No such thing as bad publicity, that's what they all say, and it just shows you how little they all know. Pride goeth before a fall, and if a two-page spread complete with banner headline in the local paper doesn't add up to pride I don't know what does. Rise and rise of RCA it said, which, as you very well might have guessed, has unfortunately been immediately followed by fall and fall, though maybe we got something at Durham on Tuesday? (Yes we did, and an absolute cracker by all accounts). And now the Manchester United of the North East come a visiting, should be fun. Maybe the little Scotsman had it right, casting the only gloomy note on the Echo's hymn of praise; he reckoned top six would be a big ask, never mind top of the League. But will the club go for promotion in the unlikely event it offers? Not a chance according to the Chairman, but then cocking my lugs I have heard other voices saying things like, "Well, it would be a bit of an adventure, and what's the worst that can happen? Relegation back to the First Division of the Northern League that's all, so why don't we go for it?" Well, either way, probably never get to a position where it could happen anyway, or at least not in my lifetime....
Always good fun that old speculation. Which is more than you can say for a bad performance at Tow Law on a gloomy autumn afternoon. It must be the altitude, because the ball doesn't half bounce about up there doesn't it? Or so I have heard. But maybe not as much as at Durham on the dreaded plastic, balls being trapped 20 yards every time. Never mind, lets look forward to the big game. The little ginger, or whats left of it, chappy, will be looking to torment us on Saturday for certain. A little bird tells me he enjoys sending texts to all and sundry on the occasion of an RCA defeat, but goes quiet if we win. Lets hope we keep him quiet then. He is certainly always quiet when it comes to going to the bar time. More important, what has the manager been up to? A few new faces supposed to be coming along to fill the gaps, so has this little hiatus just been a breather before the RCA machine goes back into action? Hopefully so, especially now we are finally back here in bonny old Ryhope for a few weeks, so us more static fans can see a bit of the action. Or we will be able to see if the lights stay on of course. Much jiggery-pokery and the old red to red, black to black, blue to you know what, been going on to keep the juice flowing, half the staff of the council been up here of a Monday morning, not to mention the in house sparky, heads scratched and clipboards consulted, measurements made and lips pursed, notes jotted and conclusions reached. Fingers crossed it all works....
And finally folks, I hear Saturday sees the marriage of one of our nearest and dearest, as Rob ties the knot with the saintly, all the very best to the lovely couple from the old boys over the fence, keep taking the tablets!