Oops !!!

Last year I got a reminder ... this year I didn't ...

So if you're reading this at about 2000hrs on Thursday - you must have used sixtamesides.blogspot.com ... because the web hosting account for the "posh one" (i.e. www.sixtamesides.co.uk) expired -  aargh !

Anyhow ... have just renewed for another 12 months (it's free via www.freehostia.com), so all should be back to normal ... soon.

In the meantime - it was back to work today - nice to see the hailstones bouncing off my cap this afternoon (aah the Great British Summer) - tomorrow is Whit Friday (big local holiday round here - much marching of brass bands and churches etc) - so we're all in very early to try to avoid stuff.  However, it should mean early finish so we can all go home, put on our best bib and tucker and go out in the evening and watch brass band contests and drink a few shandies.  We'll see if last year's "lacklustre effort" (as I called it) continues this year - a good day/night for all which over the years has been slowly ruined by the p*ssheads, I'm afraid - people are staying in due to the aggro, some band contests have 'finished for good' ( see my 2012 post - or my 2011 post - and if to prove a point that's it all been going pear-shaped for some years ... my 2007 post !!!)

In fact if you wanted ... you could substitute "Trans-Pennine Rail Ale Trail" for "Whit Friday" - great ideas ... ruined by morons ...

Rant over - if you can read it in time !!!
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What I Did on my Holidays ...

... three days off this week - not through choice but ...

As with most holidays, it's time to do all those jobbies that you never have time for - doctor's, hospital appointment etc etc.  To add insult to injury, I've managed to chip a tooth exposing the filling below - so an emergency dentist's appointment has been added to the list.

Lazy day on Monday (did buy a pair of bathrrom scales and a Freesat box though) ... yesterday spent virtually all morning in the hospital (I'd been sent there by dox for an x-ray) - so spent a happy hour in the waiting room watching "Homes under the Hammer" - gripping stuff this daytime TV !!! Headed off towards Manchester after that ... via Droylsden because I wanted to "have a go" on the recently opened Metrolink tram extension - such is the geek in me.  

 Got some cheap trainers and a fancy SCART adaptor (automatic - none of this cheap 'button pressing' stuff) to cope with new Freesat box (plus DVD and Nintendo Wii).  A quick whizz round the Football Museum - I'd done it not so long ago (pics here), so it was just a peep at the latest "changing exhibition" which was "Football and Fashion" ... and then home (with a rare - these days - stop-off at Stalybridge Buffet Bar).  Some REALLY boring pictures from babycam at

Day out - Tuesday 21May13

Now you've all fallen asleep (?) ... so far today (1030), I've done the doctor's appointment, bought a new SatNav via Tesco Direct (used a shed load of vouchers to bring it down to just £39 !) - sorted yesterday's pics (staying awake somehow !) and written this ramble.  What next in the thrilling lifestyle of someone without work or football ??

Talking of Tesco ... anyone seen this story today ("Mayor Drives Car into Tesco Store") - brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "Click and Collect" !!!
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Stalybridge Celtic Legends Night

... another jolly night out (and like the Mossley do I got fed as well !!).

Some excellent 'rabbit' from all three speakers - I reckon they'd all do very well on the "After Dinner Circuit" - good plate of chilli, a few beers ... and miss the last train home !  Some pics from the night at

Stalybridge Celtic Legends Night 18May13

Now ... is it worth buying a "Non League Paper" today - or not ?
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Mossley Presentation Evening ...

... and a good time was had by all ...

Once I'd got my head around using the external flash with the new camera I started to get there as well (never been much kop at this indoor/portrait type stuff !).  Plus this new AutoFocus system is still a bit of a learning curve ... I mean ... what the hell happened here ??

OK ... f1.8 lens = DOF but I'd got all AF points selected ... hey ho - enough jargon ...

Anyway ... my tip for Player of the Year failed to materialise (might as well not bother with a lottery ticket tonight either ...) - but it was a good turn-out of both players and fans - and some of the half-decent pictures can be found at

Mossley AFC Presentation Night 17May13

Didn't get too wet today ... as I was arriving for work I spotted one of my 'customers' and family heading for the railway station bedecked in claret and amber on their way to Wembley - so I'm well chuffed for them after today's result (as in Bradford City 3 Northampton 0) - and I hope he got some good shots with his "film camera" - some of Ian's earlier work can be found here.

So ... home at a sensible time - sorted through last night's pictures ... and it's soon time to head off down to Stalybridge for their "Legends Evening" - also got an invite to a "bit of a do" just round the corner from Celtic's ground - apparently there is a barrel of "White Nancy" from Bollington Brewery all set up - probably in the "shed" !!!  Best not overdo it ... might be a long night ...
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Ten Days On ...........

... so I guess the period of mourning is over ...

What the hell - it's over - and Cammell Laird didn't even make it in the Play-Off Final either (Trafford going through on penalties) - at least Belper can say they were "beaten by the winners" (with Stamford beating Chasetown).  In the Evo Prem, FC United dipped out yet again, losing to Hednesford - helluva crowd at Keys Park for that game mind - nearly 4,500.

So ... anyway ... what does one do now ???  OK I watched the FA Cup Final - and certainly the best team won in the end (God the memories of watching Stafford Rangers play Wigan Athletic in the Northern Prem back in the 70s came flooding back ... that crowd of 8,107 at the old Springfield Park is still - I believe - the record crowd for an NPL/Unibond/Evo-Stik game).  Hey ho - and by coming second in the league and "only being FA Cup Final runners-up = "THE SACK" for 'Henry' Mancini.  Just shows how pathetic the "top level" of football in this country has become.  Mossley "only" made the play-offs and won the Manchester Premier Cup - that's not a sacking, it's probably a deportation to Oz ... only joking Ackers - may you remain !!!  Fell asleep in front of the Chelsea/Benfica game ...

So ... anyway ... what does one do now ??? Well there's always cricket I suppose ... but - just for now - a couple of indoor events - in a couple of hours time it's the Mossley "Player of the Year" awards night ... and tomorrow at Stalybridge Celtic it's a "Legends Night" - strangely enough Mrs Smiffy has bobbed off for the weekend daaaarn Derbyshire way so ... you can guess the rest !!!

Note that one of the Stalybridge "Legends" tomorrow night is a certain Tony Sullivan - who is now Manager at ... Cammell Laird; I'd best make sure they know that when I'm pointing the camera at him, IT IS JUST A CAMERA ... no hidden machine gun or anything like that !!

It's took ten days ... and that's it ??  'Fraid so ...

OK ... here's the "League Setup" for next season

... subject no doubt to appeals/teams folding etc etc etc etc etc ... and I've NO idea what a "SUSTEM" is either ...
 
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Weekend Pictures ...

... and not a football in sight ...

Wharfedale 05/06May13

Still totally gutted ...
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Gutted ...

... just back (1800hrs) from North Yorkshire weekend (arranged ages ago ... before the season extension f*cked everything up !) ...

Title says it all ... Mossley lose to a 93rd minute winner @ Cammell Laird (karma for that 93rd minute Skem goal on Saturday maybe ??) ... and Belper lose 4-2 AET in their Play-Off semi - after being 2-0 up in the first 20 ...

Going to pub while Mrs Smiffy in bath ...

Mossley make the Play-Offs ...

Can't say much - it's too damn late and we're up and away for the holiday weekend in not many hours ... here's the pictures though ...

Mossley 3 Harrogate RA 0

All of which means an away trip to Cammell Laird ... on Monday afternoon - not Tuesday night as I originally thought ...  the above first sentence says it all ... hope someone's taking a camera ...
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Big Game Tomorrow ...

... up at Mossley ... the fight for the play-offs ... should be one hell of an atmosphere ... worth £8 of anybody's money (if you're doing nowt !)
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Thursday Wander ...

... out for a bit of a stroll tonight ... took new camera (with another "old faithful" lens attached ) all part of 'getting to know you'  process I guess ...

Midweek Meanderings ...

... well there's no "proper football" so ... 

Starting with some "sad news" - Ashton United Manager Danny Johnson is 'moving on' ... he's accepted the Manager's post at Nantwich Town.  After six years at Hurst Cross - up and down and up and down - he's done a great job there, working on tight budgets but always putting out a good squad, finding a few little gems on the way ... and always very approachable for a natter.  An amicable split I'm glad to say - everyone at Hurst Cross is fully appreciative of Danny's work there and he leaves with everyone's good wishes.

Next ... Cammell "bloody" Laird - buggered up my "If If If" post last night by winning - so it's now definitely/mathematically 'perm any 2 from 3' on Saturday afternoon vis-a-vis the Evo 1 North Play-Offs - takes me back to the heady days of 2006 at Gresley when Mossley were losing and mobile phones were going here, there and every bloody where checking results elsewhere (thank you Shepshed that day !!).  It could well be the same this Saturday ... although these days we all have Twitter to keep us up to date - however might still offer up my mobile number to Trafford and Ramsbottom - can just imagine 1645hrs on Saturday ... waiting ... waiting ... team staying on the pitch ... waiting ... and this is just to get into the bloody play-offs !!!  Now that the Conf North has finished, it would be nice to see a few "extras" turning up at Seel Park on Saturday as well (and personally I'm praying for an "easy Saturday" at work so I can get there early enough to start taking photos) ... incidentally a big plug for Dave Bauckham ... he came up for the Mossley/Ramsbottom game - and there's a cracking album of pictures here:

Mossley/Rammy - Dave Bauckham's View

Fortunately Belper Town don't have this worry on Saturday - guaranteed 3rd place in the Evo 1 South - unless they can turn an 8 goal difference around (assuming Coalville lose as well) - at least 3rd place guarantees a home tie in the Play-Off Semi-Final ... Mossley can only hope for 4th or 5th (assuming all goes to plan) ... which means travelling (New Mills or Cammell "bloody" Laird !!).

Can Barcelona turn it round tonight ?? Does anyone really care ?? Will Mourinho move back to England ?? Does anyone really care ??

Time to cook tea ... does anyone care ??
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Dispatches ... Channel4

... anyone watch it last night ???   If not there's always 4OD as in

The Mystery of the Missing Mail

Certainly makes Royal Mail look good - but if/when it DOES get privatised ... expect similar ... I'll never buy a Dell computer online again ... or - hopefully Dell make take a long cool look at last night's shambles - and give their delivery contract back to RM/ParcelForce ...
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Meanwhile it's 1-1 'twixt Ossett Albion and Cammell Laird ... I attach a copy of a post made on the Mossley Message Board just before I "hit the kitchen" ...

... if Cammell Laird lose tonight ... and on Saturday ...

... if Trafford lose on Saturday ...

... if Ramsbottom lose on Saturday ...

... and we beat Harrogate RA on Saturday ...

We finish third ... and get a home tie in the Play-Off semi-finals ...

So tonight's cry is ...

COME ON OSSETT ALBION    

We can but hope ...

(2105hrs - latest is Ossett Albion 1 Cammell Laird 1)
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Ashton United v Whitby Town

So - for the second time in two days a team looking comfy concede late on.  Slightly different insofar as Stalybridge were 2-0 with minutes to go - and Ashton were 2-1 up with minutes to go - but why let pedantry get in the way of a snappy opening line !!!

Nice sunny start at Hurst Cross on Saturday - however it was the visitors who took an early lead.  However the lead lasted less than ten minutes when a Matty Burke effort to a deflection on its way past the Whitby 'keeper.  Ashton took the lead on the hour mark when good work from Matty Kosylo left Chris Amadi with the simplest of touches.  That seemed to be enough for the home side ... until two minutes from time when Whitby fashioned an equaliser.  Pictures from the game at

Ashton United 2 Whitby Town 2

Hmm ... pictures ... first effort with the new camera - and true to form it was pretty much "out of the box and into the ground" - probably NOT a good idea in retrospect.  It didn't take me long to realise that the focussing options on the 7d are "a touch different" to those of the old 50D !!!  Hence you'll see from the pics a rather blurry effort for the first goal (second goal - or lack of - was a more normal excuse ... I was in the loo !!!!).  Still - not bad for starters I suppose - and if it DOES come down to play-offs for Mossley, hopefully I'll know what I'm doing by then (supresses hoots of laughter).

Play-offs - Mossley kept their chances of sneaking back into the frame with a very very late winner at Harrogate yesterday.  This coupled with Trafford's 2-1 defeat by Ramsbottom means that now it's definitely perm any 2 from 3.  Mossley and Trafford on 77 points (Trafford with a 14 goal advantage though) and Rammy on 79 (again with a superior goal difference to Mossley).  Final league games next Saturday see Mossley at home to Harrogate, Ramsbottom away at Champions Skelmersdale and Trafford at home to Clitheroe ... Sky TV could not have dreamed up a better "last day" ...

Straight home after footy yesterday - we had visitors - and today went out for an eight-miler around Wye Dale, Millers Dale and Tideswell.  Took new camera - but attached clunky old faithful Tokina 19-35mm lens just for the hell of it - had chance to play around with the focussing a little bit - but it's not football so it's different anyway - just a few pics from today at

Wye Dale Walk - 28Apr13

Large lump of brisket went into the slo-cooker before we left (one of my three winnings from last Sunday's "Meat Draw" at the "Britannia" !!) with some veg and a large slug of red wine - very nice too !! Bath, telly, today's pics - and now this ...
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Stalybridge Celtic v Oxford City

... a rare Thursday night football gig ... although thinking it through, it was rather nice of them to do same as I would have been unavailable for any football on Tuesday night (!!).

What a cracking first half it was as well - Stalybridge getting back to the "good old ways" of moving it around on the floor - and being incisive around the box - two good goals - OK the second was a belter that no-one could have expected (my excuse for missing it !) apart from Adam Pepper himself ... but 2-0 up and coasting by half-time.

Unfortunately that WAS the problem ... the second half saw Celtic "coasting" ... IMHO they seemed to treat it as a training session.  BIG mistake.  Taking into account that they (Celtic) had no goalie (outfielder Jordan Barrow donned the gloves etc) they should have been a touch more careful ... at 85 minutes still 2-0 ... at 90+whatever it was 2-2 ... OK it was one of those "mid-table nowt to play for" type games, but it certainly was two points binned in the end - blame substitutions, blame over-confidence, blame ... whatever ... but it was a helluva waste of a good 45 ...  on the positive side, that first half should do a lot to dispel the doubters about Celtic - it's all in there somewhere; they just need to be more consistent.  Anyway some pictures from the game at

Stalybridge Celtic 2 Oxford City 2

New camera DID arrive yesterday (OK I had to go down to the PO to pick it up - even us posties get the "red cards" !!!) - but obviously the battery needed charging so - as yet - not used.  However tonight's jobbie is check out all the new buttons - attach the official "Six Tame Sides" camera strap to it - and take it for a run-out tomorrow (Ashton United v Whitby Town is the game of choice).  Fingers will be truly crossed for Mossley (away at Harrogate RA) - three points is a MUST, whilst praying for a "result" 'twixt Ramsbottom United and Trafford - hard to work out which is best for Mossley ... all on 40 games (i.e. two games left) ... Mossley on 74 points, Rammy on 76 points , Trafford on 77 points ... you work it out.  Plus it would be nice if Cammell Laird "blew up" - they've got the "game in hand" - they're playing lowly Wakefield tomorrow.  New Mills I'd pretty much guarantee have their play-off place safe.  To be honest though, it's perm any 2 from 3 (Mossley, Rammy, Trafford) for the play-off spots.

Talking of Ashton United ... it's a "big up" to Ashton United snapper Jez ... if you get to see a copy of the "Tameside Advertiser" this week, there's a cracking picture on the back page courtesy of Jez ... and for those who can't ... here's a copy of same:

"Game on" tomorrow at Hurst Cross ... in more ways than one !!!
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The "Anniversary Waltz"

... that was Tuesday ... 29 years me and Mrs Smiffy - a fine effort eh what ???

A "not bad" day @ work ... so when we both got ourselves together we headed out for a "bit of a walk with food at the end" - out of the house, and off up the bridle path towards Greenfield ... and then on to Uppermill ... and then (getting peckish now) further up to Dobcross ending up at "The Swan" - we hadn't booked but they fitted us in ... and a very nice meal was had by both  - Mrs Smiffy on the Stilton & Goats Cheese Pie and meself on one of the specials - Tomato and Beef Bredie (a South African recipe) - excellent beer (me) and wine (mrs) too and very reasonable (hence me linking !!!).

Home - to check them damn results vis-a-vis Mossley's play-off aspirations ... and overall they were NOT good with Cammell Laird, Trafford and New Mills all winning - however Ramsbottom did lose so ......... it's on to Saturday ...

Today ... another "not bad" day ... and as we type the Vegetarian Tea is bubbling away (Mrs S on a late one tonight) ...

Plus ... I've bitten that bloody bullet (things you can do when the wife's working late) - expecting new camera tomorrow !!!!
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Mossley v Ramsbottom United

... a lovely spring day - sun shining - large crowd (swelled by the "£5 in" offer no doubt) - fourth playing fifth ... all set up for a fascinating 90 minutes ...

Ramsbottom started like a house on fire, and Mossley were soon forced onto the back foot ... the "Golden Goal" came after just 6 minutes when Gaskell unleashed a wonderful curling effort into the top corner.  Ten minutes later it was 2-0 as Gaskell got up first to a corner to hit the target.  Between these two goals, Mossley were denied a blatant penalty when Chris Denham was upended on the edge of the box - and it was time for the self-perceived "Star of the Show" to make his early mark - Denham was booked for "diving" by Referee Haycock ... and then it got worse ...

Mossley had started to play themselves back into the game a bit - the early "Ramsbottom Rush" had calmed down somewhat - as had the Mossley defence.  However ... just before half-time Denham was clattered in the back - and the ref pulled out both yellow and red cards.  In the ensuing melee, I like a few others thought it was the Rambsbottom Number 8 Lee Stopforth who had been given his marching orders - but no ... it was Denham ... an unbelievable decision - you HAD to be there.  So Mossley down 2-0 and down to 10 men - what might have been an interesting second 45 minutes had been completely ruined by some totally inept officiating.

Any hope of a comeback was truly scuppered 10 minutes into the second half when Spencer made it 3-0 to the visitors and soon after it was 4-0.  As if the ref hadn't done enough damage to the game he then produced another red card for Mossley's Sam Madeley - OK retaliation, but the Rammy player wasn't even booked ... Danny Broadbent smacked one against the bar for the home side, but the damage had been well and truly done.

Take nothing away from Ramsbottom - fast, skilful and direct, causing Mossley all sorts of problems all over the pitch ... well-deserved winners in the end.  However the game was ruined as a spectacle by a completely useless referee.  Eleven against eleven at the start of the second half may have given Mossley a chance to pull it back - but no, this clown wanted to be the real centre of attention - and he succeeded admirably.  

Pictures from the game at

Mossley 0 Ramsbottom United 4

The result means that even if Mossley win their remaining two games (Harrogate RA away next week and at home the week after) they are not guaranteed a top 5 finish - they're now dependent on the other teams dropping points.  Fortunately (for Mossley anyway !!!) a number of those other teams (Trafford, New Mills, Ramsbottom and most importantly Cammell Laird) have still to play each other.  On Tuesday for example  Cammell Laird are at home to Champions Skelmersdale United - let's hope Skem don't take their foot off the pedal.  On the same night Rammy and New Mills have tricky away games at Prescot and Radcliffe respectively.  Next Saturday New Mills travel to Clitheroe and Ramsbottom entertain Trafford.  Best not to look much beyond that for now ....

Hope Mr HayCOCK slept well last night ...
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Cheshire Senior Cup Final - 17Apr13

... as in Chester FC v Stalybridge Celtic played at "that industrial estate in the middle of nowhere" a.k.a. Witton Albion FC.

Following last night's thread - got train to 'Bridge - time for a quick pre-coach shandy in the "White House" (opposite Bus Station - nice'n'easy therefore !) before the fairly swift journey to Wincham Park.  There was no doubt that the Stalybridge faithful were going to be outnumbered - but in all honesty it was a p*ss poor turnout from Celtic - OK the season has not turned out the way people had hoped ... but it WAS a Cup Final for Frith's sake !!

And for those "stayaways" ... you missed a really good performance from the 'underdogs'.  A fairly even first half - albeit played in a howling gale (tell me about it - I' been walking round Saddleworth all morning/early afternoon in similar 20mph winds).  You could say that the turning point was the Chester penalty - some serios communication breakdown in the Celtic defence left Joel Bembo-Leta in the sh*t - foul - penalty - red card - Celtic 1-0 down.

However you would not have believed it was 10 vs 11.  Celtic kept plugging away, and just before the hour Chris Hall got away and fired in an equaliser which sent the few Celtic faithful into raptures ... and silenced the Chester massive.  However  the euphoria was short-lived (2 minutes to be exact !).  Once again the elements contrived to cock things up ... and Chester went 2-1 ahead.  There was still half an hour to go - and you cannot fault Celtic for their endeavour - they gave it their best shot, but unfortunately it was not enough.

We didn't hang around for the presentations etc (reckon the idea was to get the "Celtic Temperance Bus" back home before closing time - it worked !).  A quick couple in the Buffet Bar (Marble Brewery "Pint") before catching the last train back to Mossley - a couple of hours mucking about with photos -

Chester FC 2 Stalybridge Celtic 1 (Cheshire Senior Cup Final)

Maybe could have been better - it HAD been a long day ...and at least the camera is continuing to work !!!

So ... after two games in two days ... a restful evening - but now it's time to cook some tea ...
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Mad Rush ...

... always a busy day on the mail-face (or parcel-face as it's rapidly becoming !!) and today was no exception.  Still ... managed to get home and sort out last night's Mossley 3-0 win ... as in 

Mossley 3 Farsley AFC 0

... and am hopefully suitably prepared for the Cheshire Senior Cup Final tonight (train to Stalybridge leaves in 20 mins !!).

One bonus - camera seems to be "hanging in there" - saw a tip on Google (not the one which says tip a teaspoonful of Isipropyl Alcohol into the battery compartment - to much of a coward for that) ... no it was "run the edge of a business card - OK I used a train ticket - around the gap around the shutter button" - it worked OK last night - I've done the same tonight ... but I've STILL got that wired remote ... just in case ...

Onward to Witton Albion - to see if Stalybridge can upset the mighty Chester FC ... back later ...
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Flying Tonight ...

Guess who's just scored a goal ...

Correct !!!!!!  Not the guy on the right

Mossley win ... but so do Cammelll Laird ... more later
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The Answer is Blowin' in the Wind ...

... gale force today @ work ... definitely a "keep it on the floor" game tonight !!!

Pictures might be interesting (given the "slight" problem !) ... fingers crossed ...

Now off to cook beef stir-fry for the masses before wandering 'up the road' ...
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