Author Archive

Time to say goodbye to St James Hotel after a very nice stay.

Excellent BNI meeting at Tower with some very interesting people and some good contacts for yours truly.

To name a few:

Dona Williams
Andrew Wareing
Tracy Park
Ian Smallbrook
Rachel Riches
James Allison
Janice Ryle
Rick Bell

Then off on the bike again. Tonight I have been booked in at De Vere Lord Daresbury Hotel. I am looking forward to this as it is some 20 years since I was last there. This reminded me of my happy days with the Sharples Group in Bredbury, Stockport.

Another early start and I was at my first ever BRX meeting. I have been in regular contact with Ed Nash for several weeks and I was delighted at last to catch up with him.

BRX is similar at BNI in its aims and objectives and I was delighted to meet an enthusiastic group of business owners in the prestigious Imperial Hotel on the North Promenade in Blackpool. I was shown great hospitality and I got an incredible five contacts at football clubs from no less than four members. A very worthwhile crack of dawn alarm call for me! Thanks all.

Special thanks to Ed for the introduction and to Fiona Reid from Ascroft Whiteside for going the extra mile and generously scouring her contact list.

I had a very pleasant stroll along the promenade after the meeting and recognised that Blackpool like so many cities I have visited in England on this tour has improved beyond all recognition. There is huge investment being pumped into the town and its 2500 hotels and boarding houses are clearly now catering for the needs of the guests of the 21st century. No longer are you locked out all day, the bedrooms are clean and have all the facilities we have become used to on our travels. The (in)famous Blackpool landlady who was the butt of some many Les Dawson and Bernard Manning jokes has made way to owners who know that they have fierce competition and that they are now dealing with discerning clients.

A GREAT start to the day. I get an email from my friend Graham Perry to confirm that Lorna Mclelland, player liaison officer from Aston Villa’s training ground has sent an Olof Mellberg shirt. Olof, jag tackar så hemskt mycket. Det var snällt. (A little thank you in his native Swedish if he is reading this!) So thanks to Lorna, Graham and Olof for getting my day off well. (Graham also forwarded more photos from my visits to Villa and Birmingham City . Enjoy!

Talking about enjoyment, it was a tough day in the saddle. First the short trip to Accrington where I was well received by one of the smallest clubs on my journey and then on to another Premiership club just down the road at Blackburn Rovers. After the excellent hopitality I had received all over Lancashire (Preston, Bolton, Wigan, Bury and Burnley), I was delighted that their colleagues at Ewood Park also found time to welcome me and show me around the stadium. Yes, special thanks to Rob Gill from their press office who made a special trip all the way from Ribchester to host me. Much appreciated.

From there it was across to Blackpool and if you know the area you will know that there are yet more hills to cross. Never mind, because it was so late I managed to get a good deal at the St James Hotel on the promenade and only 200 yards from my early morning appointment at the Imperial Hotel. Sadly, my refugee budget will not allow me to stay at such establishments but the welcome I received at the St James matched anything I would have got at its neighbour.

Time for bed, said Zebedee!

Sir Jack Walker

Accrington Stanley

It’s Monday. It’s a new week and I have rested up well at my friend, Mike’s home over the weekend. I have been beaten at snooker, golf and tennis and enjoyed a 7am swim and an 8am breakfast. All good so far!

…..but it gets better! I spoke to Peter Oliver in Burnley’s Media department and he immediately invited me down to the legendary Turf Moor. As I arrived, Chris Gibson (photo) approached me with a cheery “You’ll never make it on that bike!” Chris introduced himself as the Catering Manager and told me of all the cycle rides he has been involved with at the club to raise money for the club and its community programme. Last year, for example, they cycled to all the 20 Premier League Clubs. As you can imagine we had lots in common. He kindly gave me a tour of the stadium and organised a shirt. THANKS.

He also introduced me to their “Clarets Learning Zone” and within minutes I was invited to give a talk to the children later in the day about my project.

So, I changed a few plans and returned to Turf Moor in the afternoon. I spoke at “Playing for Success” which is an out of school study support programme for 9-14 year olds. It focuses on raising standards in literacy, maths and ICT skills. It is based at the Turf Moor ground itself and Burnley FC must be praised for getting so heavily involved in the project. RESPECT.

I had a wonderful time with the children and they have promised to read this and to follow me every week. They were very keen to learn all about my journey, my favourite football club and even at their age they laughed when I said Gillingham. That’s not fair! They wanted to know why I had red arms (sunburn), whether I got tired or hungry (yes!) and whether I washed (no comment!) They also listened when I told them about refugees and how lucky we all are in England. They know where Spain is and have a better idea where Sweden is. They told me which grounds to go to next (Accrington Stanley and Blackburn) and hoped that I wore my helmet all the time. I promised I would start from tomorrow. Yes, it was a fun 30 minutes and I enjoyed being with you all, children. Listen to your nice teachers and you will learn a lot. Please write to me and let me know how you are all getting on. Bye Bye Steve The Cyclist.

The “Big One” ……… England v Germany.

Really not a lot I can say…..so I will say nothing. Your comments are welcome, of course!

I am usually tired, hungry, thirsty and my whole body aches. I have no idea where I am going to sleep most nights when I wake up every morning. Well, that is not exactly true. ON THIS JOURNEY, I am usually tired, hungry, thirsty and my whole body does ache.

On the other hand, in “real life” I am normally relaxed and free from pain. A cup of coffee and a pizza are normally within reach and I have a choice of homes in Spain and Sweden. I do not have the challenges of a refugee. Lucky me!

Nevertheless, I need to rest up for a few days and one of the highlights of the tour is meeting up with long-time friend and all round good guy, Mike from Burnley. We have not worked together for 10 years and yet we have always kept in touch. He has been to Spain and now I am back with him. An immaculate house, clean sheets, wifi, running hot water, a washing machine …… and……security. Bliss! So, again, I am away from the challenges that the refugees face but just for a few days I need this sanctuary. I also need somebody to talk to – somebody who is not umbilcially linked to the project and somebody who can help me come to terms with everything that is going on.

The day started well with a great breakfast and then Mike suggested a game of golf. Now, there is more chance of me supporting Man City than turning into a golfer but I enjoyed the game and in fact had my best score in 30 years or more which pleased me. To be honest, I also had my worst score in 30 years as Mike comprehensively outplayed me. Never mind, a pleasant day on a course with great views over my beloved Pennines.

Then it was chance to catch up on my blog, follow Bjørn’s progress and deal with a pile of emails. Sadly, I fell asleep at the desk almost as soon as I started and then it was off to see the USA versus Ghana. One of the questions Bjørn and I often get asked is about how much football we watch on our tours. The answer is VERY little and I would definitely watch much more in Spain. So, it was good to walk to Mike’s club to watch a whole game uninterrupted. A deserved win for Ghana and the end of the line for the USA. A boost for African pride and long journey home for the New World players and fans ….. including Bill Clinton.

As we walked home, Mike and I did what millions and millions of football fans do every week. We speculated and opined about the next match. Gary Lineker, Kevin Keegan and Motty eat your hearts out… Mike and Steve have the real deal on England and Germany. On paper, this and this should happen and one of the teams will go through to the next round …..but football is not played on paper and what matters is what happens on the pitch at 3pm UK on Sunday.

A late night chat with a great friend, a cup of coffee and an early night. The end to a “perfect day” Sadly, a day very very far removed from the life of the refugees we are trying to assist.

One of the beauts about this journey is that every day is different. Today (Day 37) was destined to be a very different day. I woke up WITHIN the Bolton Wanderers Reebok Stadium and the “room with a view” was very different from scrap yards in Birmingham or hostels with no windows in London.

One date written in stone before the journey even started was to the Ecademy Blackstar Boardroom in Manchester. So, a double-back on my route to central Manchester to meet an energised group of Ecademists. I was able to tell my story in a boardroom setting rather than at the side of a pitch or in a hostel dormitory and was delighted with the positive response. I was asked where I was staying that night and a member offered to drive me there. Much as my aching limbs would have loved to take Ann up on that kind offer, I knew my conscience and the integrity of the tour rested on me schlepping myself to the top of the mountain that is Burnley. The meeting was hosted and chaired by William Buist and Andy Preston who were kind enough to invite me to a lively three hour brainstorming session. It was a great day and for all those in business I would definitely recommend you check Ecademy. Enjoy.

It was also the opportunity to meet up with Ecademist and friend Aron Stevenson who presented me with a “Leasing Options” shirt. Thanks to Aron and remember we would love a shirt from YOUR company, club, youth association, school or wherever. Will you be represented in South Africa on July 11?

I was sorry to have to leave the Bellingham Hotel after a very happy short stay. Victoria (photo below on steps) gets my vote as the best hotel manager I have met on the tour to date. Friendly, professional and with a genuine interest in all her guests. Definitely recommend the Bellingham to anybody in the Wigan area. I can understand why BNI Achievers are still happy there after many years of holding their meetings there.

Then it was a short cycle ride to Bolton and the magnificent new Reebok Stadium. Superb, incredible hospitality by Bolton Wanderers Football Club. Some clubs really “get” what Bjørn and I do ….. and others don’t. Bolton Wanderers really did! I was firstly greeted by Mark Alderton their Communications Director and then interviewed by him and presented to Lofty the Lion the official club mascot. Talk inevitably turned to the Bolton legends and I chipped in with Frank Worthington who is famous for “that goal”. My friend Ann Brown brought him to Spain recently and you can see a video of Frank here. Frank is as much a character off the field as he was on it. Listen to why he did not sign for Liverpool!!

After that I enjoyed a full two hours tour of the impressive Reebok stadium with official guide Dave Vickers (below). Now, I think I know “something” about football and I think I know a few people who know “something” about particular clubs. Well, we pale into insignificance to Dave. His knowledge of all things Bolton Wanderers is encyclopedic. He gets the facts over in a fascinating and easily-understood manner and on top of that he is quite simply a thoroughly nice guy. What he does he does with PASSION. He quite clearly loves his role at the club and his enthusiasm for The Wanderers and the Beautiful Game transmits to all who hear him. It was a great afternoon and a true pleasure to meet Dave. Sadly, I had to leave but I leave with very fond memories of BWFC and Dave. Mark and Dave were true ambassadors for the club and I know that I will take more than a passing interest in their results from now onwards. A huge thanks to Jennie Kozlowski for organising the day especially as she was on holiday in Cyprus! A true pro who I was sorry to have missed.

The Bellingham Hotel, Wigan

Sometimes, just sometimes you know you are going to have a great stay in a hotel. Today is that day. I had finished with Wigan Athletic by 2pm and got to the Bellingham Hotel within 15 minutes. I had nothing confirmed until tomorrow’s BNI meeting which is even (joy of joys) being held at the same hotel. All good so far but it get’s better! The absolutely charming receptionist listened to what I am doing to support the bald, bad, bold Norwegian and watched Björn’s video from South Africa. She then (a) upgraded my basic room to a suite (!) and (b) miracled up a wifi connection for me. So HUGE thanks to TheBestOfWigan for organising the room in the first place and also to the Bellingham Hotel for their support. As I have no sponsor for today I am delighted to make them my sponsor of the day. It’s the least I can do!

So, I am now in my suite updating my blogs! All good stuff it is too. The director at Walsall heard about their fall from grace on my journey plan from my friend Graham Perry and he immediately offered to send a shirt. Thanks! Blackburn Rovers have invited me to Ewood Park and Bolton Wanderers sent me a detailed itinerary for tomorrow. Wow, they are really rolling out the red carpet. Before that, I had a super half-hour with Wigan Athletic’s Antony Clark. He did much more than pay lip-service to the project and promised to add us to the official Wigan website. Huge thanks!

Antony also gave me a potted history of the club and new stadium and as those of you who know me that is exactly the type of information I love. The club now share the DW Stadium (was JJB Stadium) with Wigan Warriors Rugby League and I passed their famous old ground (Central Park) on the way to the hotel. I had
been to Central Park many, many times and as well as watching some great duels between Wigan and Bradford Northern, I had even had the privilege of refereeing there! Although the DW Stadium is a superb state of the art venue, it was still a bit sad to see that Central Park is now a Tesco Supermarket! Progress?
So, after three days with Colin Weaver it is time to move on. I have had superb support from all the BestOf franchisees and thank them and their MD Andy Hurst and Chairman Nigel Botterill for the corporate support. Just having a local contact makes life so much easier.

I also caught up with Björn which is always a pleasure and as you can see from his blog the South Africa leg of his journey is proving extremely successful and he is gaining massive support for the refugees.

Steve Lomas from BNI Scorpio Birkenhead introduced me to Tranmere Rovers, Everton and Liverpool Football Clubs. Yes, in the course of just three hours I had been welcomed to all three of these great clubs. Thanks and respect to Steve …..and BNI, of course.

The day started badly. Steve knocked on my door about 5am to say that his wife had been really ill during the night and that he was going to have to miss BNI and take her to A&E. My thoughts are with you and I wish you a prompt and full recovery.

From there everything went fabulously. Steve had me at Tranmere Rovers at 9am and on the stroke of 9, I was greeted by both Tim Roberts (website and programme editor) but also their manager, Les Parry! Les is “pure football” and I could have happily spent all day with him. He took the Micheal out of my love affair with Gillingham and remembered some great tussles we have had. In true Scouse style he only seemed to remember the ones they won! It was a great thrill to speak to Les and I was disappointed that I could not accept the coffee he offered as I had to get to Anfield. A true character. Pure class!

Now, let’s be clear as a Man United fan since 1979 I would be less than honest if I said that Anfield and Goodison park were my favourite grounds. That said, I totally respect the passion that Liverpudlians have for their two clubs which are both institutions in the proud city. You can almost smell, taste, feel, touch the passion as well as hear and see it. I have total respect for all of that.

Liverpool’s Steve Newton offered me a museum and stadium tour which has to be a highlight of the journey. The impact that Liverpool FC has had on the city is evident from every item in their impressive museum. The passion that the Liverpool fans have for their club is equally evident from the same items. A super hour that I will not forget. Sadly, all good things have to come to an end but today it just got even better if that is possible.

Five minutes after leaving Anfield I was at the gates of Everton where Val Lovell welcomed me like a long-lost brother. She took me through the stadium and introduced me to Bob the groundsman and her other colleagues. Now, groundsmen are not known for love-affairs with people nearing their pitches never mind standing on. They have an almost sexual affection for their hallowed turf but Bob was different. A true Scouser with the wonderful Scouse humour who was happy to be photo-ed with me and for me to tread on his beloved grass. I have to say that both the pitch and the stadium are looking good. Will the team match up to these next season? Like all football fans the world over, Bob was sure that next season was going to be the “one” for his team. Good Luck to Everton, Tranmere and Liverpool Football Clubs next season. Your hospitality does Merseyside and the Wirral proud!

Dixie Dean