two ex-Lilywhites - O'Brien and Adam "should have been Player of the Year" Mather - as well as some ex-FC United players (Carlos Roca and Jake Cotterell) and a former Doctor Who as well !

Over the 90 minutes, Chorley certainly had the majority of chances - including one that came back off the post - and Mossley were certainly indebted to 'keeper Russ Saunders on more than one occasion for helping to keep a clean sheet.  Still the home team had some good efforts on target - second half sub Dougie Carroll looked very lively indeed.  Pics from the game at

Mossley 0 Chorley 0

Hopefully Manager Peter Band now knows where he's going - and all eyes turn to next Saturday with the opening game against newly-relegated Kendal Town.  Let's see how it goes ...

Football this week ?? Hopefully on Tuesday night I'll be getting over to Hyde FC who take on Southport - no doubt hoping to improve on their opening 0-8 reverse at Forest Green Rovers - ouch !
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Coast to Coast (or part thereof) ...

A week away in the Lake District (mostly) doing a large chunk of Alfred Wainwright's "Coast to Coast Walk".  The fully monty stretches from St Bees on the west coast to Robin Hoods Bay on the east - just under 200 miles.  However, with only having six days to play with we settled on getting across to Shap.

Finished work on Saturday ... and straight on the train heading for St Bees, arriving at about 1845.  Stopped over in Queens Hotel (although we drank in the Oddfellows !), before starting out bright and early on Sunday morning heading for Ennerdale Bridge.  Cut a corner off here - missing out the walk up the coast - thus reducing mileage to just over 10 (!) ... a gentle starter if you like - but a few climbs nonetheless (Dent Hill and Raven Crag).  B&B in Ennerdale - but not before a drink or two at the "Fox and Hounds" and the "Shepherds Arms Hotel" !

It started to rain on Sunday night - and was still hammering it down on Monday morning.  By the time we left the B&B the River Ehen had burst its banks ... so within 100 yards of starting we we wading almost knee-deep down the main street - great start !!  By the time we reached Ennerdale Water the footpath was also a river (!) so we ended up taking a lengthy diversion before getting onto the sanctuary of the forest trail. Then it was up, up up (Loft Beck) before hitting the tops in thick mist (still raining by the way !).  Fortunately we had map/GPS and a fair few cairns to follow.  Then - all of a sudden - the mist cleared (it was like curtains opening !) and we could see exactly where we were - viz bloody high up.  And then it stopped raining - so the descent down into Borrowdale was fairly straightforward.  What with diversions etc we ended up doing about 20 miles instead of 15 ... Stayed at "Royal Oak Hotel" (only keg beer - shame !). 

Tuesday began with a long steep slog up Stonethwaite Beck to Lining Crag and Greenup Edge before taking the low-level route down Easedale Beck into Grasmere (we'd done the Helm Crag option a few years back).  After several hours of solitude it comes as a shock when you hit Grasmere - too many people wandering aimlessly in clean clothes.  Fortunately our overnight stop was the "Travellers Rest" - just out of the village and far from the maddening crowds.  A belting place which comes thoroughly recommended - great room, great beers, great food. "Only" 12 miles this day as well ...

Wednesday - off to Patterdale - against starting with a steep slog uphill to Grisedale Tarn.  We had a choice of three options then - Striding Edge/Helvellyn (done it before); Grisedale Valley (low-level - pff !); or St Sunday Crag. We chose number three, climbing to 2750 feet before a joint-jarring descent down towards Ullswater, Patterdale and the "White Lion Inn" - with the detour up St Sunday Crag we reckoned about 12.5 miles.

Thursday was our last walking day from Patterdale over to Shap - two hefty climbs up Angeltarn and Kidsty Pike, a long haul round the side of Haweswater before saying farewell to the Lake District and finishing with a more gentle trek across fields to Shap - another long one (about 16 miles).  Stayed over at "New Ing Lodge" (more good beer !!) - and slept well !!

Train(s) home on Friday ... and that was (a brief resume of) our holiday !  A few pictures at

St Bees to Shap - 4/10Aug13

(Not many from the wet Monday - camera stayed firmly in bag after taking a few pix of the flood in Ennerdale !)

So ... a Saturday off work - a rare treat that normally involves taking in an away game somewhere with a bit of distance on it.  However Forest Green Rovers v Hyde FC is probably a distance too far (!), so it looks like I'll be just popping up the road to see Mossley v Chorley - hey ho !
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Home ...

... yes you've guessed it - we've been away ... doing a chunk of the "Coast to Coast" walk - from St Bees over to Shap (i.e. the Lake District bit of it).

Normality will be resumed in due course ...
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Mossley v Altrincham

A very good game indeed ... yes OK a friendly - with a shed-load of subs (especially Alty at half-time who put out virtually a complete new (youthy-type) team) - but worth the money nevertheless.  A full-strength (I believe ?) Altrincham team started the game - and looked very good (although supposed hot-shot Damien Reeves DIDN'T score - tee hee !!) - but Mossley gave as good as they got and kept it to 1-1 at half-time.  The multiple subs for Alty brought on a fair few youngsters/trialists - but then again Mossley also started to make more subs as the half progressed ... and when it got to the final 25 minutes the home team looked the fitter, the stronger, the team with more desire... and throroughly deserved the win.  Some pics at

Mossley 4 Altrincham 2

Might say more later - but (like Monday) I'm in the progress of drying out both body and gear after another moist day at the mail-face ... and we're on a late late tea tonight ...
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OMG ...

... just seen DVD of Friday's "performance" ... 'nuff said 

...reckon I should stick to football photographs ...

(but had I started a key lower, I'd have been in with a chance ....)

Hey ho - Mossley/Altrincham calls ... at least I stayed dry today at work ... the less said about yesterday the better ....
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Just for any Bikers out there ...

... from the babycam on Friday night - outside the "Railway" in Greenfield - picture taken shortly before I made a prat of myself 'on stage' ... a beautiful customised (and freshly polished according to the owner !!) Harley ...

... shame about the 4x4 crap in the background ....
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Ashton United v Curzon Ashton ...

... for the Arthur Clancy Trophy (for the unitiated Arthur Clancy was a Curzon stalwart of the  groundsman variety).

A right feisty affair it was ... not unlike the first 45 minutes of the Mossley/Airbus game last week.  That game calmed down a bit after the break ... unlike today's offering.  Sometimes I wonder about officials - my guess at the Mossley game was that the ref "had a word" at half-time (I may be wrong - ask Chris Brayshaw - liner !!!).  Certainly didn't happen today.  Another "bee in my bonnet" involves what the officials wear ... in the "good old days" they wore their black shirts with their County FA logo/Major League logo/FIFA logo on their heart ... so you knew what you were getting - and could accept as such.  These days they ALL wear these bloody "three lions" shirts ... so unless you're up to scratch with names etc  you just don't know...

Anyway enough grumbling ... so it went on ... if we're talking football, there wasn't much in it ... but then with a couple of minutes to go (and me panicking i.e. "I've not brought my penalty shoot-out lens !!"), Curzon snatch a "winner" - if someone would be so kind as to explain how it went in, I'd be grateful (maybe I'll just wait for the official reports - don't forget this IS the guy who thought it was 5-1 on Tuesday night !) - still another run-out for two local teams - obviously new names here there and everywhere - my excuse for the paucity of captions on the pictures from today - oh yes ...

Ashton United 0 Curzon Ashton 1

So ... sat at home sorting pics - and (with Mrs Smiffy being away for weekend) watching "AC/DC Live at River Plate" ... y'know the more I watch it the more I think it HAS to be one of those classic live concert DVDs. You only need to watch the first track ""Runaway Train" and see the audience  - if those buggers had been defending the Malvinas all those years ago - it would have been a lot trickier.  For an "audience reaction" concert, it HAS to be up there with the Queen contribution to Live Aid all those years ago.

Talking of "audience reaction" ... I nipped out last night to the "Railway" in Greenfield for their "open mic" night - and my challenge to myself was to stand up and sing ... so I did - "Honest Work" by Todd Rundgren done in the same way viz. acapella.  Apparently everything IS recorded (sound and vision) so maybe I might get a chance to see how much a pillock I made of myself !!!!!!!

Enough for now - the rain has arrived - big style ... but I'm indoors and NOT working ... Let there be Rock !!!
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Mossley v Airbus UK Broughton

Despite the score (1-4) ... despite the fact I came home believing it was 1-5 (eek !) ... 'twas a very good game.  It was obvious which side was the fitter, more organised etc (well they HAVE been to Latvia and back !!).  Shame that some of the first half was spoilt by a lot of "unnecessaries" - I baulk to point out the number of Liverpool accents in the visitor's team - I was thinking more "Whingemakers" than "Wingmakers".  Fortunately it soon calmed down (!) and we were treated to a very good game of football.  Airbus well worth their win - obviously with the extra games they've played - and the quality of the teams they've met - there was only going to be one winner.  However Mossley gave it their best shot ... and certainly looked very good in places.  Like I said about the Stalybridge/Gateshead game - it's only a friendly ... but it's useful to test yourself against someone better.  Pictures to be found at

Mossley 1 AirbusUKBroughton 4

Tomorrow sees a trip up to Hurst Cross to the annual "Meet the Players" evening - camera in hand to assist the "main man".  Saturday ?? Who knows - I don't - yet ...
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Duchess in Labour ...

... now THAT surprised me when I got home tonight ... thought all the Royalty were at least Conservative sympathisers ... obviously can't do UKIP due to German heritage ... and no-one - repeat no-one - does Liberal Democrat these days do they ???

If I were a betting man it would be George or Victoria ... but wouldn't it be much better if it was Kyle or Chardonnay ??
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(Can't you tell cricket's finished, golf's finished, cycling's finished ??? - bring on Tuesday footy !!!)
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Cock-Up Sunday ...

... went for a bit of a wander (no local cricket unfortunately) - to try some stuff out with the "old" camera - sad to say ... it didn't work too well !!!  Rescue attempted via the "black and white option" ... but ...

Settings suitably noted down - promise better next time !!!

Football tomorrow - the "big international" 'twixt Mossley and Airbus UK Broughton ... sadly looking at the weather forecast, it'll probably be in a raging rainstorm ... with flash flooding options ... we'll see (but I'm taking wet weather gear - i.e. plastic bag and rubber band - just in case !!!)
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Stalybridge Celtic v Gateshead

A touch cooler today work-wise - nice bit of breeze at times - finished at a decent time to get home, then rush up the Mottram Road to see Celtic take on a useful Gateshead side who were a touch quicker and sharper all round - believe they've had a few more friendlies so ...  can't argue with result really - but that's what friendlies are for ... innit ??? Some more pics from the rusty lens at

Stalybridge Celtic 0 Gateshead 4

One gripe ... a bottle of Peroni in't'club has gone up from £2-60 to £3-00 !!!!  Lucozade (or temperance) calls ....
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Gridlock in Uppermill ...

... a quickie from yesterday ... excuse lateness - there were more important things happening - like football and death ...

Here's a couple of pix (via phonecam) from my walk yesterday close to the mill pond in Uppermill ...

 

The mill pond is on the right of pic 1 - left of pic 2 ... talking to Pete who was out there ... he reckons the Canada Geese are evil b'tards who scare the big white buggers away.  However checked this morning - they were happily back in big pond !

Meanwhile - the hot weather continues - I'm still alive (obviously) - very very very disappointed that the postman death story  I mentioned yesterday (another story here) has been relegated to the page 4/5 of most papers today.  As I said - we're not Territorial Army "heroes" going for it - and not knowing their limits - we're just peeps doing our job - with little or no help/advice from the highly paid management. ... sad when it comes down to that - but I AM very disappointed that the story appears to have been almost "hushed up" ...

Hey ho - apparently the North-West weather is up to "LEVEL 3" tomorrow ... whatever level 3 means ... will struggle again tomorrow - and the only local footy is Stalybridge Celtic v Gateshead.  Hopefully I'll get finished/stay alive/get down to Bower Fold to continue knocking the cobwebs off the footy lens ... although I was quite happy with Wednesday's efforts ...

Stay cool ................ stay safe ........
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As If I Cared ...

... but thanks to Davro @ Belper for pointing it out !!! (Note the "slight censorship" !!!!!)

RIP ... Graham Bennett

... but then again ... a postman dying is not as "front page" as TA's dying on the Brecon Beacons ...

Postman dies on duty 

Work it out ... we're not just talking about the odd "hot day" ... it's been 75c+ for at least two and a bit weeks ('scuse my farhenheit ... I'm old !) - and even I'm feeling it - big style. Add to this we get the "heavy days" - as in Wednesday/Thursday usually) ... and these days it's a lot more parcels/packets - plus I'm still out in "the countries" as it's called round here - still bags on shoulders (no vans for us !) - and in the Pennine foothills .. we have ... hills.

Naturally ... we await the full SP - no doubt RM will be hoping there are "underlying medical medical issues" ... which will get them off the hook ...
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Mossley v Glossop North End - PSF

Yes football is BACK on "STS" ...OK so I've missed a few over the past few days - but having spent several hours a day out in ridiculous heat (and I'm on 0645hrs starts as well), I hope you'll bear with me

Mossley 3 Glossop NE 1

Will update tomoz ...
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Edale and Back ... Twice ...

One of those "silly ones" ... whereby I finish work on Friday, head down to Edale, set up tent, make food, drink, sleep ... then wake up at daft o'clock, come home, go to work, do work then head back to Edale on Saturday afternoon etc etc.  Didn't take big camera either - but managed a few pix with babycam.  Unfortunately something seems to be wrong with the "Alt" key on my laptop at the moment - hence "dodgy panorama" picture.  Still ... good time had by all - and got a good walk in today ...

Edale Weekend 14Jul13

... and yes ... it was hot !!!
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Management Merry-go-Round ...

At the end of last season Ashton United Manager Danny Johnson left to take over the reins at Nantwich Town - he was replaced at Hurst Cross by Craig Robinson ...

... but it's all happened today !! First Craig Robinson resigns due to personal reasons ... and Coach Paul Phillips was appointed "Joint Manager" ... together with Steve Halford who leaves the job of Mossley Manager.  Taking over at Mossley is former Assistant Manager Peter Band ... we await the new Mossley Assistant Manager ...

All that in about five hours flat !!!
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And a few from Sunday ...

Another scorcher - and some "time out" again ...

Poster @ Greenfield Station ...

Some more cricket - well the Uppermill innings (including a ferocious 30 runs off the final over) ...

Greenfield v Uppermill 07Jul13

... followed by the third set of Andy Murray - and 20 minutes of George Borowski at the "Railway" ...

One last snap - from the "Britannia" - of Robinsons fastest selling brew for yonks !!

(MONDAY MORNING UPDATE ... Uppermill 289 all out ... Greenfield 142 all out ...)
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Cricket at Greenfield ...

A sunny afternoon - and a chance to break out the big lens for what is usually the "one and only" cricket match I ever manage in a summer ...

So - finish work - home, change and then straight back to Greenfield to watch their 2nd XI take on Friarmere 2nd XI.  When I arrived, Greenfield were in trouble at 78 for 5, but after some hard-hitting from the middle/end they posted a score of 164 all out.  Tea interval allowed me to discover that the club was selling Greenfield Brewery "Silver Owl" on tap - very nice it was too !!

Greenfield struck early (4 for 1) ... and by the time I had to leave Friarmere were wobbling at 39 for 4 ... some pics from the afternoon at

Greenfield 2nds v Friarmere 2nds 06Jul13

Checked out the score this morning - apparently Friarmere squeezed home by 2 wickets.  
 
NOTE - The First Team have a big game this afternoon - the Tanner Cup Semi-Final against Uppermill.
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Some Early Cup Draws

FA Cup Preliminary Round - 31st August

CURZON ASHTON v St Helens Town/Ashton Athletic
MOSSLEY v Worksop Parramore/AFC Blackpool

FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round - 14th September

ASHTON UNITED v Witton Albion
DROYLSDEN v Trafford
Marine v CURZON ASHTON/St Helens Town/Ashton Athletic
MOSSLEY/Worksop P/AFC Blackpool  v Cammell Laird/Salford City

FA Trophy Preliminary Round - 5th October

Ossett Albion v CURZON ASHTON

FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round - 19th October

ASHTON UNITED v Padiham/Sheffield
DROYLSDEN v Nantwich Town 
Lincoln United/Cammell Laird v Ossett Albion/CURZON ASHTON
MOSSLEY v Lancaster City/New Mills
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Conference Fixtures Out ...

some selected games (Opening/Christmas/Bank Holidays) here ...

HYDE FC - full Hyde FC Fixtures here

Sat 10 Aug - Forest Green Rovers (A)
Tue 13 Aug - SOUTHPORT (H)
Sat 17 Aug - HEREFORD UNITED (H)
Mon 26 Aug - GRIMSBY TOWN (H)
Thu 26 Dec - Macclesfield Town (A)
Wed 01 Jan - MACCLESFIELD TOWN (H)
Mon 21 Apr - Grimsby Town (A)

STALYBRIDGE CELTIC- full Stalybridge Celtic fixtures here

Sat 17 Aug - HEDNESFORD TOWN (H)
Mon 26 Aug - BRADFORD P.A. (H)
Sat 21 Sep - STOCKPORT COUNTY (H)
Thu 26 Dec Altrincham (A)
Wed 01 Jan - ALTRINCHAM (H)
Mon 21 Apr - Bradford P.A. (A)
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Well Done Bala Town ...

winning 1-0 tonight in the Europa League against Levadia Tallinn - BBC Report
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Rest of Weekend ...

... after work Saturday headed off down to Belper (OK Bargate as in "just outside") for sister-in-laws Birthday Bash (had to go ... I'd marinaded the lamb for the kebabs on Friday night !!).  Good do - pretty much all the wife's side of the family were there - and that's a lot  - and the kebabs were good too.  When we were down to the last eight we sloped off to the pub ("Dead Poets Society" in Holbrook) for a few before returning at about 2245hrs ... and kicking off the barbecue again !

"Pimms o'clock - Saturday afternoon

Brief walk on Sunday before returning home

Making hay while the sun shone - Belpershire ...

... and that was the weekend.

And can someone tell me why something like this ...

 

... has something like this on the packet ...

... pointless isn't it ???


Football ... Wednesday is the day ... Football Conference fixtures released ... until then we can only look at Wimbledon - and stuff like that (actually I DID watch the first half of the Confederation Cup Final late on Sunday night - Brazil looked tasty didn't they ??)
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Wimbledon ... Is it just me ...

... or does Sabine Lisicki (Germany) look like Alice Tinker (Vicar of Dibley) ???

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Something to look forward to ...

... if you're in the vicinity !!

... and to think ... just about three years ago ... Mossley 3 Bala Town 1

dymuniadau gorau i'r Bala !
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Tumbleweed Time ...

... well it IS that time of year - this IS mostly a football site so ... one has to suffer other stuff - or more to the point other stuff all the time.  I could muse about transfers/players leaving this club and that club - but when it all boils down to it, most of it is hearsay/unconfirmed etc - even when the friendlies kick in, you might see a team of 11 - of which maybe only 4 or 5 actually start the season.  Even that list of friendlies I've put up is subject to change ...

Still - since my life-changing win on the horses last Thursday (!!) - been to work a few times, watched TV a bit, cleared out a "storage area" in our cellar (partly in an attempt to find out why the downstairs bathroom has gone a bit "smelly" - well it IS underground - we're part way to solving the problem; the rest of the solution will probably cost money though - aargh !!), cooked a few tasty meals (including slow-cooked lamb with a redcurrant gravy on Sunday), tidied up some of my shelves - which tend to get in a right royal mess !!!

That's about it really ...

Go on then - here's the left-overs from tonight's foodie offering ... creamy cod and haddock pie ...

OK ... during my tidy-up - found a few (OK a lot !) of footy programmes ... anyone out there fancy a copy of

Wigan Athletic v Darlington - 28th April 1979 (Division 4)
West Ham United v Shrewsbury Town - 26th April 1980 (Division 2)

... just a couple - there's LOADS more !!!
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I Don't Do It Very Often - But ..

... I did today ...

£5 on ... £22-50 back - many thanks to John @work who tipped me off  (I'm probably buying the chocolate/cans of coke in the office tomorrow morning) !!!

FRIDAY UPDATE - today's tip also won (Sky Lantern @ 9-2) ... but, not being a gambler, I thought "surely not two out of two" - so I didn't ... bugger ... !! 
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A Midweek Wander ...

... making the most of the weather after work yesterday ... a stroll down the canal.   Having walked up and down this bit of canal for the best part of 30 years, I "attempted" to try and find some different angles on the same old stuff - see what you think ...

Canal Stroll 19Jun13

Looks like the weather is going to break by the weekend - hey ho ...
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The Number of the Beer ...

... found a bottle of this over the weekend - in Morrisons of Belper ...

A brew "created" by Bruce Dickinson himself - just down the road at Robinsons Brewery in Stockport !!!  Find out more at the Iron Maiden Beer Website.

Busy weekend - finish work, drive down to Belper (Mother-in-Laws Birthday) - good afternoon/evening - then today home via Stafford to see parents (Fathers Day of course) plus sister and hubby.  Another good afternoon of natter and catch-up.  Home - cook tea (Pork in Cider) - a bit of this - and soon to relax - late start tomorrow - a welcome relief from two weeks of 0530hrs get-ups.

Football ?? Apart from that pre-season friendly list, pretty much forgotten - not unlike the England Under-21 fiasco in Israel  (fortunate enough not to see ANY of it) ... although I "might"  catch a bit of Confederation Cup later tonight ... even the "Non-League Paper" is down to 32 pages ...
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Pre-Season Friendlies ... UPDATED 31JUL13

Wed 03Jul - Football Conference Fixtures issued

Fri 05Jul - FA Cup/FA Trophy Draws issued

Sat 13Jul - Abbey Hey 0 CURZON ASHTON 2
Sat 13Jul - Rhyl 0 HYDE FC 5

Mon 15Jul - Evo-Stik League Fixtures issued (obviously NOT !!! Wed 17Jul maybe ??)
Mon 15Jul - Chadderton 5 MOSSLEY 3
Mon 15Jul - CURZON ASHTON 0 Oldham Athletic  2

Tue 16Jul - Irlam 2 DROYLSDEN 3
Tue 16Jul - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 0 Rochdale 3

Wed 17Jul - MOSSLEY 3 Glossop North End 1
Wed 17Jul - West Didsbury 0 CURZON ASHTON 2

Sat 20Jul - Bacup & Rossendale Boro 1 MOSSLEY 1
Sat 20Jul - Barnoldswick Town 1 CURZON ASHTON 3
Sat 20Jul - Clitheroe 0 ASHTON UNITED 1
Sat 20Jul - Congleton Town 2 DROYLSDEN 2
Sat 20Jul - Glossop North End 1 HYDE FC 2
Sat 20Jul - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 0 Gateshead 4

Tue 23Jul - MOSSLEY 1 Airbus UK 4
Tue 23Jul - Prescot Cables 2 DROYLSDEN 2
Tue 23Jul - Runcorn Linnets 1 CURZON ASHTON 3

Sat 27Jul - Abbey Hey 0 MOSSLEY3
Sat 27Jul - ASHTON UNITED 0 CURZON ASHTON 1
Sat 27Jul - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 3 HYDE FC  6 (Ray Stanley Memorial Shield)

Tue 30Jul - Brighouse Town 3 CURZON ASHTON 1
Tue 30Jul - MOSSLEY 4 Altrincham 2
Tue 30Jul - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 2 Accrington Stanley 2

Sat 03Aug - CURZON ASHTON v Isle of Man (National Team)
Sat 03Aug - DROYLSDEN v Romulus
Sat 03Aug - MOSSLEY v ASHTON UNITED (Willow Wood HospiceCup)
Sat03Aug - Nantwich Town v STALYBRIDGE CELTIC

Tue 06Aug - CURZON ASHTON v Blackburn Rovers 

Sat 10Aug - DROYLSDEN v Northwich Vics (Tony Downes Trophy)
Sat 10Aug - MOSSLEY v Chorley
Sat 10Aug - New Mills v ASHTON UNITED

Sat 17Aug - Football Conference and Evo-Stik League starts

Todd Rundgren - Manchester Ritz - 09Jun13 ...Some Words ...

... on the "Official State Visit" tour ...

(N.B. this might be rather long ... but you can guarantee I'll be missing large chunks out !!).

I have two great music heroes ... alphabetically speaking ... Steve Hillage and Todd Rundgren.  For those under-age people, you'll need to go back to the 70s (Google will help of course !!).  I look back with fondness to those days - Knebworth Festivals, Reading Festivals (i.e. well before Reading/Leeds was invented), gigs in London and Sheffield, even Liverpool (when Todd performed with Ringo Starr's All Star Band) - all in homage to those two musicians.  

Time moved on ... starting with Steve Hillage - his 1976 album "L" was a classic in my humble opinion, his peak - and incidentally was produced by ... yep Todd Rundgren.  Then came the anti-music backlash of punk rock - so Hillage promptly puts a track "1988 Aktivator" on his 1979 album "Open" - OK just the one track but ...  The early 80s saw the "double" album "For To Next/And Not Or" - and we were starting to move away from the hippy/dippy music that I'd loved and grown up with ... we were heading down the ambient/trance route, which culminated in the formation of System 7.  I gave it a go - yes I've got a System 7 album (OK CD !!), but it was one step beyond.  OK, the 21st Century has seen him reprise some of his old material together with Gong, but that's just what it was - a reprise of old material.

Todd Rundgren ... a man who has re-invented himself more times than ... an inventor - often on the same album (think "Wizard/A True Star" - a right 'eclectic' mix if I may say so !).  Time moved on - Utopia arrived - and there was a  move towards 'progressive' rock ("Todd Rundgen's Utopia" and "Another Live").  One year after the Steve Hillage production, Utopia released "Ra" - probably my all-time favourite album involving Todd ... and later that same year came another classic Rundgren production - "Bat out of Hell" by Meat Loaf (like the Hillage album, it was produced by Todd and featured members of Utopia).  Time moved on ... Utopia albums and Todd solo albums - each one just that little bit different - but still very accessible.  Then came the 90s - then came "No World Order" ... a radical movement towards dance/techno, heavily influenced by computers !!!  Other "odd-balls" came and went - the bossa-nova inspired "With a Twist" for example.  2008 saw the "Arena" album - a throwback to rock - saw him in Manchester on that tour - and that was a cracking night.

However ... it's time to move on to last night (09Jun13) at the Manchester Ritz - not a huge venue - it was probably 70% full downstairs (the upstairs balcony was shut).  For my sins I had not got round to buying a copy of the new CD "State" so I was 'going in cold'.  Looking around, I reckoned the average age of the audience was about ... me I guess.  Within 15 minutes, I was confused - was I watching Todd Rundgren or was was watching a Todd Rundgren karaoke ?? Despite the attendance on stage of drummer Prairie Prince and Guitarist Jesse Gress (who is an excellent performer), it was more a question of Todd pressing buttons and singing along to a backing track.  Digressing slightly, I believe there was a "computer glitch" at the Edinburgh gig a couple of nights ago which led to Gress "filling in" with a bit of "Lucky Guy" from "Hermit of Mink Hollow" (from 1978 !) - it's on Youtube somewhere.  In fact I believe Todd only donned his guitar three times during the entire (90 minute - no support) gig - and on one of those occasions he started a solo, took the guitar off, and left Jesse Gress to finish it - weird or what ?  We had many flashing lights (no epilepsy warning for us old gits on the ticket/in the venue - OK I jest), and the techno/dance theme continued - at times it was embarrassing watching some of the elderly people in the audience bouncing around to "Angry Bird" as if they'd aimed for the Parklife Concert in Heaton Park - and missed.  I almost expected Bez to come bounding out on stage - but maybe it was more Prodigy than Madchester ... Guess my highlight track of the night was "Worldwide Epiphany" - although again I was unsure whether the heavy guitar riff was live or 'on tape'.  Trawling the web a bit when I got home last night, there was talk of people "walking out" at certain concerts - I'm sure there were many purists (?) there last night as well, although I didn't see any about-turns for the exit.  And for the purists I'm sure the encore was an abomination ... three classic tracks ("Can We Still Be Friends",  "I Saw The Light" and "Hello It's Me" segued together with a techno/dance backing track.  I've no problem with reworks of old classics (I've mentioned the bossa-nova album earlier) - and I've seen Bob Dylan "tweaking songs" live as well as on disc ("Budokan") - I was waiting for the cry of "JUDAS !" but it either didn't come ... or I didn't hear it.  Hearing these three performed as they were was somewhat bizarre though.

Did I enjoy the gig ??  Hard to say - can I say I didn't dislike it - it certainly wasn't what I expected - but what did I expect ?? ... as I said somewhere further up, Todd is a guy who is continually evolving, re-inventing, trying new - and I'm sure he's sick to death of being asked to play stuff that's 30+ years old.  I did come out of the gig (at 2145hrs - now that's early !) a lot more confused than when I went in though - although I did come out clutching a copy of the "State" CD for further perusal/'analysis'.  I could say more I suppose ... but suffice to say, I await the next incarnation of Todd Rundgren with bated breath. There's a track on "No World Order" called "Time Stood Still" - it certainly doesn't for Todd Rundgren !
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... but first ...

... the rest of the weekend - work not as easy a some days (I have been on 0530hrs get-ups all week as well) - but we got there in the end - home to make a load of lamb kebabs (for later) before toddling off to top end of Rochdale to mates' house for barbecue (they get the evening sun !!).  We ate a shed load of food (and drank some alcohol too) and were still outside getting on for midnight.  Sunday saw a drive down to the Vale of Edale, decamping at Hope for a bit of a walk - another glorious day - what with virtually a week of RM shorts plus Sunday = backs of legs suffering a bit (colour-wise).  Just a few pix - virtually all that I took !!

Vale of Edale 09Jun13

Home for about 1730hrs - a quick "creation" in the kitchen (Chicken, Chorizo potatoes and "stuff") before heading down to daughter's for the evening's entertainment ...

... which will be fully reviewed later tonight (I'm in the midst of tonight's tea creation - which involves "bulking up" last night's left-overs - and serving with pasta) ...

Back soon ...
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Appointment with God Tonight ...

... and was I surprised/astonished/confused ...

An early "Fathers Day" pressie from my lovely daughter - she even drove me down there too - which allowed me a couple or three pints of beer (note to non-lager drinkers at the Manchester Ritz ... your only option is bottles of Old Speckled Hen ... at £4-40 each !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Going back to the first line ... it was different to say the least ... and in all fairness I'm saying no more tonight until I've sat down (for a bit longer) and analysed what I saw in my own way ...

(Plus I'm up early doors tomorrow - eek today - at 0530hrs ...)
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Hols ... The Rest ...

... so - to continue ...

The eight-hour journey down was eventful for starters - our new sat-nav (£109 from Tesco.com ... less £70 of vouchers - ergo bargain !?!) seems to have an affinity with Paris. However I'm jumping the gun here - because on the Saturday there was an accident on the M25 - so said sat-nav took us through some busy bits of London (to save time apparently).  Back on track - Sunday saw us driving through almost the middle of Paris - yikes !!!  Ended up going through loads of tunnels (including "that Princess Diana One" - yes I've checked !) and another that seemed a bit "tight" - we had the roof box on - so I was driving and ducking at the same time.  
Got to campsite about 2030 - tent up no probs - still dry - but a bloody cold evening. Monday - dry again - did the supermarche shop and went for a bit of a walk to La Madeleine - a troglodyte village built into the rocks overlooking the Vezere river.  Amazing stuff ... back to campsite - managed a barbecue - steak natch ... and then it started raining ...

... and basically it didn't stop raining until Friday.  Campsite owners said "It's usually 25 degrees Celsius this time of year" ... but is wasn't.  It was wet - and the evenings were bloody cold !  So - Tuesday - it was "museum time" - all good stuff - but not what we were expecting - a brief respite Tuesday afternoon was spent with a shortish walk.  Then back to the tent - to find we'd been burgled ...  not by any human beings, but by a fox, who'd managed to tip over the "cool box" and steal our food (spicy Merguez sausages, pork and parsley pate, bread - and also stick a few teeth marks in the vegetables, thus making them uneatable).  Well hacked off ???  Oh yes ...  however the campsite - although very quiet people-wise - did have a small bar/restaurant, and  Giles managed to put together a wonderful meal of entrecote steak, chips and salad for us.  We returned to the tent - by now it was chucking it down again, and continued all night and the following day - plus the camping lantern had packed up - despite new (expensive) batteries - aargh !  Wednesday - more museums (Le Thot and Lascaux II) due to weather - still amazing stuff, but ... a trip to the supermarche to replace food as well.  We sat in the car park watching the rain pour down and Mrs Smiffy said "ENOUGH !!".  On return to campsite we enquired as to the possibility of renting one of the (empty) mobile homes on the site - as in light, heat, electricity, comfort etc etc - "pas de probleme" was the reply - so we left the tent ...OK we could still hear the rain hammering down - but we had light, heat etc etc !!!

Thursday - another troglodyte village - an amazing place (Le Roque de St Christophe) - also because of the layout we were under cover from the rain.  Afternoon - we went to Sarlat - a medeaval city ... but camera stayed in car - as we did for a good while watching the rain on the windscreen whilst eating lunch.   We ventured out eventually (avec waterproofs !) and sneaked in a posh tea/cake shop as well.  Tea was cassoulet - I love that stuff !!

Friday ...and it started to clear ... so  we grabbed the chance for a big walk - and then another supermarche visit to buy pressies etc (local produce ... foie gras , confit de canard and truffle sauce).  Saturday - a long trip back up to the north of France - and naturally the weather was brill - stopped off at one the the "aires" - like service station - for lunch and admired the French ... picnic table but out came the tablecloth, bottles of wine and posh food (we had butties from our tupperware and a can of Orangina !).  Another nightmare journey ... we decided to avoid Paris but ended up in the hell that is Rouen - some new roadworks that the sat-nav was unaware of ... you can guess the rest.  Arrived at hotel - late (!!) but they too managed to sort us out some Steak Bordelaise with chips and salad.  Sunday - back on Le Shuttle ... and lunch at Toddington Services - sat in the car !!! One helluva difference from 24 hours earlier (aren't Brit Service Stations mostly crap ?  Can only think of one up in the Lake District (Tebay)that's remotely nice and not full of the usual cr*p - some of those French "aires" are just a few picnic tables and a loo - which is great if you're fully prepped !!!

So ... that was our week off - not quite what we were hoping for ... and since our return to GB - and work - the weather's been wonderful (yes the Royal Mail shorts have been out this week !).  Sod's Law I guess ...  photo-wise, it was also a bit disappointing - I'm blaming the weather (!) - but a few from the week can be found at:

Vezere Valley Holiday Pics

A few football stories have turned up in my absence ... but that's another post ...
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Home after Away ... the Prologue ...

... must have worked it out by now - we've been away ... and it was a somewhat "eventful" week !!!

Finished work last Saturday (as in 25th June !!) about 1400hrs - and headed straight for Folkestone, arriving several hours later. One night in a "Lenny Henry Hotel" before taking Le Shuttle on the Sunday morning to Calais (a new experience !) followed by an 8 hour drive down to the Vezere Valley in the Dordogne.  It was a beautiful day weather-wise - shame we were in the car ...

... and then it all went slightly pear-shaped ... stay tuned ...
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