“78 we were there,” shouts someone. These gigs, full of us 50somethings reliving their youth.
The Gang of Four are now a gang of one, plus fill-ins.
The Pop Group – Rough Trade, London
A facial- fuzz-free gig in Shoreditch – that might be a 21st century first.
The beardless fans gathered after a long wait to see a legendary cult band. 35 years it’s been.
The Pop Group popped up from the West Country on their tractor (us Cardiffians know all people from Bristol drive tractors) for a free in-store run-through at the mecca of indie music.
Pigs might fly – Bath 2 Dover Athletic 1
They might be a couple of games away from Wembley but Bath football are still the city’s ugly ducklings.
The swish rugby ground in the stunning centre, and even the nearby cricket ground, are in good nick.
A Cunnington plan – Ebbsfleet 2 Braintree 0
Primped up, plans for huge redevelopment and maybe on their way to Wembley?
Ebbsfleet brushed aside Braintree to secure a winnable tie against North Ferriby United on Saturday.
Continue reading A Cunnington plan – Ebbsfleet 2 Braintree 0
50 Shades of Grays – Grays 1 Lewes 3
Existential angst at Grays is so intense that maybe frustrations all come out on the pitch.
This was pure edge for the last 30 minutes: an orgy of moaning minnies, harrying of officials, jostling and whining, it left you wondering why refs get out of bed in the mornings.
Moose mayhem – Cambridge United 2 Luton Town 1
Abundant evidence, not that it’s ever needed, that you can’t beat the FA Cup. Ever.
Continue reading Moose mayhem – Cambridge United 2 Luton Town 1
Alabama 3, Brixton Electric
“He’s still sex on legs,” swears Claire. “Snake hips.”
New Wales away kit is . . . pretty good
After blasting the last new Wales away kit earlier this year with both barrels, it’s only right to give credit where it’s due.
The new yellow strip brightened up a gloomy night in Brussels last week.
Its cachet was only boosted by the players throwing their shirts into our midsts after a fabulous performance.
Return to Planet Football – Belgium 0 Wales 0
The cosmic buzz is back.
Last spotted in the ether leaving the Millennium Stadium after the 2003 play-off fiasco in Cardiff, en route to Planet Zog. Through your pain, tears and soul-sucking misery you probably didn’t see it. But I did.
Reappearance dated November 16, 2014. Brussels. We all saw it, smelt it, cherished it, revelled in it, ran our fingers nostalgically through its luxuriant locks and remembered the lost passion we thought we’d never encounter again.
Continue reading Return to Planet Football – Belgium 0 Wales 0
Colombia 2 United States 1
Best friendly I’ve ever seen. Nothing even comes close, absolutely blinkin’ fantastic fun.
Amazing atmosphere, a snorting, cavorting cacophony of Colombians hijacking a ‘home’ game for the Yanks.
Of the 24,235 crowd, probably three-quarters were South American and it made for an ambience even better than some of the World Cup matches I was lucky to see in Brazil.
Who knew so many Colombians were in the UK?
A bridge too far – Braintree 0 Chesterfield 6
The FA Cup. Doncha just bloody love it? I do. I bloody do.
Capable of being the best fun ever or dead boring waste of an afternoon.
Continue reading A bridge too far – Braintree 0 Chesterfield 6
Wales 0 Bosnia 0
Let’s hope that in a year’s time we don’t all think: “If only Ashley WIlliams had scored.”
No quibbles with the outcome, a fair reflection of a strangely entertaining game. Not many 0-0s are so engrossing.
But it would be nice to have an unfair reflection of the game in the scoreline someday, unfair in our favour.
Miles from Nowhere 