Gary Speed

I feel have to talk about the tragic death of Gary Speed and like everybody else I just cannot believe that something like this could happen. On the outside it looked like he had everything but there were obviously some major problems in his life. It has not only shaken the football fraternity but also had a profound effect on those who knew nothing about the game, they just saw, as we all did, a successful young man seemingly at the top of his tree.
I feel very, very sad that he felt that death was the only option left in his life and I can only hope that his wife and young children can somehow recover from what must be the worst possible time.

R.I.P

CH

The morning after the night before, the night before, the night before that

Seriously, how the hell is Joe 'Chas and Dave' Swash on TV. He can hardly talk, I have just thrown the control at the TV (50 inch plasma') luckily it took the force, but I am serious, it's car crash TV. Anyway my Jim Royle mode is going a couple of ways at the moment . Last week it was a ten mile run to get the anger out of the system (Non Jim Royle), this evening it was a few glasses/bottles of the blood of Christ (Jim Royle), both did the job, tonight however I have gone one further it's both!!!!!!'

Bush tucker trial for Joe Swash......Man eating crocodile has a star in it's mouth.....'do you get me'!!

Love to all


CH

Sorry

Someone just asked me if I felt sorry for AVB at Chelsea, my answer was a simple "NO". How can you feel sorry for someone of fifty big ones a week, living in London, and in a great management post, come on, you can't can you.
I feel sorry for the child who has been born into a life of famine, turmoil, or poverty, I feel sorry for the young family who have lost a loved one at war, I feel sorry for the children in hospital over Christmas, and yes in moments of immense weakness I, like most, sometimes feel sorry for myself (only very occasionally I might add!!), but do I feel sorry for AVB, no.

Sympathy, and empathy however, maybe a little.


Love to all

CH

WINNERS

A whole week without a blog......a joke I know!!
Anyway lets get to business and before I talk football, politics, and current affairs I have to apologise to the fantastic students at St Cuthbert Mayne school. I was unable to get to their Schools Challenge award ceremony at South Devon College (my mate Andy stepped in and as much as he tried his best he wasn't me!!!!!!!!)so instead of being there to present the prizes I am giving a roll of honour to be proud of.
The six heroes managed to win a competition between Torbay schools to find the most creative and innovative way to market a local business. This they did by joining forces with a business partner to produce a radio advert in only three hours and then present their ideas to a panel of judges, no mean feet I hear you say.
So here goes, in no particular order, to the mighty .........

RHIAN NOLAN
ABI MAYER
ISAAC BARTON
JOE MURPHY
JAMES DAVIES
JAMES BYRNE

A brilliant achievement by all six, not forgetting the all important tutor, Mr Felix Woodyatt.

WELL DONE TO ALL


Football, politics, and current affairs.........

Football first and what a weekend of local derbies to savour it was. Well done to my old club T.U.F.C for at last getting some bragging rights back, but I have to say that I am gutted for Plymouth, I just hope someone can come in at some point and turn things around because going down into the conference is no fun at all.
I popped back to see my folks, Avy and Mart, and my old club, G.T.F.C, last weekend. It was good to return to the club where I spent the first four years of my career. Grimsby Town is another club just waiting to be taken back to former glories. Spending time with the family was an utter winner, the hospitality levels are always of a seven star hotel standard!
Politics now and....... actually lets leave that until News at ten tonight when we can all then worry to our hearts content
Current, current, affairs now, and........all is quiet at this present time.

Love to all

CH

Another return

I was really honoured to do the 'official' return to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, it was a great day and what with the pre match entertainment on offer and then the quintessential F.A cup to watch it was a pretty good few hours spent, and thanks to all for the reception. I am delighted that the club is now safe and so now....the only way is up!!
Well down to my old muckers at T.U.F.C for their convincing win at Chesterfield, I know that the coach journey back will have been a happy one. With Exeter, like Plymouth, snatching a late draw it was a decent return for the South West clubs. I am sat here now after a gruelling day of judging and then coaching and then coaching again, my wife is in an almighty strop, the children are going to bed and so that leaves me....to kick back and watch the football highlights and rant to my hearts content.
In other news there is a other news that will for now remain a maybe.

Love to all

CH

Lucky

A big weekend ahead, not only in sport but also with remembrance. I am heading to Plymouth tomorrow to take in their game against Stourbridge and I'm sure many other journeys (much longer than that one I might add!) will be made by fans up and down the country to support their teams in the first round of the F.A Cup. I was lucky enough to score ten F.A cup goals along the way in my career (Oh and an own goal against Man United but let's not dwell on that!) and it was always special on an F.A cup day, so fingers crossed for all the South West teams involved tomorrow. I have reached the latter rounds with a few clubs and more recently we very nearly reached the fifth round at Torquay, twice in fact, so maybe it's your turn this year lads!!
I am sat here watching Derron Brown and thinking 'Am I lucky' and the answer is an unflinchingly sure one, YES I AM.
I live in Devon, I have a great family, three belting children, a half decent wife (Joking!), I am very handsome, and I have the ability to 'do' the 'pec dance'. Add to this that I have written a couple of books - incidentally the latter of which can still be bought at any decent bookshop!! - I have won the South West footballer of the year award (Ok it's not Sports Personality of the year award but come on let me have it!), I have played football for a living and, well the list could go on..................yes at this point you may be thinking you jumped up, vain so and so, but my point is that I have been feeling a bit sorry for myself this week and I'm not sure why really.
But, having watched a few programmes including World War heroes, and News at Ten and where I saw children the same age as mine working ten hours a day chopping cocoa beans out to feed the indulgence lot's of rotund westerners, I thought to myself, come on sunshine sort yourself out and celebrate the good things.
So with that in mind I am going to hug the children, maybe even the wife, headache permitting, I will polish the trophies (that is of course a joke), I will enjoy going back to a former club tomorrow, and after doing all of that, I will think long and hard about the future.

LOVE and REMEMBRANCE TO ALL

CH

Catch up

So, lot's to get through, so here goes.....

Away from football first and I am sure everybody in the South west feels the same about the horrendous events of last Friday night. We all spend a lot of time on that road and I'm sure at some point we have all passed that same spot at the same time on the same night.It was a devastating night that will never be forgotten.

Well done to all those at P.A.F.C for their hard work in saving the club, it is a club well worth saving and hopefully the future now looks good. On the field it is good to see all of the South West clubs turning their 'dodgy spells' around - especially those I have played for!!

Still on the football front and things are developing, it may take a while, but a plan is in place.

Shop now and please feel free to pop over to Chris Hargreaves SPORTS REPUBLIC Sidmouth for the Christmas push to say hello (And hell if you want a pair of wacky sox while your there, or a pair of Saucony's or some Zumba bit's then of course feel free!!!)

At home now and for fear of giving too much detail away about Mr H's private life on the old blog I will calm it down a bit and just say, the clan are good, hard work, but damn good.

LOVE TO ALL