Admissions Complete !

... well now we know all the prices for our "Six Tame Sides" - see here - varying from £7-50 at Curzon Ashton up to £14 at Hyde FC (although don't forget - we are talking about a 4 level (football) difference between these two prices - and of course there are discounts available on season tickets as well).  Must admit I'd also like to see some other options as well to "tempt in the floaters" - a "Five Match Ticket" or a "Ten Match Ticket" that could be used for matches of your choice - it's been tried before at a couple or three of our clubs - and they can make nice Birthday/Christmas pressies as well - remember we're in a double-dip recession as well !

Talking of football ... these arrived today (good old Royal Mail ...

... and having checked out the "whereabouts" of the seats on the Old Trafford "seating plan" - they would have cost me £88 to see United ... I paid £40 ... the Sunday ticket includes two games (Egypt v New Zealand and Brazil v Belarus) and the Wednesday game is Spain v Morocco ... all this slap-bang in the middle of the pre-season friendlies !

Whit Friday tomorrow up our way - for some a grand day out with the religious "Walks" in the morning and the Brass Band contests in the afternoon/evening - for others ... a glorified p*ss up which causes no end of grief - and to be honest - has probably led to the "Saddleworth Beer Walk" (which used to take place on the Saturday) being cancelled this year ... like last year (in Diggle), I'm working "in the thick of it" (this time Greenfield/Uppermill) - early "post off" for us mind, so hopefully I'll get out early evening for a bit of "brass and beer" (+ photos of course !) ...

.

Still Hot !

Well the BBC weather experts got it wrong again today - expecting a refreshing shower or two this afternoon, but no - it stayed bloomin' hot.  No doubt it'll break tomorrow (or tonight ??) - and with Whit Friday coming up too ...

Something must have been happening in downtown Mossley late this afternoon - it hovered just long enough for me to rush in and grab camera and (big !) lens ...

 

 ... must read the "Manchester Evening News" tomorrow !

... and finally a quick garden vegetable update ...

 

"Promising potatoes" ...

"Petite Peppers" ...

"Tidgy Tomatoes" - still propogating for another week or so ...

... must remember to take waterproof with me tomorrow - just in case ...

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Day Off Project - FAIL !

... a day off from work - and I took it (for a change - working on the premise that this glorious weather will - eventually -break !).  So ... today's project was Mossley Pub signs - i.e. all of them !!!  Started at 1130 this morning and finished off in the "Rising Sun" at about 1330 hrs - where I had my first "shandy" !!  Strolled back into Mossley centre (I was wearing my new RM-Issue trainers - believe it or not they DO need breaking in !) to buy tonight's tea ('twas Mediterranean Chicken + Salad) before having "just one more" in the "Highland Laddie".  Discussed said project with the peeps in ... who said "Have you done the three Working Mens' Clubs ??" Mr Smug here said that they don't really count as pubs ... and then ... someone said .... "What about the Dysarts Arms ???"

AAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH !!!!!!!!

Yep ... I've bloody well missed one .............................................

So ... feeling extremely stupid ... I can only offer up this:

Mossley Pub Signs - 29May12

... I WILL update at a later date - but it fair ruined my day - for those not "in the know" the Dysarts is on one road (yes ... in Mossley) - you get to the end of that road and turn left back towards Mossley and go past the "Royal George" pub - which is actually classed as Greenfield (i.e. OL3 postcode not OL5) - b*st*rd boundaries !!!

(For completeness tonight - here's a pic of the "missing pub" - stolen from Google Images)

Grrrrr .... back to work tomorrow (the dark recesses of Royton) - even forgot to buy a ticket for tonights £79m Euro ...bugger seems to be the kindest word ...

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Cricket - FAIL !

... well it got to that stage ...watered plants and potatoes (it's hot) ... planted tomato seeds (it's still hot) ... cleaned kitchen (gawd it's hot) ... picked up camera bag - and thought "sod this - it's too heavy - and too bloody hot !" A quick lens tweak - as in putting something a damn sight lighter in weight on the end - and I went for a gentle wander down the canal (with the appropriate "drop-in" at the pub - saw some cricket there - England v Windies - and the end of the "Monaco Grand Procession" !) - so apologies to all you cricket fans out there - all I have to offer today is 

Six Canal Locks 

Good to see Crewe making it through the play-off final  - an absolute belter of a first goal as well from Nick Powelll;  also nice to see AJ Leitch-Smith making an impression for the Railwaymen - he spent some time on loan at Curzon Ashton a couple of years ago - in fact here he is playing against Mossley back in April 2010 - note the original caption said "one tasty player" - I can spot a good 'un now and then !!

Believe it's going to be hot again tomorrow - at least I'll be getting paid for lugging a weight on my shoulder though !

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Warning - Man "at work" ...

Three photos from the end of the season that may have slipped through the net (unless you've Facebooked 'em !) - taken at the Evo 1 North Play-Off Final 'twixt Curzon Ashton and Witton Albion ...

... it might have been the end of April - but it WAS bloomin' cold that day - hence "postie hat'n'gloves" - one month on and it's warmer than Monte Carlo apparently !  My thanks to Maxine (Curzon snapper) who caught me in the act !

Going to try some cricket this afternoon I think - nowt on in the Saddleworth League so ... North Manchester Cricket League Division 1 here I come (Ashton Ladysmith CC to be exact !)

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Something Close to my Heart !

... well England beat Norway - just ... and I could be talking about either the football or the Eurovision Song Contest here (OK that was UK but ... you get my drift !!!)  Suffice to say the football was probably only slightly more riveting than the music (that's me guessing by the way - I may well be wrong !!).

A sad yet familiar site these days ...

Anyway - to the point of this thread ... an e-petition to HM Government regarding the beer duty escalator - the tax on beer which is allowed to rise 2% ABOVE the rate of inflation every year - meanwhile supermarkets are STILL selling beer at rock-bottom prices - often as 'loss-leaders' to get peeps in (while helping to kill off a great British institution - not helped by the smoking ban either ... but that's another story - grrr !!).

Go on - stick your moniker on this e-petition - and if you're still feeeling 'public spirited' there's always the Football Blogging Awards as well ("Veteran" category please !!)

(Thanks to "Bloods Mad" on the Droylsden Forum for pointing this out ...)

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Another Bugger of a Day ...

... out in the darkest reaches of Shaw for a second day - OK got a "celebrity customer" in (a Corrie star - can say no more !!) - but finishing at silly hour - and then having to get back to Mossley - aargh !  

Home - changed - and managed to get to pub for second half of Sheff United v Huddersfield Town - shouting for the Blades naturally (my university location - went watching  them rather than Wednesday - back in the days of Alex Sabella - remember him ??)

However - pens are a nasty thing (although it has to be admitted that the Terriers had all the chances in the second half - several goal line clearances etc etc) - and when it comes down to the keepers taking them ... Smithies 1 Simonsen 0 ...

Hey ho - at least I got some footy in - have just eaten a very large chicken butty using left overs from a barbie we had last night - might well wander out later to watch the Norway v Roy Hodgson XI ...

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Odds and Sods for 2012/13

Another "updateable" post ...

ADMISSION PRICES (Ground)

Ashton United - up to £9 (from £8) - discounts available - see here
Curzon Ashton - up to £7-50 (from £7) - discounts available - see here
Droylsden - £10 (no change)- season ticket info here

Hyde FC - up to £14 (from £10) - discounts available - see here
Mossley - £8 (no change) - discounts available - see here
Stalybridge Celtic - £10 (no change) - discounts available - see here

and further afield ...


Stockport (ex-Woodley) Sports - Not yet known (but season ticket info here)
Belper Town - £7 (no change) - season ticket info here
Stafford Rangers - £10 (up from £9) - discounts available - see here

TRANSFERS OUT (CONFIRMED ... not rumour !)

Danny Hall - HYDE FC to Altrincham
Craig Hobson - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC to Stockport County

Rhys Meynell - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC to Guiseley 

Phil Marsh - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC to Forest Green Rovers

TRANSFERS IN (CONFIRMED ... not rumour !)

Alex Brown - Chester to HYDE FC
Phil Jevons - Morecambe to HYDE FC
Jamie Mullan - Alfreton Town to STALYBRIDGE CELTIC
Jack Laird - Oldham Athletic to STALYBRIDGE CELTIC
Dave Birch - HYDE FC to FC United of Manchester
Luca Havern - HYDE FC to Altrincham



 
Blue Square fixtures due to be released on Monday 2nd July 2012

Evo-Stik fixtures due to be released on Friday 13th July 2012

Whoa ... I'm apparently in Barbados !

... certainly at 1405 hrs local time (1905 hrs over here).

Got a strange "automated phone call" apparently from the Royal Bank of Scotland "Fraud Squad" this evening at about 1915hrs - "sounds a bit scammy" thought I, so when I got home I did some checking (OK Googling !) before ringing a different number.  A few questions later they were going through my recent transactions (Mossley cashpoint, Asda, Mossley cashpoint, Tesco etc) .... and then ... "£159 in Barbados today ???" I don't think so !!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like I've been cloned .... and I wonder how/where from ... card now cancelled anyway ... typically tropical bastards !

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You've All Been Very Kind ...

... vis-a-vis voting for me on the Football Blogging Awards (mentioned on here last week )

... in fact - I was only looking for votes in the "Best Veteran Blog" category - it appears I've also got a fair few votes in the "Best Male Blog" category - although I'm probably chasing a lost cause in that one !!!

Anyway - I promise to try very hard to talk football over the close season - obviously we've got the Euros and the Olympics coming up - but there's always loads going on behind the scenes in the non-league world, and I'll try to keep my eyes and ears open - the local pre-season friendly link will continue to be updated as well (as it has twice already this week !).

... and ... naturally ... if you haven't already voted for "Six Tame Sides" - please feel free (either that or tell me to "blog off" - as someone has already !!) - emphasis on the "Veteran Blog" category as well (although I might well get in touch with Mr Blogging Awards in case there is a possibility of a "Single Transferable Vote Option" (i.e. bung all the non-duplicates into one - you never know ...)

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Now that's what I call ... Weather !

Lovely day today - in fact the "Royal Mail Shorts" had an outing this morning/afternoon !  As the sun was still out after work - and it was Mrs Smiffy's "swimming night" - I grabbed a camera and did a "60 minute spontaneous wander" ... starting in the front room (!), thence back garden, thence ... out ...

An Hour in the Life - 22 May 12

Are you spotting a certain desperation here !!!!!!!!

Still to come this week - it's probably time I did some kind of "End of Term Report" on the "Six Tame Sides" given that term ended a few weeks ago - consider me 'on the case' ...

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Sadly ...

... it was not to be for Bala Town yesterday, beaten 2-1 by Llanelli - although apparently the "Man of the Match" was the Llanelli 'keeper Craig Richards (which must say something !) - noticed also there was no mention of this game in today's "Non League Paper" (either that or I've gone partially blind).  The game was live on "Sgorio" (S4C) as well - bugger this Freeview omission !!  Also well done to York City today who overcame the shock of going 1-0 down after only 70 seconds to finally beat Luton Town 2-1 to earn their place in the Football League.  Watched most of the game on one of those "naughty streaming thingies" (!) - and you have to admit that York's winner was WELL offside  ... don't know about goal-line technology but lino technology might be useful as well - and so it goes on .

So - Saturday with no football - went for a walk instead - a couple or four pictures ...

 

Good Luck Bala Town ...

...OK not "strictly" non-league ... but tomorrow Bala Town are away at Llanelli  - playing for a place in the Europa League next season - and I wish them all the best.

Some may ask "Why ?" - but back in July 2010 there was a pre-season friendly up at Mossley ... against Bala Town - and Mossley won 3-1 (see here for more - plus pics).  Have always kept an eye open for them ever since (although having got rid of Sky, the "Sgorio" option has disappeared - why isn't S4C on Freeview ??????).

Anyway the message from this bit of Mossley is ...

"yfory pob lwc !"

(that's from Google Translate - hope it's right !)

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Pre-Season Friendlies ... Version 1.2.1. FINAL

Sat 07 Jul 12 - 1500 - Rhyl 1-1 HYDE FC

Wed 11 Jul 12 - 1900 - MOSSLEY 0-3 Oldham Athletic 

Sat 14 Jul 12 - 1300 - CURZON ASHTON 2-3 Denton Town (on FieldTurf pitch) 
Sat 14 Jul 12 - 1500 - Darwen 2-1 ASHTON UNITED
Sat 14 Jul 12 - 1500 - Irlam Town v DROYLSDEN (cancelled - burst sewer pipe !)

Sat 14 Jul 12 - 1500 - MOSSLEY 0-2 Burnley

Sat 14 Jul 12 - 1500 - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 0-3 HYDE FC (Ray Stanley Memorial Shield)

Mon 16 Jul 12 - 1945 - CURZON ASHTON 0-0 HYDE FC
 

Tue 17 Jul 12 - 1945 - Congleton Town 2-3 DROYLSDEN
Tue 17 Jul 12 - 1945 - MOSSLEY v FC Halifax Town (cancelled - waterlogged pitch)
Tue 17 Jul 12 - 1930 - Stockport Sports v STALYBRIDGE CELTIC (NOW OFF)
 
Fri 20 Jul 12 - 1930 - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 3-2 Manchester City

Sat 21 Jul 12 - 1500 - Atherton Colls 1-0 ASHTON UNITED
Sat 21 Jul 12 - 1430 - Buckley Town 1-2 DROYLSDEN 
Sat 21 Jul 12 - 1500 - MOSSLEY 1-1 HYDE FC

Sat 21 Jul 12 - 1500 - Chadderton 2-3 CURZON ASHTON (not Teversal v CURZON !!!)

Tue 24 Jul 12 - 1945 - CURZON ASHTON 3-3 DROYLSDEN

Tue 24 Jul 12 - 1945 - Prestwich Heys 2-5 MOSSLEY

Tue 24 Jul 12 - 1945 - Rhyl 1-1 ASHTON UNITED
Tue 24 Jul 12 - 1930 - Witton Albion 1-1 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC

Sat 28 Jul 12 - 1500 - Bacup Borough 1-3 MOSSLEY
Sat 28 Jul 12 - 1500 - CURZON ASHTON 2-2 Blackburn Rovers
Sat 28 Jul 12 - 1500 - Stockport Sports 1-1 DROYLSDEN (venue to be confirmed)
Sat 28 Jul 12 - 1500 - Warrington Town 1-1 ASHTON UNITED

Tue 31 Jul 12 - 1945 - West Didsbury 0-3 CURZON ASHTON 
Tue 31 Jul 12 - 1945 - HYDE FC 3-1 AFC Fylde

Tue 31 Jul 12 - 1945 - MOSSLEY 1-1 Altrincham

Tue 31 Jul 12 - 1900 - Prestwich Heys 0-2 ASHTON UNITED
Tue 31 Jul 12 - 1945 - Rhyl 2-3 DROYLSDEN 

Fri 03 Aug 12 - 1930 - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 2-1 Grimsby Town

Sat 04 Aug 12 - 1500 - ASHTON UNITED 0-0 MOSSLEY (2-3 on pens) (Willow Wood Hospice Cup)
Sat 04 Aug 12 - 1500 - DROYLSDEN 0-4 Burnley
Sat 04 Aug 12 - 1500 - HYDE FC 1-1 Blackpool (NEW !!!)
Sat 04 Aug 12 - 1500 - Newcastle Town 1-2 CURZON ASHTON

Tue 07 Aug 12 - 1945 - CURZON ASHTON 1-4 ASHTON UNITED (Arthur Clancy Trophy)

Tue 07 Aug 12 - 1945 - MOSSLEY 2-0 FC United of Manchester

Sat 11 Aug 12 - Start of the Blue Square Premier Season

Sat 11 Aug 12 - 1500 - Buckley Town 1-0 ASHTON UNITED
Sat 11 Aug 12 - 1500 - DROYLSDEN 3-2 Chorley

Sat 11 Aug 12 - 1500 - MOSSLEY v Newcastle Town (NOW CANCELLED)
Sat 11 Aug 12 - 1500 - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 0-0 Buxton

Mon 13 Aug - 1930 - ASHTON UNITED 0-1 Rochdale (NEW !!)

Sat 18 Aug 12 - Start of Blue Square North & Evo-Stik season 

... and that's it for the friendlies ...

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Whoops !

Looks like there is a job opportunity for a proof reader at the Manchester Evening News website though !!!

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One for my Sister ...

... day off today - and yes I took it for a change !!!  Washing, ironing, haircut and shopping - and I came across these in HMV Ashton - well you just can't turn this sort of offer down - can you ...

  

So - in true "do it right" style tonight's tea (one helluva mixed grill !!) was accompanied by Volume 1.  OK we already own Volume 3 in its own right so Friday = Volume 4 I guess !!!

And naturally - whilst uploading pix from babycam - I found something else that made me laugh - can't remember which pub I clocked it in (I don't go in that many - ho ho !) but ... here goes ...

Now I could have sworn that they're called "Mezes" in Greece ...

Football - nowt dramatic in Mr Hodgson's Euro selections - reckon Signor Capello would have chosen pretty much the same squad - furthermore I'm a bit peed off about missing a game last night - found out today that there was some kind of Sunday League Cup Final down at Droylsden last night involving a Mossley pub (the "Commercial") versus a Stalybridge pub (the "Ridge Hill") - and it went to extra-time and pens as well - baaah !!!

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Hyde FC - New Soap Opera ...

MAY-hem ...

Well it's all been happening down at Ewen Fields over the last couple of weeks.  The euphoria created after winning the Blue Square North title appears to have disappeared down the plughole with some "off the field" hammer blows raining down so soon afterwards ... 

ONE - Manager Gary Lowe and Assistant Martyn Booty resign on Thursday (3rd) - Chairman and Board apparently "find out" on the Sunday (6th) ...

TWO - Club Chairman Alan Kenyon resigns (11th) ...

THREE - Chief Executive Ted Davies resigns (14th) ...

... and amongst all this "kerfuffle" further rumours fly around (and they ARE only rumours) about Director Jon Manship and possible 'pastures new' - meanwhile new management team Scott McNiven and Gavin McCann have to try and steady things on the "on the pitch" and prepare for the Blue Square Premier - an unenviable task with all this stuff going on in the background.   I wish them all luck.

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Looking for some cheap publicity !!

On Twitter ... @TheFBAs @MossleySmiffy #veteran 

Facebook ... http://www.facebook.com/FootballBloggingAwards - look for "Six Tame Sides" in the 'Best Veteran Football Blog' Section. (Veteran - not because I'm old - OK I am - but because it's been 'wobbling on' for more than three years - yes 3+ = veteran !!!)

Worth a try innit ?!?

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Some Sunday Slide Guitar Thoughts ...

... well it's different !  Actually it all began yesterday afternoon when listening to the "eclectic music box" down in the "Britannia" in Mossley (apres cricket !), when "Stormy May Day" from AC/DC came on - now I know young (!!!) Angus Young is not a renowned slidemeister, but he does a pretty good job on that track.  Fast forward to now - down in the kitchen prepping some tea - actually sorting out the meat sauce for one of my bastardized pastitsio recipes (can let it rot over the afternoon - tastes much better then).  Listening to Seasick Steve on the old music machine got me thinking - who are the best slide guitarists around/alive/dead etc ???  Early scribbles (on the recipe sheet no less) have come up with the following (and I've tried to put them in my personal order) ...

George Thorogood

Rory Gallagher

Seasick Steve

Joe Walsh

Leo Kottke

Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)

Gary Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

Obviously there's dozens more (older readers may say "Where's Elmore James ?" - just not heard enough of same - OK "Dust my Broom" but ...).  There are other "odd tracks" I could think of as well  - "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison; "Statesboro Blues" by Pat Travers (yes - prefer the Pat Travers version to that by Duane Allman - cue more howls of anguish from the purists !!) - and so on and so on ...

Time to turn that sauce off - what to do this afternoon ??

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Saddleworth CC v Moorside CC

What's that strange sign on the left ???

 

... as promised ... cricket !

Got home from work in time to sneak into a hostelry to catch the last 20 minutes of the Huddersfield Town v Wimbledon Exiles Play-Off game before home - change - dust off the old "dobber lens" (170-500) - and then a stroll down to Well'i'Hole to catch a bit of cricket (I'd spotted there was a game on whilst travelling home from Greenfield on the train - you just look out of the train window !!!).  Caught what must have been the tail-end of the home side's innings - they finished on 178.  Moorside started like a house on fire before losing two quick wickets - and then I strolled back home - crazy really ... the sun was out but my fingers had turned white !!!  Anyway - a quick 20 from today at

SaddleworthCCMoorsideCC12May12   (link updated - bit of a c*ck-up somewhere !!)

Grabbed some food (Mrs Smiffy away in Belper for the weekend) before sorting out pics - now I'm off to ... no not the pub ... watch the last Harry Potter DVD - have only seen it once since we bought it - so why not ??

Tomorrow - I may have to go with the City/United flow ... p.s. congrats to York City who won the FA Trophy Final today (2-0 v Newport County).
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Springhead v Stockport Georgians ... UPDATED ...

... in the Gilgryst Cup Final tonight @ Hyde FC - a 3-2 win to the Oldham-based side - with many hairy moments in the second half when they seemed to almost completely "switch off" (apart from the 'keeper !).  Too late for a full talk/photo album - but here's the one at the end (and that's "champagne" not rain !!) ...

More tomorrow - promise !

UPDATE  - pictures to be found at 

Springhead 3 Stockport Georgians 2 

Having done my homework, I decided to go for the Springhead view on the night (a 17 game unbeaten run was the clue) - but it ended up a lot closer than expected.  3-2 at half-time and then Georgians spent almost the entire second half encamped in and around the Springhead penalty area - but they held out in the end.

Special mention to the Springhead number 11 who took a fearful hammering including some fairly brutal challenges at times - and just kept getting up and getting on with it - no moaning, no "reaction" - there's a fair few out there who could take a leaf out of this guy's book ...

No football tomorrow ... cricket maybe ???

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Wednesday Witterings ...

... our latest stray cat - Pirate - spent a happy (?!) day at the vets yesterday - sorted his (smelly) teeth out - basically by removing them (rotten as hell apparently), before returning home "high as a kite" but not as smelly - he's had a good MOT as well and appears much happier - unlike our bank balance which is just over £200 down - so ... if anyone in the Mossley area has lost (or more likely turfed out) a cat that looks like this ...

... no you can't have him back !! You obviously couldn't be *rsed to look after him, so to paraphrase Papa Lazarou ("League of Gentlemen" if you aren't aware) "You're MY cat now !!"

... see Hyde FC have swiftly filled the vacant Managerial role, with Scott McNiven and Gavin McCann taking over the reins for their foray into the big bad world of Blue Square Premier next season - obviously I mentioned budgets etc in an earlier post - but let's hope that it all works out OK - as someone mentioned on the Hyde Message Board "I'd rather have relegation than liquidation" - hopefully it won;t come to either.

... Stalybridge Celtic's Stephen Brogan has been called up for the England C squad to face Russia in the International Trophy on June 5th - a well deserved selection given what I saw of him last season ...

... the funeral for John Smith - who died just over a week ago takes place tomorrow at 1300 hrs at Mossley Methodist Church - thence to Dukinfield Crematorium followed by wake @ Mossley Football Club - unable to get time off sadly but will be thinking of him ...

... new lens hood arrived today for the cheap'n'cheerful "holiday lens" - good ol' eBay ...

... leaky tap sorted ... boiler serviced ... escaped the weather (mostly) @ work today, although expecting much worse tomorrow - eek !

... tonight's kitchen concoction was pork and chorizo in sauteed vegetables with roasted wedgie chips ... 

 

... Frank Warren is obviously (allegedly) a money-grabbing crook (Chisora v Haye - what a joke !) - sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation (maybe because no bugger else would touch it with a bargepole) - West Ham United should hold their heads in shame for offering to stage this fiasco - or maybe they're (allegedly) only in it for the money ?!?  We eagerly await Sky's involvement (oh - money - allegedly - maybe ?) - not ...

... Blackpool still 1-0 up on aggregate ... me definitely going to Hyde tomorrow ...

... enough of this codswallop etc - off to watch Timothy Spall sail around the west coast of Scotland ...

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Farewell Nokia - Hello Samsung ...

... mentioned a couple of times last week - but I've finally moved away from Nokia mobile phones (my first ever moby was a Nokia 1611"brick" - bought back in 1996 !) - sadly they had nothing to choose from last week Android/Smartphone-wise, so it was a toss-up between HTC and Samsung with victory going to the Koreans.  So - stuff to learn now - although I've sorted out the requisite ringtones (v important I know) and the mobile internet is now up and running (when required - as in having found the on/off button to stay within usage limits - and the wi-fi option as well !).  There WAS a reason for all this blurb - I got around to emptying the memory card off the old phone today - and remembered this pic I took at the beginning of last week (when I did two days work at the start of my "holiday" !) ...

I'm guessing they meant to say "rabbit hutch" - hope so because that's where the mail went !!

First day back at work after a six day break today - fairly painless, although I'm sure the "Bank Holiday Parcel Syndrome" will kick in either tomorrow or Thursday !!

... and a different football option has reared its head for this midweek - namely the Gilgryst Cup Final between Stockport Georgians and Springhead which is being played at Hyde FC on Thursday night (1930hrs) - having done my "once a year" West Riding County Amateur League game, it'll give me a chance to finally get a Manchester League game in before season end ...

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Lower Hopton v Kirkburton

... a grand Saturday out - beginning with a cheap'n'cheerful train ride featuring a few drinking establishments - a pint of Dark Star "Hophead" in the Kings Head on Huddersfield Station, followed by a pint of Durham "White Velvet" in Dewsbury Buffet Bar and finally a pint of Black Sheep "Bitter" in the Railway at Mirfield (avoided the Navigation" as it was full of 'nuns' - this "Rail Ale Trail" is stopping every bloody where these days !).  Armed with some handwritten directions (and a cute new phone with Google Maps and GPS on it !!) I found the Lower Hopton ground in good time ... only to find a "Tea Room" that sold precisely that ... aaargh !!

 

The overworked Lower Hopton 'keeper gets in the way of another Kirkburton effort ...


Kirkburton were chasing the runners-up spot in the WRCAFL whilst Lower Hopton were struggling in the lower reaches of the table - and it showed with two goals for the visitors in the first half (true to form, my "one half each" approach saw these goals go in at the other end - c'est la vie !)  The Lower Hopton 'keeper had a blinder mind - coming to the rescue on numerous occasions whilst the visiting 'keeper (who I believe was not even a keeper ?) was relatively untroubled.  The second half saw just one more goal - a 25 yard blinder that beat both 'keeper and cameraman - and the comfortable win puts Kirkburton up into 2nd place (although Bay Athletic - the "Man United" of this league - can still overtake them with their games in hand). Some pictures from the game at

Lower Hopton 0 Kirkburton 3

Early kick-off meant early finish - and I did try out the "Navigation" on the way back to the railway station (a pint of Theakston's "Lightfoot") before hopping on the train to Huddersfield, quick change and back to Mossley ... and those bloody nuns were on the prowl again !  Most got off at Greenfield, but a couple got "left on" and ended up in Mossley.  Quick chaotic pint at the "Britannia" (full of ... you've guessed it, gobby noisy, often belligerent rail ale trailers) to watch the rest of the Cup Final (I reckon it was over the line - did us all out of 30 minutes extra time that decision !) before heading down to daughters for pizza and (more) beer.


This morning - got recycling and shopping out of the way (like most of the armchair football fans were doing as well - busy all over).  Noted the "Big News" in the "Non League Paper" - the resignation of Hyde FC's Manager Gary Lowe just a couple of weeks after guiding the Tigers into the Conference National - personal terms and playing budgets appear to be the sticking point, which is hardly surprising as the National is virtually a full-time league, and many a part-time team have been somewhat "embarrassed" when making what is a quantum leap from North/South to National - which is not unlike Championship to Premiership.  So - it's realism versus affordability, and it's certainly gonna be tricky for the likes of Hyde to compete with those clubs with large fan bases and large Chairman's wallets (I'm on about the size of the wallets here - not the size of the Chairmen !!).  One phrase often trotted out in these circumstances is "We might struggle - we might come straight back down - but we're going to have a helluva good time while we're there" - I can only wish Hyde the best of luck, whatever happens - the increased national exposure might bring some more money into the coffers (as there is talk of their deal with Man City ending soon - another "revenue stream" that Hyde are fortunate enough to have at the moment) - personally I reckon it's a sensible move by Hyde supremo John Manship not to going throwing what can rapidly become unrealistic amounts of cash at a project that has on more than one occasion in the past ended not only in tears for clubs but instant relegation on the pitch, or more than one relegation of off it - think Darlington, think Kettering ... think Portsmouth even ... the list is long ... 


Anyroad up the holiday continues just a little bit longer - some Conference play-offs today and tomorrow - the Evo-Stik Final 'twixt Bradford PA and FC United happens today as well (shifted 24 hours on police advice !) - I'll probably just take in a bit of TV football this afternoon - and then think of a football-free Monday - back to work Tuesday - and then (as mentioned previously) maybe another trip "over the hill" on Wednesday night - Marsden FC v Storthes Hall - we'll see how work pans out this week as it's an 1815hrs kick-off - easy on the train mind - 1748 train takes just 12 minutes followed by a swift jog across town to the ground - maybe ...
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Football Found !!!

Well ... you get the idea ...
 

... and it's NOT the FA Cup Final !!!

A trip "over the border" to Yorkshire to take in the West Riding County Amateur Football League - did the same last year  and the year before - this time it's Lower Hopton v Kirkburton - apparently the ground is not too far from Mirfield Station - easy train ride from Mossley (47 mins apparently with a change in Huddersfield) so ... sorted !!! And yes I know Bacup Borough are also at home tomorrow - but try that on public transport from Mossley !!!

And if anyone fancies it, please note it's a 1430hrs kick off ... so should be home to see some of the aforementioned Cup Final (what the hell have they done moving the kick-off to 1715hrs ?? TV talks I guess - plus of course it's a Bank Holiday weekend so naturally there's "engineering works" on the railway line 'twixt Liverpool and London - you couldn't make it up could you ???).

(PS - Marsden are at home on Wednesday - 1815hrs kick off ... maybe - just maybe ...)

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Bacup Borough v Maine Road ...

 

... and no it's not Jim Royle ... it's his brother (Dave Tomlinson - League Chairman)

... in the North West Counties League Cup Final ... 5-0 to Bacup sounds pretty convincing, but the scoreline was somewhat harsh on a Maine Road side who battled well throughout - and up until 45 minutes it was a fairly even game, but you know what they say about a goal just before the break !  Maine Road continued to press after half-time but three more goals "at the other end" (I gave each team one half each in the interests of fairness !) gave the scoreline a flattering look.  A few pictures from the evening at

Bacup Borough 5 Maine Road 0

 Now then - Saturday - day off - and the search for football begins ... and it doesn't look too promising at the moment !!

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Tonight - for starters ...

It's 2-0 to Bacup Borough - Adrian Bellamy is taking the plaudits - but the League website says "OG" for this one ..

... kind of ruins my picture a bit/a lot - 'cus it was the "stand out" pic for me - now I have to go through the other 153 pics taken tonight to make up an album ... probably early tomorrow peeps... sorry ...

... by the way it finished Bacup Borough 5 Maine Road 0.

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Playing Out ...

... finally got around to going out and playing with the new lens today - in deference to the "cheap and cheerful" moniker I put on it earlier this week, I used the "old" camera (EOS 20D) ... if nowt else because the replacement battery compartment cover for the 50D has not yet arrived !!  Weather was fine - so all I've done with the pix in Photoshop is press "Auto Levels" followed by "Auto Sharpen" ... and they look all right to me ...

Lens Test 03May12

... OK I wouldn't expect it to perform that well in low light conditions - but that's not what it's been bought for !!

Must rush - off to Ashton to have a go at the North West Counties League Cup Final between Bacup Borough and Maine Road - and I'm taking the 50D and the 70-200mm f2.8 tonight !!!

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Some Tuber Action !

... well they were chitted a while back - and then I planted them out in the little green sack - and ever since, it hasn't stopped raining (saves watering I guess !) - had a peep today - and things appear to be happening ...

Last year tomatoes - this year spuds - and there's a few red peppers in urgent need of replanting in a gro-bag or something - not forgetting the window sill herbs ...

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