After much snow shifting this morning - and a wee bit of help from a Council digger - the club is accessible to all (as Sir Bob Geldof would say, "Give us your f***ing money !") - pix to follow, but now I need a bath (me back is killing me !), and then I need to whizz down to Tameside College to enrol on a "night course" (VB.Net - need to get some of my computer skills up to the 21st Century !).
... and we're not talking about the Lilywhite's defence !!! Stayed in all day (apart from a brisk morning trip to the "convenience shop" for essentials (more milk - Mrs Smiffy working from home = more tea drunk !!). Daughter got to work - boy got to college placement - aren't trains wonderful ! And then - earlier this eve, a JCB trundled up our street (imagine ... narrow - cul-de-sac - cars on both sides) - ploughed out a single-track furrow and dumped the snow between the parked cars and up on the pavement. Also, having cleared the snow, it's now revealed some patches of ice underneath from the earlier "cold snap" - grit box STILL empty - so a few plusses and a few minuses then !!
Tomorrow sees me - possibly - having to use the car (Mrs Smiffy off to work via train) - just weighed it up after a quick trip to "convenience shop" for evening essentials (you guess !) - might need half-an-hour's digging out around the wheels (thanks JCB) and clearing of snow/ice first ...
... and I've (rashly ?) promised to head up to Mossley AFC to help shift some snow "from the approaches" in order that the Social Club becomes accessible to cars as well - no bloomin' football looking possible for a while (forget the Garforth game this Saturday), so we need to ensure that the only real source of income at this present time - the Social Club - is available/accessible so we can get some money. What with the floodlight crisis (official line on the web site - here) still "up in the air" (unlike the bloody pylons !), every penny counts ... and it's the same for all of the "Six Tame Sides" ... and ALL non-league teams as well - no home games = no income - and expect no help from the FA/Football League - or those rich clubs "up above".
A Final "and finally ..." - don't know if anyone else (outside Manchester) noticed ... but the Chill Factore (Manchester's artificial snow slope) was shut the other day because of ... the snow ... ha ! .
... it's Tuesday - therefore it's football night in Mossley. Obviously no real football to watch, but ... Stoke v Fulham on MurdochChannel ... so, off out through the already chilling piles of snow. "Britannia" in Mossley - only showing Sky Sports News Channel, so after a "Hobgoblin" - and in the full knowledge that Stoke were already 3-0 up - I caught the (fairly "on time") train to Greenfield and into the "Railway" - where they're watching some cr*p about police and stuff ... never mind, had a natter with Malc and mate - and a couple of pints of Millstone "Tiger Rut".
Home (on a fairly "on-time" train) - to find it finished 3-2 ... picked two wrong 'uns for football tonight ! However, when everyone went to bed I dosed up on "Sgorio" (S4C) and watched New Saints beat Welshpool 4-0 (mostly down to some comical defending by Y Trallwng !), followed by a 1-1 draw twixt Rhyl and Prestatyn (MOM was definitely the Prestatyn keeper Jon Dunt - just like it said in the "NLP" on Sunday - pulled off some tremendous saves).
And so to Wednesday ... and more chaos "out there" - one last "up" from today - the MEN "live feed" screen today ref the weather/transport/closures/opens etc etc - extremely good, and no doubt extremely useful to those "out there" - trust we'll see same tomorrow/later today. .
... aaah the joys of being "between jobs" (although I'd have given it a go this morning had I had the chance !!) Instead I had a "wander out" this morning - not far as the safest way in and out of Mossley is by rail - and took some more pictures ... also some from our back yard:
Forecast ... who knows ... it hasn't stopped snowing here all day - must be at least a foot deep out the back by now - big up to our milkman - pinta on the step this morning - postie got through as well (no job news though, just a Sky flyer !) - bin still not emptied - road still not gritted/ploughed (a problem not confined to Tameside either). I can vaguely remember 1962/63 - think this could be worse ... football already in doubt for the weekend, and next midweek probably ...
... it's snowing again ... that climate change palaver in Copenhagen certainly did the trick ... didn't it ?
"Bloody Hell" also to find out that "Top Gear" is the greatest TV show of the decade - what a joke ... obviously just surveyed 20 testosterone-fuelled blokes (plus Laura - ex-work colleague !!).
"Greatest Songs of the Noughties" will have to wait .... guaranteed it's not "Valley of the Damned" by Dragonforce - so I don't really care ... .
... a very strange egg indeed - went down to Stafford at the weekend to see Mum and Dad Smiffy - amongst other things like flooded kitchens (eek !), this curiosity had arrived inside the egg box ...
Any "eggsperts" out there care to explain how/why - or should they put it on EBay ?? Meanwhile - the Job Hunt has entered a new year this morning - one applied for ... still not panicking, but the final salary cheque arrives in 11 days time - after that ... .
OK, it's last years news - a bit (happened on the night of Dec 30th - and there are some pix on the Mossley Message Board), but I took a stroll up to Seel Park on New Years Day to see the damage for myself - and it's not pretty ...
Might be only (only ?!?!) two of the pylons, which can easily be removed from the pitch/terracing, but the big worry is not replacing two but maybe having to replace all eight - which has got to be a possibility given the "mysterious way" that the Health & Safety agenda works these days ... what with the weather at the moment, there's going to be a bit of a fixture pile-up - and midweek games ain't going to happen are they ?? As it stands, there's been no official statement as yet from the club - replacements, re-arrangements, insurance etc - hopefully something will be said soon, so plans can be made. I have heard a "finger in the air" quote of about £40k to replace all eight pylons - obviously the lamps themselves should be OK. I believe the floodlights "went up" in 1972 - and I'd guess the various building regs etc will be a touch different in 2010.
It may well be that next Saturday's game against Garforth Town has the kick-off brought forward to 1330 or 1400 (Stalybridge were planning a 1330 KO for the Hyde game before the weather stepped in). We'll see ...
(In the meantime the Hyde United v Stalybridge Celtic game tomorrow night is already off - frozen pitch believe it or not !) .
So - another year bites the dust ... in fact another decade bites the dust ... hard to believe it was ten years ago at the "minellium" when Andy Wood proposed to Lynne in our back yard at 0015 !!!
Its certainly been a roller-coaster year here at "Six Tame Sides HQ" - so here's a quick "thrown together post" - got back from Bolton Octagon after watching "Oliver Twist" with Mrs Smiffy and her mum at tea-time and am now flitting 'twixt family and laptop !!
Highlights - Family first - the Smiffy's made it to "25 years not out" in the marriage stakes - and we had a helluva seven day party to celebrate same in a posh Elizabethan Manor House hired for the occasion. A couple of excellent other holidays as well in Britanny (summer) and Kefalonia (a "b*ll*x to redundancy" break in October) Plenty of football highlights as well - probably the biggest being getting a photographer's pass for the FA Vase Final at Wembley between Glossop North End and Whitley Bay and everything that went with it ... that was some day for me - shame the result went the wrong way though ! Other football photo highlights include getting some stuff in newspapers - Ilkeston Advertiser and Ashton Reporter (with credits !), "Non League Paper" (no credit !), and on websites other than my own (for example, www.asktameside.co.uk - with credits). Shame that the Tameside Advertiser ended the year by basically "nicking" one of my pix with no credit - still awaiting a reply on that one !! Also nice to see the new "wall hangings" at Stalybridge Celtic Social Club last Monday (some "blown up" pictures of mine taken at the Alfreton game are now adorning the walls). The "collapse and resurrection" of Mossley AFC off the pitch during the summer was quite a relief - thanks to the hard work of many there's still football five minutes up the road for me !! Naturally some games/results come to mind - Mossley beating Brackley, and getting a draw at Ilkeston - seeing Stalybridge beating Hinckley, and the Alfreton game - sometimes not just the football but the whole "day out" as well (yes I'm talking about train trips and real ale !)
Lowlights - Redundancy naturally, and the realisation that no-one is safe these days and that management can treat people like sh*t because we've allowed them to (Thatcher started to kill the unions - and it's followed on from there. When people start moaning about the actions of Royal Mail/BA employees, they should really be looking at themselves and their fellow co-workers who for one reason or another decided that a tenner a month for union membership was better spent elsewhere - fortunately (in my eyes anyway) there are still some properly unionised workplaces who CAN and WILL look after the welfare of the workers - and it's when the management of these places attempt to bully in the same fashion as the non-unionised places ... that's when the conflict arises ... but I ramble ... football disappointments include seeing the state of Marston Road (Stafford Rangers) in 2009 - a far cry from the glory days of the 1970s; defeats for Mossley by Ilkeston - and Salford City not that long ago come to (immediate) mind, and of course Glossop's defeat at Wembley. We've lost a few good people to war, illness and old age this year - Cpl Joey Etchells (Mossley/Afghanistan), Tony Kempster (the non-league "guru"), Derek Howard and Phil Heap (Mossley) and Graham O'Neil (Ashton United) to name but a few ... I've surely missed many others - for which I apologise - but we should all take a moment tonight to think about those who won't be here to see 2010 ...
Enough of this ...a big thank you to everyone who keeps supporting this blog - that mouse-click means a lot to me - OK not the most erudite at times, often half-baked "stream of consciousness" type rubbish (with added pictures !!) and probably a few too many expletives at times (!), but football-wise I always aim to "get it up" (oo-err) ASAP, so you have to take the rough with the rough !! A Happy New Year to you all, and fingers crossed that when we all wake up - late - tomorrow ... there's some football to go to ... PLEASE !!!
.. a "call to arms" went out early morning - and having dropped daughter off @ Stalybridge Station at 1030 hrs (heading for London), I drove up the Mottram Road to Bower Fold - and jumped out of the car leaving Mrs Smiffy and boy to go "shopping for shoes". Nearly came a cropper in the car park - not promising - but then Mr Hall said "Game ON !", so I turned round and went to the pub ...
... OK I didn't - I grabbed a snow shovel and pitched in with the band of volunteers - I can now say I've done 90 minutes on Bower Fold (and this morning - Tuesday - my back is REALLY feeling it !!). Some stuff from the morning ... http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/SnowShifting28Dec09/
Then - walk back down to Stalybridge to get money and lunch - and meet some of the Southport "Train crew" at the Buffet Bar, and then heading back up the road for the game. All the hard work had been worth it for 90 minutes football - a fairly even game - Southport had a tendency to put every chance high wide and handsome (this the team that stuffed Fleetwood 5-0 on Saturday !) - Stalybridge seemed to build/create better, but had less "product" on goal ... and with five or so minutes to go ... the floodlight pylon 10 yards to my left went "BANG" - and went out ... closely followed by the one opposite. After a 5/10 delay the other two "extinguished" and the ref blew his whistle for ... A-A (although I believe some "behind the scenes" chatting went on after the game between Managers and Officials - must wait for the official outcome on all that). Some pictures of the game (and the naughty floodlights !) at
... yes I did get an upgrade for Christmas - goodbye old Fuji Finepix A500, hello Canon Powershot A480 (first gig for the newie will be Wolfmother in three weeks or so). Anyway, here's the final "hurrah" from Mr Fuji (complete with a farewell wave !!) ..
No idea where I took it either !!!
Football yesterday - obviously all off, so I did succumb to the lure of "Sky Sports Diretta" and Man City v Stoke City - well it was football after a fashion !! Today - a walk in the snow and a session of Wii - different but my right arm is sore (oo-err) after all that canoeing ..
Football tomorrow - the Mossley v Curzon game "re-scheduled" from Boxing Day appears to have bit the dust, so hopes are on for Stalybridge Celtic v Southport - apparently the thaw today HAS helped, but some help is still needed I believe - don't think I'll be able to "fork" tomorrow a.m. (family first etc) - anyways, I've done one "fork" this season (the Mossley v Brackley replay), so ... I will just cross fingers ...
One of my pictures from the "Mossley in the Snow" collection taken Sunday ...
And one from the Tameside Advertiser website spotted today - it's on the back of this weeks paper as well (thanks to Jason at Duki Town for "forewarning me" !) ...
Strangely familiar - note the lack of credit on article and in paper - reckon the New Year will see me start to watermark all pix .... and as the Advertiser is part of the MEN cartel, questions will be asked !!!
On the other hand, the http://www.asktameside.co.uk/ site employ a very nice lady called Pauline ... who asked - and there's a few of my Stalybridge Celtic pictures on there (in the "Sport" section) ... with credits !!
I'll certainly be keeping a close eye on things in 2010 ... I might not be looking for money (yet - although equipment upgrades don't come cheap when you're "without gainful employ")- but credit where credit's due I feel ...
I note there are "hopeful noises" from Hyde United ref the Boxing Day derby against Stalybridge - not sure about shifting the car now however - we'll see what pans out over the next 36 hours ...
Now I'm DEFINITELY packing up for a day or so ... enjoy your turkey (sod tradition - we're having honey-glazed leg of lamb !). .
Keeping this short and sweet - hope you all have a "good one" - and find some football to watch on Boxing Day ! The omens are not brilliant (to put it mildly), but you never know ...
Enjoy ... and roll on either sunshine or rain - or both - in the next 48 hours !! .
Still cold - but unlike @ Woodley, I was moving most of the time !
Today - blue skies - but still plenty on the ground. Trains are still moving however (Mrs Smiffy abandoned car at home and chose that option to go to work). Me (and many others probably !) - out in a bit to finish that damned shopping ... yo ho bloomin ho ! .
... such was the weather - always knew this was a "dead cert" once everything else was called off early doors. Had an interesting journey ... plan was train to Ashton then 330 bus to Woodley precinct; however the 1255 train was a touch crowded at Mossley - very crowded at Stalybridge - and then it refused to open doors @ Ashton, taking me straight to Manchester Victoria - good job I went for the 1255 rather than the 1355 eh what !
So - a tram to Piccadilly and a search for a train to Woodley or Bredbury - just managed to jump on the 1345 to Bredbury, and a short walk up the clogged A560 to Woodley Precinct and thence to Lambeth Grove. The pitch had a light sprinkling of white stuff (unlike at Durham apparently - they didn't bother clearing the snow off - but they let Nantwich Town embark on their 360 mile round trip for nothing - Durham might be in the "doo doos" but that was not clever, and when they need all the support they need - that sort of behaviour will win few friends) - but was perfectly playable as 3G pitches go - and the meagre crowd of 98 were treated to an excellent game - Wakefield kept going to the end but Woodley were deserved 3-1 winners to extend their unbeaten run to four games (an unbeaten run which began against .... Mossley of course !). Despite the arctic weather - it was pigging cold - batteries were giving up quicker than usual - despite the magic gloves my hands were struggling - (I was SO happy when it started snowing because it went up a couple of degrees) - still managed a half-decent set of pix for your delictation at
As I "sneaked in" last night, we had visitors - it snowed some more - and today we went out walking in the white stuff and I took a load more piccies as well. In the afternoon I went off on my own to get some more - including some pictures of the Mossley pitch (I reckon the Boxing Day game against Curzon Ashton is already in doubt). I'll try to get the snowy pix up sometime tomorrow - cus I've had a brief peek, and some of them aren't so bad either.
Anyway - at least we got a game in yesterday - one of only two games in the entire Unibond League - just puts the final bit of Crimbo shopping off for a bit longer ... and if the Saturday train to Manchester was anything to go by - I'm glad I avoided all that by sticking to train stations and trams !!
Naturally an empty week - I heard something of a Mossley friendly on Tuesday night but having seen the pitch .. forget it - looks like a wait until Boxing Day to see if anything's on then ... .
... at Woodley Sports where they beat Wakefield 3-1 ... in front of a crowd of 98 ! I was reliably informed that "the phone hasn't stopped ringing all morning" by a Woodley official. So where the hell did people go ?? The only other game (Leigh Genesis 4 AFC Fylde 1) got a crowd of only 173. So I guess the non-league fans of Tameside did their Christmas shopping - or watched United get stuffed 3-0 on illegal TV. I've said this before - non-league is a bit of a "family affair" - and I fail to understand why supporters don't go and support other teams in times of football need (that's support in "help" definition of course - I hardly expect lifelong Mossley fans to go and shout for Woodley - especially after the other week !). It's a game isn't it ?
Pictures sometime tomorrow - we have visitors tonight/tomorrow so this is a sneaky post while every bugger else has just gone to bed - and I still have half a can left .... ! .
Just put the milk bottles out at 0030 - I reckon there won't be much going on later today (the "graveyard Saturday" for non-league football anyway). Games already off that I know of - Corby v Droylsden, Ilkeston v Workington and Whitby Town v Boston United - with a promise of plenty more to come. Still Woodley Sports are at home to Wakefield and, assuming their 3G pitch doesn't freeze like the one at Durham City (still get a GRRR feeling after "that day out" !!), we "up here" might have a bit of a chance there.
... while the job hunt continues ... a small diversion (in reverse gear ??)
I was out this afternoon attempting to do some Christmas shopping before the world and his wife breaks up for Christmas and clutter up the streets and pubs of Greater Manchester. I've spent most of the daytime this week waiting for a plumber to come and fix our boiler which (seasonally ?!?) has decided to "go wrong" (anyone know a reliable plumber in the Mossley area ?). The moby rings - a message from small boy (with broken hand !) at home - remember that company that put me on the scrapheap at the end of October (yes Simon Carves) ? They have a problem with an unposted batch in the Nominal Ledger - it won't post because it won't balance. So, throwing the "you're still on notice so we CAN call you in at anytime" card into the ring .. they call me in. Timed to perfection .. now I have to finish my Christmas shopping in the mayhem that will be next week in the shops (can't do tomorrow - after taking Mrs Smiffy to work - I take car in for MOT, then continue the search for a plumber that will make our house warm ...)
But I digress - popped back to Cheadle Hulme to see a building in semi-darkness - 60% of the building is now "closed off" - so so sad to see - yes there's still "some" feeling for the place. I got into the secure building (cleaner let me in !!!!!!), onto a pc and sorted problem (£8m batch - so too many characters in field - I'd told them for years to keep the batches "small and often" - they still don't take it in !!). Someone even had the cheek to say, "While you're here ...?" - short shrift indeed. Then - a bit of a natter then back home - gosh how I miss those late trains - and sure enough the train back to Manchester was late.
Took me ten minutes to "get back into the database" as they say ... but you never lose it (just hope some recruiters are reading this !!) .. .
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