Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

It was good to hear from Tom Saunders thanking me for yesterday’s post. Nice tie in with the day before’s too because Marcus Rashford from the previous day had actually donated a shirt to the Ben Saunders Foundation (#respect.) If you have not voted for the Ben Saunders Foundation (zero cost!) please pop over there now. Tom assures me that EVERY vote counts!

Today’s post is going to be short and sweet but nevertheless heartfelt. Some of you will know that I have not cut my hair for 3 and a half years! I was “encouraged” to grow it by a nurse who was looking after me in hospital back in 2020. It is for the Little Princess Trust who make wigs for girls with leukaemia. I had vaguely heard that hair was needed but having regulation short back and sides realised I was no use to them. I read up about the charity and was pleased to grow my hair to my elbows for this GREAT cause.
Cancer is cruel. Cancer is evil. There is NO best or worst type of cancer but I do think that children with cancer is perhaps the saddest. Anyway, I read up and applied and so it came to pass that I got my hair cut at Academy Salon in Cobham yesterday. What is needed?

I quote:
“The Little Princess Trust provides free real hair wigs to children and young people, up to 24 years, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

We also fund childhood cancer research searching to find kinder and more effective treatments. 

Hair and Hope

We work closely with a trusted network of accredited wig fitters to ensure our wig recipients never have to travel far for their wig fitting.

We know that the children and young people we support may be facing many challenges, so we make the process of requesting a wig as easy and as straightforward as possible.

Providing free real hair wigs is at the heart of what we do, but we also want to support the development of less aggressive and less toxic cancer treatments.

In 2016, thanks to the huge efforts of our fantastic fundraisers, we were able to begin funding scientists researching paediatric cancer.

We have now funded 128 research projects searching for kinder and more effective treatments for all childhood cancers as we continue to follow our vision to give Hair and Hope to every young person with cancer until there is no longer a need for what we do.”

How could I not support?

If you want to learn more, please pop over to the Little Princesses Trust website.

Academy Salons

Now, there is a special way the hair needs to be cut for a wig. The Trust gave me a number of local contacts but they either did not reply or did not cut men’s hair (?) so I was glad to find unisex Academy Salons in Cobham. Sadly not on my doorstep but less than 2 hours by three buses and I was there. I amde a day of it and had a wander in Kingston on the way there.

I have to say that it was the first time in my life that I had been in such a luxurious salon! I was met by two charming receptionists who took my coat, sat me comfortably and they beavered away. They made light of the fact that I am deaf and knew exactly how the hair has to be cut for the wigs. They had the instructions to hand and had clearly done it before! Now where I normally go, Raz or Ahmed have never taken more than 15 minutes I am sure, nor have they washed my hair or conditioned it. Their shop is always busy and people are buying vapes, phonecards etc etc. There are a dozen TV screens showing a dozen channels, from a dozen countries! Buzz, buzz, buzz, snip, snip, snip. In and out. Done, hecho, fatto. Not at Academy. It was 75 minutes in a calm, relaxed atmosphere. I saw a few of the previous clients leaving all looking delighted with their choice of styles. Now, I had no choice how it was cut but then with all the ponytails off, they set about making me look half-human. I am totally impressed. No George Clooney or Sean Connery but that was never going to happen! Highly recommended.

It would be rude of me not to give them a shout. So, take a bow, Academy Salons, Cobham. Website, booking site? Yes, here it is.

PS. Before I even got there, I was impressed with confirmation of appointment emails etc. Not something I am used to. If there is a spare seat at Chez Raz you grab it and know you will be out in thirty minutes max and that he will have been on his mobile for most of your time in the chair!

PPS If anybody makes a donation to Little Princesses, I will upload before and after photos!

It was good to hear from Tom Saunders today. He is the ex manager at Chippenham Town FC and led them to the top five of the Dr Martens Premier Division, via two promotions, three cup wins and a Vase final at Wembley. He is also the Chairman of the Ben Saunders Foundation. Tragically his son Ben died at the age of only 18.

Tom wrote,

Please spend 20 seconds and nominate my sons foundation on the original post. Ben played for Bath City and it would be wonderful for Non League supporters to nominate. Ben Saunders Foundation

We have received over 320 nominations this event over the last few days, it is a honour that so many people have taken time out to do this for Ben. Last year it was incredible to be selected, there are so many worthwhile charities looking for nominations, to keep Bens name in the frame is wonderful for us. Thank you. YNWA Ben”

Always happy to help any member of the football family I said that I would be happy to share too. So, here goes

Nominations for the Band in a Barn 2024 third main beneficiary are open!

To nominate your favourite charity, please comment below, then like and share this post.

The charity with the most nominations by midnight on 21st February 2024 wins!

PLEASE NOTE: ONLY NOMINATIONS MADE IN THE COMMENTS ON THIS ORIGINAL POST ON THE BAND IN A BARN PAGE WILL BE COUNTED ….Here is the direct link.

Ben wrote:

The Ben Saunders Foundation (BSF) has been started to raise funds to support Children and Young adults with cancer within the UK.

I (the founder) Ben Saunders was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer sarcoma attached to my heart which I have been fighting since October 2019. It has spread into my lungs and I have faced many challenges along the way. These include two major open heart surgeries, 6 rounds of very intense chemotherapy’s which I am now currently back on!

These are just some of the things I have experienced along my cancer journey and I am looking to help and offer whatever I can alongside my family and the foundation to offer support to young people with cancer like myself.

I have been fortunate enough throughout my journey so far to have received the support I have, whether that being mentally, physically or a short holiday with friends recently to Centreparcs. I feel everyone in these circumstances deserves to be given as much support and happiness through the very difficult times they will come across.

Any nominations for the BSF as above would be gratefully received. Thanks.

Marcus Rashford

One of the standout footballers of the last ten years has undoubtedly been Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford. He was born in 1997 and lived literally a few streets away from where I had left a few years previously. Nobody will ever confuse Wythenshawe with Sunningdale or Virginia Waters ….ever! Like most kids on Wythenshawe Rashford grew up with little more than hope. Wikipedia dance round it a bit, “Rashford comes from a working class family; his mother is Melanie Maynard, a single parent who often had to work multiple jobs to feed their family, sometimes skipping meals herself to ensure Rashford and his siblings ate. He has four older siblings: two brothers, Dwaine Maynard and Dane Rashford, both of whom went on to represent him professionally, and two sisters, Chantelle and Claire.” In more recent years, Rashford has opened up about his childhood poverty and has worked consistently on social issues since Covid and been a constant thorn in the Conservative Government’s side. He has supplied tens of thousands of meals and provided food and supplies to many more. One of his most interesting initiatives is his book club. He openly admits to never having read a book until he was seventeen and states that it was a life-changing event.

The Marcus Rashford Book Club Competition 

The Marcus Rashford Book Club is a collaboration between iconic international football player and child food poverty campaigner Marcus Rashford MBE and Macmillan Children’s Books.

The Book Club aims to encourage and nurture a love of reading in children and get free books to the children who need them the most. 6.5 per cent of children in the UK say they do not have their own book at home, which equates to over 500, 000 children in the UK (Book Ownership in 2022).

Marcus read his first book at the age of seventeen, and credits this with changing the direction of his life, which is why the Marcus Rashford Book Club has delivered over 100,000 free books to children living in the most disadvantaged areas.

The Marcus Rashford Book Club 

Let your children embark on an exciting journey beyond the school fence, filled with mystery, friendship, and charismatic creatures. Crafted to captivate hearts and minds of children aged 8 to 11, and brimming with beautiful illustrations, these stories foster creativity, courage, and companionship. Give your young reader the thrill of unwrapping Marcus Rashford’s lively adventure series, where its power, charm, and lessons will echo beyond the pages!

2 lucky winners will receive:

– The Breakfast Club Adventures
– The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Ghoul in the School
– The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Phantom Thief
– You Are a Champion

To enter: head to the link in @macmillankidsuk ‘s bio!

Competition closes on 15 February at 12.00. Open to UK entrants only. Entrants must be 18+. Terms and conditions apply.

Gary Thacker

It is always good when I hear from a follower of The Shirt Project. This weekend I heard from friend, fellow Hispanophile, author and BIG Chelsea fan, Gary Thacker. He is excited about the launch of his latest book, O Jogo Bonito! I am delighted to spotlight it. 1966 was, of course, the English party, Wembley, Hurst’s hat-trick, Nobby’s celebrations etc. The spectators were still in suits and ties and it was in a London of Carnaby Street, pop music and post-war euphoria with nationwide hopes and dreams. The Brazilians who arrived as World Cup holders were fairly cynically kicked out of the competition and failed to progress past the group stage. 1970 marked their re-emergence on the world stage. Gary describes this in detail but at pace.

O Jogo Bonito! is the magical story of Brazil at the 1970 World Cup, and a team that featured the incomparable skills of Pelé, Rivellino, Gérson, Jairzinho and Tostão.

The 1970 World Cup was the first tournament televised live and in colour. It was also the occasion when the Brazilian Seleção Canarinho declared themselves to be the best team ever to lift the Jules Rimet trophy – bringing their own life and colour to the tournament. Yellow shirts as bright as the Mexican sun, blue shorts as vivid as the bright sky, and dancing feet, beating out a hypnotising rhythm that rendered opponents flat-footed by comparison.

Their third success in four tournaments meant that the 12-inch-high trophy would for evermore be the property of Brazil. It was a more than fitting accolade. All teams crowned as world champions before and since, are measured against, and fall short of, the bewitching beauty of that team. It was Brazil’s football in that World Cup that truly defined the phrase the beautiful game (‘o jogo bonito’).

You can learn more here

Gallery

This is not Gary’s first rodeo. He has written two fantastic novels (above) about the semi-pro game in Spain which are two of my favourite books about football. Think Fever Pitch but at a faster pace. Think A Season with Verona but a few levels down (about 8!) He has also written non-fiction books on England in the World Cup, the Dutch and Chelsea. Full details here

It’s Sunday so that can only mean one thing. It’s time to watch Darren’s Vlog of The Week! He had a bit of misfortune with a postponement but in true showbiz style he decided “the show must go on” and found another option.

Let’s hear what he says, “After the early postponement of the match I was meant to attend (Winslow Utd/Buckingham), yesterday, I found a different one to vlog, almost certain to go ahead as it was to be played on a 3G surface.

I turned up at Oxford City’s ground to take in bottom side Long Crendon’s home match with 13th placed Southam United. In the quick research I had done, I discovered that Crendon hadn’t won since the beginning of September.

I had visited Southam earlier in the season, and found them a super helpful club, so, I contacted chairman Michael Davis to see if a interview with manager Richard Kay could be arranged…and of course, the answer was a yes, and, Richard was great with his time for me. What I wanted to really know when I arrived though was, why was Long Crendon, in step 6, groundsharing with a National League team?

I found Tom Folley, the assistant manager, DOF and a committee member at Long Crendon, who happily agreed to an interview on camera to give me the answer.

Tom, like everyone connected with the club who I met yesterday, was fantastic, especially manger Waheed Ramzan, who, before the match, agreed to give me a full time interview, even though, realistically, it had the real potential to be another defeat for his team.

About 15 minutes before kick off, still trying to decide where to film, I got talking to Ben, also part of the staff for the home team, who, unbelievably, told me I could go up on top of the stand, onto the camera balcony, to do match filming from there….honestly, you don’t know how happy that made me.

Some of the Southam players who I had been talking to earlier whilst they were warming up, spotted me up there and gave me a bit of friendly banter.

So, primed in an ideal spot, the match kicked off.

Of course, I won’t tell you what happened, as I want you to watch the vlog below, but, trust me, what I saw, I really didn’t expect…., there were goals and I thought the team of officials were excellent.

So, at full time, I climbed down from my lofty perch, did the pre planned interview with Waheed, and headed into the clubhouse where Crendon chairman Gerald Reilly bought me a welcoming cup of very hot coffee. Once that was sunk, and final link filmed, I headed home, buzzing that I had had another brilliant day out at Non League.

Huge thanks to Long Crendon and Southam United for the generosity they showed me, and also, to Winslow United for calling the game off early enough which gave me plenty of time to rearrange. “

Here is this week’s vlog. I hope you enjoy it and subscribe to his channel.

….but there’s more

Now what Darren did not know was that Oxford City have been an integral part of the Shirt Project dating back to 2009. It was one of the first grounds that Bjørn visited that summer on his cycle epic to South Africa. He was met with such enthusiasm and friendship that Bjørn to this day still talks about his visit. Obviously when I cycled to the 92 clubs in 2010 there was no way that I could not pop in and thank them. I was equally met with great friendship and was even offered the dressing rooms to sleep in as well as the run of the showers etc. A clean Steve and clean clothes. Beautiful. In the way that all football fans do, I have watched out for the Oxford City results ever since.

I wrote at the time (August 2010),

“It’s all about friendship. Really looking forward to going to Oxford CITY today. Colin Taylor and his guys really looked after Bjørn when he was in the “City of Spires” last year and I’d like to go back and say thanks. Bjørn talks a lot about the help he got from the smaller clubs and Oxford City is one he often mentions. One of his/my favourite photos of the last 15 years is at Oxford City.

As expected it was an easy trip to Oxford and apart from playing traffic cop when three cars collided and blocked off one carriageway of the Milton Keynes-Bicester road largely without incident.

I arrived at the neat Oxford City ground to be met by Colin who entertained and educated me greatly about the proud history of Oxford City. Did you know that they were once winners of FA Amateur Cup? Did you know they were once by the late great Sir Bobby Moore “assisted” by Harry Redknapp? This and more can be found here.

I was very interested to learn more about their community schemes and plans for the development of the ground. I bought four shares – one for me, one for Bjørn, one for The Shirt and, as seemed appropriate, one for the sponsor of the day, David Stolz at InfoLogic.

Colin was kind enough to let me stay at their clubhouse and I was locked in with my bike for a good night’s sleep. As you see, he also kindly presented me with a brand-new Oxford City polo which I wore with pride on my journey to Swindon.”

It is interesting but at the same time sad the posts that have got the most traction and comments on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are about sponsorship and fundraising. It is evident that 99% of us do not support clubs awash with Saudi or American money and that for every Newcastle United there are one hundred Chorleys, Tauntons, Burys etc.

I was pleased therefore to receive a fundraising guide from Rich Stock at Clubforce. He calls it the “Definitive Guide to Club Fundraising” and it is absolutely worth studying if you are at the helm of a club and even more so if your role is commercial.

It is a 24 page downloadable guide crammed with ideas and recommendations that have been proven over many years and with many clubs. You can download the guide here at no cost. I trust it is valuable and I will welcome any and all feedback.

That being said, I am a great believer in that nobody has a unique claim to knowledge and I would be very happy to read about your fundraising successes and failures. Fire away.

As always, I hope that you will consider a donation however small to support FC Deportivo Galicia and/or Prostate Cancer UK If everybody chipped in £1 I would easily hit my target of £10,000 and life would be easier in West London whilst the charity continued their great work. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can. If you can’t you can still help massively by sharing this page about the work of Prostate Cancer. Thanks.

Can you believe it? Yes, it’s Saturday again. That can only mean one thing. Football. Huge local derby with FC Deportivo Galicia at home to Brook House. As the song goes, “This could be heaven or this could be hell.” On their day, Brook House are unstoppable and unplayable. Sadly for them, their days seem to be Sundays and Fridays as on other match days they have struggled recently. Sad as they are a good set of lads …… and on a direct bus from me!

On Sunday, I am thinking of a trip to Gunnersbury to support Clapton CFC where their ladies have an interesting game against Actonians Reserves. I am a member/owner at Clapton (£5 per season!) and I like to catch them when I can. The Hub is easy by foot from Acton Town on the Piccadilly Line. (Options via Gunnersbury too or even South Acton. As always on a Sunday check TfL!)

The Pride of Fulham – Johnny Haynes

I could not continue from QPR on Day 37 to anywhere else than Fulham, I guess. The iconic Craven Cottage is walking distance to QPR’s Loftus Rd. Unlike, say, Millwall and West Ham, there is a healthy respect between both sets of fans which is always good to see.

Fulham treated me well when I cycled there in 2010. First full day in the saddle Fulham, Chelsea, Brentford and QPR in the dark if I remember and then a long trek to Watford to find a room!

I wrote, “Next stop was Fulham’s Craven Cottage. It has always been a favourite ground and although it is so olde worlde, the fans are really proud of this season’s achievements. The guy in the shop thought I was mad and came out to be photographed with the scarf you see. Sad memories of what might have been against Atletí a few weeks before.”

It was a bit of a glory time for Fulham (“The Cottagers”) as they finished twelfth in the top flight, got to the sixth round of the FA Cup and the final of the UEFA League under, who other than, Roy Hodgson. He left at the end of the season to take over at Liverpool. Who knows what he might have achieved if he had stayed. Instead there have been a dozen managers, the Championship and a more recent period of consolidation in the Premier League. Shahid Khan took over as chairman in July 2013 and there has been much done to the ground but always the “What if?” in the background.

Recently, I have been exchanging memories with Ian Prime who told me of an upcoming event at the ground and as you can see, it’s a bit different from the usual!

Ian says, “I’ve been going to Fulham since I was 5 and that’s a long time ago now. Every time I’ve left the ground I’ve gone home to a warm, safe home and bed sometimes elated with the result but more often than not a little frustrated !!

….. and yes that is me in the photo !

On the 21st March I’ll be doing something different and sleeping overnight at Craven Cottage (or trying to sleep) as part of Fulham FC Foundation’s first Stadium Sleepout. (Details below……)

Why ? because not everyone is as lucky as I am

If you can support me on this challenge it would be fantastic – even just £1 would make a difference and it will help Fulham FC Foundation, by building better lives through sport.

Here’s the sponsorship link – https://fulhamfc.enthuse.com/pf/9d13e#!/ ”

I was happy to support and hope you will be too ….and if you have any memories of Fulham or Craven Cottage please let us know. Thanks.

Stadium Sleepout

21 March 2024 – 22 March 2024

Craven Cottage, Stevenage Road, Fulham, SW6 6HH

Stadium Sleepout 2024 

Brave the elements and join us for our first ever Stadium Sleepout! 

On Thursday 21st March Craven Cottage will be opening its doors overnight for the first ever time in support of Fulham FC Foundation. 

At Fulham FC Foundation we are passionate about building better lives through sport. We deliver programmes 7 days a week to a broad range of the community, supporting disabled young people, refugees, socially isolated adults, people with mental health challenges and many others. We help change the lives of over 10,000 people every year, using sport as a tool to improve both the physical health and mental wellbeing of our participants. 

Before you brave the elements there will be entertainment and opportunities to get food to fuel you for the night ahead! This is an inaugural event for Fulham FC Foundation, so you will not want to miss out on being one of the first ever people to sleepout overnight in the Stadium. This is set to be a truly unique event, and we would love to have you join us. Spaces are limited, with access only to adults aged 18 and over, with those registered fundraising towards Fulham FC Foundation’s work in our community.

Wrap up warm and help us on our mission to build better lives through sport! Register here

I was talking to a Facebook friend today about loyalty. I mentioned that next week marks 60 years for me supporting Gillingham. Justin has a similar love affair with Queens Park Rangers and kindly agreed to tell all.

” I never played football much as a child.  My dad was more rugby focused and I started playing rugby aged 5.  Besides, any organised football in the 1970s was mostly via the cubs and scouts.  At school we did knock a ball around but that was about it.  I was born with very flat feet so it was suggested I join my sisters at ballet classes, not something you’d find many 1970s west London boys doing, a less talented version of Billy Elliott (although I did end up on stage at the London Palladium twice!).  But the bullies were seen off when I found out Kevin Keegan did some ballet to help him get up in the air.

I wasn’t really sure who he was but when he moved to Southampton in 1980, they became my team.  Fast forward to 1983 and my brother in law, a fully paid up QPR fan, asked if I wanted to go to see QPR Southampton.  A 4-0 home win saw what little allegiance I had quickly shifted.  Besides, QPR were the second nearest club to home and that win was followed in consecutive home matches by 2-0 over Arsenal and 1-0 over Ipswich.  They also wore those cool Adidas shirts with the Guinness sponsor on them.  I was hooked.

I had seasons of attending almost every home match and many away ones, then years later moved to Scotland so started attending games at Sunderland, Newcastle, Hull, Bolton, Rotherham, Huddersfield, and other northern towns, with the occasional home game for good measure.

There have been lots of peaks and troughs as you always get with such clubs.  Losing to relegated Oxford United in the League Cup final fights for bottom spot with FA Cup defeat to Vauxhall Motors, relegation to the third tier wasn’t great either.  But beating Chelsea 6-0, seeing Alan McDonald getting a last minute equaliser against Man Utd in the cup, and beating Liverpool in a two legged semi-final, sits very nicely with watching the likes of Trevor Francis, Ray Wilkins, Les Ferdinand, David Seaman, Andy Sinton, Trevor Sinclair, Charlie Austin and so many more players.  Some on the way up, some on the way down, and others at their peak.

But there is one highlight, and despite the premise of these tales, it wasn’t even at the mighty Loftus Road.  Instead it was 24th May 2014 at Wembley as experienced QPR weathered a sending off to grab a 90th minute winner against younger, nimbler Derby County.  Bobby Zamora was immediately deified for his stunning strike, a goal that saw me, thousands of feet above the pitch behind the goal in the penultimate row, hug a stranger.

Every time football gets mentioned in front of my mother she asks if QPR is still my club.  Well, you don’t really shake off clubs like QPR.  They never were and never will be fashionable and I hope they never move from the small, compact Loftus Road, surrounded on all sides by housing.  

I never wear colours to games – I attended too many London derbies in the 1980s to feel comfortable – but do own a shirt that was a job leaving gift, customised with a name and number that means loads to me and probably nothing to anyone else, and it has pride of place.  And you need pride to dominate the lower reaches of the Championship.

And in case anyone is interested, my goal is to one day have a Loftus Road box for my business to use.  It’s a small business but the way things are going at the club I might be able to afford it sooner than later!  If anyone wants to seek out tips, reviews and guidance about visiting London, or needs a bespoke and very detailed itinerary then please do check out https://www.londonitineraries.co.uk/ “

Happy memories! I have always had a soft spot for QPR. I remember a game in the mid 60s when they taught Gillingham a lesson for 90 minutes but had to settle for a draw! Lesson #1 for a ten year old – Life is not always fair! I also remember some of their players with affection – Stan Bowles, Rodney Marsh, Dave Thomas and they even came close to signing the mercurial (being polite) Robin Friday. (below)

Just in

Bucket shake at the Norwich City game. Please be generous

It’s a different one! Got an SOS from FB friend Shaye Jay Grant

Good evening everyone, I hope this message finds you well. I’m reaching out with a heartfelt plea. My football club Buckinghamshire United F.C, is currently facing a crisis situation with our men’s first team in the Aylesbury & District Football League Div 1 Saturday league. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, we’ve been struck by a severe bout of long-term injuries, coupled with some players struggling to commit regularly due to various reasons and other reasons beyond our control. This has left us in a precarious position, teetering on the edge of folding and I cannot let this happen.

But here’s where you come in. We’re in desperate need of passionate players who are willing to step up and join our club. Whether you’re a casual player looking for some extra game time, or even if you’ve been out of the game for a while but itching to get back on the field or you’re actually looking for a long term club – we want to hear from you!

Club management and I are doing everything within our power to ensure this club survives and thrives, but we can’t do it alone.

If you know anyone who fits the bill or if you yourself are interested in joining our squad, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. Your assistance could make all the difference in the world to us.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support and understanding during this challenging time.

Thank you,

Shaye Grant.

shaye@buckinghamshireunitedfc.co.uk