Football – SteveWhittythoughts1965

July 14, 2024

Football Excitement: England in Euro 2024 Final and Vinyl Records Passion

Monday 8th July

Let’s start the week off with some good news. My COVID test from yesterday was negative. My energy levels have extensively improved. The day itself was not too dramatic. I had a good day at work. I spent the evening listening to music. Though I am known for my record collection I like to stream. After all, I cannot own everything; it is a good way to discover new music. I love that I can choose whatever I wish to listen to and not be restricted to the physical music I have at home.

Tuesday 9th July

I enjoyed my day at work. It feels good to hear laughter around the place. More could be said about the trains—a serious case of delays. I seem to be repeating myself from last week’s blog. When I got home I watched the Spain v France semi-final. Spain deserved the victory. Throughout the tournament, France has been disappointing. Maybe they should have concentrated more on the football than events back home. England would be given a lot of grief on social media if they had got involved with the recent general election.

Wednesday 10th July

There is only one thing I could mention – the Euro 2024 semi-final featuring England v Netherlands. England had not been performing at their best and questions had been asked about the tactical awareness of head coach Gareth Southgate. The match itself was going the way of previous games. England, falling behind then receiving some good luck. In this case the penalty award. In my opinion, it was never a penalty. However, beggars cannot be choosers and we will happily take any gifts that come our way. One of the biggest criticisms levelled at our head is making substitutions late in the game. This time he seemed to get this right as Cole Palmer set up Ollie Watkins for the winning goal. Suddenly, all the previous poor performances were forgotten as England reached the final of Euro 2024.

Thursday 11th July

The problem with the match finishing so late last night was I went to bed feeling hyper. I could not settle down to sleep. I woke up this morning feeling tired. It was a miracle that I could force myself out of my bed. The atmosphere at work was good. Everyone, including those not bothered by football, was excited about England reaching the final. To help bring me back down I decided to listen to some vinyl records. I had not done so in the last couple of weeks due to the football. It felt good listening to records again be it the pomp rock of early Styx or the smooth sounds of Bill Withers.

Friday 12th July

It had felt like a long working week and I was glad it was Friday. Work was quiet. We are still in a period of change so I do not expect it to pick for the next few weeks. After work, I head to the local record shop. As I mentioned in last week’s post it is my favourite place. It was good to see Pete and Russ. Pete had been working through a collection of classic rock. It made a change from Jungle and drum and Bass. I love listening to different types of music. You always get that with Pete. Feeling inspired I listened to some music when I got home.

Saturday 13th July

My Saturdays tend to be busy. I spend the morning at my local Oxfam volunteering. I have been doing this for nine years. It is something I enjoy, as I feel I am giving back to society. It was funny as I thought there was only going to be a few of us there and I would be closing the shop at one. My manager had forgotten she was not coming in so the shop was full of volunteers. She still closed the shop at one. Charity shops are important to the high street. They are places where people can come to hunt for a bargain. Also, they give opportunities for people to get skills that will help them find work. As I live on my own I get to mix with people, which is good for my mental health. The afternoon is spent at the record shop. It can get busy and it can overwhelm Pete at times. Today, was no exception. There were plenty of customers. I helped customers, find replacement stock and completed online orders. I suppose I must be doing something right if people feel I am part of the fabric within the shop. Pete’s generosity knows no bounds. I took away three albums at a fraction of the cost as thanks for my help. When I got home I listened to some more records.

Sunday 14th July

There is only one thing on people’s minds today. It is the big match, the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England. The flags are out and the news is full of it. The assassination attempt on Trump just serves to point out other things are going on apart from football. I am not looking forward to watching the game. I feel that Spain will win 2-0. Also, I will feel nervous watching the game to the point where I will not enjoy it. All I can say is C’mon England and prove me wrong.

July 7, 2024

Embracing Life’s Twists: Retirement Plans, Record Shop Days, and Football Emotions

It has been a strange week. The one word that springs to mind when you describe it is change. Be it a change of habits or government.

Monday 1st July

I woke up to find myself in the second half of the year. The first six months have flown by. This is something that happens when you get older. Time is something you take for granted until you realise when it starts to run out.

Glastonbury has been and gone. Not that I watch any of it on the telly. I find it difficult to enjoy events held on a dairy farm. Having said that, I have attended Bearded Theory over the last three years which is held on a farm. You cannot have it both ways.

It is good to be able to reward people who do a good job. I include my team in that.

Tuesday 2nd July

There has been talk of retirement at work. Chris who I have worked with for almost ten years is due to leave in a couple of weeks. I will miss her as she was a calming influence when I joined the civil service. It has got me thinking about my retirement. This is due to happen in 2032. My aim is to make my life simpler. The first step is to combine all my old work pensions into one. This is not just for me but also for my family just in case I were to pass away before I retire. The whole process was straight forward.

I wish the trains were the same. It seems whenever summer arrives the trains become delayed. It is frustrating given the lack of information given. New trains, the same old shitty service.

Wednesday 3rd July

The best gifts are the unexpected ones. I received a £20 voucher as a thank you for my work with data quality. I will spend that on cups of coffee over the coming days.

Seeing Mark Cavendish break the Tour de France record for stage wins brought a lump to my throat. I have been following his career over the years. He is a true British sporting legend.

I was given a reminder about becoming old. I had to help my neighbour to his feet. He had fallen while trying to clean himself after an accident. He looked all bewildered by what had gone on. I felt sad for him as I suspect these problems have been going on for a long time.

Thursday 4th July

It was General Election Day. I went to vote early in the morning. I wanted to get it out of the way as I was going to be busy. It was encouraging to stand in a big queue at 7:15 in the morning. Hopefully, this is a sign of a big turnout.

Today was the start of spending three days in the record shop helping out my friend while he was attending a festival. Outside of my home, this is my favourite place to spend time. Being able to talk music is pure joy as I am always learning something new.

Friday 5th July

As expected Labour won the election by a landslide.

Saturday 6th July

I have always held a love-hate relationship with the England football team. They promise so much yet they always let you down. The match against Switzerland was going that way as well. Somehow they clawed their way back into the game. The penalty shootout was a masterclass in taking the spot kick. So we move on to Wednesday where we face the Netherlands for a place in the final of Euro 2024. Could it finally be our year?

Sunday 7th July

I woke feeling run down. I have developed a cough and a blocked nose. Normally, I would have gone and done the laundry but could not face it. I will stop off by the chemist and purchase some covid tests. You cannot be too careful.

Until the next post, keep on smiling.

December 17, 2013December 17, 2013

Day 10, 17 September – Oh Rainy Day to Up the Saddlers

I was feeling somewhat melancholic this morning as I was about to leave for Sarajevo. One of the main attractions of the Hostel Madjas was the tour around Mostar and the surrounding countryside. Today the majority of the hostel were going on the tour. My stay coincided with the days the tour was not running. I felt that I was missing out. Before I left I had a bit of a panic. Where did I put my iPod? I searched frantically. What was I was going to listen to for the rest of my trip? For what seemed like the fifth time I searched by backpack. Lo and behold the iPod turned up, panic over.

As I made my towards Mostar bus station I noticed that the weather felt colder and the skies were darker. It matched my mood. The journey into Sarajevo went smoothly enough. Travelling across Bosnia is a cheap option. It is also quicker than the train with more services. Also I had another chance to view the beautiful countryside. When the budget airlines start serving Bosnia Herzegovina it will really take off as a tourist destination.

I arrived into Sarajevo just after lunchtime. Now all I need to do is find my hostel. With the best will in the world the instructions to find the hostel can take some working out. The tram was simple enough but navigating the streets to find the hostel took some doing. I was tired, in a bad mood and now it was starting to rain. Could the day get any worse? After about 30 minutes of aimless wandering I found myself on the right street. Soon I was at the Hostel City Center. The first thing I noticed was that I would have to climb several flights of stairs. Once at the entrance I had to remove my shoes. That was no hardship. I checked in but not in the room I had originally booked. I did get some money back. While I was chilling in the lounge area the heavens opened up. When it rains in the Balkans it really rains. This will occupy me for the next couple of hours.

Eventually the rain did stop so I decided to venture outside. It felt cold but I was happy just to get out and see Sarajevo. The old city centre has a beauty to it. I heard the call to prayer. It was the first time that I realised I was in a prodominantly Muslim country. This was also an opportunity to get my bearings. I had a further two days to explore the city in more depth.

Back at the hostel I started talking to Tom. He was from Scotland and was spending the week in Sarajevo. We were getting on rather well. Tom suggested that we go into the old town for something to eat and I agreed.

Like the majority of cities there are people who will try and entice you to eat in their restaurant. Tom however, had his own recommendation. I enjoyed the veal kebabs washed down with a beer. While inside we noticed the Champions League featuring Manchester United was showing on the TV. This was a good way to spend the evening. It reminded me that my beloved Walsall was playing a big match tonight. Away to to local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves). I followed the match on my phone. When the final whistle blew Walsall had won 1-0. I could not stop myself letting out a shout of joy. The day which started out with me feeling fed up left me feeling elated.

Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling. Up the Saddlers.

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

May 11, 2013May 11, 2013

FA Cup Final

This is a slightly different post than usual. It is about the FA Cup Final. One of the great sporting days in England, traditionally it was the last game of the football season thought this has changed over the last couple of years.

The FA Cup Final or Football Association Challenge Cup to give its full name is the oldest cup competition in world football. It was first played for in 1872 when Wanderers beat the Royal Engineers 1-0.

The competition begins in August when the amateur and semi-professional play qualifying rounds to make the main draw. The professional clubs from the Leagues 1and 2 tier join in the 1st round and the clubs from the Premier League and Championship join in the 3rd round. The magic of the FA Cup is that potentially clubs from the lower leagues can play clubs from the Premier League. There have been cases of giant-killing performances. This season Luton Town of the Conference beat Norwich City of the Premier League 1-0 at Norwich in the 4th Round.

Cup Final day has always been a magical day for me. Growing up it was one of the few games that was shown live on television. It was not just the match, there was the build up which lasted throughout the day until kick off. Particularly the singing of the Cup Final hymn 'Abide With Me'. A strange choice as it is normally sang at funerals. I always find it a emotional moment. I am not alone, just search You Tube for the effect it had on Elton John.

Another piece of magic about the cup is that you are never certain who would win. I have witnessed some acts of giant-killing. Here are two that I would like to mention.

1973 – Sunderland beating Leeds United 1-0. Sunderland were at that time a second division club and Leeds were the biggest club in the country. I can still hear that magic piece of commentary, “Porterfield, 1-0.”

1988 – Wimbledon beating Liverpool 1-0. “The Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club.” Wimbledon had been a semi-professional club up until 1977. Liverpool had won the league in a convincing manner during the season.

This years final has the potential to create another piece of giant-killing. Manchester City will play Wigan Athletic. City are one of the richest clubs in the world while Wigan continually struggle to stay in the Premier League.

Personally, I feel that Manchester City will win 2-0.

As always I will place on front of the TV until the game has finished. Whatever the result it is always a great occasion which I will always enjoy.

Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

Posted with Blogsy

October 9, 2012

Prague & Bratislava – Day 6, 15/09/2012

Today certainly felt like after the Lord Mayor’s show. Everybody had left so I felt a little melancholic. I also felt dirty so it was time to a spot of laundry. That was the morning sorted.

I had not made any plans for the day so I decided that it would be best if I just wandered around the city. It took me to areas of Prague that were off the beaten track. This is something I enjoy doing a lot. You get to see how the city really breathes away from the tourist hub.

After lunch at the Pause Cafe I ventured back towards the centre of Prague. The Old Town Square is a good place to sit and observe the world passing by. Prague is not just about the tourists but also the street entertainers trying to attract the crowds too. Being a Saturday everything seemed so lively.

I made my way back to the hostel as I was meeting a couple of Australians to watch the Sunderland v Liverpool game on the TV. Upon my arrival I was greeted with a request to move dorms. The hostel had a party of four who would be split up unless I agreed to move to another room. I said that it would not be a problem and as a gesture of goodwill I was given a voucher for free breakfast for tomorrow.

That last night in Prague was good. So chilled out, though I may have drunk too much but it is a lesson to learn for the future as I may have gone over budget. Tomorrow, next stop Bratislava.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve