The Everton family

Now ordinarily I'd never bother with women's football but this surely is worth comment. Everton Ladies have brought Arsenal Ladies 108 game unbeaten record to a halt with a 3-0 win.

Everton Ladies brought Arsenal's 108-game unbeaten run to an end in sensational fashion on Sunday.

Arsenal's winning sequence, the longest unbeaten streak in the history of the Women's Premier League, was halted thanks to a shock 3-0 victory for the Blues.

The Gunners, champions for the last five seasons, had not lost in the league since October 2003. The victory leaves Everton six points behind leaders Arsenal with three games in hand.

That really is superb because Arsenal are basically untouchable. It gives Everton a realistic chance of taking the league title. On the flipside Everton Tigers have lost out to Newcastle meaning they basically have no chance of winning the league now.

Good times for the Everton family.

We also have people queuing up from 3am to get their hands on their Wembley ticket (even though the are guaranteed a ticket anyway. I have to wait 'til Wednesday, nice little 5am start for me there and then everything is sorted.

Couple pay 1 penny a month for mortgage

amidst all the doom and gloom, investment woes, personal loan repayment hell, unemployment figures and ads for debt consolidation I noticed this :

Couple pay 1 penny a month for mortgage. That really is impressive, apparently they are on an interest only tracker mortgage which is pegged on 1% below the base rate. It's gone down from £1500.

Their mortgage with Cheltenham & Gloucester tied their payments to 1.01 per cent below the base rate, which then stood at 5.5 per cent.

Since then it has fallen to 0.5 per cent, cutting their monthly bill from around £1,500 to zero.

But the couple from Hampton, south west London are being charged 1p because their building society's computers cannot deal with payments of nothing.

I mean I know they aren't actually paying off any of the equity but it's still an interesting sign of the times.

Stuey's song of the day The Longpigs - On and On

The Longpigs - On and On from the album The Sun is often out



Absolute fantastic album.

Stuey's place of the day : The Inca Trail

Not a great weekend of sport (although England played well enough), I suspected a result like that was due after a few weeks were the signs were there that was are on the ragged edge. Two defeats in 19 though...absolutely staggering considering our injury record.

Anyway here is my place of the day :


The Inca Trail, The Andes, Peru

It's the pass AFTER Dead Woman's Pass on The Inca Trail. You do a really sharp climb up from the second camp site and there is it, it is literally like being on the top of the world, all those mountains and clouds stretching off into the distance. If you look carefully there is some snow capped mountains pointing out of the cloud in the far, far distance. Stunning. God knows how many miles they must have been from where I was standing. Truly amazing if knackering hike.

This is what a football ground looks like

Everton's Goodison Park has appeared on Google StreetView

Goodison Park. Great stuff, lots of exploring to do there, pity they didn't put all the Beatles stuff in South Liverpool such as Strawberry Fields, Forthlin Road, Menlove Avenue in there too although Penny Lane does feature.

I also noticed some cheeky Streetview advertising by Qantas, wrote a story about for work.

Yay, The East Terrace returns...again

I do love The East Terrace, infrequent dispensers of top notch rugby satire...they are back with a properly sarcastic article about Martin Johnson.

The former England skipper, surrounded by senior management and several top players, spoke eloquently and sensitively as he revealed his dream to see England re-establish themselves at the very pinnacle of the world game - a position they have not occupied since 2003 when Johnson himself lifted the Webb Ellis trophy in Australia.

"We have suffered through the winter of our discontent," said a fired up Johnson, clearly holding back tears as he spoke. "I now see hope and promise waiting on the horizon. I will go root away the noisome weeds which without profit suck the soil's fertility from wholesome flowers."

On several occasions during the news conference Johnson was so overcome by the passion of his vision he frequently slipped into classical Latin without even realising.

Finally, Everton semi final ticket news! COYB!!!!!!

Everton have released ticket news for the semi final. Looks like a long wait for my ticket but I have got one....doubtless it will be up in the rafters but let's not complain about that now. The fact is that the loyalest fans will get the best seat. I only go to home games so can't moan. I could get on on the Friday but Anne has missed some cup games so I'll have to wait 'til Wednesday to allow us to stick together. Anyway here's the details in full from the Everton ticket news page

Tickets for next month's FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United at Wembley Stadium will go on sale on Monday, March 23, 2009 at 8am.

Blues officials have now agreed on how to allocate the 31,825 tickets made available by the Football Association and can confirm that all areas of the Everton fanbase will receive an allocation.

Priority will be given to the most loyal fans and that means every Season Ticket holder and Executive member will be given the opportunity to purchase a ticket for the Blues' first FA Cup semi-final appearance in 14 years.

Tickets are priced at:
• £24.50
• £34.30
• £44.00
• £53.80

The FA offers a £10 reduction for supporters under 16 and over 65 years of age (please note that with any concessionary ticket purchased proof of age will be required on entry into the stadium).

The stadium layout and pricing grid can be viewed by clicking here.

Club officials have agreed to release the ticket allocation based on match attendance history and first opportunity to buy the semi-final tickets, next Monday, will go to any Season Ticket holder who has attended 13 or more Home or Away Cup and Away Premier League games in the current season.

Tickets will also be on sale from next Monday to any Executive member who does not wish to buy an Executive package*.

Thereafter remaining tickets will be available to Season Ticket holders and Executive members as follows:-

Date Ticket Eligibility
Monday 23/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 13+ and AutoCup and Executive members
Tuesday 24/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 8+ and Executive members
Wednesday 25/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 6+ and Executive members
Thursday 26/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 5+ and Executive members
Friday 27/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 4+ and Executive members
Saturday 28/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 4+ and Executive members
Monday 30/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 3+ and Executive members
Tuesday 31/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 3+ and Executive members
Wednesday 01/04/2009 Season Ticket holders with 2+ and Executive members
Thursday 02/04/2009 Season Ticket holders with 2+ and Executive members
Friday 03/04/2009 Season Ticket holders with 1+ and Executive members
Saturday 04/04/2009 Season Ticket holders with 1+ and Executive members
Sunday 05/04/2009 Season Ticket holders and Executive members

Officials expect a small number of semi-final tickets to be available after the allocation to Season Ticket holders and Executive members. These Wembley tickets will go on sale to supporters with a purchase history for home games from any of this season's fixtures. Details of priorities and dates will be published no later than Monday, April 6.

SUPPORTERS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO CONTACT THE CLUB UNTIL YOUR ALLOCATED PRIORITY PERIOD, AS TICKETS WILL ONLY BE PROCESSED TO THESE GROUPS AT THE TIMES SPECIFIED.

Shareholders

Any Shareholder requiring a ticket should apply to Lee Newman at the Fan Centre. Shareholders who hold a season ticket or Executive membership can purchase a ticket during the sales priority period outlined above or alternatively apply to Lee. Shareholders should note that they will only be entitled to one ticket whether purchased as a Season Ticket holder, Executive member or Shareholder.

Supporters' Clubs

Supporters' Clubs Secretaries should submit their applications by Friday March, 20, 2009. Applications received after this time can not be accepted. Season Ticket holders who normally purchase their home cup and away match tickets via their supporters' clubs should submit their request with the Supporters club applications, giving name and customer number, and the staff at the Fan Centre will endeavour to allocate tickets together.

* Executive packages

Details of Executive packages for the FA Cup semi-final will be announced later this week, and any Executive members or Season Ticket holder wishing to purchase a package should contact the corporate sales team on 0151 530 5300 or email corporatesales@evertonfc.com

Postal information

Please note, all tickets posted will be sent via Royal Mail's Special Delivery service and will therefore be subject to a postal fee of £4.95. Any supporters wishing to collect their ticket from Goodison must bring the payment card used to purchase this order and proof of identification before any tickets will be released.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Park End Box Office during normal opening hours or by calling 0871 663 1878**

**Booking fees apply

Essentially it all boils down to : Tell me Ma, me Ma, I don't want no tea, no tea...we're goin' to Wem-ber-lee. Tell me Ma, me Ma.

tick tick tick ticket news

Well Everton did well to edge past Stoke at the weekend, we were cruising in the first half and Stoke look awful but Everton being Everton still managed to contrive to give us a nervous afternoon. Stoke scored early in the second half after Cahill has gone off with the strain.

That left the new braided Fellaini attempting to do the disrupting in midfield and he just isn't that sort of player. As a consequence we were living on our nerves until the 90th minute when The Player Formerly Known as The Divine Afro made the game safe.

So now we are just waiting for semi-final ticket news...how hard can it be, we have the same number of tickets as Utd and less season ticket holders but they've finalised their arrangements whilst we are still in the dark. They don't need to actually sell them, just tell us where we stand. Surely season ticket holders should get one. Hope so.

Stuey's place of the day

New feature seeing as YouTube is busy toaking down all the music of it's site :

Stuey's place of the day : Sanjūsangen-dō, Kyoto, Japan

Absolutely amazing temple, you just walk into this dizzying, seemingly endless room full of golden statues. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

Victor Anichebe arrested for looking in a jewelry shop window

Has to be said that does smell of police racism, can't imagine I'd have been questioned for just window shopping.

"Is it 'cause I is blue?"

Victor Anichebe targeted by police

Premier League striker Victor Anichebe was challenged by police looking for a gang of robbers, as he looked in a jeweller's window with a friend.

The innocent Everton player, who was wearing a leg cast after surgery, is now demanding an apology.

Cheshire police said they acted because there had been a series of violent robberies in the area.

During a "heated dialogue" between the two men and officers in Knutsford, Anichebe's friend was handcuffed.

Everton FC spokesman Ian Ross said: "Victor was deeply upset and very distressed by the incident.

"I believe he is still waiting for a full and unreserved apology from the police involved.

"Once he has received that both the club and the player will consider the matter closed."

FA Logistical Genius

Have to say a big "Well Done" to The FA for organising the Wembley FA Cup Semi Finals. When face with two sets of fans schlepping down from the north west against one possibly two sets of fans facing a small jaunt across town they decide that it's preferable for the long distance travellers to face the lottery of the Sunday trains & public transport. Brilliant. No really.

...then they trump that by making it a 4pm kick-off meaning that anyone using the train has just two hours to get back to Euston, even less should the game require extra time and penalties.

Once again the fans are the last thing anyone considers.

Anyway still anxiously awaiting ticket news. 32,000 each according to the United website, that should be enough for season ticket holders.

The Time list the top 50 Everton players

Good reading for us Everton fans here :

Top 50 Everton players list

Tell me Ma, me Ma...I don't want no tea, no tea

Were goin' to Wem-ber-lee!!!!

Get in! COYB COYB COYB COYB COYB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whilst I fundamentally disagree with the semis being at the national stadium : EVERTON ARE GOING TO WEMBLEY!

...and I'm chuffed!

Everton 09/10 Le Coq Sportif shirts leaked? - Football Shirt Culture.com

New Everton 09/10 Le Coq Sportif shirt pictures @ Football Shirt Culture.com

This has been doing the rounds this week, if it's true I am not too keen on the home shirt (although it's not as bad as at first glance because the white bits aren't visible at first so it looks like a ladies kit.)

Do like the away one even if it is black with pink trim.

One Frankie Burnham, there's only one Frankie Burnham

Basically it'd be nice if The Daily Mail didn't exist :

Daily Mail rants on about Frankie Burnham

What is all that about? So what she didn't wear black? It was a statue unveiling not a funeral.

Utterly pathetic yet again. Is what Mrs Burnham wore any worse than what Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice wore? Utter, utter nonsense.

What a vile, vile rag that is.