An Open Letter To The Lord Mayor Of Birmingham
My blood was boiling yesterday after struggling to get to the football at Birmingham and feel that this post is the best way to respond.
I am an Ipswich Town supporter who lives in London, so I came up to the match on Saturday, by Virgin Trains to New Street and then took the local train to Bordesley for St. Andrews. I should also say, I’m 66 and had a serious stroke three years ago, but I don’t find walking a kilometre or so, much of a problem.
I know New Street station is in a state of reconstruction at the moment, but the information on how to get to Bordesley was non-existent at the station. It probably took me about twenty minutes to find anybody, who knew how to get there. Some signage and tourist information in the station would have helped.
I was eventually told to walk to Moor Street station and as there was only a few temporary signs outside, I got lost and it took me at least thirty minutes to get to the other station. The signs petered out and I ended up lost in the Bull Ring shopping centre. Judging by the number of people I saw in Ipswich Town football shirts, I wasn’t the only lost soul either. Some were getting a big edgy, but then Ipswich fans are generally a calm bunch.
I know Bordesley station isn’t the most modern, but at least the trains work well to get there. However, the walk from the station to the ground, must be the most dangerous walk to get to any football ground from its local station in the UK. In the end fans have to rush a busy road and then a dual-carriageway, as there is no controlled crossing or any other help.
I wonder how many people will get seriously injured or even killed on that route in the next few years.
If Birmingham is serious in attracting business and tourism, then it should do something to make walking around the city, easier with more information and safe walking routes.
It is probably the worst major city in England for pedestrians.
The Walking Route Is No Better
Last year, I said that the walk from Bordesley station to Birmingham’s ground was the most dangerous at any in England.
It was no better yesterday, as the pictures taken after the match show.
When Was The Last Time A Scot Scored For Ipswich?
Ipswich drew one each with Birmingham yesterday.
Yet again, Town lost points from bad luck, as it was a deflected shot that beat Dean Gerken.
Ipswich’s goal was scored by Christophe Berra, who is a Scottish international.
So who was the last Scot who scored for Ipswich? I think it was probably John Wark or Alex Mathie. Checking the records, it would appear that Alex Mathie scored some in the early 1998-99 season.
Football At Welling
I was going to see Welling United play Salisbury City.
It was pleasant to sit in the sun . Even if it was a goalless draw, with a sending off and a missed penalty.
This was the only match yesterday in the London area.
No Football On Monday
I like watching football and thought I might catch a live match on Bank Holiday Monday. After all London is a big city with tens of clubs from the Premier League downwards.
But on perusing the fixture list on the BBC’s web site, there is no match from either the Premier or Football Leagues, except Manchester United against Chelsea, which I obviously have no interest in at all, as I don’t like prawn sandwiches or live in Surrey, Ireland or Russia.
In the Conference, I wondered whether Barnet were at home, but sadly they are at Braintree. The only match within reach seems to be at Welling, where they are hosting Salisbury. I did check the Welling web site to see how to get there, but instructions on getting to the ground were difficult to find.
As it seems we might even have decent weather on Monday, it seems that the curse of the Bank Holiday might have struck again.
I can’t even go to my friendly Crown Post Office to buy a stamp, as they’re on strike.
The only good thing about Bank Holidays, is that there isn’t more of them!
Disappointing BT Sport
As a BT broadband customer, who used to get Sky Sports through them, I am disappointed with their new BT Sports. The only decent football matches are on Saturday lunchtime, when I’m travelling to see Ipswich, either home or away. The solution is probably fibre-optic broadband, but I can’t get this where I live, within walking distance of the City of London.
Who Says We Can’t Win Penalty Shoot-Outs?
Not one of my football teams, like England and Ipswich ever seems to win a penalty shoot-out.
But today the England women won a penalty shoot-out to get to the final of the European hockey championship.
Let’s hope they’ve broken everybody’s hoodoo.
Mick McCarthy Splashes The Cash
Mick McCarthy seems to have got in quite a few players this summer, but he doesn’t seem to be forking out a lot of money.
The latest sighting Jordan Adekunle from Crawley is seventeen, so I don’t suppose he broke the bank.
On the other hand,not one of the new signing seems to be a complete dud!
A Restricted View Seat At Loftus Road
My seat at Loftus Road was marked Restricted View, but it wasn’t too bad.
A Restricted View Seat At Loftus Road
In fact, the experience was a lot better than last time I came. QPR seemed to have bought some paint and repaired the seats.
How Much Beer Was Drunk In Trafalgar Square Yesterday?
Accordiung to this report on the BBC web site, Westminster’s team of cleaners, picked up about two tonnes of empty beer cans in Trafalgar Square yesterday.
if we assume that a can weighs about 20 grams, that means about 100,000 cans of beer were drunk in the square yesterday. Reportedly 25,000 Scots came down to see the match.
But at least little untoward happened!
The same story was reported in The Scotsman and a reader added this comment.
If we can organize this maybe we can handle being independent. Put a deposit on beer cans and the homeless will benefit.
Although, their estimate of the number of cans was a lot lower.
The Germans who came for the Champion League Final didn’t seem to drink much at all.
The Anonymous Widower 