Boxing Day Football

Arguably boxing day was made for football. Since I was a teenager it's been an integral part of the Christmas period. This years match was an early kick off as a result of AFC Wimbledon v Oxford United being chosen by Sky for lunch time televisation. Somewhat unexpectedly I was asked to write the match report that appears below.

Its been a few weeks since I've seen the Dons, whose form has slumped. It is really a whole new ball game for management,volunteers and spectators. For nine years there has been a relentless surge upwards from CCL to League 2, now we appear to have hit the wall. After boxing day's game the Dons have taken only 3 out of the last 30 points. Early season optimistism has been replaced with either stark realism or calls for changes in personnel.

There are still plenty who realise that League 2 midtable is where we should be, survival in the division is enough. However the quality of performance has suffered and there is a feeling that at the near mid point of the season , we have been found out.

The next couple of weeks, with the opening of the transfer window should reveal a good deal about the Club:

Dons lose again !

AFC Wimbledon 0 Oxford United 2

npower league 2

by Paul Jeater

There was little Christmas cheer at Kingsmeadow on Boxing Day as AFC Wimbledon slumped to another defeat in front of Sky cameras and a near capacity crowd. The Dons defence gift wrapped two first half chances that the visitors, Oxford United, gratefully accepted. In the second half the Dons attempted to get back in the game but were largely thwarted by the performance of referee Andy D’Urso, who accepted the role of pantomime villain with relish turning down numerous penalty appeals, helping the visitors to leave with three points.

After a fairly even opening spell, Oxford took the lead in the 18^thminute , the influential Alfie Potter collected possession from the long clearance, as he weaved his way through the Dons midfield, Lee Minshull and Jamie Stuart attempted to tackle, but their combined effort only sent the ball into the path of Oxford striker, James Constable, who shot with precision low past Seb Brown to open the scoring.

The Dons conceded again just before half time. From a corner poor marking and defensive organisation allowed Oxford’s Asa Hall an uncontested header at the far post. As the teams left the field the Dons players looked as if they had a mountain to climb.

Manager Terry Brown introduced Ricky Wellard and altered the shape of his team, and this had immediate effect when Rashid Yussuff drove into the penalty area only to be upended. To the astonishment of most of those in attendance, the referee who was well placed , turned away penalty appeals. Yussuff’s lack of luck continued when he saw a shot cannon off the crossbar and ricochet to safety.

The Dons to their credit continued to press for the goal that would get them back in the game. Lone striker Jack Midson fell under a challenge in the penalty area as he and his marker came together, while Dons fans optimistically called for a penalty, the referee brandished a yellow card, leaving the hard working Midson to shake his head in bewilderment. Late substitutions made no impact for the Dons in a game where the effort was obvious but confidence and craft appeared to be in short supply.

AFC Wimbledon’s early season form that propelled them towards the play off places is but a distant memory. Three points out of the last thirty has marooned them in the league’s lower reaches, and the focus is now on the form of those below them rather than worrying about who is competing for honours. With two difficult games against high flyers Southend and Swindon on the horizon, fans can only hope that manager Terry Brown is able to do some shopping in the January sales to reinforce the squad and stop the slide.

Dons : Brown 6, Hatton 4, Gwillim 5 (Bush 89),Moore 6,Stuart 5, Mitchel-King 6,Minshull 4 ( Mulley 89),Yussuff 6,Midson 6, Moore 5 , Jackson 4 (Wellard 46, 5)

Thoughts on Singapore

Written between 8th-12th December 2011

Arriving in Singapore late in the evening, you are immediately struck by the traffic, the density of building and particularly the amount of light. Tall apartment blocks lined ten lane freeways, giant office blocks and hotels lit the skyline. In the dark it is hard to see the colonial parts of the city and its main other interesting areas. Yet everywhere there is light.

Perhaps it says something of my political development and thought patterns that the first thing that flashed across my mind is how to they generate all this power ?

Having experienced Manhattan I should not have been overwhelmed by tall buildings, but this is Asia. The climate is tropical, the streets are spotlessly clean, and green vegetation is interspresed with offices and malls.

The British came here first in 1819, and our presence is still felt in language and customs; but there's no forgetting that this is the other side of the world, eights hours ahead of London. Perhaps the sites I'm seeing are opening my eyes to thr fact that Asia will become during the 21st Century the dominant economic player in the world. Signs of globalisation are everywhere, the ethic mix of peoples, restaurants etc sit side by side with the almost inevitable MacDonalds and Starbucks.

After a day of wandering and exploring the colonial remnants of Singapore, we decided to witness its complete opposite with a walk along Orchard Road. Shops, shops and yet more shops, all decked out with bright Xmas decorations, in a society where Buddhists make up the largest religious grouping. The young Singaporesse have certainly embraced shopping, it's Friday night but it's not to bars that the young flock instead the giant indoor shopping malls hold a magnetic attraction. Meanwhile at street level we walk considerably faster than the cars that crawl along Orchard Road.

Friday showed the contrast between the old and new Singapore, but the remainder of our stay showed many appealing aspects of life here. Firstly the friendliness, helpfulness and politeness of the local people. It's a very orderly society with an apparent strong work ethic. It took me a couple of days to appreciate the efficiency of the MRT system of public transport. The respect shown to others boarding trains and the way the public left sits designated for the old, injured or disabled.

Life starts later in the morning and work finishes later at night. A lifestyle that would be difficult for someone like me accustomed to an early start to adjust to. I'm left with the impression of a young society, the proportion of people under 30 seems much greater than in the UK.

It would be ridiculous not to mention the sites that have drawn us here - the Zoo,Bird Park and Night Safari. The seed of this visit was planted some years ago when I was talking to an Australian and I said that we always went to Australia via the USA, and I foolishly dismissed stopovers in Asia. It was then that he mentioned the Night Safari, and my interest was aroused.

Singapore will long live in my memory for the collection of primates, especially the family groupings of orangutans. How I enjoyed watching and filming them. The toucans and hornbills at the Bird park were another highlight, and the chance to witness nocternal creatures at the Night Safari was then the icing on the cake.

Singapore is religiously and racially mixed, the chance to see Buddhist Temples is a memory to cherish. Overall so much exceeded my expectations. Singapore is very much a bilingual society, but it also showed once again the futility of racism and the narrowness of eurocentric thinking.
How ironic that the interest shown by the people of Singapore in the EPL contrasts so sharply with the growing mood of isolation and insularness of Britain at the end of 2011.

Australia (politics and more)

Written while flying to Singapore 8/12/11

As a young boy growing up in Tooting,South london I had two young friends who I used to play with, they lived across the road. It must have been about 1959 when my parents told me that they were moving to Australia. I'm not sure I had much of a clue as to where that was. However back then it was still very much a one-way ticket, only later did I discover what was meant by the term "ten bob pom"

As I gre up Australia became a place of interest, and in fact deep interest every couple of years when the Ashes took centre stage in my life. I still remember the summer of 1961 when my father took me to the Oval to see England led by Peter May take on Australia led by Ritchie Benaud. My first test match, but that's another story. The chance to visit Australia in fact never materialised until I was 50.

The decision of my mother in law and step father in law to emigrate to the outskirts of Sydney has made frequent visits necessary as they have become older. This was our sixth visit, on the first visit I felt like a tourist wanting to see everything that Sydney has to offer, however with every subsequent visit I have reacquainted myself with modern Australia. As an avid newspaper reader I soon brought myself up to speed with the current political debates and developments.

Perhaps not surprisingly some of the discussions mirrored those taking place in the UK ( pension age/contributions and retirement age). Australia has so far however evaded the worst of the financial crisis, nevertheless the economic boom that centres largely on Queensland and Western Australia has shallow foundations and is built on the back of mining and mineral extraction. This boom has been export led and has forced up the value of the Australian dollar making other export industries uncompetitive and of course makes Australia increasingly expensive for visitors from the Uk.

The current labor government won the narrowest of victories in 2010. It seems widely accepted that victory was taken for granted , this view is now regarded as truth by the party elite. Meanwhile the opposition coalition of Liberals/Nationalists have adopted the "oppose everything" strategy.

In recent months the ALP government have introduced a carbon tax and my arrival coincided with a vote to introduce a tax on the profits of the mining corporations. These policies fundamental in tackling both climate change and the imbalance in the economy and presented as U turns by Australian prime minister Julia Gilliard.

In December the ALP held its conference in Sydney, while the government wanted the main focus to be on economic affairs and particularly "jobs", it was the motion to accept same sex marriage that attracted the most media attention, with street demonstrations supporting and opposing any change.

In addition the conference also discussed selling uranium to India, again controversial as Australia is committed to nuclear non proliferation. So why the discussion of same sex marriage and the introduction of a carbon tax. One view being put forward is that Labor is losing its grip on its old inner city heartlands. The once strong trade union movement is in decline, and many young Australians have turned against the illiberal march of the ALP.

The only party to consistently support same sex marriage is the Greens, and although they nationally still poll in single figures, they are gaining in strength in cosmopolitan inner city areas. Having won a seat in Melbourne in 2010 they are poised for further breakthroughs in what could be deemed "post-Labour" communities.

The parallels with the UK are only too stark, the real issue in the next couple of years in both Australia and the UK is one of electoral credibility. In both countries Labo(u)r is floundering , its lack of opposition in the UK is breathtaking, while in Australia its policy initiatives on the environment are welcome but clearly have not been sols to a wide enough cross section of the population.

You can't say that ( Review of Ken Livingstone's memoirs)

Written 8/12/11

Before departing for Australia I bought Ken Livingstone's memoirs from Amazon, within days I was asked if I'd submit a review. It's a large volume weighing in at 680 pages, the perfect book for holiday reading as long as you've got surplus weight in your luggage.

From the outset it's worth mentioning that I have a certain affinity to Ken. We were part of the same movements for many years, we both grew up in South London, just a few years and miles apart. We both joined the Labour party and through that experienced local government. As a result the chapters of the book that deal with the GLC years bring back many memories.

As Ken points out he comes from a time when class defined politics and ideas and policies were what mattered rather than style and how you present yourself in often shallow "soundbites" on TV. It is convenient therefore to divide the book into two halves, the years leading up to his election as MP for Brent East and then the rise of New Labour and Ken's years as London Mayor.

In the second part he explains astutely that the Labour leadership group in 1997 including Blair lacked the experience of running anything. While traditionally aspiring politicians cut their teeth in local government, here was a group who had bypassed that route. As a result many ministers walked into government departments without the necessary skills and grounding.

The latter chapters detail his role in the campaign to bring the Olympic games to London, the impact of 7/7 and finally his defeat by Boris Johnson. It is impossible to read these sections and indeed the early chapters on the GLC without mentioning the sustained press attacks that have riddled his political career. The fact that he has been regularly elected says much for the fact that many Londoners see a different person to the editors of the Mail, Standard and Sun.

"You can't say that" as a memoir is not the perfect balanced account of a life in politics; it is an opportunity to tell it from his point of view. Refreshingly he has always tried to separate his political life from his personal life which he has been at pains to keep away from the media spotlight. However in his memoirs he deals with these matters in a refreshingly honest way.

Although Ken rejoined Labour in time to be elected for the second time as mayor as the Labour candidate, he does not analysis to any extent how someone with his views can co-exist with the modern Labour Party that seems light years from the movement to which he was a central part in the 1980s.

Nevertheless to anyone who is interested in modern Labour history, London or local government this is near essential reading. Its publication is timely ahead of Ken's campaign to regain the mayoralty of London in 2012.

Champions League, you're havin' a laugh !

Written 7/12/11

Watching Champions League football in Australia means getting up ready for a 6.45am kick off. Of course you are at the mercy of the Australian broadcaster SBS as to what game they want to show. After a couple of weeks it's clear they have a preference for what they call the EPL, unless Barcelona have an attractive game.

It's the day before we leave Australia, and it's the chance to watch Manchester United v FC Basle. The Australian analysts and of course the English commentators all expect and want United to get the point necessary for qualification.

I'm sure however back home there will be some rejoicing as United lost 2-1. Now all those United fans in the South East will have something to do on Thursday evenings as they negotiate their way through the Europa League. In terms of viewing figures it will provide a bonus for C5.

Basle of course wore red and blue stripes ,the same strip as Barcelona, perhaps Ferguson can make an excuse out of that.

Port Macquerie

Written 6/12/11

How different is a New South Wales seaside resort to those at home in England. After Sydney's at best indifferent weather, Port Macquerie was bright and on the whole sunny. The shorts that i had brought to Australia finally made their way out of the suitcase. There were still seagulls, but also pelicans who seemed to target our white car at regular intervals.

The town was well planned, the beaches wre sandy and wide, but it was what was missing no tacky souvenirs, no amusement arcades and no overt drunkenness.

The highlight of our stay was a Sunday afternoon river cruise on the Hastings river. Sitting on the upper deck, watching the river flow into the sea. Good fortunate in that we had the chance to see a Sea Eagle perched in a tree, on the return trip this bird was joined by its partner. A spectacular sighting.

On Monday morning I set out to accomplish something that I had long wanted to do. For some months off and on I've been running, before the summer at this gym, now was the chance to run on a beach. I'd hoped for a warm morning, but sadly I was again let down. I set off soon after 6am, but the wind blew and the beach was near deserted but for around a dozen brave surfers in wet suits who took on the waves on Town Beach.

As the waves crashed against the break waters I started to appreciate the skill of the surfer. I grew up in inner city London,I can count the number of times I visited the local swimming pool on the fingers of one hand. As I watched the surfers I thought that if I'd grown up in Australia how much more likely it would have been for me to have developed a more positive relationship to swimming and water in general. As a 58 year old who can manage little more than a width in a swimming pool, I looked on in admiration of those who go out on boards to take on the waves. Growing up in London offered me many advantages, surfing wasn't one of them.

Clarkson

Written 3/12/11

The only item of UK news that has found its way into the Australian media is the televised comment of Jeremy Clarkson that public sector workers on strike should be shot in front of their families. Now obviously Clarkson's comments should be condemned, although I doubt whether any progressives in the UK harboured any doubts about Clarkson's political views even before this tirade.

It is interesting to note the difference in the approach of the BBC. Not that long ago Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand were seriously disciplined for some at best comments in "bad taste" on a late night radio show. Yet here is Clarkson on peak time TV offering the feeblest of apologies.

However I think there's a more important aspect to the whole affair. During the summer riots, two young men were imprisoned for more than just a token sentence for posting a message on facebook that they wanted to start a riot in Northwich. However Clarkson goes on national TV and proposes the murder of two million Uk citizens in front of their families and the Prime Minister dismisses it as him as "just being silly". Clarkson says " it was a joke". Strange the two men in Northwich used the " it was a joke" argument in court. It didn't wash with the judiciary, why should Clarkson get preferential treatment ? Unless of course he's a personal friend of Cameron and belongs to the Chipping Norton set.

When the NOTW was exposed for phone tapping, many companies withdrew their advertisements. It would be good if companies now refused to stock Clarkson's books and DVDs. If the BBC won' take the moral high ground, perhaps others should step up.

Political Developments Down Under

Written 2/12/12

While public sector strikes over changes to pensions dominate news in the UK, and the Climate Change talks continue in Durban, here in Australia the hottest political issue of the weekend is the ALP's discussion on whether to change their policy position on same sex marriage.

Ironically this debate at its annual conference in Sydney occurs just after World Aids Day and when Elton John is in town for concerts both here and in the Hunter Valley. The debate appears, based on the opinion of those who have analysed the make up of the ALP, destined to herald a historic change. The supporters of change clearly, and rightly in my opinion, see this as a human rights issue. How can you claim to support equality and oppose discrimination yet deny a feature of life that is enshined in the UN declaration of human rights.

The Labor Prime Minister Julia Gilliard appears to have forced herself into a corner by proposing that Labor MPs be given a free vote on the issue,by insisting on what she calls a "conscience clause". This ,to me, fails to take into account the essence of democracy; democracies should be judged not on how the majority is treated, but by how the majority view and treat minorities. Denying human rights to minorities, is a denial of democracy.

Politicians here, as in the UK, ponder over whether there are votes in it. The ALP have been accused of having this debate because they are under pressure from the left, the Australian Greens being the one party to openly support same sex marriage. Social reform requires those in power to show political leadership, once change is initiated, public opinion often follows. Waiting for "the public" or "let's get the media on our side" is an abdication of responsibility of politicians to lead public opinion rather than slavishly follow it.

Sunny Sunday in Sydney - time for cricket

Written 28/11/11

The sun finally emerged on Saturday afternoon as we were on our way to Parramatta. Arrangements were quickly altered allowing us to spend the next day, Sunday, at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

I should have reasoned that cities around the world do rail maintenance on Sundays, and therefore it should have been no surprise that our journey was stopped short of our destination and we had to complete the last part from Central to Circular Quay by bus.

For some reason this confused a number of passengers who strangely seemed to think we knew the way and asked us for guidance. Anyway after renewing acquaintance with a number of sites, the Sydney bridge and the Rocks, we boarded the bus to Moore Park, home of the SCG. Even from the road outside I could tell that this to be " a bit special".

The SCG is a iconic ground, it has a history of cricket, rugby league and now AFL. Once through the turnstiles we were in eye shot of statues of Steve Waugh and Ritchie Benaud, that stand outside the members pavilion reminding spectators of the tradition and heritage of the SCG.

Sunday marked the 21st Anniversary of ABC's Sunday Grandstand programme and as a result the NSW v WA game was offered with free admission. in additional ground tours were provided incorporating a chance to visit the museum.

Although I've been in the pavilion at a number of English grounds not least the Oval and Lords, to walk through the pavilion at the SCG was an unexpected bonus. There's an eleven year waiting list for membership.

As for the game the 4 day Sheffield Shield fixture seemed to interest us more than the Sydney public. The attendance numbered around a thousand scattered across three stands. As the sun shone the wicket bcame easier and NSW began to build a large innings with Simon Kaditch at one end and young debutant Kurtis Patterson at the other; the scoreboard began to tick over faster.

As the afternoon session moved towards the tea interval, Patterson overtook the experienced Kaititch and moved towards his maiden century for NSW on debut. His century arrived with a boundary just before tea and the crowd rose to applaud the start of what may be the start of a cricketing career already dubbed the new KP by the Sydney press.

In order to spend some time in town we left the SCG after tea but Kaititch would also reached his century and Patterson eventually made 157 before finally surrendering his wicket.

Back in Sydney after a brisk walk around the quay we had the chance at look at the huge cruise ship ( Rhapsody of the Seas) in the harbour that dwarfed the passenger ferries that move about the harbour. We made our way through the Rocks for an evening meal and drink at the Merchantile Hotel. This has become a firm favourite of ours on visits to Sydney. Sunday always brings forth musical entertainment. Usually a traditional Irish style band will deliver well known irish tunes, today however they focussed upon some Johnny Cash standards, however midway our stay a man walked past me who made me do a double take. In fairness he had styled himself as Rod Stewart with appropriate hair, dress and walk. Within minutes he was at the mike offering a couple of Rod numbers. His voice struggled but full marks to his hairdresser.

The evening ended with us battling the car's air conditioning system, on a warm evening, we could not prevent the heated driver's seat from operating; needless to say it wasn't a comfortable journey home, and I finished the night with a butt impersonating rump steak.

Rain

Written 25/11/11

Since we landed in Sydney now 48 hours ago, it has rained. Heavy continuous rain, morning, noon and night. The news says it's the heaviest rain for six months.

Jetlagged, it's 2.30am and I'm trying to sleep, all I can hear is rain hitting the windows and bouncing off the balcony. My mind has turned to constructing a compilation album of songs that focus on rain and the fact it's raining.

My list is as follows:

Purple Rain - Prince

Rain King - Counting Crows

Rhythmn of the Rain - Cascades

Here comes the rain again - Eurhythmics

Fire and Rain - James Taylor

Rainy Day Women - Bob Dylan

Hard Rain's gonna fall - Bob Dylan

Flowers in the Rain - Move

Rain on the Roof - Lovin' Spoonful

Rainy Night in Georgia - Gladys Knight and the Pips

Raining in Baltimore - Counting Crows

Rain please go away - Alison Krauss and Union Station

Carolina Rain - Ryan Adams

Raining in my heart - Buddy Holly

Rain - The Beatles

Walking in the Rain - Love Unlimited Orchestra

Singing in the Rain - Gene Kelly

Footnote: The rain continued for five unrelenting days, it stopped as quickly as it started.

Thoughts on a journey to Australia

Written 22/11/11

An Inconvenient Truth:
Several times in recent months I've had reason to visit airports. On my last visit to collect my son and his girlfriend, I was met by too unfortunate images the first was a sizeable number of returning visitors arriving in the UK in October dressed as if it was mid summer, but by far the more worrying was the presence at Gatwick of a handful of armed and armoured police officers accompanied by a springer spaniel. Was their presence designed to make me feel safer ? It did not. It is however a sign of the times.

Now we are at Heathrow, after an unplanned tube journey at get there because the M25 is closed because of an accident. Fog has arrived in London and flights will be delayed. I stand in the terminal and am faced with a bewildering variety of people from probably every continent on earth. What hits me is the scale of air transport, and of course this is only passenger traffic, the arrival this week in the shops of blueberries from Uruguay shows the other side of air traffic.
Unless a way is found to reduce the carbon emissions from planes how can we tackle climate change , but as I look at all these travellers I'm left to ponder , how can we persuade people not to fly ?

How can the message of protecting the planet's future or the lifes of people of those who the average air passenger will never know or meet be saved. I write this a week before the UN Climate Change talks start in Durban, South Africa. Heathrow reveals the enormity of the task, and I understand that mainstream politics routed in short termism and the need to win the next election really doesn't stand a chance.

There's nothing to watch and I've lost my desire to read, I find myself gazing at a world map on screen and follow the path of the plane. I look at the route of our flight and I'm suddenly aware that we are flying over Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ahead it seems are the cities and provinces that a few years ago I was barely aware about, and I realise that they are now below me, although of course 38,000 feet below.

Some hours later we land in Singapore. As I walk through the terminal I realise that for the first time in my life I'm away from european dominance. In the past I've travelled to Europe, the USA and Australia but a few hours sitting in Singapore's terminal awaiting our next flight to Sydney makes me realise that there are billions living in Asia and I suspect like many europeans I had previously given this side of the world little attention.

It's the last leg of a very long journey, and I choose to watch the last part of David Attenborough's "Frozen Planet" series. Attenborough issues a dire warning about climate change at the poles. That I should be watching it on an aircraft contributing to the problem hits me, butthe whole series has been BBC television at its best, and should probably be mandatory viewing for those who doubt climate change.

Some time away

Its been more than a couple of months since I've written in this blog, however I've been collecting thoughts, thinking about directions and getting on with the new experience of retirement.

The most exciting project was the research, planning, and finally installation of solar panels on our roof. Frankly after inviting three companies to deliver presentations ( sales pitches) to us I almost gave up the will to live. I discovered I knew more than the first company's salesman, who might as well have been selling double glazing. Eventually we settled on the third company to visit, in large part because by this time we knew what questions to ask, and what answers to expect.

Midway through the process the government announced that household solar panels and the FIT scheme was becoming too popular and therefore they would cut the amount paid for power generated by installing panels for all projects not completed and registered by mid December. Fortunately our installation was booked for November and the efficiency of both the company ( Southern Solar) and our energy supplier (Ecotricity) ensured that we beat the government's deadline.

The other reason for not writing has been that we've been away for nearly a month in Australia and Singapore. While away I decided to write a few pieces as I tried to follow news and events, so the next few pieces were penned in November/early December although they won't appear in the blog till later in December.

Lords Victory

Last Saturday was the CB40 final. This is usually the game that brings the curtain down on the domestic cricket season. However it's rather more than that to me this year as Surrey are in the final.

What a week its been, I was lucky enough to spend Monday and Tuesday at the Oval watching the first two days of Surrey v Derbyshire, needless to say on Day 3 Surrey had the game wrapped up and were promoted to Division 1 for next season. It's been a fantastic last month , victory after victory propelled the team towards promotion.,

Meanwhile a victory over Sussex in the CB40 ensured a place in the final. For once football was sacrificed on a Saturday. A decision was taken to buy "posh seats" and we were off to Lords. We stayed the night before in Tooting, which made the journey much easier, and although the weather was changeable, the seats in the Upper Grandstand offered a spectacular view not only of the ground but also the London skyline, and as a bonus they were both under cover and padded !

I should have known it was going to be our day when Matt Spreigel had Marcus Trescothick stumped before he could do serious damage. Somerset never built a dominant partnership and 214 seemed gettable. However when the rain came Surrey were 46-2 and Steve Davies and Jason Roy were back in the pavilion, Roy on the last ball before the umpires took the players off.
Enter Duckworth/Lewis who revised the target, in what was to become a 30 over game.

The Surrey innings was dominated by Rory Hamilton-Brown and he got the team within striking distance before being run out. It was that to Spreigs to get the final runs, and the Cup was ours, and as soon as the lap of honour was completed, we made our way home in the rain !

Looking back on Norfolk

Had I not retired I would have been returning to work on the first week of September. All the more reason to ensure that we had alternative arrangements. For the second year we have madeour way to Norfolk, this time we settled on the North Norfolk coast and stayed in the small coastal resort of Wells next the Sea.

Wells provided an excellent base, small enough to walk around but large enough to have a range of independent shops,cafes and restaurants. A week without supermarkets and chain stores, absolutely wonderful.Fresh produce,much locally grown, personal service and people who had time to engage in conversation.

The beach at Wells stretched for miles and was wider than any I can remember at high tide. With schools having returned, walking on near deserted beaches was a delight. Looking a beach huts with only the occasional dog walker for company, was the experience both at Wells and at nearby Holkham.

I'd wanted to visit Holkham because of its place in the history of British farming. Little did I know that we'd walk amongst deer herds and cast eyes upon one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the country. We decided against a visit to the stately home but explored the farming museum.

For a number of years BBC Springwatch was filmed close to Fakenham at Pensthorpe. So a day there viewing rare breeds and walking through gardens was always going to feature on our plan. What I didn't know was the site is owned by cereal manufacturer Jordan, and obviously a considerable investment has been put into the whole site. Pensthorpe is used as a breeding colony for red squirrels,which are then transported to Anglesey and returned to the wild. In recent times there have been sitings of Otters on the river Wensum that flows through the estate.

Unfortunately my seal watching trip had to be postponned owing to gale force 6 winds., which makes a return visit to North Norfolk all the more likely. On the return home we stopped off at Trowse, Norwich to sample the delights of the River Green Cafe. A truly wonderful vegetarian restaurant, excellent food, organic cider, a great way to round off four days away.

Indian Summer

Over the past few months whenever anyone asked me what I planned to do in retirement, I have responded with I aim to become a professional cricket watcher. There's no doubt I've watched more this season than in previous years, in spite of somewhat indifferent weather.

It's been a joy to watch Surrey progress and the opportunity to go to games at the Oval and fortunately experience becoming an "away supporter" has been an added bonus. The performances of Jason Roy, Steven Davies and Matt Spreigel have all been memorable. During August we've been to Hove on a couple of occasions, and also went to Northampton for the first time. Northampton would not be everyone first chose for a break but the cricket was excellent, the Club very hospitable and the Travelodge at £10 for the night unbeatable. Hove is a great experience, the sea,the cafes and bars, the ground has an excellent feel. As an added bonus we went to visit local photographer Tony Bowall and were able to select some prints. All in all Hove has been a delight this summer.

On the bonuses of being a Surrey member is to be able to buy tickets for the Oval test match. England came into the Oval test match 3-0 up in the test series against India and as newly crowned World No1 test nation. However the Oval test showed that this England side has a ruthless streak and as a result the Oval was able to witness an excellent century from KP, a double century from Ian Bell and a match winning spell of bowling from Graeme Swann. Five days in SE11, now that's a summer holiday.

It only took nine years !

In all truthfulness,as years have gone by I've become all the more convinced that the English football season should not start till the beginning of September. I might compromise on August Bank Holiday weekend but no earlier. The way that football has encroached upon the cricket season I find both galling and offensive.Nevertheless there was one game that I wouldn't miss. It has been building all summer since AFC Wimbledon defeat Luton in the play offs at Eastlands.

On Saturday 6th August the Dons returned to the Football League. OK when the FA endeavoured to murder Wimbledon FC, we were a championship club, but in 9 seasons we have been reborn and have progressed from the Combined Counties League through the football pyramid the right way until we again belong among the 92 ( in truth 91 clubs and a franchise).

It seems a long time ago that I was writing " A Unique Solution", my account of AFC Wimbledon's first season, but somehow there was this inner belief that the wrong would be righted, thatthe Dons would again ply their trade in the football league.

Wimbledon FC had started their football league life in 1977, not in the blue and white of my youth nor indeed the yellow and blue that had seen them win the FA Cup in 1988. In 1977 when they took the field in the historic 3-3 draw v Halifax Town, they wore a white kit with blue trim. So it seemed appropriate that the Club should seek the approval of the Football League to produce a commemorative white kit to wear at Kingsmeadow for the 1st home league game.

The game kicked off not at 3pm, but at 12.45pm as it had been selected by Sky Sports to be shown live, Tv camera gantries, CCTV control boxes, and stricter segregation showed the step up from last years Conference.

On the day the occasion mattered more than the result, and the 3-2 home defeat seemed secondary. I got the job of producing the match report for the South London Press, which I include below. However the important news was the Dons are back and it only took nine years.

No fairytale ending for the Dons

AFC Wimbledon 2 Bristol Rovers 3

npower league 2

by Paul Jeater

Just after 12.30pm on Saturday 6^th August all around Kingsmeadow you could hear fans singing : “nine years, it only took nine years”. As the players walked out onto the pitch, the dream became reality –Wimbledon were back in the Football League.

A capacity crowd, the game had sold out days before, witnessed the Dons take the field in an “all-white” kit, a close replica to that worn by Wimbledon on their debut in the football league in 1977 when they drew 3-3 with Halifax at Plough Lane.

In front of Sky and BBCTV cameras the Dons soon fashioned the game’s first chance, the visitors defence were troubled by the pace of Christian Jolley and he found himself one on one with the Rovers keeper. Unfortunately the Dons striker failed to lift the ball and the keeper deflected it for a corner.

Gradually however the Rovers side packed with players with considerable league experience settled and able to expose the Dons defensive frailties. In 17^th minute Dons keeper Seb Brown released the ball to Ricky Wellard in central midfield, Wellard learned suddenly that at this level you do not get much time to dwell on the ball and he was rapidly dispossessed by ex Norwich City player Matt Gill. The ball was fed to the journeyman striker Scott McGleish, who used all his experience to fire low across Brown into the side of the net.

Within three minutes the Dons found themselves two goals adrift, this time McGleish turned provider. After Seb Brown saved his initial effort, the marksman had the presence of mind to cross the ball for the towering figure of Matt Harrold to head low into the goal.

Nevertheless the Dons continued to create chances and after 30 minutes Jack Midson sent Luke Moore through on goal but again Bevan in the Rovers goal smothered the effort. Jolley continued to pose a threat down the left wing and after the Dons striker was fouled from the resulting free kick AFC Wimbledon clawed their way back into the game. The set piece was taken by Sam Hatton and his kick was met perfectly by skipper Jamie Stuart whose glancing header was planted firmly into the net. The goal raised the spirits of both Dons players and fans as half time arrived.

Stuart had achieved the distinction of being the first player to score a league goal for Wimbledon since David Connolly scored a 90^th minute penalty against Bradford City at Selhurst Park in April 2002.

The Dons attacked the Tempest End at the start of the second half and after 57 minutes had a penalty appeal turned down when a Stuart header appeared to hit Harrold on the arm. Soon after the hour mark manager Terry Brown made inspired substitutions with Max Porter and Christian Jolley being replaced by Lee Minshull and Charles Ademeno. Within three minutes these two players had combined to produce the Dons equaliser. The combative Minshull challenged for the ball and it was headed into the danger area where Ademeno was first to react, swivelling and firing low into the Rovers net.

As the game reached its closing stages the visitors appeared to be finishing the stronger and Brown was forced into a number of saves. However the points were finally decided in the 85^th minute, following a high ball played into the Dons penalty area defender Brett Johnson jumped between two Rovers players, the ball made contact with Johnson’s raised arm and the referee had no hesitation in giving the penalty.

This time however, Seb Brown the hero of play off penalty shoot out, had no chance and Virgo produced a firm spot kick to the keeper’s left. Any hope that the game might finish 3-3 in keeping with Wimbledon’s first league game in 1977 vanished when in time added on, late substitute Chris Bush fired over from an acute angle.

Saturday’s game was as much about the occasion as it was the result. Manager Terry Brown knows that his first priority is to eradicate the defensive lapses that are easily punished in football at this level. Once that is achieved, the Dons can start to accumulate the 50 points that Brown has set as a target for safety as the Dons bed themselves back into the Football League.

Dons: Brown 7 Hatton 8 Gwillim 6 (sub 81) Porter 6 (sub 62) Stuart 8 (yellow 4),Johnson 6,Yussuff 6,Wellard 6,Midson 6,L.Moore 6 Jolley 7 (sub 65)

Subs: Bush (81) Ademeno 6(65) Mishull 7 (62) Not Used : S. Moore, Turner

Rovers:Bevan 7 Smith 6,Stanley 6,Gill 8,Harrold 8,McGleish 7(sub 62) Brown 6,Anthony 6,Anyinsah6 (yellow13,sub76) Virgo 7 (yellow 39) Zebroski 6(yellow 9,sub 52)

Subs: Lines (52) Carayol(76) Kuffour(62) Not used: Bolger,Brown

Attendance :4629

Referee: K.Stroud 7

Match Rating 8

Man of Match: Jamie Stuart –captain’s performance at both ends of the pitch

Best Moment: The moment that the two teams walked onto the pitch, Wimbledon are back!

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Holiday that never was

It's been six weeks since I've written. Traditionally these six weeks have been my summer holiday. We've taken the opportunity to get away before preparing ourselves for a new school year. This year is of course different. I've tried and indeed am trying to adjust to the fact that next Monday I won't be returning to work. After twenty years it's proving difficult to detach myself from the routines and thought processes that I've developed over the years.

I suppose the other reason for nor writing is that August is usually a "quiet month" month in the world of politics. This year,of course, the summer was dominated by the "shopping riots" as the French media so aptly described them. While people around the world demonstrate and take to the streets to acquire fundamental human rights, in urban England people riot and loot to acquire trainers and smart phones.

I decided not to immediate write regarding my feelings about the summer, but I'm left weeks later looking at deeper causation. If we promote a society where people are judged by their possessions, possessions that are marketted at young people who are then denied the opportunities to acquire the wealth to buy them, then don't be surprised by the events that occurred in high streets in London/Birmingham etc.

Weeks later, as London prepares for the 2012 Olympics, I read that to reach the Olympic Stadium from the railway station at Stratford, spectators have to pass through the newly built Westfield Shopping City. More and more we are seen as consumers rather than citizens, and this development, reinforces this view.

As of today I'm no longer being paid by my previous employer, I've become a pensioner. How will this affect my lifestyle and thought. I sense these may be themes that I will return to in the weeks ahead.

Another Day

Last week by any standards was long. My last week at work, a dinner with work friends and a few beers on Monday, the official function complete with speeches and gifts on Wednesday and final farewells on Friday. Standing in the pub having a beer or two on Friday, with many people saying goodbye for the summer but with me knowing that it was the end of a chapter. I'll return in September as I'm taking part in a sponsorred event but it'll be different. From now on I'm officially retired ! Friday evening saw what I thought would be a quiet curry at the local curry house turn out to be a family affair, and a very enjoyable evening. Meeting up with the family raised my spirits and prepared me for Saturday.

The day after retiring I made my debut for Ingatestone & Fryerning Cricket Club 2nd XI at the ripe age of 58. An excellent game played in great spirit saw us losewith just 9 balls remaining. The result was in doubt until the final minutes. With my son captaining the side, and scoring 85 and his "old man" contributing 1 before being run out, it was a day that I'll remember for a long time. The day that we joined the "fathers and sons" who have played for the village side, although I suspect that there aren't many, where the son makes his debut before the father.

The Clock is ticking down

Been away from here for more than a couple of weeks . For more than 20 years late June has been a busy time or me. I think it was in the mid 80s, needing cash, that I applied to become an examiner ( a person who marks students A level papers), and since then its just become part of the annual calendar.

This year more than any other my relaxation from this work has been cricket. T20 cricket may not be to everyones taste, but it provides entertainment and relaxation after a working day. With two games to go Surrey can still qualify for the quarter finals and possibly acquire home advantage. So Kent on Thursday and a visit to Hove on Friday awaits.

The last weeks news has been dominated by the phone hacking scandal initially at the News of the World and now gradually spreading across the whole News International empire. I think its too early to draw any immediate conclusions, but there is a sense that the world of print journalism will never be the same, after these revelations.

I was dismayed to read that many commentators described the end of the NOTW as the death of a British institution. Now I gave up reading it when I was a boy and as I began to appreciate that there was more to life than vicars, call girls and choirboys. What's more their predictions for football transfers invariably never came true. A few years later I came to understand, that there was a more important political purpose behind such papers with their dumbing down of real news and their drip feeding of an unpleasant political agenda to the readership. Now I'm left to ponder the relationship between the owner,journalists and readership. Why do 4 million people want to read tittle tattle regarding the private lives of footballers,TV celebrities and the occasional politician ?

As the week moves on I'm aware that I have less than two weeks before my retirement, the curtain is being drawn on my teaching career. Its a strange feeling, and one that hangs over me rather at unexpected moments. Put simply its a large portion of life ticked off, but something tells me that its more complex. We are defined by our work, its what people ask you when you first meet. "What do you do ?", is the opening question, I've often hoped that someone would ask "What do you believe in ?". It would be so much more interesting.

24 hours in Brighton and Hove

Sunday morning and we're travelling to the south coast. After a picnic lunch in the grounds of Pevensey Castle ( reliving old memories) it was onto Brighton for the afternoon. We arrived at the hotel 90 minutes early, and declining to pay an extra ten pounds we decided to take the morning paper and explore and sit in Preston Park. We've driven past the park many times, now there was the opportunity to stroll and take in the features of a fine Victorian open space. How our cities need open space and how well they are used. The park swarmed with many informal kick abouts, the tennis courts were full, dog walkers,and couples with disposable BBQs they all share this "common open space". We saw the clock tower, what chance that such a fine structure would be built in a park today. The circular tea room, the ornamental pond, the rose garden and finally the wonderful harvest garden.

The Harvest Garden really took my eye, this small piece of ground, showing how a small piece of land can grow vegetables for personal use. A scheme educational and inspiring. Our hotel room overlooked the park, a wonderful panorama.

In the late afternoon it was a twenty minute walk to Sussex County Cricket Club in time to grab some food and get in the ground in time to see Elton John.I first saw Elton John in the Royal Festival Hall in 1970. His second and third albums arrived with me when singer/songwriters were perhaps at their peak, and Tumbleweed Connection remains an album I still play frequently today.

Elton is in many ways a symbol of what is good about Britain. He's become something of a national treasure. He could have easily fled the UK in the past, but he stayed, and his position as perhaps Britain's best known gay man has I sense led to greater understanding and hopefully tolerance . The fact that the crowd had a sprinkling of both young and rather old, is testamont to Elton's longeavity as a performer.

The show was a blend of greatest hits, some stand out tracks from Madman across the Water (a great and somewhat underrated album) and three tracks from his latest album The Union.
Elton came back on stage after the performance, signed some programmes for fans and then concluded the night with "Your Song". It was a great show in a wonderful setting.

We walked back to the hotel stopping for a drink (infact two, because I called heads) in a pub. The next morning we walked down through North Laine, sat outdoors a cafe to have breakfast ( a changing habit in the UK), and then made our way to the seafront.

The sea at Brighton, the smell, the sound of the waves hitting the shingle, the sound of the occasional seagull, the sight of the iconic pier. We took it all in, before making our way back to the hotel before leaving town.

Political compass

Saturday 25th June and I was attending the conference of Compass on Building the Good Society. It's some years since I've attended this type of event, speeches, workshops and a question time event. Compass at one time a "Labour only" forum has opened its doors to what is loosely termed "the proggressive left". Hence my attendance. Actually there a fair sprinkling of Greens and some "social liberals".

The day started with interesting speeches from UK Uncut and UK Feminista , UK Uncut have been a breath of fresh air in the anti-cuts campaign, and it was thought provoking to listen to the experiences of the two activists.

My first workshop was on "Why should Labour engage with the progressive left ?" Immediately I felt the question was the wrong way round. After the experience of recent years, why should the left direct their attention to Labour ? An interesting debate, in which the contributions by the Guardian's John Harris were very interesting.

After lunch a seminar on political reform chaired by Caroline Lucas. This time a speaker from 38 degrees who also made a dramatic impact over the past twelve months fighting the proposed forest sell off.

Throughout the day I struggled with my recurring political conundrum of the past year. Having left the Labour Party in writing at the end of 2009, I have worked to detach myself from a grip that dates back 30 years. Once again I found myself much nearer to the ideas and vision of the Greens. Yes I may have to accept that the power base won't shift much beyond Brighton in the medium term, but that seems a an acceptable price compared to accepting the desire for power without political principle. Time and again I heard Labour spokesperson talking about "listening to the people" which was coded language for we'll be harder than the Tories on crime and immigration. No where was their the idea that political parties should form and mould public opinion not slavishly follw it, which seems like heading head firsat into populism.

At question time while Caroline lucas and John Harris tackled questions on wealth redistribution and salary inequality head on, Labour wriggled and said little. The accomodation of capital was there for all to see. When a Labour MP told public sector workers that they shouldn't be going onstrike next Thursday, another nail was driven into the coffin of the Party that I once worked so enthusiastically for.

I don't know what the future holds politically, but if Saturday confirmed anything, there's no turning back, my Labour days are behind me.

When the "Big Man" joined the band

It's a couple of weeks since I've written, a mixture of work and a desire to see how things panned out; however I woke this morning to hear the news of the death of Clarence "Big Man" Clemons. Clarence was the saxophone player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street band, but he was so much more.

Clarence was Sundance to Springsteen's "Butch Cassidy". On stage especially in the early shows Clemence played with vigour and athleticism , the like of which I'd never seen. The 4 hour marathon shows with Clarence blowing throughout.

As I look at the poster of Bruce and Clarence that hangs in our living room, I begin to realise that E Street will never be the same. There's also the realisation that I'm reaching that time of life when those who inspired me especially as a young man, are beginning to come to the end of their lives.

Clarence has left a huge imprint , he produced such memorable music, today I can't get beyond his solo on Jungleland. I always felt privileged if we went to see Bruce and Jungleland was played. It is pressed deep into my memory, in the same way as the photo that adorns the Born to Run cover. Clarence very much gone, but never to be forgotten.

RIP Big Man

Dylan at 70

While away in Greece I heard that Bob Dylan had reached his 70th birthday. .Now some years ago Leonard Cohen reached this milestone and as these days I tend to listen to Cohen more frequently than Dylan that should have a greater impact, yet somehow it doesn't. Cohen always seemed older, he belonged to a previous generation, he experienced life before rock n'roll. However Cohen somehow portrayed a life that as an eighteen year old I could only admire. Living on a Greek island, writing poetry and talking in a near religious tone about sex seemed a distant dream when I first heard Sisters of Mercy.

I came across Dylan quite early. I was fortunate in that a friend's older brother was a early devotee, and I spent many an afternoon sitting in his living room in Tooting listening to Dylan Lps. The Freewheelin'Bob Dylan with tales of Oxford Town and Talking World War Three Blues had instant appeal to my inquisitive mind.

By 16 I was listening to Blonde on Blonde. Dylan broke many rules, while not at the time appreciating how he "betrayed" the folk scenr by going electric, I did understand that songs weren't normally close to twenty minutes long. How I wondered at Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. I was thrilled by the lyrical images of "I want you" and Visions of Joanna seemed to take music to a level that I'd never experienced before.

The last album of Dylan's that I remember buying as it came out was Nashville Skyline. While many struggled with Dylan sings country. I joyfully sang along with Lay,Lady,Lay and I threw it all away.

In the mid 70s Dylan reached the zenith of his influence over me, the Blood on the Tracks and Desire albums were rarely fair from our hifi. A remember sitting at a party with some work friends and putting Blood on the Tracks on the stereo and singing along to the entire album. I can only assume that I and indeed many of the others were too drunk to care, as Jeater sings Dylan has never been widely acclaimed.

We saw Dylan at Earls Court in 1978. It was the only concert that I can remember queuing through the night to get tickets, such was the demand. He hadn't played in London for years and the this era was captured with the Live at Budokan album.

From the late 70's Dylan and I drifted apart. He fell into christianity and other singer songwriters wrote of life experiences that I understood to a greater degree. There have been occasional glimpses of greatness in his later years, the album Time out of Mind tackled growing older with tracks like Not Dark Yet and Trying to get to Heaven (before they close the door).

Dylan today tours at a rate unheard of to many younger performers. I won't see him in concert again, I want to remember him as he was. Some artists grow old with you, Dylan however, for me, is timeframed. Before I wrote this I checked my ipod and realised that there were no Dylan tracks on it. He has become an important memory, a part of what we have become, but somehow he has drifted into my past and not been carried with me into the present and probably not the future.

Santorini

While away from home, I penned a few pieces that now appear some days later.

A day into a weeks break in Greece and it feels that I've definately put both time and space between and what has become "normal" life. It's the first time I've ever been away when I should have been at work. I'm very grateful for being able to negotiate the time off in lieu.Ocaasionally images flash through my mind of what I should have been doing, but hopefully they'll fade as the week rolls on. Yet I'm aware that in 24 hours I've detached myself from the TV, internet and the daily papers.

I fell asleep this afternoon, something I'd never do in the UK. It would be easy to eat my way through the week but I remain determined to resist the temptation. Lethargy prevented me from going for a run this morning, but carrying six large bottles of water up the hill to the hotel undoubtedly compensated.

The scenery is rugged and picturesque, the white and "greek" blue of the houses provides a memorable landscape of buildings. Behind them stands the mountain of rock, a constant reminder of the island's geological foundations.

Greece is as much a collection of islands as it is the mainland. Santorini is not the busiest or the most populated but it provides a perfect back drop to some of the economic conditions facing Europe. It's late May and the tourist season is getting into second gear, expecations are not good.
A local restaurant owner explains that taxes have increased, he asks how as a country can we be in so much debt ? He's convinced that the people are never told the truth. The future Greek economy is now dependent on German loans, he ponders perhaps we can offer them some islands. Greece has plenty of uninhabited islands ( my wife says they are not uninhabited, as they provide vital habitats for wildlife). The restaurant owner explains there are a small country, he says they work hard as a nation, judging by the hours worked in Santorini that's undoubtedly true. Where did the debt come from ?

At the hotel the barman by the pool is not local, he comes from Riga,Latvia. For three years he has spent six months of the year here. A month painting and preparing for the season and then five months serving drinks. He is a symbol of EU expansion post-2004. Greece is a country of 10 million , how can the debt be paid in the short term, there's a level to which working people will not accept living standards falling..

Meanwhile on Santorini , local people compete for tourists like us. It's the survival of the most enterprising. While I think about someone from Riga working in Perissa, of course the other side of EU membership and globalisation is also present. The restaurant owner is a huge Manchester United fan and he's got our custom because on Saturday night he's showing the Champions League final on a big screen. The irony is that Saturday is traditionally "Greek Night" at the restaurant with music and dancing, but this week it will finish early to allow customers and some of the staff to watch Manchester United v Barcelona from Wembley Stadium.

Is it just a dream, just a crazy dream ?

Close to nine years ago,the 14th May 2002, the FA killed my football club. Now, we're back. It's been an incredible journey. On Saturday at sometime around 5.30pm,Danny Kedwell buried the winning penalty kick in the Promotion Play Off Final at Manchester City's stadium, and ran to where we were positioned. The celebrations began, there were tears of joy in my eyes as it dawned on me that we were returning to the Football League.

In the days ahead there will be many words written about the rise of AFC Wimbledon, there should be. It deserves to be a best seller, a Hollywood blockbuster. How a group of football fans wouldn't let their club die. For now however, I want to look forward not back. It's time to think about the new journeys and challenges that lie ahead. The league fixtures that are published in June and now eagerly awaited, the Carling Cup draw that would normally not even be worth a glance at the daily paper is now to be keenly observed.

Meanwhile the images that fill my head are of the elation of the penalty shoot out, of Seb Brown's saves, how appropriate that someone who has been a fan of the Club since Day 1, who stood at the Recreation Ground, Sandhurst on that first day in the CCL should take centre stage, and the meeting up with so many people I didn't know nine years ago.

Yes I will continue to ask if all this really did happen. It did because people want to right an injustice. This should serve as an inspiration, hopefully it will.

We're going to Man City

Less than ten years ago we stood on verge of extinction, the FA said Wimbledon EC could move to Milton Keynes and a new team , Wimbledon Town wasn't "in the wider interests of football". Well as most football people know a new club was formed by the fans of Wimbledon, and nine years later we stand just one game away from returning to the football league.

Last night the Dons carried a 2-0 lead into the second leg tie with fleetwood. The next goal in the circumstances would be so vital. That goal came in 27seconds and the Dons never looked back , winning the game 6-1, 8-1 on aggregate.

Yes it was one sided, in truth Fleetwood never turned up, although on occasions Seb Brown was still forced to pull off several fine saves. Now we are heading to the play off final on Saturday 21st May at the City of Manchester stadium. The tickets have been purchased, over the days ahead further planning will take place.

We are simply 90 minutes away from the football league.

Rain and Cricket

On Friday and Saturday it rained. Now that shouldn't surprise nor should it be memorable to record. Yet it is. The truth is we haven't had any rain for a month, all the more unusual as this period is within the months of April-May.

Ironically of course rain coincided with a weekend when cricket was to dominate. With no football at the weekend, Saturday had a very different flavour, a trip to the gym and the chance to go and watching our village cricket team while sitting outside the pavilion with a pint of beer. I don't want to get all " John Major" but there is something almost uniquely English and rural England at that, about watching cricket in the sunshine and drinking beer. It sums up summer for me.

And I just can't get enough, so Sunday we went to the Oval to see Surrey v Leicestershire in the CB40 competition. A great day out. Surrey scoring 206 and then bowling Leicestershire out with 17 runs to spare. Three games into the competition and 3 wins. Just perhaps winning ways are returning to the Oval. If so this is going to be a very enjoyable summer.

Truckers and Referendums

That's last Thursday night. The awaited return to London of the Drive by Truckers. With just one or two omissions this was a near perfect set for me.As I wrote on the Americana forum the Cooley tracks were really the stand-outs for me. From Uncle Frank to Women without Whisky, Gravity's Gone to Self Destructive Zones, and of course Zip City, Cooley delivered. This is all a bit harsh on Patterson Hood, but sometimes some songs just work. Patterson still delivered on Putting people on the Moon, which remains one of the most "political" songs I know.

I wasn't sure how the " Go Go Boots" songs would entwine themselves into the set, but I was still humming "Used to be a Cop" 90 minutes after the show as I got home.

It was election night and this year I took my place in front of the TV and watched results from councils up and down the country pour in. In fact given that my local council is likely to remain Tory till "hell freezes over", it was elsewhere that took my attention. I retreated to bed sometime after 1am with the news that the Brighton ballots wouldn't be counted till Friday morning.

At work, one half of my brain engaged with revision classes and the other focussing on council election results and the news gradually trickling through that the Greens had become the largest party on Brighton & Hove Council. A great achievement and the first time the Greens have achieved this level of success in the UK.

Home to watch the AV referendum result come through, no surprise but a great disappointment. The Yes Campaign never caught fire and was badly managed. Amazed that they believed the No campaign would play fair and not use lies and distortions. For the Conservatives the preservation of FPTP is fundamental to them retaining power. That's really the end of the story. Conservatism is about obtaining and keeping power. I remember Tony Benn always talking about how the ruling class have never surrendered power voluntarily and throughout history the people have had to wrestle it from them. How naive of the Lib Dems to think the Tories would play fair. Politics in that sense isn't a game a cricket. That said the Tories needed a shield to give them cover and the old tribalists in the Labour Party delivered it with aplomb. Take a bow Prescott and co, no new politics there. Just the old belief in fact that government is like a cricket match and after the Tories have batted, it will be Labour's turn. The only flaw in this analysis is that the two party system is in terminal decline, with only 65% of voters choosing the tories or Labour in 2010. Using FPTP as a means of retaining power was the name of the game. Calling for "Fairer Votes" was wrong, there's little fair in our current system.

On the ball City

On Monday night, I kept one eye on my phone for news of a football game. A win for Norwich City would guarantee them promotion to the premiership. It's been an amazing story for the Canaries. After the lows of 2008-09 that saw them relegated into Division 1 , Norwich have achieved back to back promotions, under the guidance of manager Paul Lambert.

Norwich regularly feature on our regional news programmes. They are the biggest club side in East Anglia, and as I've become more settled in the area I've begun to appreciate the connections with East Anglia.

Norfolk is a lovely county just over two hours drive away, and Norwich is the focal point of the county. Whether the Canaries can stay in the Premiership next season is debatable but for the moment, celebrations are the order of the day, The revenue generated by a season in the Premiership will do much to remove the Club's debts and secure its future.

For Norwich City its goodbye Football League Show, welcome Match of the Day.

The Southern Thing

In 2004 I listened to an album called Americana 2004, it was distributed with Uncut magazine. Few albums have opened as many new musical doors for me. Most obvious was my introduction to Richmond Fontaine, however tucked away on the album was a track called "Static on the Radio" by an artist called Jim White. The track had a haunting effect, once played you wanted to play it again, it became implanted in your memory. It wasn't long before I experimented with the album that this track was taken from , and I discovered The Girl from Brownsville, Texas and Bluebird.

Jim White became a firm favourite and this album " Drill a hole" became one to which I regularly returned . I t was some years before I had the opportunity to see Jim White in concert but in 2009 he played the Union Chapel London.

This week Jim returned to London and played a concert at the Jazz Cafe in Camden Town. It was a new venue to me, and i sense they probably don't have artists like Jim that often. Jim played a wide variety of tracks from his various albums, accompanied by an up right bass and electric guitarist, Jim augmented the sound by a drum machine and the clever recording of vocals and harmonica and hand organ.

Jim White is unlike your usual artist. Part of him doubts how he got where he is. He wants to talk about life in anything but the fast lane of the USA. It's a story of back lane and small towns, evangelical churches and local stores.

At the end of the evening he thanks the audience for helping him provide for his family, he auctions his shirt for a chosen charity, because in his words, in these days charities are finding it hard. For two hours Jim had enthralled us with his music, tales and experiences. For those minutes rural north-western Florida came to North London.

Long Weekend

Just a week after Easter another long weekend. I'm not sure why I feel a bit dislocated, given I'll have plenty of long weekends later in the year. Friday was in truth a surreal experience. With at least half the country in a royal wedding frenzy, we spent a fair chunk of the day on a near deserted allotment site. Anyway good progress was made on the beans and various other tasks. I think the raised bed will bring forth a variety of salad item during the summer which will be good. Later in the day the agonising job of having conversations with those who have filled the day with the wedding. It amazes me why we have to hide our opinions.That others will be offended if we admit that we had no wish to take any part in this anti-democratic pageant.

Saturday came and with football deferred to late afternoon a chance to spend the morning at the gym and supermarket. This could have been the last day of the season, a home game, often in the past this would be either a day of celebration or at least a chance to say "see you after the summer" to some old friends. however it was nothing like that. The result didn't alter our league position, although it's nice to finish with a win. The real reason why it didn't really matter, was the end of season play offs. AFC Wimbledon finished the season on 90 points and finished second. We all know that had Crawley not bought the title we would be going up. Instead over the next ten days it's home and away against Fleetwood, with a place in the Play Off Final at stake. Yes we knew the rules of the league, but it does seem ridiculous that a team that finishes fifth might get promoted where as the team finishing second might not.

Sunday - a day at cricket. Surrey took on Scotland in the first CB40 game of the season. The first sighting of the new one day kit, and the chance to weigh up Surrey's chances in one day cricket.
The bowling attack was tidy enough Dernbach, the pick of the bowlers, and with the possibility that Tremlett might get a few outings if not on England duty, the Surrey attack should be able to restrict most teams. Certainly yesterday Scotland's below 200 score always looked runs short. Hamilton Brown tried to help them by picking out one of only two outfielders inside the first two overs, however Davies and Roy more than steadied the ship, and when Roy was out for 60, the bulk of the job had been completed. Davies fell a few runs short of a century and it was left to de Bryun to end the game with a six, sending the Surrey fans home happy.

Meanwhile across London , Arsenal defeated Manchester United. After failing to get a ticket for the game, I decided that cricket live was preferable to watching the game "live" on TV. In truth I doubted that Arsenal would get the win, and of late I've watched too many Arsenal defeats. Nevermind I was able to watch the recording when I got home, and contented myself with the feeling that had I stayed at home and watched the game during the afternoon, the result might have been different. Such is the irrationality of football fans.

Monday is a public holiday but the day started early as I'd agreed to take members of my family to Stansted Airport. Waking up just after 4am, I looked at my phone and discovered that Barack Obama was to speak to the American people, seconds later came the news that US forces had located and killed Bin Laden. I decided not to wake my wife, but greeted my son with the news minutes later. Now here is a real world news story, and one that many will ponder over during the days ahead. For nearly ten years the USA have hunted him, since GW Bush said " he was going to smoke him out", now the mission is completed, yet I get the idea that the world may become a more dangerous place with him dead than alive. Again this doesn't quite seem logical but I'm sure its an issue that I'll return to in my thoughts in the days ahead.

Sweet Home Alabama

The last few days I've had Alabama on my mind, on Thursday 27th I went to London to see Jason Isbell and the 400 unit. Jason comes from the Muscle Shoals area and his music both when a member of Drive by Truckers and now with his own band, pays tribute to that region.

Jason's songs featured strongly on the Decoration Day and Dirty South albums. on Thursday night at the Garage, Islington; Jason played his songs from those albums as well as the very thoughtful track TVA. Outfit a song that hits the father-son relationship right on the money, was a real highlight.

The next morning I read and watched coverage of the tornadoes that had ravaged Alabama and other southern states. Whole communities and small towns wiped out. Tornadoes up to a mile wide and winds off up to 200mph. The film often taken by amateur photographers on phones revealed the scale of the devastation.

While Alabama was on my mind, the British media gave he tornadoes minimal coverage because of the royal wedding. Shocking in my mind that hundreds have lost their lives and more have lost their homes, and yet two people getting married, receives more coverage, seemingly not only here but also across the world even in the USA.

Old Friends - Bookends

A few days away, seeing friends who I've not met up with for a year or so. We were supposed to meet before Christmas but the snow put pay to that. The realisation that they like me are getting older. They've been retired for a few years now, they developed new interests. We met up with other friends, one of whom sadly is not in such good health. Perhaps that shocked me more, I've long ago realised that we are not immortal, but this was the first time that one of my contemporaries has experienced real ill health. Watching both my friends and relatives it is clear that declining physical and mental health creeps up upon us, like a hunter attacking its prey. Having just had a health check up and discovered that I have certain high risk factors, I now have to juggle the desire for self preservation with the desire to enjoy myself. A balancing act to say the least.

Father and Son

Last Thursday we made our way to Canning Town to watch football. Now no one could accuse me of seeking out the more glamourous parts of London. Yet it seemed the game had come full circle. The match was Canning Town v Ongar Town played at the Newham Leisure Centre. I was there because my son was playing for Ongar Town. As we pulled in we both looked back upon the journey, and the fact that for three years when he was between the age of 10-13, we travelled there two nights each week for him to attend Charlton Athletic's Centre of Excellence. The hours spent next to the A13 perfecting ball control while the traffic thundered past. Last thursday while I watched in the stands, I was approached by a Bulgarian student who naively asked "How much are these players paid ?" Of course that's not the case, in most cases they pay to play, the pitch and the match officials have to be hired. After a day's work the player turned out, for the same reason as myself, because we love the game.

Boys of Summer

OK I've stolen the phase from the USA or more precisely Don Henley, but last Thursday saw the start of the English Cricket Season. After a long winter where the Ashes were won, endless meaningless ODIs were played, and the World Cup was contested, cricket is coming home. Sunday afforded us the chance to go to the Oval and watch the third day of Surrey v Northamptonshire. Now it wasn't the most enthralling four hours of cricket I've ever watched, but frankly it didn't have to be. The chance to sit in the sun, relax and let the game wash over me was all it took. At this moment I realised what it is I dislike most about the English winter. There is something particularly English about watching cricket, the battle of bat and ball. The tactical battles, the play and miss, the misplaced shot, the appeal. Watching the scoreboard reflect the day's activities. The chance to catch up with the daily newspaper during breaks in play, to engage those I've met before in conversation, to walk round the boundary at lunchtime. It didn't matter that on the day there was no result, indeed we left before close of play - the fact was cricket had returned.

Social Mobility

I have an admission to make, my father got me my first real job and my next door neighbour , my second. In that respect I'm just like Nick Clegg. The real issue is that my first job as a student was in a warehouse, and my second was in an industrial laundry. Of course Clegg's were at a Finnish bank and at the European Commission. This makes me conclude that parents and neighbours worldwide tryo to help their children and friends, what is at issue here is class. In fact I sense the whole social mobility issue as promoted by Cameron and Clegg is a scam. In truth there are only so many internships and in fact even in a meritocracy how many students who live away from London and come from parents on average salaries, could afford to rent a room and feed themselves while working for nothing. What is more worrying is that many young people realise that routes into politics, business etc are shut off to them, and so they look instead at "celebrity culture". A world where minimal talent and no qualifications are no barrier to success. A world where seemingly doors are opened and money pours in. Of course this is as much of an illusion, as Clegg's offer of social mobility. Our society needs a few to climb the ladder, in order to feed the line that there is a "British dream" to equate with that the other side of the Atlantic. Yet for most the barriers remain the same, the posh kids have all the contacts.