sporting life – Page 6 – …grayblog…

November 13, 2004

Eat my words

We kept the ball up front more which is important. Steve Claridge was key to that. He is is one of the fittest players I’ve worked with and I have no doubt that after 18 months away from this level he would be able to perform.

Hmm. It seems I may have to eat my words.
And I promise not to rub anyone‘s nose in it.

UPDATE: Claridge seeks long-term deal at Brighton.

November 12, 2004

Seagulls sign Claridge

Blimey, things are getting desperate. Frankly, I expect Mark McGhee to be on the phone any day now, offering me a rôle in midfield.

November 8, 2004

Football woe

I’m not talking about football at the moment.
Anyone want to open a book on when Mark McGhee will leave for greener pastures?

November 2, 2004

News round

A few current and recent news stories:

At the wrong speed – John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, RIP. Peely once played a request for me on his Radio 1 show. Others have paid sufficient tribute to the greatest champion of original new music in the UK – I merely suggest that you put Teenage Kicks on your stereo on repeat for a few hours. He’ll be sorely missed.
Money woes failed Beagle 2 – "The DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] should have been on the pitch getting involved, rather than cheering from the touchline and coming on as a second half substitute when things went wrong."
Lord Hanson, RIP – "A company from here doing rather well over there."
EU leaders sign constitutional treaty at last.
Kilroy-Silk withdraws from UKIP whip in EU Parliament. Plank.
US Presidential election today – if you have a vote, use it.
China’s next manned probe will orbit for five days. Ground Control to Major Yuan Hung-Lo?
Titan geologically "alive".

September 30, 2004

Firefighting

Currently occupying 110% of my concentration:

the Formula 1 calendar – it impacts significantly on planning of my Garden Event at West Dean, as we must avoid a clash with the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the date of which is dependant on the Formula 1 calendar (wot no British GP???).
trying to establish exactly how well my clients are doing with certain plant material I have supplied them with, and whether I need to arrange a trans-Atlantic cross-supply.
dealing with some politics that some potential clients have arising from some legacy representation arrangements (though to have my main competitor described as "yesterday" is a nice boost).
trying to help along another client who seems to have been messed about by his clients (who also happen to be my clients).
sorting out a list of trial material required from my breeder clients to get things moving with my grower clients – upon which rests the future earnings of PFE.
fixing up paperwork on all the house sales and purchases – too late to save Hels’s sale, but paving the way for a quick and smooth new sale as soon as we find a new buyer, as well as salvaging the purchase, which has become an all-consuming passion for me.
oh yeh, the wedding.

Bugger this, I’m off for a pint.

September 27, 2004

Sport and politics

If you can get to this, then please go.

September 23, 2004

Too bloody right

Brighton may need money, but Brighton does not need Bill Archer’s money. Top marks to Dick Knight.

September 20, 2004

RIP

Brian Clough, 1935-2004, and manager of Brighton and Hove Albion for a few months in 1974.

August 22, 2004

In case you were wondering…

…why I haven’t written here about Brighton and Hove Albion in recent weeks, I think that getting one point from four games is fairly disastrous, and probably not the cause for any optimism. The team clearly needs to do something different to get some more positive results, and whilst I’m not yet calling for the manager’s scalp and still firmly believe that Mark McGhee is a good manager, I do think he needs to be a little less optimistic and a touch more realistic.

August 8, 2004

Football season

I think Brighton have a better-than-average chance of staying in Division 1 (or whatever it is called these days) this season, although yesterday’s match was not the best start we could have wished for. But, in spite of that, I think Brighton’s performance bodes well for the rest of the season.