Back to top

Blogs

28th November 2014 - FM, AOR and possibly other acronyms

November 11th 1986. It was one of the very few times in my young life that I'd got tickets for the very front at the Birmingham Odeon. Bon Jovi were on their 'Slippery When Wet' tour and were just breaking big in the UK thanks to their Desmond Child co-writes becoming Top 10 hits. But for us lot from 'rockers/hippy corner' at Solihull 6th Form College, the support band were just as much of a draw.

17th November 2014-Corporate Hostility - the malaise & misuse of Wembley

Saturday night, I witnessed a right shambolic rabble at Wembley – disinterested, easily distracted & disappeared when they were most needed. Not the team (necessarily) but actually England ‘supporters’ - for want of a better word - showing just why the national stadium, built as a shrine to English football, is fast becoming just another place to buy a ticket for in Leicester Square if you want to lord it in hospitality with an important international qualification match as a mere sideshow.

TLOTLDR - Final World Cup blog (26th June 2014)

The World Cup is just going to have to do without me from this point.

I'm sat at the Lemmy in my room tapping out my final thoughts before the sun sets and my cab arrives to whisk - well, trundle - me to the international airport. My predecessor in this job, the excellent John Anderson remarked to me upon knowing I was making an early exit; "That's the great thing about following England, Dants - you're never in for the long haul"

TLOTLDR - World Cup Blog Day 22 (22nd June 2014)

The slow death of this England trip continues.

Most of my press colleagues at the Lemmy are staying on to cover various groups & outcomes, some as far as the quarters, some all the way to the final on 13th July.

For me, though, I shan't be far behind England's players in touching back down at Heathrow - news that will delight the haters and knuckle draggers.

It's funny, John Cross and I share opposing thoughts on England at times, but I don't demand Crossy should be sacked for having that viewpoint. Good old Twitter eh? Lovely people, just lovely :)

TLOTLDR - World Cup Blog Day 21 (21st June 2014)

'Honesty, is such a lonely word,
Everyone is so untrue.
Honesty, is hardly ever heard,
And mostly what I need from you.'

Billy Joel there - still sounds fresh (sorry, just lapsed into DJ mode there for a second).

Now we've all had a day or two to digest the events in São Paulo coupled with Costa Rica seeing off the Italians, the 'Hodgson In' & 'Hodgson Out' campaigns have begun in earnest in print, on air, and in every pub, club and bar you can think of.

TLOTLDR - World Cup Blog Day 20 (20th June 2014)

So it's all going to be a bit eggy for the next few days.

England will be back at the Urca training camp on Saturday, preparing for what looks set to be a meaningless game (at least on our part) against Costa Rica next week. 

When we walk back into the media centre there, some minds might take a look at the purpose built facility with it's whitewashed walls and bright white tiled floors and wonder if this just another white elephant of English football. Like St George's Park? Like Wembley in both its guises? Like Lilleshall was before that?

TLOTLDR - World Cup Blog Day 17 (17th June 2014)

So I'm staying of course at the Leme hotel (pronounced 'Lemmy') and after last night it's clear that it's 'No Sleep Til São Paulo'! (Another in joke for the headbangers)

Couldn't get a wink of sleep - having to get out if bed, dress and go to the lobby to do a report into the breakfast show at 3.45am local time just broke the monotony of staring at the blinking red light of the smoke alarm in my room, strategically positioned right above the bed so as to burn into your retina even when you have your eyes firmly shut trying to block it out.

Glorious

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - blogs