It’s a misnomer. Almost all of the very top sportspeople are generally devoid of personality. There are some exceptions of course, and sometimes the exceptions make a living out of their so called personality, like that bearded Irish bloke who’s rude and aggressive about everyone in football and had a reputation as a bit of a thug when he played. I’m not keen on him. He’s built a reputation after his career as someone to get in front of a camera who is guaranteed to be unpleasant. I bet he’s a pussycat at home and it’s all a big act, … Continue reading Sports Personality of the Year?Nah!

It’s an accolade reserved for food, generally baking. It’s the highest accolade and one inherited from my Aunty Winnie, who used it regularly to praise my mothers baking. At first my mother winced a bit then accepted that this was indeed fine praise and used it herself in a loyal way, indeed if something bought was not up to scratch she’d describe it as “not as good as bought”. Winnie, her cousin, was a stalwart Lancashire Lady, and a confectioner by trade, so she knew about cakes. She also made an incomparable meat and potato pie, which she would bring … Continue reading “Just like bought“

My good friend Robin and I used to go walking and at times he’d break out into song. He’s a great enthusiast and I have a lot of time for great enthusiasts. He also drives a fancy low down type sports car and has always been willling to give me a lift to a start location for our walks. I like the car but it is extremely low slung and one’s bum feels about 6 inches from the tarmac when installed. I perhaps should have noticed that I found it increasingly difficult to get out of the beast. We did … Continue reading I should have noticed

I’ve been in hospital. I’m out now. I’ll be writing about it all in due course, big thanks to everyone who helped me make my escape, my significant other, friends, and the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at Cheltenham General. The speciality custard smothered puds almost had me changing my mind, fortunately the taste of the ‘fish’ and steroids had me walking for the door. Polymyalgia rheumatica in me is being dealt with…. Big heartfelt thanks to everyone. Continue reading 10 days:10 custards

Not been on here for a while, got a touch of Arthur Rightus, which as anyone who has it is a pain in the wherever. I could do with a pair of these for getting in and out of the car. Handles to lift the feet in. Much physio and keeping moving seems to be the order of the day. The luxury version of these has a pair of small electric cranes on a matching shirt, to save your effort. Continue reading Arthur Trousers

I’m the chubster on the right, my brother in the front middle and Peter Wilkinson on the left. We all went to the same boarding school in nearby Preston. The photo taken of the three of us in out back garden in Ince in Makerfield in what was then a very industrial Wigan. We are wearing our ‘Sunday Suits’ which as I recall were itchy wooly things. We were occasionally allowed out on Sundays and parents would come and collect us, feed us up in the day ( as you can see I was not really in need of feeding … Continue reading 3 boys on Sunday Release…

I’ve been quiet here for a couple of weeks whilst a couple of holidays beckoned. The most recent a week just one stop on the bus out of Mevagissey in Cornwall. Our plan was to visit the lost Gardens of Helligan, which is also nearby, but for some reason we thought a bus trip into “Meva” might be a good idea too. To a degree it was, the place has a small modest Museum where people have donated found objects and relics of the past like this wonderful pipe. The street of the town are quaint and narrow and frankly … Continue reading Mevagissey misses…

With the end of the WWC , Women’s World Cup, we are released from the yoke of the footballer commentator, thank goodness. The women who tell us what’s going on in front of us on the screen have been much better than their male counterparts. One such male seemed to have over cooked his homework and research so much that as nothing much was going on on the field he started droning on about how one of the girls mothers in law was married to a former player from Port Vale who once played against Jimmy Greaves or some such … Continue reading And now fine art football, and it’s over to our match day commentator: Mike Angelo.