With Crawley slipping up last night we have a great opportunity to put more pressure on the clubs around us. There are no easy games in the Conference any more and Mansfield's visit to Plainmoor will be no different. We will be doing our best to keep keep the run going. This may read like the standard pre-match hype but it's the mind set you have to have as a player, coach and manager.
We all leave the club on a Friday and try to relax in the 24 hours prior to the game but at the back of your mind you know that the time is nearing to switch on and go to work.
In saying that it's quite hard to relax when you have got a devil, two witches, a vampire and a skeleton walking around the house. The house is fully kitted out in Halloween attire and open to trick or treaters. It will be the same story at most of the homes of players at T.U.F.C especially those that have children. In fact Stevie Adams our midfield dynamo will be revilling in tonight's Halloween fun. Nicknamed the Ghoul, a likeness in colour!, I'm sure Stevie will be very convincing when opening his door to visitors, whether they stay long enough to grab a few sweets is another story!.
I think Stevie thought he had turned the corner when he joined Torquay but the nickname we gave him brought him back down to Earth with a bang. Unknown to us Stevie was called the Ghost at Plymouth, hows your luck!.
A big weekend of sport awaits with Lewis Hamilton in Brazil aiming to become a World Champion and England's Cricketers in Antigua aiming to become very rich!!. Good luck to both.
Must go I think Stevie is at the door!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
CH
Friday, 31 October 2008
Thursday, 30 October 2008
Pop Idol
The music industry has seen the likes of Will Young, Shane Ward, Leona Lewis and even Paul Potts shoot to stardom through talent shows. Now there is a new kid on the block and who is he........ Tim Sills!!!!!!!!!!. After taking victory in last seasons Karaoke, he went home with the 'mike'! 'Sillsy' gained a belief that he too could be the new singing sensation.
OK there's the build up, now for the facts. After sending in a demo Tim was accepted to the auditions for 'Don't forget the Lyrics', the Sky one show hosted by Shane Ritchie. Members of the public are invited to win up to £250,000 by simply remembering the lyrics to some of the best known songs ever written.
At the audition Tim had to sing a song of his choice. Then he was asked to speak about himself for a couple of minutes, he could have blown it here as their was a time limit. There is only so long you can talk about last seasons overhead kick!, great goal though. The song went well, Tim said he belted out a great rendition of Wham's Club Tropicana, then for the charm offensive and then the wait.
And yes I can report that out of thousands of applicants our Tim is down to the last 60, he is literally a cat's whisker away from appearing on the show.
On the show each player is given 9 categories, behind each is two songs. They pick a song and sing along with the band reading the lyrics from a screen. When the band stops and the words disappear you have to carry on filling in the lyrics. The first song is worth £500, the second £1000, the third £2500 and if you get the fourth a guaranteed £5000. Remember 5 more 'Timmy' baby and you are picking up a cool £250,000 and who knows maybe a visit from Simon Cowell!. So sometime soon you may recognise one of the contestants and lots of the audience( Dave start the coach!)on 'Don't Forget The Lyrics'.
CH
OK there's the build up, now for the facts. After sending in a demo Tim was accepted to the auditions for 'Don't forget the Lyrics', the Sky one show hosted by Shane Ritchie. Members of the public are invited to win up to £250,000 by simply remembering the lyrics to some of the best known songs ever written.
At the audition Tim had to sing a song of his choice. Then he was asked to speak about himself for a couple of minutes, he could have blown it here as their was a time limit. There is only so long you can talk about last seasons overhead kick!, great goal though. The song went well, Tim said he belted out a great rendition of Wham's Club Tropicana, then for the charm offensive and then the wait.
And yes I can report that out of thousands of applicants our Tim is down to the last 60, he is literally a cat's whisker away from appearing on the show.
On the show each player is given 9 categories, behind each is two songs. They pick a song and sing along with the band reading the lyrics from a screen. When the band stops and the words disappear you have to carry on filling in the lyrics. The first song is worth £500, the second £1000, the third £2500 and if you get the fourth a guaranteed £5000. Remember 5 more 'Timmy' baby and you are picking up a cool £250,000 and who knows maybe a visit from Simon Cowell!. So sometime soon you may recognise one of the contestants and lots of the audience( Dave start the coach!)on 'Don't Forget The Lyrics'.
CH
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Credit Crunch
Could my regular Friday night TV be under threat?. It usually involves Johnathon Ross interviewing guests and freinds but this time I think he may have got himself into a bit of bother!. I enjoy watching his show on Fridays as JR does his stuff, great guests( the recent visit of Stevie Wonder was brilliant) and great banter. Initially after hearing he and Russell Brand had been suspended I thought over reaction get a grip whoever has complained(10,000 people phoned the BBC) about the radio show they were presenting together.
I have since heard the phone call made to Andrew Sachs(Manuel in Fawlty Towers)and the answer phone message left was let's say controversial!!. Since then both have been suspended and I bet they are sweating buckets while on 'gardening leave' awaiting their punishment. I would be really surprised though if the BBC axed two of it's biggest stars especially Jonathon Ross who has millions of viewers and is on millions of pounds!!. A slap on the wrists maybe. The lesson must be to avoid Russell Brand and live radio at all costs!!!!!.
Still on the Fawlty Towers theme and the hotel that Michael Poke(our currently injured on loan keeper) has been staying in this season is the original Fawlty Towers!. Lot's of pictures and memorabilia but no Basil, Sybil or in fact Manuel and the food has definitely improved over the years!.
Christmas is upon us and judging by the queues in most shopping centres the credit crunch is on the back burner. You have to keep your elbows in position like a marathon runner when shopping otherwise prepare to be trodden on and left with the piles of clothes strewn over most shop floors. I managed 1 hour today with 'the girls' until alarm bells started ringing in my back and stomach. The only thing I can bare to buy on these dangerous assault course visits is food and coffee so for me it will be the normal annual Christmas eve mercy mission!!.
Two thank-you's today, firstly Mel at South Devon College who broke me, in a good way though(massage) and secondly Dan next door who I have just seen return to the house with surfboards on the roof rack, thanks for the invite mate!!!!!.
CH
I have since heard the phone call made to Andrew Sachs(Manuel in Fawlty Towers)and the answer phone message left was let's say controversial!!. Since then both have been suspended and I bet they are sweating buckets while on 'gardening leave' awaiting their punishment. I would be really surprised though if the BBC axed two of it's biggest stars especially Jonathon Ross who has millions of viewers and is on millions of pounds!!. A slap on the wrists maybe. The lesson must be to avoid Russell Brand and live radio at all costs!!!!!.
Still on the Fawlty Towers theme and the hotel that Michael Poke(our currently injured on loan keeper) has been staying in this season is the original Fawlty Towers!. Lot's of pictures and memorabilia but no Basil, Sybil or in fact Manuel and the food has definitely improved over the years!.
Christmas is upon us and judging by the queues in most shopping centres the credit crunch is on the back burner. You have to keep your elbows in position like a marathon runner when shopping otherwise prepare to be trodden on and left with the piles of clothes strewn over most shop floors. I managed 1 hour today with 'the girls' until alarm bells started ringing in my back and stomach. The only thing I can bare to buy on these dangerous assault course visits is food and coffee so for me it will be the normal annual Christmas eve mercy mission!!.
Two thank-you's today, firstly Mel at South Devon College who broke me, in a good way though(massage) and secondly Dan next door who I have just seen return to the house with surfboards on the roof rack, thanks for the invite mate!!!!!.
CH
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Freezing cold, then quite warm, raining heavily, then really cold. That sums up this mornings weather at the racecourse. It's pretty isolated out there so we get a full range of the elements but not usually in a 15 minute spell. Environmentalists would save a lot of time and money monitoring climate change if they just spent a morning at the racecourse.
After training had finished and braving 'Hurricane Newton Abbott' the reigning head Tennis champions Woods and Hargreaves took on more contenders. Nicholson and Sills stepped up to challenge the throne. Overhead kicks, Aces, diving headers, it had everything but after 40 Min's and more dodgy line calls than John McEnroe ever received it was over. All comers welcome on Thursday again, the old boys remain unbeaten!!!.
The Summer that never was is over, yes the clocks have gone back an hour meaning it is now dark at 4.30p.m. Introduced in 1916 it was primarily as an energy saving measure in Wartime( without the change children,especially in Scotland, would be going to school all year in the dark meaning extra lighting and power needed.
History lesson over!!!.
It is now dark early afternoon which is not good. The only bonus is that Halloween is on Friday. As of 4 o'clock the Hargreaves household will turn into the annual haunted house. Complete with 'scary 'music' in the background, a witch roaming the corridors(my wife dresses up!)and the children dragging me round the village until their sweet bags are at breaking point it should be fun!!!.
Finally I must thank friends of ours who invited us over for a dinner party last night. Homemade samosa to start, homemade curry to follow and even homemade Souffle for dessert. Great food and a good laugh, all in all it was a quality night topped off with the most amazing family Photo's!!!!!!!!!!!!.
CH
After training had finished and braving 'Hurricane Newton Abbott' the reigning head Tennis champions Woods and Hargreaves took on more contenders. Nicholson and Sills stepped up to challenge the throne. Overhead kicks, Aces, diving headers, it had everything but after 40 Min's and more dodgy line calls than John McEnroe ever received it was over. All comers welcome on Thursday again, the old boys remain unbeaten!!!.
The Summer that never was is over, yes the clocks have gone back an hour meaning it is now dark at 4.30p.m. Introduced in 1916 it was primarily as an energy saving measure in Wartime( without the change children,especially in Scotland, would be going to school all year in the dark meaning extra lighting and power needed.
History lesson over!!!.
It is now dark early afternoon which is not good. The only bonus is that Halloween is on Friday. As of 4 o'clock the Hargreaves household will turn into the annual haunted house. Complete with 'scary 'music' in the background, a witch roaming the corridors(my wife dresses up!)and the children dragging me round the village until their sweet bags are at breaking point it should be fun!!!.
Finally I must thank friends of ours who invited us over for a dinner party last night. Homemade samosa to start, homemade curry to follow and even homemade Souffle for dessert. Great food and a good laugh, all in all it was a quality night topped off with the most amazing family Photo's!!!!!!!!!!!!.
CH
Monday, 27 October 2008
Factoid
It was great to see Chris Todd at the game on Saturday. 'Toddy' had an operation on Tuesday to repair a tear in his stomach, the resulting scars are impressive. Hopefully the rehab will go well and we will see him in action again soon. He explained to me that it is very painful when he laughs so I with recommended a short stay with our driver Dave, that should do the job!.
Another player in the wars is Chris Robertson who damaged ankle ligaments last week. It's incredible how often you are injured after, not during training . The same happened on this occasion, 'Robbo', myself and Kev Nicholson had set up a few cones to do some sprint work and within 5 minutes 'Robbo' had turned his ankle. Unfortunately this means a fair few weeks out for the big fella so again fingers crossed it's a speedy recovery. I'm sure he will want to return quickly, he has been playing really well. His pockets are also that deep , I'm talking ankle depth, that his lack of appearance money will be driving him mad!.
STOP PRESS! The blog has been criticised and this is from friends of mine!. No it is not as you may think the punctuation or the grammar, apologies for both. It is in fact the lack of facts. I'm full of bizarre information and useless facts and I haven't included any. Get your pen and paper, a cup of tea and I will begin.
Every day we drink 165 million cups of tea, importing 150 tonnes a year. 40 million burgers are sold every day by McDonald's. A lightning bolt is 5 times hotter than the Sun, golfers beware!. The Sun is 330,330 times bigger than the Earth. A square piece of paper cannot be folded in half more than 7 times, I know you'll try that one!. There are no clocks in Las Vegas casinos, I wonder why !. There are 194 countries in the World, the smallest being The Vatican City, yes it's in Rome!. A cockroach can still survive if it loses it's head but only for about 2 weeks as it dies of starvation. The state of Florida is larger than England. Tom Jones real name is Thomas Woodward and Courtney Love's Michelle Harrison. The Amazon rain forest gives us 20% 0f the worlds oxygen contains a quarter of the worlds species and takes in one fifth of the worlds C02. There are 1.2 billion people living in poverty worldwide despite the fact that there are about 10 million millionaires.
And if you think that the 'war on terror' has gone quiet, it hasn't. America are still spending 100 million dollars a day fighting the Taliban,7 million is spent on the 11 million Afghans in need of aid. Still in Afghanistan during recent ferocious fighting with the Taliban Cpl Paul Knapp said : "In 18 minutes of solid fighting we dropped 176 mortar bombs and fired 9,000 rounds!.
I know what your saying 'Stato', 'Bore off' etc etc. Sticks and stones will not break my bones(were not in Roman times) and words will never hurt me, I have heard them all before: Gypo, where's your caravan, and your past it are just a few, and that's just from my family!.
CH
Another player in the wars is Chris Robertson who damaged ankle ligaments last week. It's incredible how often you are injured after, not during training . The same happened on this occasion, 'Robbo', myself and Kev Nicholson had set up a few cones to do some sprint work and within 5 minutes 'Robbo' had turned his ankle. Unfortunately this means a fair few weeks out for the big fella so again fingers crossed it's a speedy recovery. I'm sure he will want to return quickly, he has been playing really well. His pockets are also that deep , I'm talking ankle depth, that his lack of appearance money will be driving him mad!.
STOP PRESS! The blog has been criticised and this is from friends of mine!. No it is not as you may think the punctuation or the grammar, apologies for both. It is in fact the lack of facts. I'm full of bizarre information and useless facts and I haven't included any. Get your pen and paper, a cup of tea and I will begin.
Every day we drink 165 million cups of tea, importing 150 tonnes a year. 40 million burgers are sold every day by McDonald's. A lightning bolt is 5 times hotter than the Sun, golfers beware!. The Sun is 330,330 times bigger than the Earth. A square piece of paper cannot be folded in half more than 7 times, I know you'll try that one!. There are no clocks in Las Vegas casinos, I wonder why !. There are 194 countries in the World, the smallest being The Vatican City, yes it's in Rome!. A cockroach can still survive if it loses it's head but only for about 2 weeks as it dies of starvation. The state of Florida is larger than England. Tom Jones real name is Thomas Woodward and Courtney Love's Michelle Harrison. The Amazon rain forest gives us 20% 0f the worlds oxygen contains a quarter of the worlds species and takes in one fifth of the worlds C02. There are 1.2 billion people living in poverty worldwide despite the fact that there are about 10 million millionaires.
And if you think that the 'war on terror' has gone quiet, it hasn't. America are still spending 100 million dollars a day fighting the Taliban,7 million is spent on the 11 million Afghans in need of aid. Still in Afghanistan during recent ferocious fighting with the Taliban Cpl Paul Knapp said : "In 18 minutes of solid fighting we dropped 176 mortar bombs and fired 9,000 rounds!.
I know what your saying 'Stato', 'Bore off' etc etc. Sticks and stones will not break my bones(were not in Roman times) and words will never hurt me, I have heard them all before: Gypo, where's your caravan, and your past it are just a few, and that's just from my family!.
CH
Sunday, 26 October 2008
Morning TV
This is an early posting on the blog today due to a couple of reasons, namely the clocks going back and the baby waking up but also the fact that we are having a day out. Yes it was my turn to rise with Harriet this morning and deep joy it was 5.50 a.m. I tried to persuade 'Hatty' that it was still nighttime but it was in vain, soon we were both downstairs watching Teletubbies and reading Flora's Blanket.
Why is it always the same, if I had gone to bed at 10p.m last night 'H' would have been in bed till 9 this morning!.
It's my fault I know but when everybody had gone to bed, my mind was still in 'the Red Bull zone ', I stayed up and trawled through the offerings on late night/early morning TV . First I caught the second half of the Bundesliga game between Bayern Munich and Cologne, a great game ending 4-2 to Bayern. While this was on I kept flicking over to watch the 100 greatest scary moments, in the end the final three arrived.
In 3rd place,Jaws, bit of a surprise there, especially when Spielburg explained that the mechanic fake Shark broke down so they had to drag it along, Scary eh!. At number 2 was the Exorcist, a real heart warmer this one, a young girl is possessed by the devil complete with white eyes and a deep voice. The winner, not my favourite, was the Shining, big scene involving Jack Nicholson battering a door down with an axe for 5 minutes. When he finally popped his head through the smashed door to the 'delight' of the screaming girl, he actually made up the next line. "Heeere's Johnny" used to be the catchphrase on the Johnny Carson show!. Stato!.
Also got a late night text from a mate with an invitation to his birthday meal. Michael 'Slipmat, Chatty' Chapman is going to be 40, oh dear the big one, I'm sure when it's mine in 10 yrs I'll be worried as well!. Chatty was my next door neighbour when I played for Hull and we had some great laughs.
I once 'wallpapered' the whole outside of his house, it took me all day but it was worth it. Why? well to cut a long story short I found out that he and another mate had 'broken' into my house after a night out and while I was sleeping had made themselves a pile of cheese toasties, too much evidence left lad's!. It's just a good job I didn't wake, go downstairs prepared to greet the burglar's and start 'windmilling'.
I also sabotaged a Tennis date 'Chatty' had with a young girl by hiding in the bushes and making constant animal noises. He said to his date it was a Squirrel nest!, but his game went to pot especially after the Elephant noise in the 2ND set.
Add that to the fact he nearly killed us on a railway track, he was throwing a few shapes to some music whilst driving his battered VW Sirocco, I think there could be fireworks when we reunite.
See you at the York game 'Slipmat', tight shirt and fairy bun ban in place.
CH
Why is it always the same, if I had gone to bed at 10p.m last night 'H' would have been in bed till 9 this morning!.
It's my fault I know but when everybody had gone to bed, my mind was still in 'the Red Bull zone ', I stayed up and trawled through the offerings on late night/early morning TV . First I caught the second half of the Bundesliga game between Bayern Munich and Cologne, a great game ending 4-2 to Bayern. While this was on I kept flicking over to watch the 100 greatest scary moments, in the end the final three arrived.
In 3rd place,Jaws, bit of a surprise there, especially when Spielburg explained that the mechanic fake Shark broke down so they had to drag it along, Scary eh!. At number 2 was the Exorcist, a real heart warmer this one, a young girl is possessed by the devil complete with white eyes and a deep voice. The winner, not my favourite, was the Shining, big scene involving Jack Nicholson battering a door down with an axe for 5 minutes. When he finally popped his head through the smashed door to the 'delight' of the screaming girl, he actually made up the next line. "Heeere's Johnny" used to be the catchphrase on the Johnny Carson show!. Stato!.
Also got a late night text from a mate with an invitation to his birthday meal. Michael 'Slipmat, Chatty' Chapman is going to be 40, oh dear the big one, I'm sure when it's mine in 10 yrs I'll be worried as well!. Chatty was my next door neighbour when I played for Hull and we had some great laughs.
I once 'wallpapered' the whole outside of his house, it took me all day but it was worth it. Why? well to cut a long story short I found out that he and another mate had 'broken' into my house after a night out and while I was sleeping had made themselves a pile of cheese toasties, too much evidence left lad's!. It's just a good job I didn't wake, go downstairs prepared to greet the burglar's and start 'windmilling'.
I also sabotaged a Tennis date 'Chatty' had with a young girl by hiding in the bushes and making constant animal noises. He said to his date it was a Squirrel nest!, but his game went to pot especially after the Elephant noise in the 2ND set.
Add that to the fact he nearly killed us on a railway track, he was throwing a few shapes to some music whilst driving his battered VW Sirocco, I think there could be fireworks when we reunite.
See you at the York game 'Slipmat', tight shirt and fairy bun ban in place.
CH
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Job Done
Potential "Banana Skin" over with. Thanks for your support today on a very cold afternoon. Although the performance was not great the scoreline looks decent and we have progressed to the first round proper. These cup games are vital to the club on a financial side and we hope to do well this season in the cup competitions.
I spoke to Alex Rowe our Chairman after the game and he was relieved to be through.
Clubs in the lower leagues have to be run with great care otherwise there can be real problems.
If it wasn't for people like Alex and other local businessman/directors who love the club and are prepared to outlay the money I'm sure it would be a different story. All clubs lose money even Man Utd are a bit overdrawn, about 700 million at the last count!.
A cup run for a big club is just as important albeit on a different scale. If Leeds Utd had got into the Champions league a few years back they might still be in the Premiership and would not be continuing to pay some player's 40 grand a week wages who have since left the club!.
While I'm on the subject of support my sponsor Jody Shelley(Jodes Salon) is a another person who gives up a lot of time and money to support the club, she also does a wicked makeover. My wife has been on the receiving end of a few, I may delete that or say It was a typing error!.
If anyone is going to finally chop my 'locks' it will be Jodie. I've been tempted many times, by around 2020 I will be ready for the cull, but for now a short back and sides for me will still consist of '4mm off the ends'!.
Final mention is to Albert a Grimsby Town fan and ex resident who is currently living in Oxford. He popped into the changing room before our recent game with Oxford to say hello and he handed me another gift. Albert has given me a few gifts including a big bottle of Whisky, five packs of cards, some old coins, and the latest gift a small hip flask and miniature of Whisky. Albert obviously wants me to become a hard drinking gambler! but what a great character.
If you can fathom the computer Albert my Dad say's he will put the kettle on for the next time you visit home and pop into 'Martin Hargreaves Motorcycles'. I will send the Whisky up for you to top up your tea with!. Cheers to The Ancient Mariner.
CH
I spoke to Alex Rowe our Chairman after the game and he was relieved to be through.
Clubs in the lower leagues have to be run with great care otherwise there can be real problems.
If it wasn't for people like Alex and other local businessman/directors who love the club and are prepared to outlay the money I'm sure it would be a different story. All clubs lose money even Man Utd are a bit overdrawn, about 700 million at the last count!.
A cup run for a big club is just as important albeit on a different scale. If Leeds Utd had got into the Champions league a few years back they might still be in the Premiership and would not be continuing to pay some player's 40 grand a week wages who have since left the club!.
While I'm on the subject of support my sponsor Jody Shelley(Jodes Salon) is a another person who gives up a lot of time and money to support the club, she also does a wicked makeover. My wife has been on the receiving end of a few, I may delete that or say It was a typing error!.
If anyone is going to finally chop my 'locks' it will be Jodie. I've been tempted many times, by around 2020 I will be ready for the cull, but for now a short back and sides for me will still consist of '4mm off the ends'!.
Final mention is to Albert a Grimsby Town fan and ex resident who is currently living in Oxford. He popped into the changing room before our recent game with Oxford to say hello and he handed me another gift. Albert has given me a few gifts including a big bottle of Whisky, five packs of cards, some old coins, and the latest gift a small hip flask and miniature of Whisky. Albert obviously wants me to become a hard drinking gambler! but what a great character.
If you can fathom the computer Albert my Dad say's he will put the kettle on for the next time you visit home and pop into 'Martin Hargreaves Motorcycles'. I will send the Whisky up for you to top up your tea with!. Cheers to The Ancient Mariner.
CH
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