2009

To review 2009 would take a long time, bore you to death, and cause severe friction at Hargreaves towers with Mrs H (guests arriving in ten minutes!). I will however give you a quick snapshot of mine, ours and their year. My 2009 has given me incredible highs, incredible sadness, an irksome amount of stress, and a few portions of frustration. On the whole though, what a year! I am so thankful to have achieved what I had hoped to do when signing for T.U.F.C and to have been given the BBC award was the icing on the cake (thanks again panel- Mum, Dad, Wife and children!!!).
Our year at the club has obviously been amazing and I hope it has for our very loyal fans also.
A snapshot of their year now, and it has been 'emotional'. By 'their' I mean the football world, in fact the Premiership which pretty much is the 'world' at the moment. Reading in the paper today - on the same page and in the same league - I see that on the one hand Roman Abramovich has spent £710m to keep Chelsea 'ticking along', albeit they are still running at a loss, and on the other hand Portsmouth having to offload players just to pay the months wages. Both teams have spent to big to succeed, Portsmouth to win the F.A cup and Chelsea to dominate world football. The difference being that one club can just keep spending whereas the other can not, and will possibly be relegated. Is winning the F.A cup a justification to spend at will (Harry)?. Yes it is, they are now in the history books. But to have no idea how much had been spent and whether or not they could afford it is just bad business. Chelsea will spend if they have to, and unless Roman walks away the players wages will be paid for some time to come.
Finally, and ominously, sackings remain constant with Megson the latest to go.

In other sport, to name but a few, we have a great cricket team, a world champion F1 driver, a world champion diver, darts player, cyclist, rower, yachtsman and woman, athlete, and gymnast of our own. We are not a bad nation really, although we do have a cross dressing cage fighter and glamour model duo to bring the standard back down a bit!

I would like to wish everyone an early and happy New Year. Thank you so much to those who have helped me on and off the field this year, and James, I never stop thinking about you. LOVE TO ALL MY FAMILY AND HERE'S TO 2010.

CH

P.S That's the doorbell, let the games begin!

Flash

Cinema it was! I joined the other few thousand parents who had lost their marbles and decided to take the children to the pictures. After a morning blast on the beach 'crabbing' it was a team decision to go the 'flix' in the p.m. The old days of Flash Gordon on a Saturday matinee for less than 50p have disappeared. - to be fair it was 30 years ago, but where has the lady at the front with the ice cream gone?
Now it is a bag of sweets for £4 pounds and a ram packed and red hot room with a screen only just bigger than the T.V we have at home.
After dehydrating to extreme proportions and then wading through a popcorn mountain it was time for off. I returned home to find my wife knee deep in cookery books in preparation for tomorrow nights N.Y's eve bash. It will be nice to bring the New Year in with friends but again with one eye on the next game. My brother Mark and his son Harvey are leaving us tomorrow after a few day's break. It has been brilliant to see them and catch up, although big apologies Bro for not getting us both a night off to visit the pub. Next time!. Mark is currently in the last year of a law degree as well as negotiating his hazardous role at Martin Hargreaves Motorcycles (definitely the harder of the two roles with a boss of Alan Sugar like proportion!). Hopefully he will have two bits of good news in the New Year, one being a law degree and the other being a degree at the school of hard knocks. I'm only joking Pops I know it's all tongue in cheek!.
Tonight I will aim to find time to watch the news, read a paper or even digest a little Sky Sports News so that you can read information other than that of my family.
Tomorrow I am at the hospital for a check up. Unbelievably I have not felt right since the Barrow game towards the end of last season. It is amazing the amount you can actually put your body through if there is a goal to aim for - there have been many and my body has certainly gone through it - but eventually something will give, so to make sure that does not happen it is a quick M.O.T and service for one.


CH

Night Job

I popped to the training ground today with my son Cam and my Brother's son Harvey. While they played crossbar challenge, and moaned about the amount duck poo about, myself and Kev Nicholson had a bit of a session involving a long track and a few weights. The training ground was so quiet that we had to jump the fence to get in but it was good to blow the cobwebs away - once we had risked injury and arrest to gain entry!
After giving the lad's a blast with Pete Morgan's massage machine and then clearing the mud away to have a shower (Mark Ellis and Scott Bevan stop cleaning your boots and gloves in there!) it was time for the real hard work - meeting the girls in town for yet more retail therapy. My bank balance and credit card statements are both like a wedding cake at the moment - in 'tiers'. In fact my new year's resolution is to get a night job so that I can fulfil the ever demanding needs of a family of five!! (any offers please leave your details at Plainmoor).
Tomorrow will either involve surf (long shot at the moment due to weather, ill health, lack of surf, and lack of a roof rack!) or the cinema (actually another long shot due to a lack of patience, lack of money, and lack of back up). Walk anyone?
In the football world all is quiet, well it never really is, but for the moment it is in the Hargreaves household.

CH

Decision

Today's game in a nutshell. The referee gave what was a very harsh decision and we lost with virtually the last kick of the ball, that after being the better team for the majority of the game. Everyone was bitterly disappointed with the result but it has gone and we can't change it so there is no point going on about it. The away support today was one of the best I have seen so a big thanks to everyone who travelled to see the team. Facts done, over and out.

CH

Left Overs

Christmas Day, done. Boxing day, done. Both day's went without a hitch(very rare after four hours sleep on Christmas Eve!), firstly for my children, Cam, Issy, and Harriett who had a great time opening presents, and secondly for the team who beat Hereford and gained more valuable points - it was great to see the boy's win but I definitely prefer to be on the pitch rather than on the bench, it is much less stressful!.
Tonight we have a family game fest (Bro and nephew visiting) and tomorrow it's back on the road to play Bournemouth. Oh, and also tonight, as in thousands of houses around the country, it's turkey curry for dinner!!!.

CH

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

Huge congratulations Hannah on attaining your latest musical certificate, not only have you achieved the highest flute award possible, you have also made my level 0.5 at recorder look decidedly average! Love to you all.

Before I go with the children to leave out Santa's mince pie and wine and Rudolph's carrot and water I must mention a few things. Thank you so much to everyone for reading the blog and I hope that you all have a great Christmas. Hello to all my family, I wish that we could all have been together, but weather, work and distance have beaten us.

Merry Christmas to you all from the Hargreaves clan.

CH

P.S Uber apologies to Avy and Mart and Joan and Iain (our parents). Your presents are unfortunately still in cyber space due to someone having a complete stinker at The National Trust - oh that is your pressie by the way, membership to the NT so enjoy the thought!

P.P.S Be ready, whoever you are, to receive one furious phone call in the New Year( NT again!)

LOVE TO ALL, HOPE YOU ENJOY CHRISTMAS.

CH..again

Battling the elements

I was one of the unfortunate few stuck on the A38 this morning. I have never seen so many car's abandoned at the side of the road that had either been involved in a crash or whose owners had found the conditions too tough to tackle. Sat in my car for two and a half hours was not a pleasant experience but I would say it was a lot less stressful than it was for the poor people involved in the many crashes that happened. I arrived at the race course to see the lad's already training, so I hot footed off to join them - still in the seated position due to minor displacement of a few discs!.
We managed to find a postage stamp sized plot of land to work on and, in true British spirit, carried on regardless. I was going to attempt another mercy dash to the shops after training today but Newton Abbott resembled a Donkey Derby this afternoon so I limped back home to a soothing cup of tea and a slice of melancholy instead.
I must quickly mention a topic of conversation that certainly raised a few eyebrows in the Rugby world this weekend. Many already knew, but more did not, about Gareth Thomas, the Welsh international and rugby legends private life. All I would say is that in a sport dominated by the macho psyche it takes a very brave man to reveal all. The last time a well known footballer did so the end result was the loss of his life. Times have moved on though and maybe the footballing world has a crueler way of judging it's own.

I will now sign off, my writing brain numbed by the remnants of a fourteen hundred word Christmas cracker I sent off last night. The fact that I am still batting the demons of 'man flu' down with a yule log, and that the Hargreaves house is filled with excitement at Biblical level, is also a factor in drawing me away from the old 'lappie'. I will now aim to beat the World record for the number of 'Chipsticks' consumed in five minutes combined with that, in no particular order, of Satsumas, Christmas cookies, and the obligatory medicinal vat of red . As they say, 'feed a cold and feed a flu'!.


CH

Short Stay

The annual T.U.F.C Christmas party on Sunday was attended, as usual, by the Hargreaves clan. For one reason or another it was very thin on the ground this year so it was left to the usual suspects to enjoy 'Jungle Jim', the buffet, and Father Christmas. We only managed the first of these however, as we had a date with another Santa, a meal, and a bit of luxury - Sorry we missed you Dave, I hear it was pure Gavin and Stacey in your Grotto, and thanks as ever to Nina, K and D, and Rob for sorting the party out.
Having smuggled Harriet out it was a quick dash over to the Cary Arms at Babbacombe, as prior to the club 'do', we had already booked in to see the 'Big man', have a meal, and stay the night. Santa arrived by boat (good rowing Jen!), and whilst he negotiated the steps, everyone else, including horrendous efforts by Sills and Hargreaves, joined in with the Teignmouth choir for a bit of festive warbling - a combination of shivering and singing.
It was then over to the 'Grotto' where Hatty told Santa she wanted a car for Christmas and Ethan (toddler Sills) said "Open" when he was asked what to say when he was given a gift. We were then joined by Kevin 'Scrooge' Nicholson and family (Jen and Jessica are pro-Christmas ) for a bite to eat, well a full on Christmas dinner really. Jessica spent the whole time staring at me (wondering whether I might be daddy!!!!) only to cry as soon as I picked her up (your safe Kev!).
When all was done, and we had said our goodbyes, we retired for the evening - that is after finishing a monumentally long and competitive game of Trivial Pursuit.
Our room was fantastic and after a bit of T.L.C, and a short battle of wills between the children on who should sleep where (Hatty won of course), it was soon off to the land of nod. After some more top grub in the morning, a brisk walk (minus somebody, who was last seen heading for the Spa room!), a bit of crocodile catching (fishing net and a lot of imagination) and a quick hill climb, we returned home.
Thanks again to Ian, Jen, Jenny, and Lisa for your hospitality, a top stay was had by all.

Last night I gave in trying to fight 'man flu' and trying to find a decent programme on TV, so it was early to bed for me. Anyway I did have to summon up as much energy as I could for today's Christmas shopping. I usually leave it until the day before but full of vigour I rounded up the children (wife at work) and headed straight for the throat. We started well, our first purchase bought in ten minutes, but then the old blood sugar dipped and we gave in, crawling to the nearest coffee shop for cover. After a team meeting we decided to cut our losses and head home. Christmas Eve it is!!.


CH

Drift

It has been a long time since I last blogged, but, due to levels of high stress, and an unwanted strain of 'man flu' trying to beat me, I shall be swift tonight. This weekend was another wash out or 'snow out' as it became. Another couple of day's wasted away from home and another couple of grand wasted on hotel and travel expenses for the club. The only slight high point was seeing Scott Bevan panic when he saw his morning poached eggs on their way towards him, he shot up, grabbed the plate, and then watched in vain as his protein fix slid off the plate and on to his track suit. Poor 'Bevs' was broken and the sight of his team mates in tears of laughter did nothing to cheer him up.
The night before was also pretty funny, seeing Nicky Wroe in the cinema with his one, odd looking, recently lathered in mud, converse trainer (bad landing on the way!), and then witnessing almost the entire team don 3-d glasses to enter screen 4, the 'Abyss'!. It was a rare trip to the cinema for me but with Barry Norman (Kev) and crew in tow I felt it was the right thing to do, although I had to sit away from the lad's in the empty disabled section for most of the film as I cramped up after what felt like an eternity (in truth it was twenty minutes).
I don't really do Sci-Fi bit I have to say it was very good, even if by the end of the film, and on our return to the hotel, breakfast was being served (long film!). It must have been one heck of a sight seeing eight random lad's, all wearing T.U.F.C 'trackies' and 3-D goggles, running back to the hotel in sub zero conditions. We did actually just get back in time to see Hugh Grant dominate old Johnny Ross and give us all an insight in to the world of contemporary art - he bought an Andy Warhol for $2.6 million Dollar's and sold it for $28 million Dollar's !.
After a long night spent on my sheet metal bed with accompanying breeze block pillows it was up, and soon to be off, back home.

Report on Sunday and today, tomorrow, it you catch my drift.

CH

Gift idea?

Just in case any of you fancy a Christmas gift with a difference, here's an idea.
Sadly you'll have to fly to Prague to get one.
In a narrow street in that city there is a gift shop. In that gift shop is something quite amazing. Can you believe these Russian-style dolls representing your Plainmoor favourites?
Starting from the largest, there's Tim Sills, Lee Mansell, Yours Truly, Elliot Benyon and Wayne Carlisle. The details are brilliant, right down to the sponsor logo from last season and even the haircuts.
I wonder if they'll have to do a product recall and repaint them all now I've had the barnet done!
Read the full story of how they were found here.
And by the way, I hear a certain Jack Russell terrier in the Henderson household may have left a few tooth marks in Wayne Carlisle since these pictures were taken...

Player power

A great result last night, I had the pleasure of watching the team perform and they did exactly that. After Stockport's keeper had given us a couple of early Christmas presents we took full advantage and were by far the better team. Bring on the third round. Well done to the travelling masses, out voicing a very subdued Stockport faithful.
On the journey up there was a copy of 'Player's' on board the coach, this is the P.F.A's (Professional Footballers Association's) monthly magazine, sent to all player's in the football league. I have 'really missed' this offering, having had the last two years of conference drama. I will give you a rough idea of the content.
Aston Martin Vantage purchase plans(£93,000), Range Rover Sport(£50,000) purchase plans (RRS being the trademark car for a footballer - 'I have got loads of money and I want you to know it, so here is my really big car'). Along with the many other super cars available, also being advertised we have yacht purchasing and chartering opportunities, we have diamond's on tap, bespoke car 'pimping' (e.g Stephen Ireland's latest Bentley with pink trim and 'I love you' signs to his girlfriend stitched on to the seats). You can also get blacked out windows, for all who those want 'anonymity' on their Ferrari's, and you have the opportunity to get bigger alloy's for your vehicle than B.A Baracus had on his 'A Team' van.
We also have the obligatory player's article inside, "I don't know what to do next, but for now I have bought a Vineyard". As well as all that you can also purchase £20,000 pound watches, £2,000,000 pound houses, £10,000 pound rings, you can bespoke your child's nursery in gold trim, you can get the marriage 'package' for a snip, complete with white doves, white horses and probably white elephants.
So this is supposed to be a representation of the 'footballers magazine? What a complete and utter joke. I know for a fact that the last thing Frank Lampard would want to read about is how, if he so desired, he could get his next Porsche sprayed in turquoise, or that he could buy a 'FL' signet diamond ring for £40,000 pounds. If it is really a footballers magazine how about telling us about a lad at Bristol Rover's who is doing a law degree, or giving someone at Bradford the payment plan on a normal car. Come on, sort it out, there are actually plenty of player's outside of the Premiership, and also plenty actually in the the Premiership, who I'm sure look at 'their' magazine and wince at the cringe worthy stuff on offer. I know for certain what every player at Torquay said after sifting through another copy of said magazine, there were a lot of ************* involved. It's not a case of being bitter (honestly!) or jealous, it's just a bit embarrassing. Thank goodness the general public don't have to see it because the already wafer thin relationship between player and fan would dissolve like one of my morning 'Berocca's'. Rant over, and out. Anyway I have to go now as my wife has seen a lovely island for sale and I think if I raid the children's Greek pot's and hold up the village post office I may be able to put down a holding deposit on it!.

CH

P.S

Making up

I know I have some making up to do, so here goes. Saturday's result could not have been any better, a 5 - 0 demolition of Darlington was just the tonic we needed to go into the winter fixtures. Tomorrow night's cup match is to be played, at last, at Macclesfield and I imagine that the old saying of 'One man and his dog' being in attendance will be pretty apt.
To all who attended on Saturday a massive thanks and to all those who attend tomorrow night, wrap up well.
Again on Saturday I ended up in the wars, I honestly think that at the moment I couldn't come out of a 'Wacky Warehouse' without a black eye and a torn calf. Saturday night was, as usual, spent in pain. The only rest bite was that of watching X-factor and having the pain numbed by a few medicinal glasses of Hendricks, poured expertly in turn by our hosts for the evening (and cook -off legends) Jason and Sarah. Top food, top company.
After a sleepless night, far too many happy pills, and an attempt at making a sling, I found myself having laid in for the first time in a long time. My parents were down and so the children were quiet, but with that came disaster. I totally laid through a non- set alarm, Cam was too late for his game (he was fuming), sorry again Chris, and I was too late and too 'winged' for my 'footy'. Some games of football really do knock the wind out of your sails, Saturday was one of those for me. I woke up and couldn't actually move my arm, I was also limping in true John Wayne fashion.
On Sunday my parents headed back up North after having spoiled us all rotten as usual (see you on Xmas day!!! Hopefully) and I was left with three expectant children and a 'poorly' wife - must have been 'food poisoning'!.
Undeterred, but with the use of only one arm, I rounded up the children and we headed, in fact walked a full ten yards, to Paul and Amanda's house (neighbours!) for a bit of an early Christmas get together. The food was lovely as was the company and the tree! See you on the table tennis court soon Paul, and sorry Amanda for your shadow for the day, and Wills future girlfriend, Harriet!.
Sunday night was spent glued to the box. X-factor gave us all a bit of a shock as did The Sports Personality of the Year Award. Both winners deserved it though and what an inspirational winner in Ryan Giggs. The SP was a great programme actually and it surely must have given any youngsters watching the hunger to succeed in sport. It did me and I am nearly 30!.
That leaves us with today and after a thorough training session, a spot of 'punditry', and some home made burgers, I am now about to repose in an ice bath and do some much needed thinking.

P.S Tennis to return soon and Dan is after blood, or a set anyway!.

CH

Taster

A lot to discuss this evening, but for now it's time for a bit of channel hopping, pizza, and Christmas chocolates. Report later.

CH

Donkey

It's simple stuff tonight, we have an important game tomorrow and we want to win it. Training this morning was geared towards doing that.
As well as the serious stuff though, we also chose the worst player of the day - the prize being a rascal of a top, chosen and purchased by myself this morning, to be worn for training the following Friday.
To be honest though the t-shirt in question was actually better than some of the lad's offering's (no names mentioned, 'Ty'). Anyway the begrudging recipient of 'Donkey' Friday was our flying winger Jake Thomson (he swore it was a fix and then swore for a good ten minutes!). A few of the player's wisely avoided eye contact in the voting, one in particular knew he had escaped lightly (no names mentioned, 'Ty').
I tried to avoid any contact with anyone in the game, it was just a bonus to be able to squeeze my boot on, but it wasn't to be. After what must have been only about 30 seconds a flying 'lamb' jumped on my raw toe, cheers for that 'Manse'. I know you want to play in midfield but that's ridiculous!.
Tomorrow night I want to be posting a victory blog and Sunday's post will either be entirely full of bizarre factoids (I feel a 'stato' moment coming soon), or I may have persuaded Mrs A.C Hargreaves to make her debut blog.

cH

Disorder

I am suffering from 'wife and children constantly on the laptop' disorder at the moment (and yes I do accept that the disease has a long title!). What with the children's homework and games, and my wife's work, jewellery making paperwork, and new business venture (The lash Boutique), by the time I get to the black box I am shattered and the key's are white hot! Anyway I must first discuss the last few days in the football world. They say it's a small World, well the football world certainly is small. Lee Harper an old mate of mine is now in charge at Kettering. His assistant John Deehan, also an old 'Cobbler's' acquaintance, was dismissed after their recent game against Leeds - incidentally they were all level with ten minutes of extra time remaining in that game but went on to lose 5-1. The dismissal is a long story, but surrounds one player, a chairman, and a phone in!.
Down at Truro, Sean McCarthy, an old friend of mine from my Plymouth day's, also finds himself relieved of his duties. Lee Hodges (on loan from T.U.F.C) deputises for now. Good luck 'Hodgy'. And finally Paul Sturrock has been sacked (I don't mean finally, as in relief, by the way. He has done nothing short of a miracle since arriving at that club.
So the football 'merrygoround' continues.

On the subject of football, due to the fact that I couldn't get my boot on, I did not train this morning. I did try but It looked like I was stepping on hot coals, so to avoid any further embarrassment I headed for the weights room, leaving the lad's to it. Even with Vivek's help (club doc and demon cricketer, tennis player, basketball player, and barbel squatter), and the scalpel of Mr Percivel (podiatrist), my big 'pinkie' (now, now, you know what I mean!) is still throbbing at 50 tpm (throbs per minute). I actually look forward to my next injection with a passion.
At home now, and the Christmas tree is finally up, and it's a beauty. The girls threw on the glitter last night - but only after I had opened up and then broken all four sets of lights! What with the 'deluxe' tree, new lights, extra trees for the children's rooms (come on, it's Christmas!), and Fiona's obsessive Bauble collection I could have paid for a flight to Lapland and took Santa out for a pint on top. (I love it really and unless your name is Kevin 'Bar Humbug and Hater of X-Factor' Nicholson so does everyone else).


P.S Sorry to my fellow lunch club members, I will return. Just don't go inviting random, and strange, members of the public along (i.e Mark Ellis!).

P.P.S Avy and Mart, the red carpet awaits!.


P.P.P.S Well done Scotty (groundsman) for managing to keep us afloat at the racecourse, and for managing to turn on your laptop.

Xmas Party

Game off, nail off, hair off, play off.
Yes, the saga about the F.A cup replay continues, although it did give me chance to have more 'jabs' and 'clips' in the foot area this afternoon. The cancellation also gave me the chance to see Harriet perform in the school play. It certainly was a sight to behold seeing a beautiful fluffy white Angel throw a wobbler and run across the stage to Mum and Dad ( it's funny how a parents presence can have the immediate affect of bottom lip syndrome for a child, as yesterday, and without us, she was fine!!).
When is the Christmas Party? This question rings through workplaces all over the country at this time of the year. Well, if your James Beattie or Tony Pulis this may be a sore subject at the moment, after their 'handbags' session at the weekend. I can reassure all T.U.F.C fans that you will not be seeing Danny Stevens dressed as 'Buzz Lightyear', Tyronne Thompson kitted out as a Nun, or in fact yours truly donning a Tarzan outfit and swinging off the lampposts in Torquay's town centre.
Not only would we look like complete gonks but if I had just finished a hard day's work, had also watched last Saturday's game, and then saw one of the Torquay player's stumbling down the street dressed as Fred Flintstone, I would not be impressed!( sorry 'Robbo' if you have already hired your kilt!).

P.S Thanks again Jody, the project is ongoing!.

CH

Stalemate

Without getting a definitive answer about the state of the pitch from Stockport, the decision was made to delay the trip until tomorrow - a further pitch inspection will be held at 10.a.m tomorrow morning.
Although the coach had been packed, the team was on board, and the contents of a small co-op was ready to be consumed, not going was the right move. Instead, we trained on the only remaining piece of land available at the racecourse (60x60) and will now wait for tomorrow.
A new head tennis partnership may have been formed today after training. It is only in it's infancy, but if today's destruction of messers Smith (on loan from Tottenham) and Ellis (on loan from Emmerdale) is anything to go by, 'Cartoon toe' Hargreaves and 'So it is' Carlilse have a very promising future together. After the hammering we told Adam to throw the gauntlet down to Robbie Keane and his mate Defoe! I'm sure they would jump at the chance to come down, park up the old Bentley, and take us on at head tennis. The wind and rain, waterlogged pitch, and uneven roll may be a leveller at our place but a return fixture could be gladly arranged.
It was great to surprise the children at the school gates today - they thought I would be away for a few day's. I think I also surprised a few parents, as I was late and so wearing my T.U.F.C kit, minus socks, but plus 'Skins', flip flops, gnarled ankles, and a gammy toe!.
We have just returned from getting this year's Christmas tree. It has been a few years since we have had a real one (to save little ones feet from injury, and the fact we were given a lovely artificial one about ten feet tall, deciding factors!), but this year we wanted the 'Christmas smell', we wanted the needles sticking in our feet (a warning not to poke around at the 'pressie's') and lastly, in true Christmas spirit, we wanted to out do the neighbours!!!!!!!!.


CH

Express

Great to see Mark and Harvey ( my bro and nephew respectively) today for a few hours. What was left of the weekend was spent having a bite to eat and an express walk to the park with Mark, Harv, and my little clan - my wife took advantage of the three hours of Christmas shopping time left in the day.
Hope you had a great weekend guys, see you soon.

Tomorrow we board the Northern express once more. It could be on, it could be off, who knows, but we will obviously do our best to win. If we do, then great, if we don't it is back to the league and the hunt for more important points.

CH

Building site

Just got back from Accrington. Basically a terrible performance, a horrendous pitch, a shocking ground, and an awful result. I can only speak for myself and today I was well below par. The fact that the pitch was a disgrace to football did not excuse us for playing so poorly, but why on earth they filled in the drainage trenches with sharp gravel is beyond me. It could only loosely be called a football pitch. It was a complete and utter joke. In saying that, they played the conditions far better than we did and they out fought us, which is something I don't think I have ever said on this blog.
To go from one of the best performances of the season to one of the worst is unacceptable. Saturday's game against Darlington is now the only thing in my mind. I am also annoyed that I played without getting my toe injected because by the time I did (by their doctor at half-time) it was too late, the damage was done.
To sum it up; we lost, I have missed my boy's birthday, I can't fit my shoe on, and we are in training tomorrow at 9.30 a.m. (Some would say deservedly so). Weekend ruined.
Thanks to all who travelled to watch us, all I can do is apologise for that display.

P.S Sorry Paul, Hannah, Avy and Martin to have put you through that today. The fact that you paid makes it even worse. I did buy you some tickets but the muppets on reception didn't know their **** from their elbow and neglected to remember the fact that I had.



CH

Toe trouble

This morning I popped into the Cary Arms at Babbacombe for a light breakfast (full English!). My wife went one further by heading off in the direction of the spa room for a treatment (I know my place!). Whilst Fiona was being sanded, buffed, and rubbed, I had a chat with Ian and then afterwards took a refreshing stroll to the beach. It was a much needed breath of fresh air after another post-match sleepless night. Whether it be your mind racing over the game, or your body aching after the game, sleeping can be very difficult. Last night my toe was throbbing(yes honestly it was my toe!). Like a lot of players I like my 'footy' boots to fit tightly but inevitably your feet suffer a bit.
My toe nail is now black and probably needs drilling but I resisted the temptation to go for a spot of D.I.Y podiatry in the early hours. The last time I had this problem was a few seasons ago at Brentford. I had been grinning and bearing it for a while but late on one night, after a match, I couldn't bear it any longer and so headed for the needle box. I heated the needle over the hob and then proceeded to push it thought the nail into the toe. The relief was immense and after applying a bit of pressure the blood flowed out and I thought it was job done. Unfortunately I paid the penalty a few weeks later. I was in London with my wife to attend the club's Christmas party.
After the club 'do' we retired to the room with an ice bucket, the bucket however was not for a nice bottle of bubbly, it was for my foot!( well OK we had the champagne first). The following morning I was due to visit a surgeon about groin surgery that I needed. On arrival I showed him the 'area' but he immediately said to me that I would have to be admitted to hospital. I laughed and told him that we had planned to do some last minute Christmas shopping.
He then laughed (nervously) and said that I had some serious clotting and septicemia and that I needed to put on a drip A.S.A.P! - needless to say I didn't go Christmas shopping, my wife did get the train home , I did stay in hospital for three day's, and I haven't felt the need to mess with toe nails again ! Add to that my double hernia and groin repair a few months later, two separate injections to stop the irritation (administered by first puncturing through the pelvic bone) and a play-off semi-final (to get promoted to the Championship)loss, it was an interesting season. Oh how we laughed!!!!. It could be worse as my wife always tells me though, I could have given birth three times!!!!!!!!!.


CH

Deserved

At Last. A great win tonight and some top individual performances to boot. The attitude was spot on from the start, in what were horrendous conditions, and I am delighted for all of the lad's that we got the three points. We could have won so many more games than we actually have this season so it is about time we got what we deserved. We must all drive on now and climb the table.
Thank you to all those hardy souls who paid at the turnstiles and cheered us on - at least you could thaw out at home tonight in good spirits after the game! It has been a brilliant week for me and I really feel privileged to still be playing this game that we all love.
Tonight will involve late night TV, a smidgen of Red, and a sigh of relief. Tomorrow it's breakfast at the Cary Arms and some much needed TLC for.....my wife!.

CH