The recent call by a non-descript Welsh politician to have Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau played at the FA Cup Final is something of an erroneous decision. Rhodri Glyn Thomas believes this will be a case of common sense prevailing if the FA submit to the request, that has hardly been a vociferous one. You might think I ought to tread carefully on the matter considering that I do live in Cardiff at the moment. But I won't.
I can't see Mr Thomas' plea on this matter as anything more than political point-scoring on his part. Pandering towards a nationalist sentiment that the occasion owes nothing towards. Perhaps he ought to be reminded that Cardiff City, along with Swansea City and Wrexham, compete in the English leagues and as such should follow English convention. The FA Cup Final is an English event and as such has no obligation to fulfil Mr Thomas' wishes.
In 1996, the three teams concerned, as well as Merthyr, Colwyn Bay and Newport in the non-league pyramid were invited to join the Welsh Premier League, governed by the FAW and supplicant entries into the Welsh FA Cup. They declined and here we are now in the unprecedented modern scenario whereby Cardiff have reached the FA Cup Final.
In lieu of the 1996 decision, I rather feel that Cardiff City made their bed, and regardless of what colour the duvet is, they now must lie in it.
18 April 2008
15 April 2008
Race for the Playoffs: 15 April
Stevenage Borough 1-3 Torquay United
13 April 2008
Broadhall Way, Stevenage
A win - that's all we'd ask for. No matter how it came, just to provide some added security to the Stevenage cause in the playoff hunt. And the chance to string two wins together for the first time in bloody ages. The performance against Woking the previous Tuesday was hardly vintage but it did the job. The Devonian visitors would be an entirely different prospect, with the Gulls sitting tight in second place and looking a shoe-in for one of the four playoff spots.
Goalless at half-time suited. Hell, I'd have taken a draw considering Cambridge and Burton were to mess up their respective games elsewhere around the country. And then came a penalty - dubious, but a penalty nonetheless to Stevenage shortly after the interval. It was a break that came out of the blue if truth be told, but Gavin Grant put away the spot kick to put Boro' ahead. Then employ the old adage; keep it tight and simple for ten minutes and then who knows. But when luck needs that helping hand, twatty referees are always on hand to make an arse of himself.
Not long after Boro' took the lead, Peter Vincenti made an absolutely wonderful tackle inside the Torquay half. Free-kick awarded to the visitors. Play restarts and moments later, Vincenti is stung on the arse by a fiercely struck football. Free-kick for handball to Torquay. Needless to say, the visitors go on and equalise. Poor defending, but absurd refereeing. That was enough to put the Gulls back on top and they didn't look back.
No need to go into too much detail about Chris Zebroski's header. How he can out-jump a 6ft 7 defender is a mystery, but he did and he made it 2-1. It is fair to say that the home side had no real impetus to get back into the game. And so it was no real surprise that Torquay notched the next, and crucial goal. But the referee hadn't finished with his role in the game, awarding the Gulls a penalty when Lee Phillips fell over. In it goes, meh.
That's how it goes - another disappointing performance in the end, time for the end of season party. Yeah, the end of season party. Two weeks before the season ends. Marvellous...
13 April 2008
Broadhall Way, Stevenage
A win - that's all we'd ask for. No matter how it came, just to provide some added security to the Stevenage cause in the playoff hunt. And the chance to string two wins together for the first time in bloody ages. The performance against Woking the previous Tuesday was hardly vintage but it did the job. The Devonian visitors would be an entirely different prospect, with the Gulls sitting tight in second place and looking a shoe-in for one of the four playoff spots.
Goalless at half-time suited. Hell, I'd have taken a draw considering Cambridge and Burton were to mess up their respective games elsewhere around the country. And then came a penalty - dubious, but a penalty nonetheless to Stevenage shortly after the interval. It was a break that came out of the blue if truth be told, but Gavin Grant put away the spot kick to put Boro' ahead. Then employ the old adage; keep it tight and simple for ten minutes and then who knows. But when luck needs that helping hand, twatty referees are always on hand to make an arse of himself.
Not long after Boro' took the lead, Peter Vincenti made an absolutely wonderful tackle inside the Torquay half. Free-kick awarded to the visitors. Play restarts and moments later, Vincenti is stung on the arse by a fiercely struck football. Free-kick for handball to Torquay. Needless to say, the visitors go on and equalise. Poor defending, but absurd refereeing. That was enough to put the Gulls back on top and they didn't look back.
No need to go into too much detail about Chris Zebroski's header. How he can out-jump a 6ft 7 defender is a mystery, but he did and he made it 2-1. It is fair to say that the home side had no real impetus to get back into the game. And so it was no real surprise that Torquay notched the next, and crucial goal. But the referee hadn't finished with his role in the game, awarding the Gulls a penalty when Lee Phillips fell over. In it goes, meh.
That's how it goes - another disappointing performance in the end, time for the end of season party. Yeah, the end of season party. Two weeks before the season ends. Marvellous...
9 April 2008
Race for the Playoffs: 9 April 2008
Away from the madding crowd in the upper echelons of English football, there is a pretty tight and beguiling battle being fought out in the Blue Square Premier. And the media are invited to remain ignorant because it is far too fascinating to concern Sky and BBC. While Aldershot become the now-annual team that decides to run away with the title, the fight to finish in the four playoff spots has effectively now come down to five teams. And my latest intention is to comment on each stage of the battle until the outcome is known in little over a fortnight's time.
Torquay, Cambridge, Exeter, Burton and Stevenage are the protagonists in a fight that's likely to go to the last minute of the last day (oh so courteously shifted back two hours by Satanta). And the latest instalment in an intriguing contest so far from a Stevenage viewpoint came last night at Kingfield, Woking.
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Woking 0-2 Stevenage Borough
8 April 2008
Kingfield, Woking
After the terrible performance served up against Exeter City at Broadhall Way on Saturday, the prospect of risking the M25 on a Tuesday evening to attend a game between two fierce rivals didn't seem all too appealing. Not least because they would be more than willing to throw a spanner in the Boro' works. In fact, if I were to choose before the game, I'd have a home win or draw at the very best down as the outcome. So much so that I didn't even put a bet on Stevenage to win, as I usually do.
Anyway, decision to go made, and straight to Woking Snooker Club to knock back a few pre-match pints. After all, this could prove a long night. But at least the travelling numbers broke into three figures. Saturday's result and performance could easily have threatened that. Negativity, however, is apparently a banished word now, despite it's intrinsic nature to the life of a Stevenage Borough fan. So, a decent turnout coupled with the heaven-sent news that Daryl McMahon was finally restored to the starting eleven put things on a positive keel ahead of kick-off.
And it was barely three minutes in before Steve Morison headed home Tyrone Berry's cross to put Stevenage a goal to the good. Not that it eases any nerves at such an early stage, but as the game progressed it was reassuring to see that Boro' were at least attempting to play football rather than the hoofing that dominated the Exeter defeat. I'd have you believe that was McMahon's influence, but kids in glass houses... With the second goal in the 73rd minute from Luke Oliver, it was a case of being home and dry as far as we were concerned for the night. Despite Steve Morison's needless sending off in the 90th minute, it was three points I'd not have punted on us getting.
As for other results: Well Altrincham conceded late on to Burton, Rushden failed to hold Cambridge and Oxford couldn't keep Torquay at bay. But Salisbury delivered a knock-out blow to Exeter's prospects which provided a comfort zone for those currently occupying the playoff spots. This leaves Exeter four points adrift with a game in hand, but now Stevenage host Torquay at the weekend and it is a vital fixture for Stevenage with rivals playing lower positioned sides. Squeaky-bum time? Where have you been for the last two months?
Torquay, Cambridge, Exeter, Burton and Stevenage are the protagonists in a fight that's likely to go to the last minute of the last day (oh so courteously shifted back two hours by Satanta). And the latest instalment in an intriguing contest so far from a Stevenage viewpoint came last night at Kingfield, Woking.
----------------------------------------------------------
Woking 0-2 Stevenage Borough
8 April 2008
Kingfield, Woking
After the terrible performance served up against Exeter City at Broadhall Way on Saturday, the prospect of risking the M25 on a Tuesday evening to attend a game between two fierce rivals didn't seem all too appealing. Not least because they would be more than willing to throw a spanner in the Boro' works. In fact, if I were to choose before the game, I'd have a home win or draw at the very best down as the outcome. So much so that I didn't even put a bet on Stevenage to win, as I usually do.
Anyway, decision to go made, and straight to Woking Snooker Club to knock back a few pre-match pints. After all, this could prove a long night. But at least the travelling numbers broke into three figures. Saturday's result and performance could easily have threatened that. Negativity, however, is apparently a banished word now, despite it's intrinsic nature to the life of a Stevenage Borough fan. So, a decent turnout coupled with the heaven-sent news that Daryl McMahon was finally restored to the starting eleven put things on a positive keel ahead of kick-off.
And it was barely three minutes in before Steve Morison headed home Tyrone Berry's cross to put Stevenage a goal to the good. Not that it eases any nerves at such an early stage, but as the game progressed it was reassuring to see that Boro' were at least attempting to play football rather than the hoofing that dominated the Exeter defeat. I'd have you believe that was McMahon's influence, but kids in glass houses... With the second goal in the 73rd minute from Luke Oliver, it was a case of being home and dry as far as we were concerned for the night. Despite Steve Morison's needless sending off in the 90th minute, it was three points I'd not have punted on us getting.
As for other results: Well Altrincham conceded late on to Burton, Rushden failed to hold Cambridge and Oxford couldn't keep Torquay at bay. But Salisbury delivered a knock-out blow to Exeter's prospects which provided a comfort zone for those currently occupying the playoff spots. This leaves Exeter four points adrift with a game in hand, but now Stevenage host Torquay at the weekend and it is a vital fixture for Stevenage with rivals playing lower positioned sides. Squeaky-bum time? Where have you been for the last two months?
30 March 2008
The Curse of Setanta
Today's Non-League Paper (30 March) offers an assessment of Setanta's coverage of the Blue Square Premier that seems ridiculously out of touch with reality, if personal experience is anything to go by. The man responsible is columnist John Lyons, dubbed either by himself or a benevolent editor as 'the loudest roar in non-league', and his assertion just doesn't match-up to the consensus of the fans.
The claim? "Not many people would quibble with Setanta's coverage of the Blue Square Premier this term."
But in reality, there are plenty of those who would dissent from that view. And angrily so.
The concept, from the outset, was an exciting one for fans in the Blue Square Premier. For some, it would be the first time they could get themselves on the television without having to battle through the early rounds of the FA Cup while hoping for that lucrative draw against a proper team. It showed that a television company was prepared to make a committed attempt to sell the passion and pride of the non-league to a wider audience following a half-arsed effort by Sky previously. And to start with, there were few problems.
For an example, let me use my own - Stevenage Borough. We understood that the occasional fixture would have to be moved to Thursday night for television purposes, and a return of three live games in the first 20 wasn't such a problem - after all, Boro' had started the season brightly and had briefly sat on top before establishing themselves as genuine playoff contenders. Further more, one of those games didn't need to be moved; a Bank Holiday clash with August put back from 3pm to 7.45pm. Fine, we thought - this is no big deal. After all, Boro' were on the telly for the first time in a long time and enjoying similar exposure to those Premiership clubs so willingly courted by Sky. As 2007 drew to a close, the ratio was sitting at 3/23, with two fixtures moved to a Thursday night.
Now here we are, at the end of March 2008. Since the turn of the year, Boro' have played 16 fixtures and have appeared live on Setanta five times. And all these games have involved fixture changes at the shortest of notices. Suddenly, planning ahead was no longer an option as the television company appeared to add fixtures to its schedule at a whim. Boro' fans with pre-booked tickets to Leeds for the Farsley Celtic game had no use for them when Setanta announced within a fortnight of the fixture that it would be moved to the preceding Thursday. Similarly a fixture away at Salisbury City was moved at short notice, and now there are unconfirmed rumours that the trip to Burton Albion in three weeks time may be moved. Again, a fixture where pre-booked tickets - which are planned when more or less when the fixtures are published in June are sorted out - become redundant. Not to mention the fact that Saturday's fixture with Exeter City has to be played at 5.15pm because the powers that be have Exeter playing on Thursday and Tuesday either side of the weekend.
Setanta seem unruffled by this. York fans were similarly troubled for a trip to Torquay and were only saved from an unfounded financial outlay by the generosity of a train company. That's not to mention that the coverage has been poor at the best of times. Wobbly cameras, partisan punditry from Paul Parker and ad-hoc interviews in the middle of the action have all contributed to a less than satisfactory service. And their customer services don't appear to care, if responses to fellow supporters are anything to go by.
Never mind the fact that Boro' are piss-poor on the telly, the treatment of the fans this season has slowly descended into farce and insult. And it is indicative of a trend that affects the highest level of the game too when Premiership games are shifted about for the sake of ratings. But then again, you tell me whether Setanta really are going to strike ratings gold with Grays v Droylsden before forcing fans to put up with it. Is it any coincidence that attendances are on the slide when fans are expected to make cross-country trips on Setanta's whim on a Thursday night. So, would not many people quibble with the coverage? Take a peek at what Aldershot fans think...
And what's more: Say No To Setanta
The claim? "Not many people would quibble with Setanta's coverage of the Blue Square Premier this term."
But in reality, there are plenty of those who would dissent from that view. And angrily so.
The concept, from the outset, was an exciting one for fans in the Blue Square Premier. For some, it would be the first time they could get themselves on the television without having to battle through the early rounds of the FA Cup while hoping for that lucrative draw against a proper team. It showed that a television company was prepared to make a committed attempt to sell the passion and pride of the non-league to a wider audience following a half-arsed effort by Sky previously. And to start with, there were few problems.
For an example, let me use my own - Stevenage Borough. We understood that the occasional fixture would have to be moved to Thursday night for television purposes, and a return of three live games in the first 20 wasn't such a problem - after all, Boro' had started the season brightly and had briefly sat on top before establishing themselves as genuine playoff contenders. Further more, one of those games didn't need to be moved; a Bank Holiday clash with August put back from 3pm to 7.45pm. Fine, we thought - this is no big deal. After all, Boro' were on the telly for the first time in a long time and enjoying similar exposure to those Premiership clubs so willingly courted by Sky. As 2007 drew to a close, the ratio was sitting at 3/23, with two fixtures moved to a Thursday night.
Now here we are, at the end of March 2008. Since the turn of the year, Boro' have played 16 fixtures and have appeared live on Setanta five times. And all these games have involved fixture changes at the shortest of notices. Suddenly, planning ahead was no longer an option as the television company appeared to add fixtures to its schedule at a whim. Boro' fans with pre-booked tickets to Leeds for the Farsley Celtic game had no use for them when Setanta announced within a fortnight of the fixture that it would be moved to the preceding Thursday. Similarly a fixture away at Salisbury City was moved at short notice, and now there are unconfirmed rumours that the trip to Burton Albion in three weeks time may be moved. Again, a fixture where pre-booked tickets - which are planned when more or less when the fixtures are published in June are sorted out - become redundant. Not to mention the fact that Saturday's fixture with Exeter City has to be played at 5.15pm because the powers that be have Exeter playing on Thursday and Tuesday either side of the weekend.
Setanta seem unruffled by this. York fans were similarly troubled for a trip to Torquay and were only saved from an unfounded financial outlay by the generosity of a train company. That's not to mention that the coverage has been poor at the best of times. Wobbly cameras, partisan punditry from Paul Parker and ad-hoc interviews in the middle of the action have all contributed to a less than satisfactory service. And their customer services don't appear to care, if responses to fellow supporters are anything to go by.
Never mind the fact that Boro' are piss-poor on the telly, the treatment of the fans this season has slowly descended into farce and insult. And it is indicative of a trend that affects the highest level of the game too when Premiership games are shifted about for the sake of ratings. But then again, you tell me whether Setanta really are going to strike ratings gold with Grays v Droylsden before forcing fans to put up with it. Is it any coincidence that attendances are on the slide when fans are expected to make cross-country trips on Setanta's whim on a Thursday night. So, would not many people quibble with the coverage? Take a peek at what Aldershot fans think...
And what's more: Say No To Setanta
A Spattering of Reviews
Clocks - Old Valve Radio (Single)
This is a single that has a) probably been released a month or two too early and b) will get lumped in with the chart-invading prowess of One Night Only. And if it’s dangerous to say it, I will anyway – I’ve not heard such a relentlessly upbeat stomper of a guitar-led summer release since Dodgy’s Good Enough over a decade ago.
O Fracas - Brouhaha (Single)
Pure indie beats drenched with ferocious hi-tempo riffs – you simply can’t beat it sometimes. The return of O Fracas after last year’s Factfinding EP is pretty much off-the-wall in all quarters and offers a captivating synergy of rolling drums and anarchic melodies from the start.
Free Blood - Part 2 (EP)
Unlikely to be seen anywhere the mainstream anytime soon, this is exactly the contradictory soundtrack for those who prefer the grimy nights out in city sub-terrains. The entire premise of Free Blood appears to be set against the awkward, awry situations that give you the highs that are twisted by their very design.
This is a single that has a) probably been released a month or two too early and b) will get lumped in with the chart-invading prowess of One Night Only. And if it’s dangerous to say it, I will anyway – I’ve not heard such a relentlessly upbeat stomper of a guitar-led summer release since Dodgy’s Good Enough over a decade ago.
O Fracas - Brouhaha (Single)
Pure indie beats drenched with ferocious hi-tempo riffs – you simply can’t beat it sometimes. The return of O Fracas after last year’s Factfinding EP is pretty much off-the-wall in all quarters and offers a captivating synergy of rolling drums and anarchic melodies from the start.
Free Blood - Part 2 (EP)
Unlikely to be seen anywhere the mainstream anytime soon, this is exactly the contradictory soundtrack for those who prefer the grimy nights out in city sub-terrains. The entire premise of Free Blood appears to be set against the awkward, awry situations that give you the highs that are twisted by their very design.
22 March 2008
England Cricket Team
Don't care about search engine optimisation. If anyone finds this, they'll probably agree:
Now a waste of space. Woo! Win the Ashes in 2005 and spend the next three years being rubbish? No ta. Will someone a) take responsibility and b) get rid of Strauss. I would have scored more in this series than him.
Don't anyone say they're missing key players. Jacob Oram, who's he? England cricket team? Dangerously close to an utter joke.
Now a waste of space. Woo! Win the Ashes in 2005 and spend the next three years being rubbish? No ta. Will someone a) take responsibility and b) get rid of Strauss. I would have scored more in this series than him.
Don't anyone say they're missing key players. Jacob Oram, who's he? England cricket team? Dangerously close to an utter joke.
11 March 2008
Musey Newsy
Le Sac Is Back
After bloodying the noses of the great and good with 2007’s salient singles Thou Shalt Always Kill and Beat That My Heart Skipped, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip have channelled their finely tuned electro-pop into a debut album that will be hitting the shelves in May.
The Kids Are Growing Up
Tongues are already wagging about Black Kids since they first came across the pond, and it looks as if they’re making themselves at home over here. Not content with merely playing second fiddle to both Kate Nash and Sons and Daughters of late, it’s now time to up the ante and take the controls themselves as they prepare for their first UK headline tour
Massive Tour Is No Mystery
You wouldn’t believe it until you saw the size of it yourself – Mystery Jets are back with a big bang and are going on a huge bender to celebrate.
They Throw Parties, You Buy Tickets
Cardiff's darling own indie starlets Los Campesinos! are coming to a town near you after announcing that they'll be touring the nation in April. Admittedly five of the dates are in London, but a tour has been a long time coming so you should be grateful that the chance has fallen into your lap.
Bigger Names For Bigger Oxegen Festival
This year's Oxegen Festival is set to be the biggest and best ever, and one glance at some of the names on recently announced line-up will go some way to proving that. And not only that, for this year's event will be growing in size which means continuing on into a third day for the first time ever. How good are those organisers?
Grasshider
Famed for banging out the best in drum’n’bass across the nation, Radio 1 DJ Grooverider will now have to acquaint himself with the finer sounds of cell bars. The DJ – real name Raymond Bingham – has landed himself a four-year jail sentence in the United Arab Emirates after being arrested at Dubai Airport in November with some cannabis.
News jiffy.
After bloodying the noses of the great and good with 2007’s salient singles Thou Shalt Always Kill and Beat That My Heart Skipped, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip have channelled their finely tuned electro-pop into a debut album that will be hitting the shelves in May.
The Kids Are Growing Up
Tongues are already wagging about Black Kids since they first came across the pond, and it looks as if they’re making themselves at home over here. Not content with merely playing second fiddle to both Kate Nash and Sons and Daughters of late, it’s now time to up the ante and take the controls themselves as they prepare for their first UK headline tour
Massive Tour Is No Mystery
You wouldn’t believe it until you saw the size of it yourself – Mystery Jets are back with a big bang and are going on a huge bender to celebrate.
They Throw Parties, You Buy Tickets
Cardiff's darling own indie starlets Los Campesinos! are coming to a town near you after announcing that they'll be touring the nation in April. Admittedly five of the dates are in London, but a tour has been a long time coming so you should be grateful that the chance has fallen into your lap.
Bigger Names For Bigger Oxegen Festival
This year's Oxegen Festival is set to be the biggest and best ever, and one glance at some of the names on recently announced line-up will go some way to proving that. And not only that, for this year's event will be growing in size which means continuing on into a third day for the first time ever. How good are those organisers?
Grasshider
Famed for banging out the best in drum’n’bass across the nation, Radio 1 DJ Grooverider will now have to acquaint himself with the finer sounds of cell bars. The DJ – real name Raymond Bingham – has landed himself a four-year jail sentence in the United Arab Emirates after being arrested at Dubai Airport in November with some cannabis.
News jiffy.
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