Monday, August 17, 2009

Lonely Planet Magazine

Sent this to the Lonely Planet Magazine after they labelled Anfield a 'cathedral' and Goodison Park a 'shed' in their city mini-guide section

Sir, I read your magazine with interest each month and so was particularly excited to see my own city, Liverpool, featured in your mini-guides this month.

Alas you saw fit to label stoop to gaining lazy, easy laughs at the expense of Goodison Park, home of Everton FC. I presume this stems from a lack of editorial judgement on your part and a mischevious streak on the part of your correspondant Richard Vaughan. For the record Goodison Park is one of the few old style British football grounds hosting top flight football, whilst other grounds opt for concrete and steel and modern razzamataz Goodison still retains a traditional feel.

It's worth noting that Everton remain locally owned whilst other club have been taken over by foreign billionaires. We mightn't have huge budgets, corporate investment or McDonalds in the corner of the stadium (like the "cathedral" your piece recomends visiting) but the club has, in fact, been the only antidote the big money cartel dominating the game in recent years...much more in keeping, I'd say, with the Lonely Planet ethos.....still at least your readers will be able to fuel up on Big Macs when they visit.

Regards

Stuart Brandwood

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Hooray for Hollinwood

Got to love this sort of anonymous mischief. Hats off to whoever has done it



A recreation of the iconic Hollywood sign, which nestles in the Californian hills, has appeared on a grass verge by the side of the M60 - in Hollinwood.

No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the sign, which at 3ft (0.9m) high is dwarfed by its famous cousin.

An Oldham Council spokesman said it was "definitely not a council initiative".

The sign, 4.5 miles (7.2km) away from Manchester, appeared on Monday by the side of the eastbound carriageway of the motorway between junctions 21 and 22.

News of its appearance is spreading and local ward councillor Keith Pendlebury was set to visit the new attraction on Tuesday.

But he admitted he was also in the dark about the origin of the wooden lettering.

"There was a scheme proposed to put an iconic piece of art at the Hollinwood roundabout - but I don't think this is it," he told BBC News.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Lescott makes a formal transfer request

So we got from this

Joleon Lescott was cheered every time he touched the ball as Everton beat Malaga 2-1 in a pre-season friendly at Goodison Park.

The defender, who has told the club he wants to leave, could have expected a tough night, but his name received the loudest applause before the game.

The 26-year-old played the full 90 minutes and left the field with the Gwladys Street fans singing his name.


to this

Everton have turned down a transfer request from Joleon Lescott, who is being targeted by Manchester City. The Goodison Park outfit have knocked back bids of £15m and £18m from City for the centre-half.

"I have always said that we are not selling any players and that has not changed," Toffees boss David Moyes told the club's website. Lescott, 26, is currently on international duty with England ahead of a friendly against the Netherlands.

But he played in a friendly for Everton in a 2-1 win over Malaga last Friday and was cheered throughout by the Merseyside club's fans. But, if the supporters were trying to urge Lescott to stay, their attempts appear to have fallen on deaf ears as he has put his desire to leave the club in writing.


So he plays in a game and is cheered at every turn (despite him informing the manager he wanted to leave) then scuttles off on international duty and whilst away makes a formal transfer request. You can only assume that he's one cold-hearted, mercenary, coward. Until today I wouldn't have bought that for a second...totally out of character.

He'll get huge amounts of cash at City and will no doubt be desperately looking forward to participating in their 2nd round Carling Cup tie. Ah well that's modern footy for you eh.

Bassong's ban...earliest St Totteringham's day ever?

So Spurs beat liverpool with a banned Bassong in the side, liverpool quite rightly cry foul, Tottenham relegated (or let off scot-free if the West Ham "media-darling London club" precedent is followed). Could be interesting though.

Sebastien Bassong is set to make his debut for Tottenham against Liverpool on Sunday despite appearing to serve only one game of a two-match ban.

Bassong, 23, was sent off for Newcastle at the end of last season and missed their final match of the campaign.

Spurs say he has completed his ban by missing Newcastle's match against West Brom on Saturday, even though he signed for the Londoners before that match.

Tottenham insist the ban continued to apply to Newcastle games.

"Sebastien Bassong will be available for selection for our Premier League season opener against Liverpool on Sunday," read a Spurs statement.

"Given he served the first game of his ban against Aston Villa on the final day of the previous campaign as a Newcastle player, it meant the suspension continued to apply to Newcastle games.

"It was therefore satisfied when his former club visited West Brom on the opening day of the Championship season on Saturday."


How can Tottenham possibly say he's available...he was a Spurs player, you buy a banned player he's banned for his next game. No doubt that slimy crook Redknapp will be on the news feigning shocked righteous indignation as usual.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Sunshine on Leith - Hibernian

This is brilliant



My heart was broken, my heart was broken
Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow
My heart was broken, my heart was broken

You saw it, You claimed it
You touched it, You saved it

My tears are drying, my tears are drying
Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou
My tears are drying, my tears are drying

Your beauty and kindness
Made tears clear my blindness

While I'm worth my room on this earth
I will be with you
While the Chief, puts Sunshine On Leith
I'll thank him for his work
And your birth and my birth.

My heart was broken, my heart was broken
Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow
My heart was broken, my heart was broken

While I'm worth my room on this earth
I will be with you
While the Chief, puts Sunshine On Leith
I'll thank him for his work
And your birth and my birth.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Argentinian league postponed due to debt

Wow, how massive is this...a whole country's top flight getting mothballed due to debt :

The start of the football season in Argentina has been delayed indefinitely because many of the clubs involved are heavily in debt. The season had been due to kick off on 14 August, but the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said some clubs did not have enough money to pay players.

AFA President Julio Grondona said the situation was "very difficult". Last week, clubs in the second division had the start of their season postponed for similar reasons.

"The executive committee of the AFA resolved unanimously tonight that the championships in all categories should not start on the scheduled dates," said a statement posted on the AFA website late on Tuesday.

The organisation said it was continuing to look for "a substantive solution" to the financial problems facing the clubs and that their decision "will not affect intelligent and dignified meetings to seek a solution satisfactory to both parties".


Unbelievable really...show's you much danger there is of football eating itself alive