Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2013 15:46:04 GMT
Barton Downs
While allowing the 'Great TFF Benefits Debate' a little cooling off period before it requires re-stoking, I thought a leisurely meander through the streets of Exeter - before ending up in Chesterfield of course - would be a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. A few scarves and sashes thrown in for variety as well as half a mind wondering which particular rugby ground Barton was at when he watched an Italian football team this week.
Although I sadly read that Barton isn't deriving his full quota of enjoyment from the Benefits Debate, I still find his comments a great inspiration and so use his mention of half-and-half scarves as my starting point.
Those scarves were certainly in evidence in large numbers at Field Mill this weekend for the Mansfield v Liverpool clash, although I felt the combination of red and yellow was slightly garish. Sticking with the F.A Cup, Everton had a convincing 5-1 win at Cheltenham on Monday night, but I was slightly disturbed to read the comments of Cheltenham defender Alan Bennett concerning match referee Kevin Friend after the match:
"Fellaini at the end apologised to me, he said 'sorry about the penalty', the 31-year-old told BBC Gloucestershire.
"I said to the ref at least I got one apology, he said it was stonewall. I don't know what game he was watching."
The crucial penalty, awarded by referee Kevin Friend, came with Cheltenham already trailing 1-0 and was converted by England full-back Leighton Baines.
"It's a standard League Two challenge for me, and he's [the referee] trying to make friends I think, I don't know what he's doing," Bennett continued.
"He was calling them all by nicknames and referring to us by numbers, maybe he got carried away with the situation."
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20944553
Now referee Kevin Friend , as we'll all no doubt remember, was the bloke in charge of our big F.A Cup 4th Round game versus Coventry City. Hard to believe that it's almost 4 years ago, and what contrasting fortunes for the two managers on the day when we look at where they are now !
Coventry boss Chris Coleman has gone on to manage at International levell, being the current manager of the Welsh national side. The fortunes of the other manager on the day sadly went in the opposite direction and I hear he's drifted into non league football.
I also remember that day (24th Jan 2009) as the last occasion I bought one of the 'football tourist' scarves that Barton refers to.
And jolly pleased with it I am to. The sky blue combining nicely with our colours and well worth the £4 I gave the enterprising street vendor on the day. Always a pleasure to support the small entrepreneur.
Now admittedly I only have two of these 'tourist scarves' that Barton refers to, and when he posed the question as to where he had been on that particular evening, I expect like me, you thought to yourselves 'I know where you should have been' - in Belfast outside the City Hall protesting about the shameful decision to lower our Union flag.
Which in turn reminded me of the other 'half-and-half' I've been the proud possessor of for many a long year: my Sheffield Wednesday/Glasgow Rangers scarf. A few cogs started turning as I tried to recall the last time I wore it, and then it all came flooding back. It was on a warm sunny afternoon in Exeter when I went along to support the Orange Order march through the city back in the 1980's. I couldn't remember the details, but recently stumbled across some of my photographs of the day.
Of course this was 1988 and a commemoration of 1688 when William of Orange passed through Exeter on his way to claim the throne.
Here are a few of the photo's I took on the day. The vantage point would be Alphington Road, with the march heading towards Exe Bridges.
Some 'googling' to help recall a little more of that fine day and I uncovered the 'Devon Labour Briefing' and their photo's of the occasion along with mugshots of who I assume are local lefties. But among that gruesome collection I noticed on page 2 of their photo's a piece on the
1987 Socialist Conference in Chesterfield. 800 delegates no less !
I don't know whether wildebeeste would have been in that neck of the woods back in 1987, but it does sound like a major event for those of his political persuasion.
I'm sure there must be plenty of disillusioned Labour supporters who had high hopes as they listened to Benn in 1987,and who never thought they'd end up having to listening to Balls in 2013.
www.ipernity.com/doc/devon.labour.briefing/home/photo/@/page:1:18
Sadly, none of those half-and-half scarves - so loved by a certain kind of "football tourist" - were available
While allowing the 'Great TFF Benefits Debate' a little cooling off period before it requires re-stoking, I thought a leisurely meander through the streets of Exeter - before ending up in Chesterfield of course - would be a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. A few scarves and sashes thrown in for variety as well as half a mind wondering which particular rugby ground Barton was at when he watched an Italian football team this week.
Although I sadly read that Barton isn't deriving his full quota of enjoyment from the Benefits Debate, I still find his comments a great inspiration and so use his mention of half-and-half scarves as my starting point.
Those scarves were certainly in evidence in large numbers at Field Mill this weekend for the Mansfield v Liverpool clash, although I felt the combination of red and yellow was slightly garish. Sticking with the F.A Cup, Everton had a convincing 5-1 win at Cheltenham on Monday night, but I was slightly disturbed to read the comments of Cheltenham defender Alan Bennett concerning match referee Kevin Friend after the match:
"Fellaini at the end apologised to me, he said 'sorry about the penalty', the 31-year-old told BBC Gloucestershire.
"I said to the ref at least I got one apology, he said it was stonewall. I don't know what game he was watching."
The crucial penalty, awarded by referee Kevin Friend, came with Cheltenham already trailing 1-0 and was converted by England full-back Leighton Baines.
"It's a standard League Two challenge for me, and he's [the referee] trying to make friends I think, I don't know what he's doing," Bennett continued.
"He was calling them all by nicknames and referring to us by numbers, maybe he got carried away with the situation."
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20944553
Now referee Kevin Friend , as we'll all no doubt remember, was the bloke in charge of our big F.A Cup 4th Round game versus Coventry City. Hard to believe that it's almost 4 years ago, and what contrasting fortunes for the two managers on the day when we look at where they are now !
Coventry boss Chris Coleman has gone on to manage at International levell, being the current manager of the Welsh national side. The fortunes of the other manager on the day sadly went in the opposite direction and I hear he's drifted into non league football.
I also remember that day (24th Jan 2009) as the last occasion I bought one of the 'football tourist' scarves that Barton refers to.
And jolly pleased with it I am to. The sky blue combining nicely with our colours and well worth the £4 I gave the enterprising street vendor on the day. Always a pleasure to support the small entrepreneur.
Now admittedly I only have two of these 'tourist scarves' that Barton refers to, and when he posed the question as to where he had been on that particular evening, I expect like me, you thought to yourselves 'I know where you should have been' - in Belfast outside the City Hall protesting about the shameful decision to lower our Union flag.
Which in turn reminded me of the other 'half-and-half' I've been the proud possessor of for many a long year: my Sheffield Wednesday/Glasgow Rangers scarf. A few cogs started turning as I tried to recall the last time I wore it, and then it all came flooding back. It was on a warm sunny afternoon in Exeter when I went along to support the Orange Order march through the city back in the 1980's. I couldn't remember the details, but recently stumbled across some of my photographs of the day.
Of course this was 1988 and a commemoration of 1688 when William of Orange passed through Exeter on his way to claim the throne.
Here are a few of the photo's I took on the day. The vantage point would be Alphington Road, with the march heading towards Exe Bridges.
Some 'googling' to help recall a little more of that fine day and I uncovered the 'Devon Labour Briefing' and their photo's of the occasion along with mugshots of who I assume are local lefties. But among that gruesome collection I noticed on page 2 of their photo's a piece on the
1987 Socialist Conference in Chesterfield. 800 delegates no less !
I don't know whether wildebeeste would have been in that neck of the woods back in 1987, but it does sound like a major event for those of his political persuasion.
I'm sure there must be plenty of disillusioned Labour supporters who had high hopes as they listened to Benn in 1987,and who never thought they'd end up having to listening to Balls in 2013.
www.ipernity.com/doc/devon.labour.briefing/home/photo/@/page:1:18
"It was old but it was beautiful,