following oxford united

Although l am a Manchester United supporter, my family moved in between Oxford and Reading (to RAF Benson) while l was still at school, so l made a decision to follow one of the nearby teams while l was there as a second team, being unable to attend the Manchester United games.
As a friend at school (Hello Jonathan Knapp!) followed Oxford United, we teamed up and went to most of the games together from around 1974 - 1975 time.
I used to cycle to his house in Chalgrove, watch Football Focus (or whatever it was at the time) and then his father would drive us to and from Oxford, as he ran a TV shop there.
Many happy days were spent on the terraces at The Manor Ground, even including seeing Oxford being stuffed by Manchester City (Cup game) and beating Manchester United (when they were in the Second Division).  Oxford actually had a pretty decent home record when l was going, it was just that their away form let them down, so promotion was never a realistic option.
My attendance came to an end when l moved Oop North, as l divided my time between watching Darlington (the new local team) and travelling to Manchester to see United.
Funnily enough, one of the first games at Old Trafford that l went to on arriving Oop North (in 1976), was a FA Cup game against Oxford United (on my own by train).  I must admit, l kind of had divided loyalties that day, as l wanted Oxford to do well, but ultimately, they were still only a second team for me.  Manchester United won 2-1 (with two penalties), so l went home happy, especially after calling in to see relatives in Liverpool and going out for the night there.

toodle pip.

the yellow duck sinks in liverpool

No doubt there will be calls for these tours to be banned after the Yellow Duck went down in Liverpool yesterday, but part of the attraction of these tours is the danger involved, and doing something that is exciting and different from everyday humdrum experiences.  Obviously the tours have to be safe, and the vehicles maintained, checked and serviced, but there have been numerous tours of this kind, in Liverpool, on the Thames and elsewhere,  with no fatalities (as far as l know).   There is always going to be some risk, but to ban them completely would be foolish.  There are plenty of other activities that involve risk which aren't banned, and as long as people want to do this kind of activity, they should be allowed to.  However, why they don't have easily accessible life jackets on the roof, plus some kind of external buoyancy to prevent this from happening, beats me.

toodle pip

return of the fishermans blues

Back in the day, l was a big fan of The Waterboys, and when they were on the Fisherman's Blues tours (one of which is above), l followed them around, selling a magazine that l had put together about them (much to Mike Scott's annoyance in the end).  Still one of the best experiences of my life, and l got to see the concerts on numerous occasions, plus plenty of the UK and Ireland. I am still interested in the band, have seen them since, and have only just finished Scott's 'Adventures of a Waterboy'. This, for the most part, was pretty good and interesting, but l got a bit bored towards the end with the Findhorn spiritual adventure (bloody hippies!). It got to be like someone describing their dreams or drug experiences, probably great for them, less so to the listener (or reader).  Then again, that's probably just me (miserable sod that l am).
I  found out today (here) that The Waterboys are to release an anniversary edition of 'Fisherman's Blues' with the original and re-released versions, plus 85 new songs, over 7 cd's.  Furthermore, tickets have just gone on sale for a December tour, revisiting the album and era, and with original members Steve Wickham and Anthony 'Anto' Thistlethwaite on board as backup. That is more than enough, even for an obsessive like myself.
I gave away a load of my magazines outside a show in Liverpool a few years ago, so l think l will try and dig out any remaining copies l can find lying around, and do the same outside this years Liverpool gig (I'm from there).  That is, if l don't get hassled by the security this time.
Bring it on!  All of it!!

toodle pip

books l read in egypt (#2) the devil rides out - paul o'grady

The second of Paul O'Grady's autobiographies, The Devil Rides Out tells of his troubles just generally surviving, trying to make some kind of living in menial jobs, plus extended stints as a bar man and carer.  He eventually decides to move from his Birkenhead home to the bright lights of London full time, and nurtures the ideas that will one day spring forth as his Lily Savage character. It also deals with his mothers attitude towards him, plus his feelings about having fathered a child (and getting married). It's interesting and funny, and it has sparked my interest in reading his first book.  If l had paid good money for this, he would soon have been doubling it.  Sadly for him, that is not the case (but he's a lot richer than me anyway).

toodle pip

ferry cross the mersey (1965) - jeremy summers

I watched Ferry Cross The Mersey the other day on a pirate DVD (as you do).  Hardly ever shown on TV and never officially released, it's the tale of Gerry and The Pacemakers supposedly trying to win a talent competition in Liverpool at the peak of Merseybeat.  It features old Liverpool locations, top tunes by Gerry and his gang, would be stars at the competition, plus a pre nose job Cilla Black doing them a favour (fnaaar).  Excellent stuff!

toodle pip

women wearing football shirts

This is what women wearing football shirts should look like

This is not what women wearing football shirts should look like, but more often than not, it is the reality.  

Good to see she is a Liverpool fan though, and it could even be my old stamping ground of Bootle behind her.

toodle pip

liverpool v manchester united 1968

This is where l was 44 years ago to this very day.  Living in Liverpool (Bootle) and going to see Liverpool play Manchester United with my Uncle Ray.  Bliss indeed, and it was made sweeter by the Football League Review having a poster of Manchester United in its middle pages.  I have a larger copy of it framed, and another one based on it framed, containing Manchester United's 'Team For All Seasons' in the spare room next to this very computer.  I also have a long suffering FPO (but you can get cream for that nowadays).
Just a shame that United got beat 2-0, as they were starting their slow descent from being Kings of Europe to losing 1-0 against Oxford United in the Second Division (I was there again), as Liverpool went on to conquer all before them, until United's unbelievable resurgence under the magnificent management of Sir Alex Ferguson.  It's been wine and roses for the last few years, but l had to put up with a lot of stick during the 1970's and 1980's. Let's hope those dark days don't return.

toodle pip

wartime bombing and the munich bomb

 Dresden

 Nuremberg

Burning bodies in Dresden

Cologne

The above photographs are from 1945, and show some of the aftermath of bombing raids over Germany during the war.  Nowadays, you can't imagine what it must have been like to have bombs dropped on you on a regular basis, and it's also amazing that the flattened cities were rebuilt so quickly, when you think of all of the work that must have been involved.  It must have taken ages just moving all of the rubble and demolishing unsafe buildings.  This also applies to English cities as well, and l remember lots of bombed out places when l was a kid in Liverpool. 

To give an idea of what it must have been like, a war time bomb was discovered in Munich this week, and the safest way to get rid of it was to detonate it.  The video demonstrates how powerful just one bomb could be, let alone a whole bombing raid.

We have got it soooooo easy.

toodle pip

liverpool v manchester united 1972

As l am looking forward excitedly (but with a lot of trepidation) to the new football season, l was checking out some old football cuttings and memorabilia, and was reminded of this game.  It was 40 years ago to this very day that l went to it  -   Liverpool versus Manchester United at Anfield.  Our family were back in Bootle at the time, so l didn't have far to travel, but that didn't make up for Liverpool winning the game 2-0 (unless my memory has completely gone).  40 bleeding years!!  Where does the time go?

toodle pip 

old bootle postcards

Sorting through some crap in the house, l found an old book of Bootle (Liverpool) postcards (by Peter W Woolley) that belonged to my mother. It's pretty interesting to me (and my family) as l was born in Bootle and spent many formative years there. The book is going to be gifted to my sister (I'm a generous lad), so l thought l would take some scans from near to where we lived (in Markfield road, just down from Johnson's Dyers and Cleaners factory). The Google scans show my entire universe when l was a nipper. Happy days indeed.

toodle pip

a liverpool busker - upside down

What a way to make a living. A busker in Liverpool, probably sleeping on the job.


toodle pip

murphy's war (1971) - peter yates

Peter O'Toole is his usual charismatic self as Murphy, the only survivor after his ship (Mount Kylie) had been sunk by a German U Boat in the Orinoco. He wants revenge, as survivors were gunned down in the water, and while recovering at a missionary settlement, he finds an old plane that he can attack the ship in, which is taking cover in the river. Even when the war is declared to be at an end, he is still relentless in the pursuit of the submarine, and refuses to call an end to the hostilities. The trouble is,  Murphy's War is not that great a film, neither an out and out revenge/war movie, nor a comedy showcase for O'Toole, it can't decide which option to take, and falls somewhat short inbetween the two.
It is also a film that was showing at our local cinema in1971 (the Bootle Odeon, Liverpool), which my parents probably went in to watch, as it was on the corner of our street (turn left straight after the Odeon sign), less than 100 feet away.
Sadly, the cinema is no more, and is now a snooker club, but l had some great Saturday mornings in there, watching the matinees.
Progress - pah!

toodle pip

going on the the jetty of death in liverpool with keith richards

When l was but a young whipper snapper, l used to put together comics and magazines. This resulted in me following bands around, either selling stuff, or taping / bootlegging them.
At the time, l didn't have a driving licence, so l had to get people to drive me around and give me a hand, and in about 1991, that lucky individual was called Martin Evans.
Now l have known Martin for a few years, and after he moved down south, we sporadically kept in touch, and when he eventually got married a couple of years ago, l went to his wedding in Cambridge, so we are still on friendly terms.
I have had some fine times with that young man, and we share a similar sense of humour, but there are two incidents l have had with him that stand out (no, not the acid at Glastonbury).
Why these two specific incidents you may well ask?
Because on both occasions, he could have died when l was being my usual, idiot 'rock and roll' self.
We crashed in a car l was driving (illegally) while arguing about who we would be in The Rolling Stones (as you do). After me saying he would be Bill Wyman (taking the piss), l turned to him and declared "I am Keith Richards", only to look up and then crash into a roundabout at full speed, writing off the car and leaving it steaming in the middle of the roundabout (OK, l know it's not big or clever, so don't bother bugging me about it). We both managed to get out and we laugh about it now, especially as neither of us were injured and no charges were made (and the car sure looked good in the middle of it the next day).
On the other occasion, we had been in Liverpool selling magazines and getting drunk, when l suggested going down to the river, which meant walking on an old jetty which was falling apart. That jetty may well have been the one above, but as it was the middle of the night, and we were very (very) drunk, l can't really be certain. One thing that is definite though, is that when we approached the end of the jetty, it gave way underneath Martin and he fell through the hole. Luckily for him, his elbows came out and prevented him going straight down into the dark and murky waters of the Mersey, from which there is no way he would have been able to escape. We managed to get him back onto the jetty (admittedly a little shaken and sobered up), and we then walked back to where we were staying (with him leaving a trail of poo behind him).
Happy days indeed, but for some reason the wild nights out with him seemed to come to an abrupt end.
I reckon he is scared of incident no 3, whatever that might entail.
As for me - indestructible.

toodle pip

bomb damage in liverpool city centre

I was thinking again about the tornado in Alabama that l had blogged about earlier, and knew l had a similar photograph stashed away that it was reminding me of.  Now l remember what it was (at long last - my brain cells have been destroyed).  It's the above one of Liverpool city centre after a bombing raid during the Second World War, when the Germans tried to get my grannies chip shop (copyright - Stan Boardman).
And l thought Bootle looked bad.

Actually, it did.

toodle pip

nowhere boy (2009 ) - sam taylor-wood

Focusing on John Lennon's teenage years and the tug of love between his prim and proper Aunt Mimi, and Julia, his fun-loving mother, up to the trip first to Hamburg, Nowhere Boy was a let down to me. I thought it was too obvious in places, presented a version of Liverpool that was a lot tidier and cleaner  than it is/was, and his mother was just waaaaay to wacky and joyful, or depressed. The first meetings with Paul and George, although based on facts, did not ring true with the acting, and the crazy way it was portrayed when they were riding the buses, or swapping the record, also seemed unbelievable, even though those kind of things happened. Most of it just seemed false, which is a hard thing to aim at a film based on well known facts.

toodle pip