the daily mail get the obvious wrong (again) with the class of 92

Never trust everything you read and see in the newspapers or on TV, that's one of the many rules l have lived my life by, along with 'What would Keith Richards do?'.  Above is a fine example of why, even if it is sometimes waaaaaaay too easy to pick on The Daily Mail..
Their website had a big feature on the new DVD 'The Class of 92', which is a documentary about Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, David Beckham, Gary and Phil Neville, and Paul Scholes, the six Manchester United players that came through the youth ranks to be a success in the first team .  They were coached by Eric Harrison, and he is quoted and acknowledged, but in the middle photograph above, despite the fact that he is wearing a tracksuit top with his initials on, he is named as Alex Ferguson.  Alex is the one in the bottom photograph when the scene is recreated, but let's face it, is a completely different person.
The error has now been amended, no doubt after numerous complaints, but If the paper can't get simple things like this right, why should you trust or believe anything else they say?  Especially with their one eyed, right winged, spittle mouthed racist agenda.  I may get things wrong and have my own, sometimes crackpot views, but l am a blithering drunken idiot, not a national newspaper, so not a lot is expected from my long suffering keyboard, whereas a lot of people believe what they read in the paper, and vote accordingly, without questioning anything too much.  Then the bleeding Tories get in, so the working class and disadvantaged get shafted yet again (but not in a good way).
Time for that long awaited revolution brothers and sisters.

toodle pip

alex ferguson - my autobiography (paul hayward)

Rather sadly, after all the fuss in the newspapers about Alex Ferguson settling old scores in his autobiography (ghost written by Paul Hayward), it turned out to be quite tame, as most of the stories were well known and he had expressed his opinions about them in the past.
Obviously the newspapers exaggerated tales of falling out with David Beckham due to Beckham's immersion into the celebrity lifestyle, which Ferguson thought distracted him from from making football his priority, but he also has a lot of praise for him and how he has turned out, as well as the other members of the Manchester United youth team that grew up together at the club (Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, The Nevilles, Ryan Giggs etc), considering them to be like his own children in some ways.  He received a 1941 Rolex watch as a leaving present from the players, set at his time of birth, and the 'Fergie time' watch pointing on the touchline was to put off opponents, reminding them it's near the end of the game, and United usually score.
Mostly the book is about control and respect, and how the manager always has to be more important than any member of the team, and if players step too far out of line, they have to go, no matter how big a star they are at the club. It's not even a real in depth autobiography, as it mainly deals with the last few years at United, rather than revisiting old stories and books.
The fallings out with Roy Keane and Jaap Stam were only slightly elaborated on from past statements, and Ferguson glosses over the Rock of Gibraltar fiasco, as there is apparently a court agreement that the terms of the settlement cannot be discussed.  He is not keen on Dennis Wise (who is?), does not think that Steven Gerrard is a 'top, top player' (but praises him) and has little time for Rafael Benitez (but praises Liverpool football club).  And that's about it.
I'm always amazed at how Ferguson finds the time to have outside interests, but apart from the horse racing and love of fine wine, the main discovery from this book was that he collects J.F Kennedy memorabilia, and reads a lot about that, plus the American Civil War and World Dictators.  Plus he speaks French.
Lord knows when the piano playing is squeezed in.
It's interesting if you are a  Manchester United fan, but no-where near as scandalous as it has been portrayed. I much preferred 'A Will To Win' his diary from the mid 1990's, and 'Managing My Life', which was his earlier autobiography, out after the glorious treble win in 1999.

toodle pip

new george best and manchester united framed pictures

At long last l have got around to putting the above pictures into frames and sticking them in the spare room. The George Best cartoon and signature was a present from some friends (Hello Mick and Gail!) which has been rolled up in a tube for the last few years, as l wasn't that keen on the cartoon, but loved the signature and thought that had gone into getting me the pressie.
The Manchester United one l put together myself, and am already cursing as l should have put the Typhoo Tea pictures at the top in a different order, with Best and the ball in the middle.  I will do this very soon, but l am put off by the amount of time it took to hang it correctly.  However, my annoyance with it will override my laziness.  If you are sad like me, and wondering what the little pictures are, they are a complete set of the Manchester United team from the  'Soccer Stars In Action' picture stamp album from 1969/70.  I also have the album itself with all of the teams squads completed and stuck in (see below).  Told you l was sad, but l've got to occupy myself somehow.

toodle pip

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.

stormin' norman whiteside photograph from the arc

It's only taken me since July of last year to work out how to get the Norman Whiteside photograph off my mobile and onto the computer, but here it (and he) is.  From the excellent 'gentlemens' night at the Arc.
It's about time Hammy got off his arse and arranged another one.

toodle pip