Archive for December 10th, 2009

Referee Mark Halsey

Referee: Mark Halsey

Referee: Mark Halsey

Ferguson was the first to call me and wish me well for the future, as did Arsene Wenger, john Terry, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney. These are the words of Mark Halsey who was diagnosed with cancer. Over three months after being told that he ‘had the worst form ever seen’ he is already looking forward to refereeing again in the not too distant future.

He has also had letters from fans from all over the world and Mark is surprised and humbled by the massive response. Jose Mourinho has invited him over to Milan, a trip he intends to take in the Milan derby at the end of January. Wenger regular texts him, as does Gary Megson, asking for the latest update.

Mark said, ‘the way Sir alex is about referees is just emotion at the end of the game, that’s all it is. He is very good in all situations like mine and sees me as part of his football family.

Mark hopes to return to refereeing at the end of January and be back in the Premier by February, when his hair should have grown back. He would like to remain on the list another 2 years and be in charge of a Wembley final.

Donations for the Christie Cancer Hospital, Manchester, can be made at

www.justgiving.com/mark-halsey

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Mandelson Fiddles Whilst England Burns

Peter Mandelson, in his capacity of Business Secretary, fiddles whilst England burns. British industry has never been in such a bad shape. We are losing companies abroad at an alarming rate. Moving plants to other lesser paid country’s to maximise the all important profit margin at the expense of British workers.

Golly Gosh - How English!

Golly Gosh - How English!

The biggest culprit is surely Cadbury’s. Long have we defended Cadbury against all those stupid laws Europe pushed out regarding chocolate percentages etc, and now Cadbury have moved hand in hand with these same bureaucrats to produce ENGLISH chocolate in Turkey, Ireland and Poland. Daily lorries arrive here in the Midlands from these three countries loaded to the back plate with chocolate.

All companies who desert us for foreign climes should be taxed 50% import duty on all produce they try and bring back to our shores.

Come on Mandelson, a ‘politician’ (that’s a joke) nobody but Gordon Brown wants apparently, a half wit who actually does no work – get your bloody arse out off your flower infested office and get some bloody backbone back into BRITISH industry.

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Euro Player of the Week – Owen!

Michael Owen

Michael Owen

The Manchester United striker scored an excellent hat-trick as a weakened Red Devils side won 3-1 at Wolfsburg. Owen’s first came in the 44th minute as he angled in a fine header from a Nani cross. Super work from Gabriel Obertan then allowed the predatory Owen to tap into an empty net at the back post. And he sealed his trio of goals in injury-time, bursting from the halfway line before chipping ever so sweetly over goalkeeper Diego Benaglio. The performance was a reminder to England manager Fabio Capello of Owen’s ability, although the striker will know he must demonstrate such form on a regular basis if he is to book a ticket to South Africa’s World Cup next year.

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Wayne’s Debut 2004

Wayne Debut 2004

Wayne Debut 2004

Wayne Rooney – Man Utd v Fenerbahce 2004

Five years prior to Owen’s antics in Germany, his current Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney delivered his own glittering display against Fenerbahce. On his Champions League debut the then 18-year-old marked his bow in Europe’s most prestigious competition in some style as he became the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the competition. Former Everton star Rooney gave an indication of things to come as he helped United to a 6-2 victory at Old Trafford. First of all the England ace ran beyond the Turkish defence in the 17th minute to dink over the onrushing Rustu before doubling his tally with a long-range effort 11 minutes later. Rooney ensured he was taking the matchball home as he scored his third with a brilliant free-kick nine minutes after half-time in the Group D encounter.

Sky Sports News

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UK Housing Situation

Many so called stars in the 70s and 80s, like snooker star Steve Davis, were advised to put all their cash into property and now they are reaping the rewards for a gamble that could have crashed. That’s called investment. When I was a sprog growing up on Merseyside, the homes around the corner were going at approx £2k. If I had the money then and the realisation that things never get cheaper, I would have invested likewise.

Prices are reflected by supply and demand. The greater the demand for something, the more expensive it is, that’s life. If nobody suddenly decided to buy/move prices would crash.

The Labour Government, on their election trail 10 or so years ago, promised ‘affordable houses’ for first time buyers etc. They totally failed to produce. Instead, all ‘brown’ areas where homes are built on are ‘luxury’ apartments costing from £250k upwards. People are even selling back/side gardens to allow developers to shove a 5-6 flat block there.

In an ideal world all people would live in council run homes but it does not work like that because of the people that the council fill them with. Council estates are notoriously filled with those who do not and never have worked, foreigners, problem families and others who could not sadly, ever afford a place they can call theirs.

My own home cost £62k in the mid 90s, apparently it is now worth something in the region of £130k or more. That’s a joke. The house is worth nothing to me, its a place I live and eat. Some home owners are infatuated with the buy now quick sell, profiteering life style. How many times do you see newly built homes with for sale signs outside? They are people who sell within a couple of years, make a killing and move on. They are leeches and pariah who artificially inflate house prices. As long as they are allowed to do this, prices will stay up. There should be a law stating that people who buy homes should remain in said home for minimum 5 years. That would also cut demand.

When the recession hit the building industry I laughed my head off. The real estate agents laying people off because there was no demand. Lovely. Not the people getting laid off of course, but the situation. For years they have built cheap and sold expensive and now they were getting a bit of payback. Negative equity became a common place thing and people were panicking because what they had bought, looking to make on it later, suddenly became worth less that their current commitment, delightful!!!

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