View from the Cemetery

Nobody much in Ryhope, including us down below, normally takes much notice of the game played by men with funny shaped balls, nor for that matter does the national panic over east European immigrants usually get us roused, but I must admit a result I happened to notice in the egg chasing world gave me a moment's pause the other day. Seems the posh boys of Tynedale RFC up in Corbridge entertained none other than the boldly named Old Albanians RFC a week ago. Makes you think doesn't it? I wasn't aware that the Norman Wisdom loving folk of the lower Balkans even knew the oval ball existed, never mind that so many of them were over here, integrated enough to play our poshest, if somewhat barbaric game, and enough of them in fact, and so long established, as to have an old boys team. Does that Mr Farage know about this? It could cause some excitement in the UKIP fraternity I bet. Turns out they have even established themselves in St Albans, see what they did there? How cunning is that? Hiding in plain sight as Commander Bond would doubtless say. Sounds like a sub plot in the Thirty Nine Steps. I will keep an eye on this....

So, for England it's Italy in the jungle to start with eh? Presumably Ant or Dec will be on hand to lend their expertise on living in a five star hotel while laughing at others' feeble efforts in physical challenges. Lineker and Shearer are mere novices by comparison, and need all the help they can get. Avoid the prawns Gary, that's what I say, and don't play cards with strangers. Tough life. And I fear destined to end in tears, if not dysentery. Naples may not be Manaus, but it's a damn sight more steamy than Manchester.

So, corruption in football rears its ugly head again, will it reach down to our level? I don't think so, surely even the mad keen gamblers of Hong Kong and Shanghai wouldn't want to cast a spell over the honest endeavours of the doughty battlers around Durham and Northumberland? Surely there aren't many in the opium dens of Happy Valley studying the Northern League fixtures and offering the view that Aycliffe at Dunston looks like a good draw? Maybe there are, maybe there are. But, even if they did fancy a bit of an asian handicap, could our lads manage to follow instructions? I doubt it again, not their strong point by and large. Marking up at corners is tough enough, if they had to not mark up at corners, but look as if they were, I reckon most of their brains would explode. So I think we can go on trusting that it's cock up not conspiracy we are watching.

Splendid effort last week, can we keep it going? No, not my comment on the Consett game, but roughly translated, Mr Woy's view of the England effort against Chile. Should have gone to Specsavers. We hear constant nonsense about the quality of the Premier League, then reality bites when a few twinkle toes from down south come to visit. They did look good though didn't they? Reinforces my suggestion of a major investment on Brazil for next year's World Cup, don't think they would be worrying too much about Chile, just getting themselves organised for next year.