Mosher'sUnimaginativelyEntitledBlog
–**– The Blog Without A Bloody Annoying Tagline –**–
So I start following Gateshead FC… and they lose a large leading margin at the top of the Blue Square North, allowing Tamworth to clinch automatic promotion. Gateshead will now find themselves in the playoffs at the end of the season. Congratulations to Tamworth, though.
Let’s not even go near the subject of Newcastle United‘s run-in for the end of the Premiership season. I really, really hope I’m wrong but deep down I just know we’re ******.
Dammit. I’m not having a good month.
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A statement was released by the Archbishop of York the other day stating that football games shouldn’t be played on Easter Sunday.
Now his reasons are the usual bunkum about it being a special day or worship (for less than 10% of the UK population if I remember the church attendance figures). Therefore the remaining 90% or so should do without.
[Actually, I just did a quick Google. Church attendance is now measured as “attending at least once per month” and the figures for 2007 were 15% – source]
However.
He’s right. Football shouldn’t be played on Easter Sunday. Or any Sunday. Or indeed on Fridays (and not because it’ll annoy the Jewish or Muslim populations, who incidentally seem to have better things to do than whinge about traffic problems near their synagogues and mosques).
It should be played at the traditional fixture time of Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock. Think how much easier it would make it to get to those away matches. No more bloody late-night kickoffs in the middle of the weeks meaning a nightmare of a journey between Newcastle and London or whatever.
That way, the only people who get pissed off at the people who own Sky and Setanta because they can’t leach as much money out of us.
Thanks to Damo and Weenie for pointing this story out. Yes, I missed it. Because when the news broke I was on a 2850km campervan trip through the Australian Outback where I couldn’t even get an AM radio signal let alone an internet connection. Even if I had, their definition of “football” here is one of three games where you use your ******* hands instead of your feet so I doubt it would have made the news.
So. Alan Shearer. Newcastle United manager. Good news or no?
Well, it’s good to know we’ve got someone who gives a **** in the position and who’s not in a hospital bed. My best wishes still go out to Joe Kinnear, but who knows if he’ll be back in the hotseat next season? My issue is that Shearer has maintained for ages that he’s not ready for the position. What changed his mind?
Is it desperation on the part of the club and even Shearer himself? How can he suddenly be ready to do the job now when he wasn’t only a few months ago? So many questions.
Of course, he’s a figurehead and if anyone could rally the fans it’s the big man himself. I also believe that he’s got that pipsqueak Ashley over a barrel as the only individual who could really set his own terms as manager.
One bit of news that’s been buried ever so slightly by the headline above is that Dennis Wise has gone. Thank ****. Good bloody riddance to the evil little ****. And I fully believe this was a condition of Shearer taking the job.
What’s important to note, though, is we only have 8 games left. We’re third bottom. Even the mackems are above us. Shearer’s work is cut out (as fourth manager this season) to stop us going down with the Boro.
Here’s hoping this isn’t just a huge publicity stunt on the part of Ashley. I doubt it, purely as Shearer’s involved and there’s no denying his main focus will be on maintaining Premiership status for the sake of the team and the fans – not some arsehole Cockney’s bank balance.
Thanks to the wonders of the interwebnetsupermegahighway it’s now easier to get details of even the smaller football teams. While you’ll almost never see a team below the second division (or whatever it’s called this week) on TV unless they get into a decent cup tie, they all have web pages that are well updated by fans or club members.
As such, I’m turning my attention to my home side of the River Tyne and checking out my real “home town” team of Gateshead FC. Currently they sit at the top of the Blue Square North division, a point clear of Tamworth, but have just squandered what should have been an easy three points against bottom-half opposition.
They’re certainly doing well this season, and I can check all the information on their web site without having to pay anyone any money – unlike the upper divisions with their pay-per-view or subscription-based websites which all look the bloody same.
Will I ever get the Gateshead FC logo tattooed on my arm to go with my Newcastle United one? I doubt it. But it’s great being able to follow another local team and should I ever be home at the right time I’ll likely pick up a ticket and go to watch them. It’s £9 compared to Newcastle’s £26 upwards, and the parking’s easier. Plus, it’s good to support the lower levels of the football leagues.
The best thing is I don’t feel “guilty” about having a second team as I’ve got connections to both. In fact, if anything, I should be more of a Gateshead than a Newcastle fan given that I was born and raised on the south side of the Tyne.
With the costs of supporting a Premiership team, if you’ve given up a season ticket or regular match attendance for financial reasons, why not look around your area for another team that would welcome your support? You still get live football, most of the lower leagues still kick off at 3pm on a Saturday so you’ll still be able to watch the Premiership games on the telly courtesy of their frequently buggered-about kick-off times and you’ll be pumping cash into football where it’s needed.
It’s win/win.
So Obafemi Martins got nicked for speeding a while ago. The case went through court today and he was landed with a £950 fine (including costs) for doing 106mph in a 70mph zone.
Fair enough. The law does state that you can lose your license for going over 100mph. In this case he didn’t. The judge cited his otherwise unblemished license (now with 6 points) and guilty plea – no trying to wriggle out of it.
Now, of course, the road safety ******* are on their high horses demanding his scalp. He’s giving a bad example and proving there’s no deterrent. Apparently.
Hang on – 6 points and almost a grand in fines and costs? OK, to Martins that kind of money’s like what having to cough up three Mars Bars and a half-litre bottle of Coke. But the fact remains that if Joe Q Public get caught in the exact same situation he can expect the same treatment. And to you or I, £1000 isn’t something to take lightly.
Martins’ attitude around the case – admitting guilt and so on – was a good example. He’s taken his punishment and I’d honestly be surprised if he got caught again. He knows another 6 points will mean an automatic ban. In fairness I’m surprised they didn’t give him 9 points so that one more offense would tip him over. That’s my only criticism.
