You're Never Far From A Foxes Fan

Being something of a very, very minor local celebrity, I was invited to particpate in a panel debate on the radio today.

We were there to discuss last night's television debate between the three main party leaders.

It was a new presenter.

As I entered the studio with my two fellow panelists (a man of the cloth and a hynotherpist), I found myself behind a yellow microphone.

Our host introduced himself and mentioned he had come from BBC Leicester.

My ears pricked up as you can imagine.

"Are you a Leicester City fan?", I asked.

He reached to his right and lifted a...................Leicester City mug.

Lovely !

Hurry up 'Arry....come on!

Is a song by this lot.

It's HL again this evening. I'm standing in because we've got family (GB's little girl-22 and my little boy-28 round atm.

I wondered what to write about tonight and then I thought about my day. A busy and productive round of keeping house. A task I've always adored.

Today I washed, cooked and listened to more serious commentators than Mr Parry talk about a rare event for Spurs. A fabulous victory over the bloody Arse, their sworn enemy and GB and Junior-Gooner's favorite Prem Side. People are saying it was the Match of the Season. I tend to agree.

100mph football with White Hart Lane claiming 87% of the possession over the last 10 minutes.

Quite rightly, GB and JG are sad about this event but listening to the amazing atmosphere in a certain North London Stadium last night, I feel that maybe, just maybe, Harry might be back next season looking at winning trophies. That'll be two years in a row for southern teams then, if things don't fall apart for Chelsea this weekend.

HL

PS

When I was thinking up stuff for tonight's blog, I looked for inspiration on You Tube. Nothing
suggested itself but I thought this was quite heartwarming as a most watched video ?

Happy Retirement

Is what the card said as I left work last week. Mixed feelings about the whole issue for the old bear, for it is he tonight.

GB's still ensconced with this stuff.

Mixed feelings because having worked every day of my life since I was 16, stopping doing it is quite a change of circumstance.

Today found me doing the following things

Clean House

Do washing

Field Emails

All, whilst listening to this silly ass.

Walk a mile to the local supermarket, buy ingredients to make this and this and this.

Make said items after walking a mile back home.

And find out this, which, despite what this bloke says, is a public scandal.

It's probably Ken Bates' fault!

HL

Sweet Dreams

What position do you sleep in in bed?

I favour lying on my right hand side, with my knees bent and legs curled up a bit.

Sometimes I lie flat on my back.

Other times I cuddle up to My Lover.

And I sleep well pretty much.

Bed is a haven. Somewhere to feel safe.

It's also the place where your head is alone with itself.

So I guess sleeping peacefully is a consequence of having a pretty clear conscience.

I wonder if certain others can say the same.

Or for that matter, lie straight in bed.

The "WOW" Factor

I've experienced the "WOW!!" factor today.

Not in any frivolous way.

But in an "I'm not worthy" sort of way.

A moment when I stood back and looked in admiration at none other than Avram Grant.

There is the fantastic FA Cup Semi-final win today for a start.

A battle in which, as we all know, the adversaries have been far more than simply another football team.

Staring in the face of financial ruin.

The loss of players and management staff.

And through the blizzard Avram Grant has led his troops, like a military hero.

It was an article in The Telegraph, however, with an account of where he draws his inspiration, that particularly moved me.

I anyone ever asked me to name the top 3 people in football I would like to meet, he would definitely be one of them.

He is an inspiration.

Never Mind The B******s Here Comes Steve McClaren

"McClaren" seems to be the name on everyone's lips today.

One, the erstwhile controversial music impresario Malcolm McClaren.

Now amongst friends at the great rock concert in the sky.

The other, Steve McClaren, whom, it seems, we all misjudged.

Could it be another transformation on the scale Beckham managed?

What separates them, of course, is that if David Beckham had been standing beneath that umbrella, he would have managed to look gorgeous.

Whereas somehow you can't imagine the same would be said if Steve McClaren had replaced Becks in as the "face" of Armani.

And if you did imagine that, you would almost certainly wish that image was not in your head.

Wouldn't you?

Heading For A Sticky End?

They're good aren't they?

The Barcelona boys.

You can't fail to be impressed by their skills and the talent of Mr Messi.

Although, without wishing to be accused of sour grapes, I do wonder how someone who wears suits at least 2 sizes too small for him can avoid coming to anything other than a sticky end.

Spooks And Spirits

It's wall to wall football here these days.

Everton v West Ham today.

A good match, although at times you feel as if West Ham is a team with it's head hanging.

Confidence is an issue I would say.

And my interpretation of Zola's body language is that he is part of that.

He doesn't look convinced.

And if he isn't sure, how can be expect his team to believe in themselves?

Time to seek out that elusive team spirit and exorcise those spooks.

A girl in the Crowd

Its the old bear tonight. GB's ensconced here. My boy is still staying with us in the cave.

Me and him have been having cook-offs; GB in culinary heaven.

Today, we've been here with my Mum. However. on the way to Bath in the car (quite bizarrely I thought) GB suggested we sang hymns, to see if we remembered any of the words from Easter times gone past.

First kick of the match saw GB singing " there is a green hill far away" to which (because I was both a choir-boy and a member of the Armed Forces) I sang the entire refrain........including the "for he's a jolly good fellow" retort at the end.

Surprisingly perhaps, GB finished the sacred piece with me and we laughed like only daft lovers can.

It was then I realised why she's become so taken with football.

Its because She likes a crowd who sings. She's a joiner-in. She knows all the dirty words. She's a fan

Me, I usually only observe. My sense of self hood threatened by intense displays of emotion, so I watch and make comment.

I envy her the joy of being involved.

We've had a real god day then..............unlike this lot. Probably the decider ?

HL

Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back

"Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back"..........

.......was the title I finally settled on for this post.

Alternative suggestions offered by My Lover in creative mode were;

"Howard's Way."

and;

"Howard's No Coward."

Steven Howard, out since January with an injury, back and in courageous form.

West Bromwich Albion are a good team, in form, and played well.

Leicester played with shape and tenacity.

But they weren't able to capitalise on opportunities and turn effort into goals.

At times they simply did not have enough pace and fizz.

And they are missing their star striker.

We've had a bad run recently, but despite tonight's defeat, I still think we have a realistic chance of making the playoffs.

Finger's crossed eh?