We're off on holiday for a week, to the good ole Lake District - "Wainwright country"
I probably won't be posting any photos as my camera's broke (and my camcorder is a bit rubbish for pictures.
Friday, 31 July 2009
Sir Bobby Robson
The world has lost a true legend today.
Sir Bobby played for West Bromwich Albion from 1956 to 1962, playing 257 times for the club, scoring 60 goals and going on earn 20 caps for England.
But it was a manager that he'll be most remembered by everyone. His stint as England manager was unrewarded with a trophy but it is looked back as a high point for the home of football, with Robson being the most successful since Sir Alf Ramsey won the World Cup in 1966.
Indeed it was only dishonest conduct from Argentina's Maradona that denied England progress in the 1986 World Cup, and in 1990 they lost to West Germany in the Semi-final of the World Cup. The most important trophy in the world would've looked great being held up by one of the best managers ever to grace the game.
And a club level too he had geat success. No-one had ever heard of Ipswich Town Football Club before Robson took from nowhere to winners of the oldest and most prestigious football competition (the FA Cup) and then the EUFA Cup in Europe too, before moving to the England post.
Successful spells in Europe followed at Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon and Porto, before joining his boyhood team Newcastle United, where he took them into the top 3 sides in England before he left the club 5 years ago at the age of 71.
What people will miss the most is the man himself. Reknowned as a true gentleman, whenever you saw him on TV you knew is a man you could talk to. What is less known is his fight with cancer, the disease that finally overcame this true battler.
Sir Bobby was first diagnosed with cancer in 1991, and over the last 18 years he has been diagnosed with 5 different types of cancer, battling each one face-on.
Sir Bobby Robson. Legend. you will be sadly missed.
Sir Bobby Robson Foundation
Saturday, 18 July 2009
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Laurie Cunningham 8 March 1956 – 15 July 1989
It's 20 years to the day that Laurie Cunningham died in a car crash in Madird.
Laurie joined West Bromwich Albion Football Club in 1977. Laurie broke a lot of round as a player and a man. 30 years ago it was are for black players to be playing professional football and racist abuse from the terraces was shocking (a bit like being in Spain or Eastern Europe nowadays). So, Albion had three black players in the shape of Cunningham, Cyril Regis and Brendon Batson this was unheard of. It coincided with a period of time where Albion were one of the best footballing teams in Europe.
Laurie was the first black player to represent England at any level, and also the first to represent them in a competitive international.
His skills as an Albion player got lots of attention and in 1979 he was the first English player to sign for Real Madrid for £995k.
Desipte early success in Madrid he didn't quite recapture the form that made him one of Albion's greatest ever footballer and he had a bit of a Journeyman career, but was looking forward to facing Madrid in the Spanish topflight for local rivals Rayo Vallecano; a club he had just helped gain promotion.
Still, for those of us who saw him play, he will live long in the memories, and twenty years on his magic is missed.
A couple of years ago I showed the video below on this blog, and you can see how great a player Laurie Cunningham was. you will also notice the aforementioned racism from the crowd.
And the strangest thing is when walking into work this morning I was thinking about a close friend who died in a car crash less than 2 years after Laurie (before I realised it was the anniversary of Laurie's death.)
Laurie joined West Bromwich Albion Football Club in 1977. Laurie broke a lot of round as a player and a man. 30 years ago it was are for black players to be playing professional football and racist abuse from the terraces was shocking (a bit like being in Spain or Eastern Europe nowadays). So, Albion had three black players in the shape of Cunningham, Cyril Regis and Brendon Batson this was unheard of. It coincided with a period of time where Albion were one of the best footballing teams in Europe.
Laurie was the first black player to represent England at any level, and also the first to represent them in a competitive international.
His skills as an Albion player got lots of attention and in 1979 he was the first English player to sign for Real Madrid for £995k.
Desipte early success in Madrid he didn't quite recapture the form that made him one of Albion's greatest ever footballer and he had a bit of a Journeyman career, but was looking forward to facing Madrid in the Spanish topflight for local rivals Rayo Vallecano; a club he had just helped gain promotion.
Still, for those of us who saw him play, he will live long in the memories, and twenty years on his magic is missed.
A couple of years ago I showed the video below on this blog, and you can see how great a player Laurie Cunningham was. you will also notice the aforementioned racism from the crowd.
And the strangest thing is when walking into work this morning I was thinking about a close friend who died in a car crash less than 2 years after Laurie (before I realised it was the anniversary of Laurie's death.)
Monday, 6 July 2009
Pesky bugs
After spending an enjoyable weekend in the garden, I have 4 large bites on my right leg.
Two of them ar absolute buggers!
The one near my ankle is so easy to scratch, and the one on the back of my thigh is so big it is painful to site dow properly.
I think I need to invest in a bug zapper of some kind
Two of them ar absolute buggers!
The one near my ankle is so easy to scratch, and the one on the back of my thigh is so big it is painful to site dow properly.
I think I need to invest in a bug zapper of some kind
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