Farewell to Ted Lowe
Here was a commentator, who through his knowledge of the sport and the power of his words, gave a lot of pleasure to many.
Sadly, there are few if any of his ilk left.
Ipswich Town Supporters in London
I’ve just set up a web site for Ipswich Town supporters, who live and/or work in London.
I have used WordPress to set it up and it can be viewed at ipswichtownlondon.wordpress.com.
In some ways it is showing how you can use WordPress to create a Blog-Based Small Business. Although this isn’t a business, we’re trying to attract Ipswich Town supporters and create a source of useful information.
That Wasn’t a Goal
The Chelsea equaliser I’ve just seen against Tottenham wasn’t a goal. The ball appeared not to cross the line and the referee was unsighted. So Spurs should have been given the benefit of the doubt.
So I may be biased, but then if there was goal line technology we would have known for certain.
The Battered Stick Together
When you’ve been through what I have, you tend to follow others, who’ve triumped over adversity.
Although, C & I bred racehorses for many years, I don’t follow racing much, these days.
But I was pleased to see a report in The Telegraph that Henry Cecil has the favourite for the flat season’s first classic, the 2,000 Guineas. Henry has been battling cancer for some years and where lesser men would have crawled into a hole and hid or given up altogther, Henry has just kept going.
I shall be putting a couple of pounds on Frankel.
Royal Wedding Wins at Fontwell
It just had to happen didn’t it!
The horse, Royal Wedding won at Fontwell at 4.1, yesterday.
Rangers Get Off Lightly
Rangers have been given a suspended fine and some fairly weak sanctions, after they were accused of sectarian chanting in the matches against PSV Eindhoven. This is the report from the Guardian. But Rangers are unrepentant and blaming others for their problems.
But Martin Bain, the Rangers chief executive, still aimed his fire towards the Football Against Racism in Europe group (Fare), which he feels was heavily influential in this affair after it provided evidence to Uefa. Bain said: “We have had serious concerns about the integrity of the evidence compiled by the Fare organisation and that remains the case.
“We are also of the opinion that Fare has been influenced by people who make it their business to damage our club in any way they can. We are committed to the eradication of sectarianism and believe it would have been more constructive for Fare to work with our club rather than against it. Instead, they submitted evidence to Uefa with a clear objective in mind and have shown a complete lack of transparency or accountability when asked for clarification on various aspects of that evidence.”
English football had its problems in the past, and it was only cured by draconian action by the authorities, in both the UK and Europe.
Someone has got to take the lead to stop the sectarian songs, the drinking and the violence. Without strong action, nothing will get any better.
Northumberland Park Station
I made a mistake to get off the 341 bus and take the train from Northumberland Park station.
It might better be called No Rthumberland Park, as it had no staff, no timetables on the wall, no train information indicators and no trains for an hour. I actually had to phone rail information on 08457484950 to find out when the next train would arrive. There was though a betting shop on the corner and one of London’s last level crossings inside the M25.
Eventually, a train did turn up and I went all the way to Stratford for interest, rather than a quick journey. I then took the North London line and a bus home. If I’d stayed on the 341 bus, I’d have been home thirty minutes earlier. I will travel from Tottenham Hale to Stratford again, as it gives good views of the Olympic site, HS1 and the train sheds for Eurostar and the fast trains to Kent from St. Pancras.
Olympic Ticket Problems
I had no problems with getting my places in the Olympic auction for tickets. But then I reserved them three weeks ago.
When will people learn, that the deadline is not the day you actually do something? With the Internet, you can set transactions up early, so they happen at the right time!
The Liberty Stadium
The Liberty Stadium is only a few years old and in my opinion it is one of the better smaller stadia I’ve visited.
Approaching the Liberty Stadium
It is just perhaps a pity that they didn’t build a station to serve the stadium. Especially, as the railway between London and Cardiff to Swansea passes close to the ground.
Outside the Liberty Stadium
You can just see the viaduct carrying the railway behind the stadium.
Inside the stadium looks very similar to the other new stadia like St. Mary’s in Southampton, Leicester City, Doncaster and Coventry.
Inside the Liberty Stadium
But in some ways, the design is better. I did like the fact that disabled supporters were placed on a balcony that extended all round the stadium, with level access to the outside.
Surely this arrangement gives a better view and would be much better in the case of any emergency.
Or is this all just a process of continual developent in our design of new stadia?
Signposting in Swansea
None of the signs in the City Centre pointed me towards the Liberty Stadium.
Comprehensive Signposting in Swansea
But at least they are comprehensive.
I did like this sign though.
Mixed Up Signage in Swansea
Wouldn’t it be so much simpler if all distances and heights were in metric units, rather than both metric and Imperial? I’m assuming that the abbreviation for metres in Welsh is the same as in English, French, German and Italian. As it’s an international standard, I would assume it is.
If ever a sign is going to lead to a truck getting stuck under a bridge it is this one!
The Anonymous Widower 