If England win the world cup it will be a miracle up there with the second coming of Christ. Anything is possible, even the reappearance of Jesus, but some things are so deeply unlikely that they barely warrant consideration and England’s fate in Brazil is one of them. It is not that I am unpatriotic, I am simply a realist and down here in the real world England simply aren’t good enough. Continue reading
I can still remember the days when the only option was a wooden hockey stick and I would take to the field for games at school with some rather sorry looking equipment. Technology marches on and these days a wide range of composite hockey sticks are available, many at very reasonable prices. If you are trying to choose a new composite stick and are new to the sport the terminology can be a little confusing and so here is a quick guide to help you along the way. Continue reading
Being a writer I am fascinated by words and I have always admired those who use them well. I am also passionate about football and amazingly it has been that sport which has yielded many of my favourite examples of how to use our language for the maximum impact. The fans are a constant inspiration with their quite brilliant banners and those who comment on the sport have produced many classic one liners too. Continue reading
Liverpool are flying high thus far this season and their lofty position is due to several truly impressive performances. People are now asking if the club could go all the way this time with many of their major rivals having experienced an indifferent start. I am not so sure that the title is within reach but nothing would make me happier if Liverpool do finish on top. Continue reading
I’ve never been the biggest fan of horses. There are multiple reasons for this, but namely it comes down to trust issues. Horses are big, smart animals and just looking in their eyes you can see that they’re sussing you out! Regardless of this fact there have been a few points in my life where I felt as though I’d give them another chance and, sure enough, just as things start to go well it quickly falls apart leaving me with a lower regard than I had previously. Continue reading
For the ardent football fan who likes to go to most or all of their teams’ games the biggest obstacle to achieving their aim is the availability of tickets. Things aren’t too bad if you have a season ticket but they can be hard to come by if you support one of the top clubs and even that won’t guarantee you a ticket to every game. I have had many frustrations with tickets over the years leading to numerous supposedly shady dealings with less than authorised ticket sellers. What I don’t understand is why these guys are so vilified. Continue reading
I discovered the joys of watching football in Italy almost by accident. Back in 2001 my team, Liverpool, drew Roma in the last 16 of the Uefa Cup. I had always wanted to see the Stadio Olimpico as it had been the venue for two of Liverpool’s European Cup finals. I had missed both glorious victories and was keen to get a taste of what it would have been like to be in the stadium. The draw presented me with my opportunity. Continue reading
It has to be said that neither I nor my golfing friends are players of any great skill. We are perfectly capable of some great shots from time to time and have even delivered some impressive rounds but things don’t always go entirely to plan. Whilst we have had some wonderful days golfing we have also had a few mishaps. None of these involved a fatality or anything truly drastic but we have had to explain a damaged club house, injured wildlife and some very strange behaviour! Continue reading
A few years ago some friends of mine suggested that we take a golfing holiday in southern Spain. I pointed out that I had never had any desire to travel to the Costa del Sol and that I was not a great fan of overtly touristy destinations but eventually I agreed to the trip. Sadly it wasn’t long before I started to regret my decision. Continue reading
When I visited the golfing Mecca of Myrtle Beach some years ago it was hard to choose the courses to play as there were so many and every one of them looked good! One course which I knew I had to include on my itinerary was Pine Lakes as this was the original club on the Grand Strand and had a fine reputation. The historic course was known as the Granddaddy and when the day to play at the course arrived I was a little apprehensive. This place looked more formal and frankly snobbish than the others in the area and I wondered if I might feel a little uncomfortable. Continue reading