Return of the Football Ground Histories

You may remember, about a year or so ago, I wrote a series of articles outlining the history of many of our English football clubs ground histories. These not only concentrated on where the clubs contest their matches today, but also the previous grounds where they played and interesting stories attached to these venues.

Aston Villa's "Villa Park" from 1907

I have recently started researching a new series of articles, covering clubs that were not featured in the previous set. Hopefully these will be published soon and please watch this space for details.

The "Nest" of Norwich City's (a predecessor to Carrow Road)

In the meantime, should you have missed them last time around, please click here for a link to the previous works (along with one or two other football related articles).

Sunderland's "Roker Park" from 1976

Should you have a suggestion for a club’s grounds history you would like to see, please feel free to drop me an email at uncletatty@yahoo.co.uk

Coarse Fishing Season Opens Up

You find Tatty in quite a good humour for once. No grumbling or grouching from me at the moment (well not much anyway). 

And the reason is.....

The UK coarse fishing season has started up and the rivers are open again.

OK, I am fully aware that there is no close season on most stillwaters in this country anymore and I have had the odd day or two on the bank in the last 3 months (during the close season), but nothing can beat sitting by the river, rod in hand, trotting a stick float through a swim, hoping that a large Chub, or even better, a barbel will pounce.

A sweet little perch, caught on the River Ivel

I am very lucky living here in Central Bedfordshire. This area is not known as big fish country for nothing you know. The River Great Ouse and the River Ivel both flow through close to my home, giving me some of the best sport available in the whole country.

The Ivel is particularly close to my heart and for fishing information, why not have a look at the Ivel Protection Association website.

Writing News

Over the last week or so, I have been researching and writing some articles for Suite101.com about various British Comedy Giants. A couple are now complete and are available to read by clicking on the titles below:-

British Comedy Giants: 

LARRY GRAYSON    REG VARNEY

Please let me know what you think and some ideas for other comics to feature would be very acceptable.

I am currently researching another piece on Charlie Drake, soon to be followed by Will Hay.

 Last Word on the Villa Debacle

I hear on the radio tonight that the Villa are to appoint Alex McLeish as their new manager sometime on Friday morning. As you are aware I have little (or no) time for the  Villa, but this surely is a mistake. The fans will hate him and the style of football he gets his teams to play, will not go down well there.

Royal Ascot

Let's go back to the good old days when I used to operate a daily racing bulletin. 4th day of Royal Ascot today and I like the look of Eternal Heart in the Queen's Vase. Mark Johnson's filly has won well previously at Sandown and Musselburgh and comes here in good heart. Only thing that worries me is that idiot Joe Fanning in the saddle, but let's hope he's only needed to sit on top and lets her get on with the intelligent bit.

ROYAL ASCOT 5.00 ETERNAL HEART

OK, that's all for this bulletin.

Tatty has turned off the lapdog!

The Vile Saga Goes On and On and On and On..........

Hello my friends out there in bloggo land, I hope I find you all in fine fettle.

The Villa Saga

So the manager nonsense goes on at Vile Park. They have decided they don't want Steve McClaren (who I believe is to replace the sacked Billy Davies at Nottingham Forest) and Rafa Benitez (or did he decide he didn't want them?). They then started talking to Roberto Martinez from Wigan who, for whatever reason (probably financial), decided he wanted to stay at the DW Stadium.

Vile Towers

The latest is that Birmingham City boss, Alex McCleish, fresh from the success of relegation, has resigned by email (what style I thought - then again I suppose he could have used sms and really rubbed their noses in it) and is tipped to be driving through the Vile Park gates at any moment

Can you believe this? The average Bluenose (or at the least the one or two with use of the braincell today) are going to go scatty, not to mention the Vile fans (no braincells to worry about there). What sort of message will this give, get relegated and get a bigger club maybe?

The football world has gone loopy.

VILLA AND RANDY LERNER - YOU HAVE TOTALLY LOST THE PLOT IF YOU MAKE THIS APPOINTMENT!

To be honest, I find it totally amusing to see the Vile making complete a***holes of themselves as usual. Next stop Championship football in 2012.

New articles

I have been somewhat busy this week with different projects, but I have written and had published a couple of new works.

Firstly a horse racing based discussion entitled,  
Are British Lady Jockeys as Good as Men?  

and a tribute to late British comedian Larry Grayson,  
British Comedy Greats: Larry Grayson. 

Please click on either title if it interests you and for more of my work, please have a look at www.ukwriter.co.uk

 

Tatty is now having his tea and has discarded the lapdog!

Amir, Benitez and the Wolves

Amir Cricket Story

The interesting cricket story to come out today (apart from England's Matt Prior getting into trouble for breaking a window at Lord's yesterday), is the fact that banned Pakistani fast bowler, Mohammad Amir, played in a village match in Surrey at the weekend.

See full story at: Banned Pakistani Cricketer Plays for English Village Team

Mohammad Amir (image via Wikipedia)

 He claims that the club he played for, assured him it was a friendly fixture and was not under the umbrella of the ICC (International Cricket Council). But that body is now to investigate the matter with further sanctions possible. 

"Boring" Bob Willis (former England captain), came out on Sky Sports News today saying he was absolutely staggered and the ban should be extended (I'm amazed that he managed to stay awake long enough). 

Maybe so, but was there any real harm caused in him playing? It would have given the other players a thrill to play alongside him and a nice surprise for anyone watching. OK, so he has a worldwide ban, but surely this should be just at International and First Class level?

I'm sure many readers will disagree with me about this. Tell me why I'm wrong (and if you are reading this Bob, we'll help you now to go back to counting your sheep. 1-2-3-4 zzz!).

Soon to be Benitez Villa?

Rafa B (image from Wikipedia)

There are stories emerging today that Aston Villa (or the Vile as I know them), are soon to appoint former Liverpool and Inter Milan boss, Rafa Benitez as their new manager. I'm sure the Spaniard is a very nice man and will do his best for the stumbling, almost giants, but it would be an inspired appointment I would say - a 2nd rate manager for a 2nd rate team (you gotta larf ain't yer?). 

Also I notice Wolves have knocked down one of their stands, in readiness to build a new one. A suggestion, why don't they just flatten the whole damn place and build something useful, like a car park.

Off now for a rubdown with the Sporting Life.

Tatty is now away from the lapdog.

A Terrific Tuesday

Good evening punters,

Well, what a day we had today with 2 selections and both winners. I’m not going to say that will happen every day, but let’s keep the old digits crossed shall we?

PATMAN DU CHARVIL obviously has found the level where he can prevail and if this gives him some confidence, he could go on to bigger and better things. PETE THE FEAT’S jumping put the fear of the almighty into me more than once, but it didn’t seem to affect him at all and he went on to win well. He seems to relish conditions with a bit of give underfoot, but I do wonder how he would get on with firmer ground.

On Wednesday there are 4 meetings, namely at Newbury and Newcastle over the sticks, along with Lingfield and Kempton on the Polytrack. Before I go any further, I am going to categorically state that I am hopeless at making choices at Newbury and Kempton (AW), so I am not going to bother looking at the cards. 

So here we go with a look at Newcastle and leafy Lingfield only.

The Newcastle card provides us with a decent Novice’s Hurdle at 1.40 and a class 3 Handicap Chase at 2.15 

In the 1.40 Howard Johnson’s RUPIN really impressed me at Carlisle back in October and I think he will win again. 

RESULT: RUPIN went out to 11/2 at the off after being quoted earlier at 3's. Taking up the running from the start and keeping a reasonable pace, he held on to the lead until about half a mile out when, having little extra to give, finished out of the frame.

In the 2.15 there are two I like the look of. Cavers Glen who won well at Aintree in November, but for a bit of value, I will plump for old boy MINSTER SHADOW. He went flying at Valentines on his last appearance at Aintree back in November, but a couple of decent runs previously at Carlisle makes me think he is still enjoying himself and may well make the frame at least. His jumping is a slight worry mind.

RESULT: The old fellow received some support in the ring and then as feared, promptly made a complete hash of the first fence. He somehow survived and then stayed in midfield around 10 lengths off the pace. It was soon fairly clear he was not in the mood today and was pulled up a good way out. Cavers Glen won impressively however.

At Lingfield, it is pretty standard weekday fare, but the 3.40 Handicap over 10 furlongs, throws up 3 horses which all won their last races at Wolverhampton. Mark Johnston’s MEMORABILIA, going up 3lbs for his win a fortnight ago, is still on a decent mark and is taken to get his head in front again.

RESULT: I was convinced that MEMORABILIA was the best bet of the day and as I guessed, he took up the running at half way. He suddenly found onecome at him at the turn and I thought his chance has gone, but fighting all the way he just took the spoils at the post with an sp of 5/6 (was available at up to 2's earlier on).

Now the Non-Racing Bit

Sometime England forward, Darren Bent has today left Sunderland to join Aston Villa in a deal supposedly worth up to £24m. Crazy money, I’m sure you will agree (unless you are a regular at the Aston Lower Grounds), but why has he jumped ship? Sunderland, currently in 6^th place in the Premier League, looking like gaining a place in next year’s European competitions against Aston Villa, only out of the relegation places by the fact that A (Aston Villa) comes before W (Wigan) in the alphabet. Bent says it’s nothing to do with money – WHAT A LOAD OF OLD B******S! Does he think we are stupid? If he treats Sunderland and their fans this way, just you Villans wait, in time he’ll dump on you as well.

Two related, interesting articles you may wish to read:

Football Ground History: Aston Villa

Football Ground History: Sunderland

That’s me done for another night, talk tomorrow.

The Chairman