It's A Hardknock Life

Honestly!

Turn my back for a minute and my lover behaves like a mouse when the cat's away.

Well he needs to look out 'cos I'm back - claws sharper than ever.

Actually he's lucky because he is in my good books tonight.

We had my son and daughter over for supper. It's the first time my boy has met my lover so it was a big night.

My lover was on his best behaviour - to such an extent he managed to last almost the whole evening without saying one bad thing about Arsenal. His one little slip was forgivable, given the high quality of the food he cooked.

Anyway, one of the things we talked about was that I promised to buy my son an Arsenal top. Trouble is he can't decide whether to go for home or away. I offered to buy him the other for Christmas but that doesn't work for him.

Sometimes life is so tough.

Taking a "Time Out"

Readers.

Georgy has had a hard day being important. She sends her apologies to her loyal and interested readers.

This is her Lover.

I'm hoping Liverpool will win the Prem. I'm hoping Reading will be promoted. I'm hoping the Foxes get a chance to show what a great Premiership team they are.......in a few years.

Got lots to look forward to. Even, maybe, a shout at the World Cup. I'm an optimist.

Wouldn't you be if you had Georgy for a girl ? :-)

She'll be back tomorrow after a visit from her Arsenal supporting son and Athiest daughter.

Hope you're all well ? Mosh, latic, Derek, Andy, etc etc


Love

GB

By The Way

Oh and by the way.

I don't want to talk about last night's match against Rotherham.

So please don't ask.

The Perfect Gift

As you know I am quite new to football. Indeed those of you who have followed this blog since the start or have tracked back will know that I was initially very unenamoured (I'm not sure if that is a real word but this is my blog so I'm allowed some artistic licence) with the beautiful game.

My journey into my love affair with the world that surrounds this size 5 ball was arguably a little contrived. Which is one of the reasons I am always keen to find out how other fans came to support their teams.

Some, like my son, just see the beauty in it for themselves.

But what I hear mostly is that someone in a fan's childhood led them into that world.

Sometimes it's friends. Sometimes an older sibling.

But often it is a father or grandfather.

What made me think of this today was seeing some publicity about the "Grandparent of the Year" award.

Age Concern and Specsavers are running the competition and want people to nominate a grandparent for the award.

If I'd had a grandad - or grandma - who had taught me to love football, I would definitely have nominated them.

What better gift could you give a child?

Reasons To Be Cheerful

There are some people with pretty cool names in football.

Like Arsene Wenger being called after the team he manages

On the other hand, there are definitely names you can wake up in the morning and feel really glad they're not yours.

Like Dean Windass (Hull City player)

Talking of things to be glad about, keeping your job as a manager seems to be something to aim for at the moment.

Ramos. Ternent. Boothroyd.

Question is will I be feeling glad at the end of tonight's Johnstone Paint Trophy against Rotherham?

The Human Sling

Do you remember the story of David and Goliath?

You know the one where little David beats the mighty giant Goliath using just a sling.

Well in case you hadn't noticed, there is a modern version of David in the Premiership.

He goes by the name of Rory Delap.

Slayer of Premiership giants such as Aston Villa, Tottenham, Sunderland and now the Arse.

Looking at other stories about giant killers such as David and also Jack (as in Jack the Giantkiller) they have a tendency to end up with someone's head getting cut off.

Talking of which, despite his team's win this weekend, I could predict at least one head in the Premiership I think may well roll before too long.

Fingers crossed eh!

Do You Believe In Magic?

The day after Halloween, there were a few frights and scares for some in the League.

The Foxes, who went 0 - 1 down to Bristol Rovers in the 61st minute but were then rescued by Matty Fryatt in the 87th and 90th minutes.

The ManUre, who despite dominating their match, had to fight of a challenge from the indomitable Hull City.

And a few horrors for others.

The Arse getting duffed up by Stoke.

Liverpool being beaten at the 11th hour by Tottenham.

And a humiliating defeat for Sunderland at the hands (or should that be feet) of Chel$ea.

Seems there must have been some powerful magic around....................................

Kissin' And Spittin'

I've kissed a few strange things in my life as you can probably imagine.

Frogs that never turned into princes. Money goodbye on many occasions.

Oh and of course the life size poster of David Essex I had on my wall when I was 14 (which I kissed a lot actually)

But I can truthfully say I have never kissed a badge. Something that appears to be all the rage in the world of football at the moment.

Rooney's at it. Barton's at it.

And they are not the first.

Rooney though seems not content at limiting his spread of mouth germs to his own shirt.

In 2003 he was in trouble for spitting at Everton fans.

Five years later, older and wiser, he is in trouble for spitting again. This time at a photographer.

Personally I think Bobby Robson had the right idea when he tried to integrate such activities into the game itself

The Good The Passionate And The ... Er.... Confusing

Sometimes a girl following football is so busy she doesn't have time to post.........

So it was yesterday.

I got home and had just enough time to light our brand new woodburning stove before my guitar teacher arrived. Whilst I was having my lesson my lover made tea.

After eating a delicious veggie shepherd's pie we headed off to the pub to watch the Arse/Tottenham match.

Whilst waiting for the match to start we got chatting to the barman. He revealed that his 13 year old niece is very poorly with an aggressive and degenerative bone marrow disease. She wrote to a charity who try to make the wishes of poorly children come true. Her wish was to have a laptop and meet the Portsmouth squad.

The landlord then proceeded to show us photos of her visit to Pompey, which included her with Sol Campbell, 'Arry and of course the lovely Crouchy (who was sort of bent in the middle so he did not tower over her too much).

As for the match itself - blimey! What a battle!

An in form Arse playing some wonderful football vs the less talented but greatly impassioned Spurs.

Nailbiting to the very last seconds.

Now that - as they say - is real football.

(PS - Looking at the picture above I'm left wondering how many arms and legs Crouchy actually has)

Say Cheese

There are some with cause to smile to the camera today.

Some who look understandably sheepish.

Another who looks unsurprisingly sad.

Some who look decidedly worried.

And then of course......... some who just look gorgeous.