the rather marvelous 4-2-4 football game

When l was young kiddiewinkle, l played Subbuteo now and again like every other sane friend of mine. Some of us dodgier lads even used to go into Wallingford when we were on Summer holidays and nick various boxes of teams to vary the games a bit (Security was pretty lax in the olden days). However, the game that l enjoyed playing most of all, and hardly anyone remembers, was TAF 4-2-4, which l used to play when l lived in Germany. I always thought that the game helped give me a better theoretical understanding of passing the ball into space and how to control and move a ball into space when l played football for real (I was obviously excellent at the real game).
I lost my original game (or my parents probably chucked it when we moved back to Blighty) but l purchased another a few years ago for that lovely Proustian rush, and just to see one again, as people l spoke to then had never even heard of it, and despite the drink and drugs over the years in between, l knew l wasn't imagining it.
When it arrived, I was pretty chuffed that it was in such good condition, and it immediately bought back many happy memories, but an added bonus was that it has been signed by  Tom Waterman, the creator of the game on the inside of the outer lid.
Hurrah!!! A reason for keeping it, as l can now class it as a collectors item / rarity.

toodle pip

new haul from the car boot

I only go to the local car boot sale now and again, and often only come away with a few cheap lp's that l may only like the odd song on.
On other days however, If there are some decent items, l fill my boots!!
Here's Sunday's haul - some cheapo's, but some crackers as well.
The £8 price sticker on the Dusty and Roxy Music lps was only on the outer covers, as they only cost £1 each. Result! (Even if l have a copy of the Roxy album already)

toodle pip

it's bank holiday monday!

It's Bank Holiday Monday, which means a drunken day out in Richmond with the lads, and Robbo staying over at my place afterwards. Haven't missed it for years and we always have a laugh, but l'm sure it will be messy. The rule is - do it to them before they do it to you.

Here's me at the start of the day

And this will be me and Robbo at the end of the day

toodle pip

last weeks breakfast

Mmmmmm  A blurry picture of last weeks breakfast.
I had no interest in The Royal Wedding, but had been invited to a party that morning. I said l would go and have my breakfast there before heading off for the FA Cup Final if  potato salad and quiche were being served, so they put them on for me.
Hurrah!! Although l should have given the final a miss.

toodle pip

funny underpants

A great pear of undies which look like they are from Hom, although l can't seem to find them anywhere.
What an excellent idea though!

And here's a pair l wear to scare Mr Parrot

toodle pip

some recent books

Some books l have recently read. I seem to have gone through quite a few autobiographies lately. All from charity shops.

toodle pip

I finally got rid of the settee in the spare room, as l am trying to declutter the place (well, tidy it up at least).
I had to drive down to Harrogate to pick up the shelving unit which l bought online, but it was well worth it, as it fits the gap perfectly.
Now l've got more room to fill with other stuff!!!

toodle pip

sneaky mr parrot

Mr Parrot trying to sneak up behind me to get a banana that was by my side (he loves them). What a cutie.

And here he is later on looking happy after having some banana

toodle pip

the neighbours have trimmed their bush

I wondered what the neighbours over the road were doing to their massive bush the other day, and now l know. They have trimmed it back and made it look a lot better.
I'm impressed, but if it was mine l would never have started the job in the first place.

toodle pip

the travaux football club and team

My memory is rubbish with some stuff.
I 'm not totally doolally, so l do remember playing for The Travaux football club years ago, but until l saw these items in amongst other crap in one of my many storage boxes, l had no memory that we actually started the team, and played in it's embryonic first season. I even had to become a member (number 60!) of the Travaux to play for them. As the newspaper cutting confirms, we were pretty good, hit the ground running, and won the league straight off (or at least finished second - as l stated, my memory is crap).
That was before the drink and drugs took their toll!!

toodle pip

iggy's pants and his footwear choices

You have to have confidence to wear a pair of pants that Iggy Pop is sporting in this photograph.
It makes me admire him even more.
Despite the fact that l'm not too keen on the shoes and no socks look he is also sporting, he was ahead of his time not just with his music, but his footwear as well, as that's what the fashionista are wearing these days (Idiots).

Here's the trailer for the Jim Jarmusch documentary on Iggy and The Stooges - 'Gimme Danger'.  I'm biased as l'm besotted by them, but it's highly recommended!!



toodle pip

vegetarian ham that tastes of chicken

Vegetarian ham that tastes of chicken??  They're trying to confuse me.

toodle pip

marc bolan defends bob dylan

Back before he became famous, Marc Bolan defended Bob Dylan's 'Self Portrait' album in the pages of Melody Maker.

Here's the lyrics to the song Belle Isle that Bolan was on about (Bob based it on a traditional song)

As there's no video for that, here's one of my favourite Dylan songs, the live version of 'Hurricane'

To demonstrate how unknown Bolan when the letter was printed (Self Portrait was released June 8th 1970), they even printed his home address. How times were to suddenly change.
Bolan had been about for a few years on the underground scene, but in October 1970 T.Rex released this little beauty and his life was never the same.

Ride a White Swan - from 'Beat Club' German TV



And here's some more Bolan  - at the time, the biggest star since The Beatles.









And lastly, one that made me cry playing it after he died - one of his last songs - 'Soul of my Suit'
I loved him



toodle pip

al perman found in a book plus david essex and the stray cats

It's funny what you can find stashed away in old books bought from charity shops. 

Here's a recent example - a photograph of a singer who looks a bit like David Essex in 'Stardust', but the back of the photo has 'Al Perman 1966' written on it. That could be the photographer or the singer, as l have no idea. I tried a quick Google search but with no success, so it is likely to remain a puzzle.

Here's David Essex playing Jim MacLain with The Stray Cats in 'Stardust'



Here's David Essex's 'Rock On' (a favourite of mine)



And here's the later day Stray Cats doing the 'Stray Cat Strut'



toodle pip

the liverpool european cup / champions league final defeat

Here's a picture of me earlier watching the Champions League (European Cup in old money) final tonight between Liverpool and Real Madrid.

I wanted to watch Liverpool versus Real Madrid as l thought it might be a good attacking game, but l was dreading it in case Liverpool were to win. However, l didn't want Mohamed Salah to go off injured, so despite still wanting to see Real Madrid triumph, when he did, l thought the enjoyment of (hopefully) Real's win would be taken away from me, as it would have been kind of a default victory.
That was before a brilliant overhead kick by Gareth Bale, and two howlers from Loris Karius (Liverpool's goalkeeper). To state that l was happy at the end is an understatement. I do actually feel sorry for Salah (who is a superb player) and Karius, but it was well worth watching from a Manchester United viewpoint.
Liverpool have still won it more than us though, and l can't see that changing anytime in the near future.

toodle pip

alex james - bit of a blur - signed

Now this is how l end up with stuff that l had forgotten about.
As well as a load of other books and bits of crap, I bought Alex James' autobiography  'A Bit Of A Blur' in a charity shop recently, and it was only when l went to read it that l noticed it had been signed at Waterstone's by Alex himself.
In the past, this would then have been stashed away by me, unboxed years later, and then l would be left desperately trying to remember going to Waterstone's and meeting Alex.
No wonder l confuse myself

toodle pip

the spaced house is up for sale

If you are a fan of the comedy series 'Spaced' and have a lot of spare cash lying around, then it might be your lucky day, as the house from the series (At Carlton Road, London N7) is up for sale. At a mind boggling asking price of 4 million of your English pounds.
Slightly out of my price range I'm afraid.

toodle pip