Derby day success for Villa

Sunday, 13 September 2009

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Home team	Score	Away Team
Birmingham	0 - 1	Aston Villa Agbonlahor 85

• 13th Sep 2009
• KO 12:00
• Ground: St Andrews Stadium
• Att: 25,196

Match Report

Gabriel Agbonlahor struck a late winner as Aston Villa beat derby rivals Birmingham in a tight game.

The England striker nodded in after John Carew had headed an Ashley Young free-kick towards him.

The goal settled a match of limited chances and quality, although it did belatedly set up an exciting finish.

Birmingham pushed for a leveller, but Agbonlahor should have added a second when he was clean through only to put his shot high.

The brief late drama was not in keeping with a game in which both defences had the upper hand for the most part.

And Birmingham fans will feel their side could have done more earlier as they adopted a similarly cautious approach to the game as Villa.

McLeish feels Blues deserved more

The St Andrews faithful certainly provided a vociferous atmosphere for their side as they tried to encourage them to avenge the 5-1 thrashing dished out by Villa the last time these two met.

And, although Birmingham showed plenty of intensity, Villa had a more controlled approach as they tried to keep the home side at arm's length - hoping their extra quality would provide the breakthrough.

The strategy almost paid off during the first half but James Milner and Agbonlahor failed to take the chances which came Villa's way.

Milner shot wide and sliced an effort horribly off target after a driven cross from Agbonlahor, who had a near post header diverted just wide by defender Roger Johnson.

Villa were playing with a new-look defence as central defenders Richard Dunne and James Collins made their debuts along with left-back Stephen Warnock.

Their first real test came when Garry O'Connor chested down a ball and had a shot blocked by Warnock, who quickly got himself up to get in front of Sebastian Larsson's follow-up strike.

Lee Bowyer had a 20-yard shot saved and ex-Villa trainee Keith Fahey steered a shot just wide for the home side who suffered the loss of James McFadden because of a thigh injury.

O'Neill relieved after derby win

Birmingham closed into their shell more the longer the game went on as Villa started to increase their threat on goal after big striker Carew entered the fray.

Steve Sidwell headed straight at Blues keeper Joe Hart before Milner again shot wide.

But any hopes Birmingham had of a battling point were quashed when Agbonlahor struck for Villa's third league win on the bounce and saw them continue the away form which served them so well last season.

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Birmingham boss Alex McLeish:
"The defeat was very harsh. I thought we played really well. I'm sorry we couldn't get something more from it as I think we deserved more.

"I can't fault the players but the only criticism is that we allowed two headers from an Ashley Young free-kick (for their goal).

"I didn't think there was a huge gulf between the teams in terms of quality."

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill:
"I said before I'm not sure there's great enjoyment of or about the game but it's nice to have won.

"It was a game of few chances. We played solidly and nicely without exerting a great deal of pressure.

"Gabriel Agbonlahor was absolutely terrific. His confidence is getting greater and greater with each game and the goals obviously help any centre forward."

From BBCi website.

Aston Villa 0 - 2 Wigan

Rodallega unleashes a stunning strike to put Wigan ahead

Hugo Rodallega scored a stunning goal to help Wigan to victory over Aston Villa in manager Roberto Martinez's first game in charge of the Latics.

Charles N'Zogbia's shot had hit the post for Wigan before Rodallega angled in a spectacular half-volley from the corner of the area.

Wigan's Jason Koumas slotted in at the far post for their second goal as Villa's fans booed the home side.

Steve Sidwell headed a rare Villa chance wide but they were well beaten.

It was a thoroughly disappointing afternoon for Villa and their 35,000 supporters as Martinez enjoyed a dream start to life at Wigan.

Both teams had lost key personnel during the summer with Villa losing Gareth Barry to Manchester City, while Antonio Luis Valencia and Lee Cattermole had left Wigan.

The Latics have also seen a new manager installed in Martinez and they appear to have regrouped more quickly than the home side.

Wigan had wrestled the initiative from their hosts and, even before their opener, were the more threatening side.

Villa centre-back Curtis Davies got the benefit of the doubt that he had touched the ball when tackling Rodallega, who would have been clean through on goal but for the challenge.

N'Zogbia thought he had put the visitors ahead when he beat Villa keeper Brad Friedel with a low, angled 22-yard shot only to see his effort come back off the foot of the post.

The Midlands outfit were a side with the lethargy of pre-season still heavy in their legs and they eventually buckled.

Villa left-back Nicky Shorey could only flick a ball down Wigan's right side to Rodallega and the Colombian striker allowed the ball to bounce before sending a half-volley from the corner of the area dipping past Friedel for the first goal.

Only a goal-line clearance from James Milner after Rodallega's far-post header kept Wigan from extending their lead before Villa's restless fans were finally given a reason to hope.

Ashley Young curled a free-kick towards the top corner of the net but keeper Chris Kirkland was equal to the effort as he palmed the strike round the post.

Martinez rose to prominence during his stint at Swansea with the stylish passing football he instilled in his side.

His influence on the Wigan side was clear to see as their passing and movement was too much for a poor Villa side, epitomised by the second goal in the 56th minute.

Wigan's willing runners dragged Villa's defence out of position and allowed N'Zogbia to find Koumas, who slotted through the legs of Friedel to end a swift counter-attack.

Sidwell summed up Villa's frustration when he put a free header wide as the home side got their season off to an inauspicious start.

Wigan's over-confidence nearly cost them when a poor back-pass nearly allowed Young to score late on but Titus Bramble flung himself to deflect the strike over.

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Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill:
"After the initial 15 minutes, we were second best all afternoon.

"You can analyse everything but at the end of it all I thought we looked tired, which was a wee bit of a surprise considering we've had a pretty decent pre-season.

"We've been beaten when we should have been ready to go, and it was very disappointing indeed."

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez:

"I always felt that we had too many disruptions this pre-season and we knew the key to the game was going to be the first 10, 15 minutes.

"Villa put us under massive pressure and I'm proud of the players for the way they dealt with that situation.

"After that, Wigan Athletic deserved to win. It's been a big turnaround and credit should go to the players."

Aston Villa vs Wigan Athletic

	0 - 2
Date: 15/08/2009		Venue: Villa Park
Attendance: 35,578		Referee: M Clattenburg

'Ow long ya bin gorn?

On Tuesday morning 30th June 2009, John Burke sent out his lackey, Gary, to give us two extra green and two extra blue boxes... Whoopee, as we now have 4 of each on site. Imagine my shock/horror/surprise when on Thursday night 2nd July 2009, I returned from a evening out at my frail parents house, to see that two of my green bins (the ones I hadn't yet marked) had disappeared!!! In fairness to the old Burke, he did say that having more than a couple of bins might attract the same attention as having a wheelie bin!

DTW 3/7/2009

O'Dreary and Deadly Doug Revisited...

Forrest Gump is a Villa Fan

(because the sound 'Quaint') Villa First Team Squad 2008 to 2009

(Some players on there have moved on or retired)

Is it me? Or are Villa going through an O'Leary moment? Lots of noise in the end of season about 'funds' being available for transfers, and then as the pre-season approaches. A deafening SILENCE from all quarters!

Remember the DARKER DAYS when Deadly Doug was in charge of the purse, and the only expenditure was to 'finance companies' and other 'contractors' who were allegedly indirect paymasters for... Douglas Herbert Ellis? And on the transfer scene, we couldn't even sign a 5th rate African Cup quarter finalist squad player... well at least we were being linked with 5th rate African Cup quarter finalist squad players in the press.

Martin O'Neill is a fine manager and is known for conducting all of his transfers in secret, not wishing to give other clubs awareness of his own agenda or plans. That helps keep the prices down. Remember Randy Lerner is one of the wealthiest owners of a premiership club, and although not in the same financial league as Chelsea and both the Manchester Clubs, but any mention of Aston Villa still adds a hefty percentage to a price.

So why aren't Villa being being at least mentioned by the rumour mills? Last season, in January we were 3rd/4th in the league, and with a very small squad, ran out of puff, and ended up being barely in 6th and were blown out of the UEFA Cup by deliberately selecting under par teams by O'Neill (For which he had to appease travellors to Moscow, by giving them some hospitallity at a later date) and blown out of the FA Cup through being tired. We have lost Gareth Barry to Man City, and Martin Laursen to injury. The only position where we have a relative strength is at Goalkeeper, where the two yanks have it covered (Although Friedel is in the twighlight of his career) Its now 6 or 7 weeks from the start of the premier season. and 2 or 3 weeks away from the start of our Europa (Uefa) cup campaign, and all we have signed is a 16 year old prospect from Northampton.

Over in Small Heath, it seems players are queuing up to sign for our second rate rivals...

It doesnt make sense at all.

DTW 3/7/2009

In memory of 'Aunty Fran'

Frances Hadlon 1918 to 2009

Four Generations of Hadlon at Jonathan and Samantha's wedding reception December 19th 2008.
Is Jane doing a Larry Grayson?

I started going out with Annette in 1975, aged 15. So I've know Fran since then too, as she or husband John were always visiting Betty and Albert, or we were passing and popping in to her lovely house in York Road, Hall Green, right on the corner of Russell Road, opposite Yorkmead School. Fran was charming and tiny. I can remember, once, being the bodyguard and escorting her home after she'd been visiting Betty and Albert and darkness had set in, just up Tetley Road and down Reddings Lane to York Road. (She was so tough, that she probably would have ended up protecting me) With her familiar East Midlands "Hello me duck" and "Taraa Duck" she could endlessly talk about anything with a surprising depth of knowledge. As time went on, we all found ouselves having to shout at her as her hearing deteriorated... In fact, apart from her fragility, her deafness was the only thing that did affect her in later life.

Today I sadly attended her funeral at Robin Hood Crematorium. The funeral program is here. Jane, Sue and Pete were all there, along wih their own families. I was there to represent Annette and of course, Betty and Albert, who along with John enjoyed many a night out at The Home Guard Club in Hall Green. (One Sunday a month when Annette and I could be guaranteed to NOT be disturbed...)

It was a moving service, and I choked in the 4th or 5th verse of "Abide with me" and then luckily I had my sunglasses as Eva Cassidy's 'Over the rainbow' had me in floods. When I hugged Jane afterwards, my snotty nose was directly because of that and not to down to the swine 'flu doing the rounds in Solihull and Birmingham.

Here's to you Fran, born 17th January 1918, died 18th June 2009, Aged 91, God bless you, and rest in peace. XXX

Post Script: Gifts in memory of Fran (and John) to SSAFA (c/o Braggs, 562 Stratford Road, B90 4AY)

DTW 1/7/2009

Following on from my previous blog...

So true to his word, Mr Burkha told his troops not to start work until 6am. Did he? If he did, then did they listen? Here is my photographic evidence of the refuse collectors 'working' before 6:00AM. (Identities of the workers has been concealed)

The Runner

Pictured is the "Runner", a team of either one or two men who run ahead of the lorry, collecting black packs and piling them into larger piles. Here seen at 6:00AM coming out of FAWLEY GROVE 14. In driving past him to the top of Brandwood park Road, its a fair estimate that he has been running for at least 30 minutes, maybe even 60 minutes.

The Lorry

The lorry at the junction of Yarningdale Road and Brandwood Park Road with bin men (faces and registration number blocked), pictured at 6:02AM.

The Area covered by 6:00AM

Google map of the area cleared by 6:02AM. Red area is completely cleared. Green area has been prepared ready for the lorry by the 'runners'.

The Aftermath

10am and the recycling boxes AFTER being emptied. It must be pointed out that there are 3 teams on recycling day, team 1 collect normal black back refuse, teams 2 & 3 collect blue box recycling -paper/card and green box - aluminium and tin cans, milk and pop cartons and glass bottles. There the team that left this mess is not the one referred to above. Lets go back to yesterday's blog...

Birmingham City Council's Refuse Department refuse operator is VEOLIA, a company which boasts on its website a turnover of €36.1 billion at over 300 sites. Averaging £100 million per site. And my council tax pays for this? If I'd bought an item from a shop and it wasn't fit for purpose, then I'd go back and expect a refund.

DTW 29/6/2009

Tomorrow is Monday

8.30pm the night before refuse collection day. We have grossly inadequate recycling boxes, and our refuse collectors wont collect back bags from the front door.

Tomorrow is Monday, and whilst my ire (or Fire) is still close to boiling, I thought I would prepare for my usual Monday Morning run in with Birmingham City Council's Refuse Department (which is currently being under performed by worldwide transnational refuse operator, VEOLIA, a company which boasts on its website a turnover of €36.1 billion at over 300 sites which by my reckoning averages just short of €120 million (approx £100 million) per annum per site assuming American billions were quoted). Do Tyseley and Lifford Lane count as one site or two?

At my own ward meeting on 15th June, in Brandwood, I'd raised issues over the continual poor performance of the operator. Only little things, but each and every Monday, missing out recycling stuff, not collecting green waste, missing out black bags, allowing black bag contents to spill out all over the road. Representing the refuse department was John Burke, who handed out a flyer with his email address mis-spelt as john.burker@birmingham.gov.uk instead of john.burke. Sounded like a politically incorrect pun to me. I told him that I thought that the blue and green boxes were grossly inadequate for the amount of recycling my household made. He told me that I could have as many boxes I wanted. I then said I could easily use six green and six blue (In Birmingham we have blue boxes for recycling card and paper-but not Tetrapak or pizza boxes, and green boxes for recycling plastic pop bottles, aluminium and steel cans and glass bottles- not plastic bags, tin foil, milk bottles or Pyrex). No problem said Mr Burke, whom I'd told that 'Contact Birmingham' phone line had said all I could have was two of each box. I also commented on the fact that black refuse bags were no longer collected by the bin men from the bin, and had to be put out by us. Another comment was the timing of the bin men in the road. The 'pre crew' often came between 5:30am and 6am, and on a couple of occasions, so did the lorry. I'll be watching them, and using Mr Gregory's ward meeting as a precedent, will be filming them with a clock on hand to prove the time! Other issues of spilt refuse were blamed by Mr Burke on factors outside of his control, such as foxes, Rats and Cats. I will now post email correspondence between Mr Burke and myself, which didn't start for 10 days due to his email address error.

1) Is an email To John Burke (click here to see a snapshot of the email)

Dear Mr. Burke

Re Brandwood ward meeting on 15th July

Please note your email address on the supplement you presented at the ward meeting actually said john.burker@birminghamham.gov.uk I hope that that was a typing error and not some politically incorrect amusement on your staffs' behalf. This has resulted in 3 emails bounce back to me. so as one of the people whose council tax pays for your salary, I am therefore not impressed with your performance at the moment. It has taken me till now to phone you as I have had further pressing problems with the council. My local councillor, Mr. Mark Hill have been most helpful in the negotiations and I am sending him, out of courtesy, a copy of this email too.

At the ward meeting you specifically said that I could have 6 blue AND 6 green recycling boxes, despite what the staff on 'Contact Birmingham' phone lines told me. With regard to the extra recycling bins. On Tuesday afternoon 16th July, we were given ONE extra blue box. We now have two of each.
You also gave an undertaking that my house would be earmarked for 'collection point dustbins in front garden'. This did not happen on Monday 22nd.

We therefore require 4 more blue AND 4 more green recycling boxes. In phoning you just now, one of your colleagues suggested that we might benefit from a blue wheelie bin and a green wheelie bin, but then you have the additional problem of them being a 'most sought after valuable and nickable asset', particularly by people who don't have one.
Would it be impertinent to request 3 black dust bins too? With 5 adults and a toddler in the house we are finding our land fill output increasing too. We are finding it quite impossible to store our household waste beyond Thursday, and have to visit Lifford Lane regularly each week.

Best Regards

David Wilson

2)Is A reply from John Burke (Click here to see a snapshot of the email)

Mr Wilson

I am sorry for the confusion with the email address.

I did wait to see you after the meeting but I am afraid you had left before
me.

Following the meeting one of my staff did call the next day but the young
man at home could not advise him what you needed. I had agreed to look at
supplying additional boxes if there was a need and Gary did drop off the
additional box. I understand you have a large household but it would be
extraordinary to supply 6 of each type of box.

I will print this off and arrange for my Ward officer Gary to call on you
to discuss both your recycling issues and refuse problems.

John Burke
Principal Operations Manager
Fleet and Waste Management
Environment and Culture
Lifford Depot B30 3JJ

Now is it me? Or is he talking from his arse? I said those things to him after the meeting, in front of my friend Frank and my cousin Jim. How can he reply with such condescending, presumptive arrogance? Is he standing for election next year? And just brushing up on his brushing aside?

(Mental note to self: You're still going on about presumptive arrogance)

DTW 28/6/2009

"SHAME ON YOU MR GREGORY" or "DAVID GOES TO SWANSHURST GIRLS SCHOOL"

I have been not that political during my lifetime. Recently following run ins with council employees I have found it is possible to make a difference to my lot by accessing my local councillors and local MPs. That in mind, on Friday 26th June 2009, I attended the Billesley Ward Meeting, as a member of the public who uses facilities in the ward that are currently under threat. Due to a mix up with my cousin Trevor and friend Frank, thinking start time was 7.30PM, we mistakenly arrived at the venue, Swanshurts Girls School, half an hour late. We found ourselves in the middle of the item that I was interested in, The fiasco at the Billesley & Yardley Wood Community Centre. From what I gather, the centre not only has an annual general electrical inspection, but also a five yearly major inspection. This years 5 year inspection had unearthed several major problems in the electrics. The inspection had been performed by a Birmingham Council Contractor called Dodds, and they had also given quote of £50,000 for repairs. The councillors attending the meeting were Sue Axeford and Len Gregory. Colin Hughes (billed as the invisible man by some other attendees, as he never answers his phone or returns calls) was absent.
Mr Gregory blatantly, with a presumed arrogance, failed to answer adequately every single question put to him by the floor. He was evasive and vague.
EVERY SINGLE QUESTION WITH AN AIR OF ARROGANCE ONLY POLITICIANS SEEM TO EXHIBIT!

Swanshurst Girls school, venue for the meeting.

Then, having talked to my own councillor, Neville Summerfield the next day, (who was just out pushing leaflets into the doors of my road) I told him about my own voting habits, being Labour from age 18 right up until the last election, and then having been told with a Glaswegian presumptive arrogance by New-Labour MP Steve McCabe, that "if I didn't vote New-Labour, my vote would be wasted", I promptly voted for the opposition. I firmly told Neville that following Mr Gregory's blatant lack of regard for his ward (which is part of my electoral constituency, Selly Oak), I would not vote for his party at the next election either. I am now wondering whether to go green or orange or indeed, just spoil my paper letting New Labour Whip Mr McCabe and the Tory fighting the seat, Councillor Dawkins, what a couple of despicable toe-rags I think they are! Then as my voting paper is not secret, I would probably be rounded up, and made an example of...

Back to Friday night, following Mr Gregory's arrogance I left the meeting. I made sure that both he and Mrs Axeford were aware what I thought of them by repeatedly shouting "Shame on you Mr Gregory" and "Shame on you Mrs Axeford" as they left the meeting.
Furthermore, I am not sure what action I can take as to the police filming the meeting, with one junior plod pointing his camcorder and focusing on the faces of people speaking. Surely there is some point of law or byelaw being broken, or freedom being infringed here?

As Eric Blair wrote "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU"
Mind you he also wrote "ALL PIGS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME PIGS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS" which is quite profound knowing some of modern uses of the Porcine adjective.
DTW 28/6/2009

Diana Revisited

Marc Bolan ironically said following the death of Elvis on 16th August 1977 "I'm glad I didn't die today" meaning that his death would be greatly overshadowed. Ironic because a month to the day after Elvis Presley died, Marc Bolan died too on 16th September 1977, two weeks before his 30th birthday. He was a passenger in a Mini 1275GT driven by Gloria Jones.

Who remembers that week, twenty years on, in September 1997, a week of outrageous mourning for Diana Princess of Wales, a woman who, if you believe the press, had had more cocks than Bernard Matthews! Working in retail at the time, the shop where I worked was forced by the press to close on the day of the funeral or made to feel uncaring. I remember a column in the local rag, The Birmingham Mail, where 'concerned' Brummies could whistle blow on shops that had said they would remain open on that Saturday Mourning.

Well who else remembers the other people who died on 31st August 1997? Henri Paul, the chauffeur and Dody Al Fayed, Diana's boyfriend of the moment. Searching the internet for other deaths on that day is quite difficult. One of interest (And purely because I love the film, Back To The Future) is an American character actor called Will Hare who played Old Man Peabody in that film. (Hare is picture here)

Fast forward nearly 12 years. The internet is more comprehensive, and the list of deaths in Wikipedia for yesterday is currently 8. The list is Don Coldsmith, 83, American author; Farrah Fawcett, 62, American actress, anal cancer; Michael Jackson, 50, American singer–songwriter, cardiac arrest; Shiv Charan Mathur, 83, Indian politician, Governor of Assam since 2008, Chief Minister of Rajasthan (1988–1989); Mian Tufail Mohammad, 95, Pakistani politician, cerebral hemorrhage; Sky Saxon, 63, American rock musician (The Seeds); Anil Wilson, 62, Indian academic, Principal of St. Stephen's College, Delhi (1991–2007), pancreatic cancer; Yasmine, 37, Belgian singer and television presenter, suicide.
As you know this may be subject to editing by the faceless c*nts at wikipedia (who removed my edit in 1960 births, announcing my birth, because I was neither famous nor infamous) as causes of death may alter in hindsight, and of course others may yet be added.

Of those 8, Sky Saxon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson are familiar to me. As a young teen, I enthusiastically watched Farrah Fawcett in Charlies Angels. Say no more.

Of those 8 only one will allow the public grief shown over Diana's death pale to insignificance. That's right, Michael Jackson. On the radio today as I chauffeured my daughter to work, she listened to a well known national radio station. I heard the same DJ who made derisory comments about MJ four years ago, singing his praises and shedding a few crocodile tears. You are a disgrace, you Fat Unshaven Hypocrite...

DTW 26/6/2009

PS. Of all the MJ jokes currently going around my favourite is this one:

Farrah Fawcett has passed away on the early hours of Thursday morning Pacific time. At the pearly gates St Peter and God said to her 'Now you have passed and led an exemplary life, I will grant you one wish. Ms Fawcett thought long and hard and then said "I wish that the world were a safe place for children" God paused for two seconds then he killed Michael Jackson...

OPEN LETTER TO VODAFONE

From: David T Wilson

Wednesday 17th June 2009

To: Vodafone Ltd
Vodafone House
The connection
Newbury
Berks
RG142FN

Dear Vodafone

I have been a customer of yours since 1999, when I moved from Mercury one2one. My first number was 07******029 and it was cancelled by you about 5 years ago, after I’d changed numbers and was not using it. My second number was 07******442 and I have had that since 2001.
Since last year I have been using this as my back up number to a contract phone (with a different network) I moved networks as I was getting fed up with the continual pettiness of Voda, coupled with the fact that you could give some 3rd rate cricket players hundreds of thousands of pounds in sponsorship deals at my expense. You have made no attempt to contact me to find out why this phone was not being used as much as it had been in the past, but recently this number has received a spate of texts from you telling me about tariff options, and that your roaming charges are being reduced by YOUR benevolence. I was under the impression that all the UK mobile operators had been obliged to cut roaming charges by The EU? I digress. I did not receive a single text from you informing me or reminding me of the terms of service regarding minimum of at least one call or text every 6 months. You just cut it off.
Phoning your 0870 0776655 number last night TWICE from my landline, I was told by a Scottish sounding female called WYNN that it was my duty to check the terms and conditions AFTER 10 YEARS!!
Well you also took about £15 to 20 of credit from me at the same time. In my world, that is theft. Whether it’s in your small print or not.
Vodafone have now lost one customer, in me, which won’t make any difference to the vast amounts you make off the other saps nationwide, but I will make it my business to tell as many friends, family and colleagues about my dissatisfaction and disgust with you.

Yours most unsatisfactorily

David T Wilson

DTW 17/6/2009

Yahoo! 360° is closing

RIP Yahoo 360°. Closing down 19th July 2009

I have recently received an email from "Yahoo! 360°" telling me that it is closing down, so yesterday, I spent several hours copying and pasting my old Yahoo! 360° blogs. I was never at home with 360° as it was slow and overcomplicated. With blogger, I am able to tweak the new posts so that they appear to have their original post dates on them. I did tart a few of them up with newly added photos. Check the sidebar for my blogspot previous posts in 2006, 2007 and 2008 to view these old posts.

DTW 30/5/2009

We won one one nil....

Relief all around the region as Aston Villa win their first game since I cant remember when. A first half goal from Norwegian striker John Carew was enough to earn Aston Villa a narrow but deserved victory over struggling Hull. Carew found space in the box to divert in an Ashley Young left-wing cross with his instep to break the deadlock. Former Villa reserve keeper, Boaz Myhill spared Hull from a heavier scoreline with a number of good saves including a superb point-blank parry from Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Hot on the heels of Birmingham's win at Reading on Sunday, this success was long overdue.

BLUES WIN MARRED BY PHONE IN VILLA ABUSE

Mindless idiots on TOM ROSS's radio phone in yesterday were obviously drunk, as we got the endless barrage of 'back where we belong' and '$hit on The Villa' and the like. Now I've always wanted success for all our local teams, and will do so long after all my teeth have, like my hair, fallen out, but yesterday's sickening phone in tirade, reminded me of the Blues fan who ran onto the pitch when Peter Enkelman let Olof Mellbergs throw in under his foot into the net, and the distasteful Robbie Savage went down like a wet lettuce when Dion Dublin replied to Savages racist comments, resulting in Dublin's red card.

DTW 4/5/2009

Ainsley The Pr1ck with a fork

This photo was forwarded to me by my wonderful daughter Trevor. It claims to be true but with photoshop and all the things one can do, it might not be, although, as the original size and poor quality means it may have been from an actual genuine website thumbnail. A hoax would more likely be better quality! According to the story:

"Poor old Ainsley!!

This is a genuine mistake made in Ireland

This was actually sold in the supermarkets -

until they twigged!!"

DTW 30/4/2009

[Message for the benefit my Mom. May I apologise for my recent posts that seem to be a tad crude and the use of expletive language] [ROFL]

More $hit From The Council

Despite making a claim for Job seekers allowance on 10th March 2009, the claim has not been processed because some w@nker somewhere has decided to scrutinise how we have spent Annette's meagre inheritance, to see if we spent it inappropriately in order to claim JSA.

Once criticism that may be levied at us is that we started shopping at Waitrose a few times and gave Farmfoods and Aldi a miss.

Who the PHUCK do they think they are?

Because of this delay, we have built up rent arrears with the council. Despite many calls from me to the council's benefit service, yesterday we were served with "Notice Seeking Possession" by our ever loving council. The letter was, of course, hand delivered by TWO people from the Neighbourhood office, presumably so they could nip into Oddbins or M&S on their way around.

My main gripe is this preoccupation by both The Council's Benefit Service AND The DWP/Income support office as to our spending patterns! Furthermore, because all the offices are closing down and consolidating, I have to ring a 0845 number which means even with inclusive daytime landline calls I am still paying 7p per minute for the privilege of burning an ulcer through my gastric walls. And I say again.

Who the PHUCK do they think they are?

I know we have been quite lucky to receive this inheritance, but if I'd been working we could have enjoyed the extra money for a decent holiday (which we didn't do this time) rather than use it to just live off. At least I was honest enough to declare it as soon as we received it, and I still had to claim JSA every fortnight to get my NI stamp filled.

We have had to get bank statements for the last 15 months and provide a receipt or justify every amount over £300 spent. Twice (IS & BCC)

Who the PHUCK do they think they are?

DTW 29/4/2009

Google Chrome V Mozilla V IE8

I've just been thumbing through my delivered copy of "Computeractive" Magazine, which is out for sale on Thursday.

I have previously read about browsers, Google Chrome, Opera and Mozilla Firebird, ever since they were made available. In this weeks issue of Computeractive, there are several mentions of Internet Explorer 8 plus the others. So today I downloaded them all, and one by one installed them and gave them The Wilson Once Over (which is different my usual Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am).

After a handful of Co-codamol 30mg and Nurofen Plus and a few pills the drunk on the corner was selling, I wished I hadn't bothered.

Google Chrome.

The only sparkly thing about Chrome, is its name.

Mozilla Firefox.

Likewise the only thing remotely interesting about Mozilla Firefox is it's name, which conjures up a mental image of a robotised fox scampering around cyberspace.

Opera.

Yes you guessed it Opera sounds like an intellectual piece of kit and is a big let down too.

Internet Explorer 8.

IE8 is a cleaner looking IE7 with slightly faster Internet access and the tabs are smoother in their operation. Overall I felt most comfortable with IE as its what I've been used to. Unfortunately, Bill Gates will only get even more richer as the opposition are far poorer by comparison.

I have worked at places that use APPLE/MAC, and found them very easy to use with extremely quick file retrieval as a PC, but Internet access seems slow as most servers seem to use MS, and there is an innate incompatibility between them and the APPLE browser, SAFARI. The only other Operating system after the big two (assuming that 8% for Apple is counted as big!) is LINUX.

As an old friend of mine once said, when I asked him about using Linux, Linux is for computer geeks. Stay away!

I have never considered Linux after that.

I am now using IE8 and like I said, it works well, I am used to it, and hopefully, all the bugs with IE7/Explorer have been worked out of the system, and there will be no more crashing.

DTW 28/4/2009

Addendum: at 18:15 "I spoke too soon, It's crashed again."

Reflections

Well the Soccer season is nearing its conclusion. Birmingham City blew the chance to gain automatic promotion on Saturday night. Winning 1-0 they eventually lost 2-1 to the Pressed-on Northenders. Lee Bowyer did what he always does best and was red carded for yet another girlie fight on the pitch. After his punch up with Keiran Dwyer (both playing for Newcastle United) against the glorious Aston Villa a few years ago, you'd suspect he would have learned to behave, but realistically if I was on £30,000 per WEEK I wouldn't care either.

The Baggies seem to have at last found their testicles this weekend and put a few in against The Mackems, but is it too much, too little, too late? Methinks so

As for The Villa, they seem destined to scrape in at 5th place, having halted a run of 6 defeats with 4 draws, but they still look like they can't win to save their life!

30 miles up the A38, Burton Albion have achieved league status for the first time ever! Well done to The Brewers.

What this area needs is perpetual or continual Premier League football with a strong (West and East) Midlands presence, and the yoyo teams, a title currently held by Small Heath Alliance, and West Bromwich Albion, to be London or Lancashire teams, like Charlton, West Ham, Bolton and Wigan. Then there's the banter preceding the big games Baggies v Wolves, Blues v Villa even Derby v Forest and Leicester v Coventry, followed by six months of bragging half of us and six months of cringing for the other half. Such a great feeling. Even if you've lost, you still have the belief that you can bounce back in the next game. Its such a pity that we've had such a void in that department in this area for so long.

I always will be a Villan, but unlike many others, I follow my local teams and hope they all do nearly as well as Villa. Next season 2009-10, it'll be Villa/Blues/Wolves in the Premier League. Let's hope that all three stay up and are joined for 2010-11 by the Baggies and even Coventry. Lets also pray for the relegation of West Ham, Spurs, Fulham, Bolton and Wigan.

DTW 27/4/2009

St Georges Day, 2009

[Both JPEGs have been plagiarised from other sites]

DTW - 23/4/2009

Standing Room Only!

This morning was the funeral of old family friend, Keith Wall. So in the space of 10 days, I've visited Yardley Crematorium twice.

We drove up the artery road from Stockfield Road to the chapel, and had no idea what awaited us, as the area was packed with people waiting for the hearse. As we slowly filed in, the main chapel room became full and the overspill went up the stairs to the balcony. 170 people must've turned out to pay their respects. Keith's casket was draped in The Union Flag, and he had Two flag bearers to accompany him to his final destination. In the service, between the two hymns, daughter Angela gave us a thorough and deeply touching speech, to which the mourners gave a rapturous ovation. Incidentally, it was really nice to see the cheeky smiling Nigel after 40 years. At the committal, we heard a recording of a sole bugle playing "The Last Post" and "The Rouse" separated by a minute silence. I'd never seen this before in real life and it was most moving. As we left the chapel, the lump in my throat doubled as Frank Sinatra sang "My Way".

Earlier back at Muriel's house, we'd seen hundreds of sympathy cards too, overtaking every inch of shelving space in the extended living room.

Keith (as we know) was obviously very very well liked and will be greatly missed by so many of us.

DTW 20/4/2009

[An apology to the family: In my previous blog, I'd incorrectly identified the cause of Keith's death as MRSA. This was wrong, although Vasculitis can be caused by many factors including MRSA]

Streets Ahead

Car purchased mid March 2008. Wheels purchased end of March 2008. Wheels sold end of September 2008 . Google Earth street view shots at the junction of Allenscroft Road & Reeves Road (right) must have been taken between those two dates. The shot above was taken in Ilfracombe on August 12th 2008.

There's lots of adverse publicity about Google Earth's Street View, but I'm quite chuffed they found me!!!

Roots

Many of us forget that the celebration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth at Christmas is only the second most important celebration in The Christian Calendar. The most important, Easter, The Crucifixion and The Resurrection are by far, the most symbolic of a faith that is now seriously under threat in The UK, by other religions. As I sit today, reflecting on things, my thoughts wander with wonder, to my own church, The Holy Trinity Church at Camp Hill in Birmingham, where I was christened (MCMLX), where my parents were married (MCMLV), where my grandparents were also married a mere 44 days after the end of The Great War (MCMXVIII). Built in 1822 at an immense cost of £14,235, the carcass of this Grade 2 listed building, with its four spires, still stands proudly, looking over the Bordesley Middleway (or The Sandy Lane Expressway as it should be called looking at the speeds some drivers reach down there). Now recently sold to a company, and awaiting planning permission, for change of use to a gallery and offices, it's former grand interior was ruthlessly stripped bare by its previous occupants, the boot night shelter, of St Basil's, so that the homeless, the hungry and the needy could have a dry place to sleep. A worthy reason, yes, but ruthless nonetheless. Back in the 1870's The Holy Trinity Youth Cricket Club (Like their now superior rivals, from Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel, across the city) formed The Small Heath Football Club (Later to become The Small Heath Alliance), so that they could keep fit during the winter months. That means that I am actually associated more closely with the Noses from my roots than I would care to be... Now on to the mid 1980s, and the redevelopment of Sandy Lane. So that this could be achieved and allowed, all of the graves from Holy Trinity were exhumed en masse and re interred in The Brandwood End Cemetery, before any work could be done. Recent commotion over the alleged mismanagement of City funds for redevelopment of a small part of Brandwood End Cemetery under the title "Gridlock Gregory And The Flowerpot Man" on Mr Goldberg's passionately pro-Brummie site "The Stirrer" begs one to wonder if the mass grave from Camp Hill would be safe from further disturbances? I sincerely hope that the new keepers of The Holy Trinity Church structure and building maintain its use as a worthy one, like The C of E and later, and like Boot also did.

[In trying to research this article I have hit the biggest brick wall as The Friends Of Brandwood website seems to have died a quick death, and there is no reference to the removal of the mass graves on any website using the usual searches. Photographs supplied are from a personal collection of Mary Wilson (née Mary Pitt) a member of The congregation of Holy Trinity from 1929 to 1963 including membership of the Parochial Church Council or PCC from 1947 to 1963, and former resident of Sandy Lane and Ravenhurst Street]

DTW 10/4/2009

My Turn

Just a little self congratulation today.

This day in 1960, my mother needed in excess of 15 stitches. Enough said. As Victoria is Always hyperactive on Saturday and Wednesday we decided to have a take away rather than go for a meal. Samantha, Jonathan and I had some charcoal chicken from Kings Heath. Annette had a Chinese from The Majestic in Cotteridge. Simon had a pizza from Cotteridge. Always a run around... by guess who? Yes the birthday boy himself. Yours truly.

Thanks to all my family and friends for all the cards and gifts. Even at 49 it amazes me the vast quantity I receive (4 this year). ROFL.

(Photos: Top Left. Happy Families Butlins 1968ish. Bottom Right Me and Jonathan at my graduation, 1981.) DTW 8/4/2009

In Memory of Albert

Following Dorothy's funeral on Bad Friday, and Keith Wall's sad demise on Sunday, today I wish to remember my late father-in-law Albert William Clarie, who was born this day in 1926. He was always supportive of me and my hair brain schemes. He adored Betty (even after her smoking caused his NSC-LC) worshipped his daughter, Annette, and all 3 grand children (Jonathan, Simon and Heather). If he were with us today, he would have cherished his first (step) great grand child, little Victoria. I miss his stories, I miss his wisdom, I miss his advice.

I just miss him. We all do.

DTW 7/4/2009

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Always, it seems, in the press we hear of people catching MRSA (or Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus as it is fully known) following a hospital operation. When we actually know that person its BAD. And when that person we know, passes away possibly because of MRSA, it becomes UGLY. Keith Wall had been a friend of our family since I was young. I can't remember a time when he and my dad weren't friends. The Wilson and Wall families shared several holidays together in the 60s. Although not perfect (like none of us are), Keith was a GOOD man. Kind, thoughtful and ever loving of his wife, the lovely yet scatterbrained Muriel, Keith and Muriel were at my wedding in 1980. They were also at my son's wedding in December 2008. Shortly before Jonathan's wedding, he went into Solihull Heartlands Hospital for a knee replacement operation. He was re-admitted to Solihull Heartlands again in February with complications. After he was placed in isolation, it was thought that he had contracted MRSA from 'somewhere'. Keith tragically died from a massive heart attack on Sunday 5th April 2009, as complications due to Vasculitis.

As we all know MRSA is an incurable septic disease that is caused by poor hygiene before, during or after an invasive operation. We also know that MRSA causes increase in blood pressure and increase in cardiac load. This may then trigger heart attack or other cardiac deficiencies. MRSA may well have been the initial cause of Keith's vasculitis. Although some other allergen may have been the cause. We will never know now. Whatever the reason, The cause of the Vasculitis had entered the bloodstream, and this would most likely have been while he was recovering from his knee op!

Who is to blame? Can we blame someone? Should we blame someone?

It seems that there are lots of things to look at. The people who don't wash their hands when visiting friends in hospital. The people (staff) who don't wash their hands between examinations of patients or as often as they should. And then there's people who can't or won't learn to read English, so they are shamefully unaware of the problem. The hospital trust, too, knows if they have a problem, from obligatory constant swabbing and monitoring of the environment.

I, however, blame the government. Starting with Margaret Thatcher, who changed the way we run the country. Public services suddenly became businesses. Running at a profit. Not being run because we need them. The constant underfunding and running down of our NHS would make Nye Bevan turn over and wince in his grave.

This running for profit and not service mentality has gone on and on, passing from Thatcher to Major, then switching sides to Blair and now Brown. These four Muppets of Parliament should each take some blame.

Keith Wall was a decent chap who deserved more than to end his days like this, in a hospital bed.
RIP Keith. God Bless You mate.

DTW 6/4/2009

Bad Friday

A week before Good Friday we had Bad Friday.

Annette's Auntie, Dorothy Florence Kennedy died on mothering Sunday. In her mid 80s Dorothy was a sweet little lady. Her dear husband, George, died 17 years ago. Her little brother, Annette's father Albert, had died 3 years ago . She has one surviving sibling, Brenda. Not the closest of families, we only ever seem to meet up at funerals these days, but when we do, like all family reunions we pick up where we left off. Dorothy and George had three of the most loving and devoted daughters, Susan, Sandra and Karen.

On Bad Friday we had Dot's funeral. Because of a social services meeting happening later in the day, Annette, Jonathan, Samantha and Victoria were not able to attend. If they had they would have been completely useless in the afternoon. It was a lovely uncomplicated funeral.

As we went in we heard a pop idol winning song "This is my moment", then we sang Jerusalem. As usual, I didn't need the song sheet until the middle of the second verse where I always sing "I shall not cease from mental strife" instead of "I will not cease from mental fight". Then we heard Psalm 23. The second hymn was Morning has broken. As the curtain closed around Dot's casket The Titanic theme (Kate & Leo version) played. Then as we all left the chapel "The time of our lives" from Dirty Dancing played actually sounding quite solemn and respectful. Imagining Auntie Dot watching over us with tongue in cheek...

Very nice, succinct

God Bless You Dorothy

DTW 4/4/2009

The Last of the Fags

2009: Having left Moseley (Grammar) School, in Birmingham England, thirty one years ago and my mind now plagued by overtures of senility, any memories are hazy at best. Yet, I still remember my first day there better than most.

1971-2: It was a dry, windy, autumnal Thursday in early September, 1971. The new intake, about one hundred of us, turned out. I’d caught the number one bus from Acocks Green. With our new black blazers, shiny new ties and shoes, clutching a sparkling new briefcase or satchel and, of course, sitting with our Mom (but pretending that it wasn’t), who was there just in case we forgot which stop to get off at, and who would walk, not next to but just behind us those few yards from College Road. We, the new first year lads, stood out from the old lags. Furthermore, and much to the disgust of the second year, we were the first year’s first year that didn’t have to wear a cap. Then there was the only boy to arrive wearing shorts. Everyone remembers him (He will remain anonymous to all apart from the 100 boys in the intake, to avoid embarrassment to him in his new home in Whitby, Ontario, Canada). We all knew, the other ninety-nine, it could have been any one of us. En Mass, and well before Basil Fawlty did, we all seemed to look towards the clouded skies, close our eyes and thank god that it was not us, and that we’d managed to overrule our mothers. The moms who’d spent the whole summer with the uniform list toying, deliberating, uttering things like “Oh a nice pair of grey shorts would suit you; son” or “You could have a pair of over-trousers rolled up in your satchel, in case it rained”. He wore them on Friday too. What bravado.The bell went and we were all filed into the hall. Most of us (apart from the Chilcote and Hall Green mob, who seemed to account for 50% of the intake) only knew one or two others. I was from Oakland's School, and didn’t know anyone at all from my year. We all lined up in the hall in our respective classes. Gazing in wonder at the marvellous, intricate, ecclesiastic plaster moulding on the roof above us, we all gasped aloud as a tall, vampirous looking man, with a black gown and thick blacker rings round his eyes, took a few steps forward, out of the shadows.It was Phil 'Beefy' Bullock (as we came to know him), the lower school deputy head. I don’t remember that he introduced himself. That would have shown us some respect. That was that last thing we’d get in our first year.“You are the Fag.” He talked loudly, with authority. Not a sympathetic voice, but a brutal one. He continued in his unfeeling monotone. “You are the new boys. The second years, mostly, will call you fag. They will despise you. THEY WILL TREAT YOU LIKE DIRT!” That was the gist of it. And boy did they just.

1972-3: The next year. We didn’t seem to have same authority over the new intake. Bigger things were looming. Almost as if we knew that the amalgamation was coming! Firstly, our name was changed from Moseley Grammar School for Boys to Moseley Boys School. During that year, Barrie “Basher” Coreless (PE/Geography teacher) played Rugby for England.

1973-4: On the horizon were now talks of merger. We, from the Grammar School, and the pupils from Moseley Mixed were heading for unification. Mr Gaskin retired, replaced by Archie Moore, as the Head, but he was just keeping the seat warm for a new Fellow.

1974-5: Both schools had combined, and we were now just Moseley School. No hint of gender, or elitism. Now there were girls wandering around the hallowed grounds. Yet, it took until 1975 for a privacy screen to be built by the door of the gym and games changing rooms. Until then, at games and PE periods, thirty-three boys fought for the privacy, the modesty, and the dignity of the one or two spaces behind the door. The tuck shop was actually moved out of the Games changing room before the female invasion, which was a blessing, as most of their customers seemed to be the girls!

1975-6: The new head, Mr Goodfellow, had abolished the old form identification system. Out went XYZ, in came WORK CAN GELD. Yes it can Mr Goodfellow. At roughly the same time, all of the ping-pong balls disappeared from the Upper VI common room (Surely not connected?)

1976-7-8: I don't think that the them and us (Moseley Grammar/Moseley Mixed) left the school until the last of the teachers who was a young sprightly History/PE teacher in 1971, retired in 2007. I started going out with one of the Girls from 'The Other School' in '75 to '76 school year. I wasn’t the first in that respect. In fact one the first relationships that “crossed the line” was a young male teacher from Moseley Grammar, and one of the ‘highly’ regarded Moseley Mixed girls (She was the Female School Captain and he actually went on to become deputy head I think!). I married my girlfriend in 1980 and now after 29 years of bliss have three children and one grandchild.
.
1980: (Thanks to Foreman & McPherson)
"Naughty boys in nasty schools,
Headmasters breaking all the rules,
having fun and playing fools,
smashing up the woodwork tools.
All the teachers in the pub,
passing round the ready-rub,
trying not to think of when,
that lunch-time bell will ring again… "

©DTW First Published in THE MOSELEIAN 29/7/2002