Three greats from the world of football are coming to Solihull next month for an evening of fascinating anecdotes and stories from the game.
The Sporting Legends tour features sports broadcaster Gary Newbon, England’s most capped player Peter Shilton OBE and fans’ favourite commentator John Motson OBE and comes to the Arts Complex on Tuesday 28 September.
Gary Newbon, who lives in Solihull, boasts a forty-year career in sports journalism and is well-known for his role as a roving reporter on ITV sport and also as a sports presenter on Central News. He currently works for Sky Sports.
Peter Shilton kept goal 125 times for his country and played in three world cups. He has a wealth of amusing stories from his career, including from when he played under legendary manger Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest.
John Motson has been perhaps the most famous voice of BBC football coverage since he started on Match of the Day in the early 1970s. Motty is many fans’ favourite commentator and has a bank full of stories from some of football’s greatest occasions.
As well as having a host of tales to listen to, there will also be an opportunity for the audience to put questions to the three legends and there will be a book signing session afterwards.
Also appearing will by Kevin Connelly, a top sports impressionist from TV and radio’s Dead Ringers.
The show starts at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £15 and can be booked by calling Box Office on 0121 704 6962.
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Monday 30 August 2010
Braggers' Points up for grabs
There will be opportunities for West Midlands teams to earn extra BL points during the next few weeks, with a point being awarded for the highest transfer fee paid out for a new player (unfortunately I never thought to also do this the other way round as Villa could have had a point for Milner).
We also said there will be points awarded for international appearances by West Midlands club based players (no bench warmers - must enter the field of play). Players can perform for any national club, not just England or the home nations, but the more obscure ones will need to be brought to my attention as my awareness of who's playing where may not stretch to places like Togo and Bahamas.
With only days left until the transfer window closes, am I right in thinking that the most expensive straight inward transfer for a West Midlands team in the summer window has been Stoke City's purchase of Kenwyne Jones for 8 million from Sunderland? Though I hate to say this folks, the value of Steven Ireland in the sale and exchange of James Milner was around the 9 million mark. Latest news from St Andrews is that their 9 million pounds bid for Charles N’Zogbia from Wigan has been turned down. So will Villa or Stoke grab that extra BL point or are we in for a few surprises between now and Tuesday?
We also said there will be points awarded for international appearances by West Midlands club based players (no bench warmers - must enter the field of play). Players can perform for any national club, not just England or the home nations, but the more obscure ones will need to be brought to my attention as my awareness of who's playing where may not stretch to places like Togo and Bahamas.
Fickle: about to spend 40 million pounds on players for his beloved Blues, Carson Yeung was talked into purchasing this very fetching fur coat for the winter season instead. Kushty or what?
With only days left until the transfer window closes, am I right in thinking that the most expensive straight inward transfer for a West Midlands team in the summer window has been Stoke City's purchase of Kenwyne Jones for 8 million from Sunderland? Though I hate to say this folks, the value of Steven Ireland in the sale and exchange of James Milner was around the 9 million mark. Latest news from St Andrews is that their 9 million pounds bid for Charles N’Zogbia from Wigan has been turned down. So will Villa or Stoke grab that extra BL point or are we in for a few surprises between now and Tuesday?
Sunday 29 August 2010
Alex McLeish disappointed with refereeing decisions in Birmingham City's draw with Bolton Wanderers
Blues boss says draw 'feels like a defeat'...
By Chris Medland
29 Aug 2010 18:17:00
Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish believes that decisions by the officials cost his side victory in the draw at Bolton Wanderers.
Goals from Roger Johnson and Craig Gardner had put Birmingham two goals ahead at the Reebok, with the home side down to ten men after the dismissal of Jussi Jaaskelainen.
But a Kevin Davies penalty and Robbie Blake free-kick rescued a point for Bolton, leaving McLeish deflated and upset at the decisions to award both set pieces.
Read the full story at Goal UK
By Chris Medland
29 Aug 2010 18:17:00
Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish believes that decisions by the officials cost his side victory in the draw at Bolton Wanderers.
Goals from Roger Johnson and Craig Gardner had put Birmingham two goals ahead at the Reebok, with the home side down to ten men after the dismissal of Jussi Jaaskelainen.
But a Kevin Davies penalty and Robbie Blake free-kick rescued a point for Bolton, leaving McLeish deflated and upset at the decisions to award both set pieces.
Read the full story at Goal UK
Interesting times
To quote the ancient Chinese curse, "may you live in interesting times" - it's certainly been a case of living in interesting times at Villa Park since the sudden, though perhaps not entirely surprise departure of Martin O'Neill just days before the new season kicked off. Initially O'Neil's sharp exit up the Witton Road, clutching his rattle and dummy some claimed, didn't seem to make any difference at all, indeed Villa's comfortable humiliation of the Ammers was even interpreted as a sign that things were about to improve.
Giving the newly promoted Geordies a swift kick-in would therefore be a formality and everything was going to plan until the big Nordic nightclubber stepped up to take a penalty and uncharacteristically lost his bottle and skied it, at which point the gates of hell appeared to open. Before going any further, I would like to thank the blue noses in my office in South Yardley for changing the background image on my computer to a close-up of Andy Caroll firing past Brad Friedel. By the time I got round to changing it, the gesture had been repeated on Thursday morning with a photo of the entire Rapid Vienna team applauding their barmy army after our next major humiliation of the week, taking up my entire screen as Windows booted up.
I won't repeat my verbal response as it might be a bit rude and in fairness I think many of my blue nose colleagues do in actual fact have named fathers registered on their birth certificates. But the sniggers, even from other rooms in the building, were audible. My consolation is only that I know it won't be long until the shoe's on the other foot. I have the strongest feeling that ourselves and the Baggies won't be the only ones to experience life on the end of a six nil drubbing by the end of this season. Although in fairness to the Baggies at least theirs was at the hands of the migh'ee Chowl-say.
So this afternoon's three points from the boys in pink (is this someone's idea of irony to convince hundreds of hard nosed scousers to don pink shirts to away games? Some of them weren't even wearing official merchandise - they had actually come in non-football related pink shirts). Far be it for me to make politically incorrect remarks about men who wear pink, indeed I often wear a pink shirt to work and am loud and proud about being in touch with me old Jungian anima (look it up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anima_and_animus), but the terms "Scouse football supporter" and "in touch with one's feminine side" just somehow don't seem to be entirely compatible. It's a bit like the Ku Klux Klan leader becoming secretary of the Official Alabama branch of the James Brown Appreciation Society. You dig where I'm coming from here brothers and sisters?
Anyway, happily for Villa fans and sadly for the London based national media, the turmoil at Villa Park is over for now, though I do admit ...we continue to live in interesting times.
But that's enough about the Villa, anyone would think I'm biased!
I don't know whether we should be pleased or disappointed that none of the big five Braggers' League teams have gained or dropped extra BL points yet this season. With the gaps between derby games, it would be nice to have a bit of controversy to hold the interest but everyone seems to be getting on with normal business as we hurtle along the roller coaster that is the early season period.
In spite of the predictions that it's going to be the Albion and Wolves who struggle most amongst our teams this season, this evening's Premiership table finds Stoke in the lowest position of any of the West Midlands clubs, being in a lowly 19th position without a point from their first three games, with West Ham immediately below them and pretty in pink Everton above.
West Brom meanwhile are in 16th place, having gained three points from the game against Sunderland, Wolves are in 7th position with 5 points from 3 games, the Blues are in 6th with the same tally of points and Villa, astonishingly considering their major humiliation last weekend, are in 4th place behind Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United. Just goes to show, you can lose six nil against a team up from the Championship one week and still qualify for the Champions League the next! But as we all know, it's early days and anything can happen.
As we head for September, things may start to heat up a bit on the Braggers' League website with three local derbies coming up as follows:
13th September
Stoke v Villa, 8pm
18th September
West Brom v Birmingham, 15:00
26th September
Wolverhampton v Aston Villa, 14:05
So, let's get those predictions coming in during the next few weeks as we build up to the big local scraps. Will Stoke and Wolves allow the turmoil-ridden boys from Witton to come steaming up the M6 for a quick smash and grab of the points? Or will the Albion be the ones to stitch up the bookies this season?
Why don't you become a guest writer on Braggers' League and send me an article about your West Midlands team? I'm an unashamed bragger about the Villa so you can be one too about your local club.
Come on you West Midlands!!
Giving the newly promoted Geordies a swift kick-in would therefore be a formality and everything was going to plan until the big Nordic nightclubber stepped up to take a penalty and uncharacteristically lost his bottle and skied it, at which point the gates of hell appeared to open. Before going any further, I would like to thank the blue noses in my office in South Yardley for changing the background image on my computer to a close-up of Andy Caroll firing past Brad Friedel. By the time I got round to changing it, the gesture had been repeated on Thursday morning with a photo of the entire Rapid Vienna team applauding their barmy army after our next major humiliation of the week, taking up my entire screen as Windows booted up.
The hills are alive with the sound of the Rapid Vienna firm...
"Greeen armeee!"
Pink Scousers on Parade
No.... nice
Anyway, happily for Villa fans and sadly for the London based national media, the turmoil at Villa Park is over for now, though I do admit ...we continue to live in interesting times.
But that's enough about the Villa, anyone would think I'm biased!
I don't know whether we should be pleased or disappointed that none of the big five Braggers' League teams have gained or dropped extra BL points yet this season. With the gaps between derby games, it would be nice to have a bit of controversy to hold the interest but everyone seems to be getting on with normal business as we hurtle along the roller coaster that is the early season period.
In spite of the predictions that it's going to be the Albion and Wolves who struggle most amongst our teams this season, this evening's Premiership table finds Stoke in the lowest position of any of the West Midlands clubs, being in a lowly 19th position without a point from their first three games, with West Ham immediately below them and pretty in pink Everton above.
Early bath for Bolton's Jussi Jaaskelainen against the Noses today
"I'm going to slap you round the face with my white glove"
West Brom meanwhile are in 16th place, having gained three points from the game against Sunderland, Wolves are in 7th position with 5 points from 3 games, the Blues are in 6th with the same tally of points and Villa, astonishingly considering their major humiliation last weekend, are in 4th place behind Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United. Just goes to show, you can lose six nil against a team up from the Championship one week and still qualify for the Champions League the next! But as we all know, it's early days and anything can happen.
As we head for September, things may start to heat up a bit on the Braggers' League website with three local derbies coming up as follows:
13th September
Stoke v Villa, 8pm
18th September
West Brom v Birmingham, 15:00
26th September
Wolverhampton v Aston Villa, 14:05
So, let's get those predictions coming in during the next few weeks as we build up to the big local scraps. Will Stoke and Wolves allow the turmoil-ridden boys from Witton to come steaming up the M6 for a quick smash and grab of the points? Or will the Albion be the ones to stitch up the bookies this season?
Why don't you become a guest writer on Braggers' League and send me an article about your West Midlands team? I'm an unashamed bragger about the Villa so you can be one too about your local club.
Come on you West Midlands!!
Saturday 21 August 2010
West Midlands football fans buzzing for top flight battle
The following article, written by Gregg Evans was published online by Birmingham Mail at the following link:
Aug 20 2010 by Gregg Evans, Birmingham Mail
OPTIMISTIC West Midlands football fans have returned to the game in full force for the new season.
Blues, Villa, Albion and Wolves have all been boosted by bumper season ticket sales as fans invest in seats for one of the most exciting seasons for decades.
The buzz of four West Midlands teams playing in the Premier League for the first time in over 25 years has set pulses racing.
Big-money signings at St Andrew’s and the Molineux, and the lure of top flight football at The Hawthorns has also helped attract new fans.
John Lamb, a spokesman at Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, said the region will benefit as a whole from the success of this year’s Premier League line-up.
“There is a feel-good factor at the moment because we have such a thriving group of Premiership teams in the region,” he said.
“With Aston Villa playing in Europe and the other teams doing well it acts as a huge marketing tool and improves the city’s image.”
The Baggies’ promotion-winning campaign has proved pivotal to their season ticket sales.
Over 18,000 seats have been purchased at The Hawthorns – 1,500 more than this time last season.
Despite increases after three years of cuts and freezes, prices remain the lowest of the four West Midlands’ top-flight clubs.
Martin O’Neill’s departure has received a mixed response from the Villa faithful, but season ticket sales have still reached 23,500.
A spokesman for the club said: “Sales are going strong and are on a par with last season.”
Elsewhere, a number of early-bird offers were introduced at the back end of last season allowing fans to purchase at reduced rates.
Although no official figures have been released at St Andrew’s, Blues have increased sales following their summer spending spree.
“We believe that the current prices represent excellent value and it is part of the board’s ongoing commitment to value for money ticket prices,” a spokesman said.
Wolves’ impressive campaign last year has also created a renewed interest for the 2010/2011 season.
Official figures will be released after the end of the month.
Aug 20 2010 by Gregg Evans, Birmingham Mail
OPTIMISTIC West Midlands football fans have returned to the game in full force for the new season.
Blues, Villa, Albion and Wolves have all been boosted by bumper season ticket sales as fans invest in seats for one of the most exciting seasons for decades.
The buzz of four West Midlands teams playing in the Premier League for the first time in over 25 years has set pulses racing.
Big-money signings at St Andrew’s and the Molineux, and the lure of top flight football at The Hawthorns has also helped attract new fans.
John Lamb, a spokesman at Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, said the region will benefit as a whole from the success of this year’s Premier League line-up.
“There is a feel-good factor at the moment because we have such a thriving group of Premiership teams in the region,” he said.
“With Aston Villa playing in Europe and the other teams doing well it acts as a huge marketing tool and improves the city’s image.”
The Baggies’ promotion-winning campaign has proved pivotal to their season ticket sales.
Over 18,000 seats have been purchased at The Hawthorns – 1,500 more than this time last season.
Despite increases after three years of cuts and freezes, prices remain the lowest of the four West Midlands’ top-flight clubs.
Martin O’Neill’s departure has received a mixed response from the Villa faithful, but season ticket sales have still reached 23,500.
A spokesman for the club said: “Sales are going strong and are on a par with last season.”
Elsewhere, a number of early-bird offers were introduced at the back end of last season allowing fans to purchase at reduced rates.
Although no official figures have been released at St Andrew’s, Blues have increased sales following their summer spending spree.
“We believe that the current prices represent excellent value and it is part of the board’s ongoing commitment to value for money ticket prices,” a spokesman said.
Wolves’ impressive campaign last year has also created a renewed interest for the 2010/2011 season.
Official figures will be released after the end of the month.
Tuesday 17 August 2010
The Dave Jones goal
Just pinched this You Tube clip of the Dave Jones goal for Wolves against Stoke on Saturday from Paddy The Flea's excellent Wolves blog at http://paddytheflea.wordpress.com/. I am sure Paddy The Flea won't mind me posting it up on Braggers' League by way of celebrating the Wolves going top of the league! It's a nice moment well filmed by a fan and if I'm not mistaken you can actually see the triangular apex of the Asda vestibule through the gap between stands in the top right hand corner.
Steven Fletcher nods it home to take Wolves to the top of the Braggers' League
Well here it is at last folks, the long awaited opening report and league table following the first West Midlands local derby of the 2010/11 season. Unfortunately none of the bars in Turkey were showing the Wolves v Stoke clash, although we did manage to catch the Villa v West Ham match - though only after the bar staff finally located a dodgy online channel with a commentary in Dutch about fifteen minutes into the game!
I have to say there was something quite nice about watching a live football match taking place back home where it was, shall we say, 'slashing' it down with rain whilst we were sat there knocking back cold lagers in the sweltering Mediterranean heat. Sadly for Villa fans however, we don't get any points for that game in the Braggers' League and I guess Baggies fans will conversly be relieved that their opening match of the season does not have any effect on their rating in our unique local league table.
However, the good news for Wolves fans is that their home win over Stoke at the weekend means that they become the very first team to go top of the new Braggers' League table with Stoke going bottom of the league on goal difference compared with the three teams who have yet to play a derby.
I have yet to scrutinise the Braggers' League point system, though so far it doesn't seem that any teams have either gained or lost extra BP points. Braggley the octopus was close with his 2-2 prediction and had Stoke applied slightly more pressure in the last few minutes of the match or Delap got that crucial goal from a side-line super throw, it might have been equal pegging. Braggley did get one of the goal scorers correct with new signing Steven Fletcher nodding home the winner.
There were two bookings in the game though no sendings off, which would have led to lost BP points. As far as I know at the moment no significant areas of empty seats, significant vuvuzela blowing or embarrassing manager rants, but I await any independent post-match reports which indicate a convincing case for BP points being dropped or gained.
Without further ado, here is the first Braggers' League table of the season and well done to the Wolves:
I have to say there was something quite nice about watching a live football match taking place back home where it was, shall we say, 'slashing' it down with rain whilst we were sat there knocking back cold lagers in the sweltering Mediterranean heat. Sadly for Villa fans however, we don't get any points for that game in the Braggers' League and I guess Baggies fans will conversly be relieved that their opening match of the season does not have any effect on their rating in our unique local league table.
However, the good news for Wolves fans is that their home win over Stoke at the weekend means that they become the very first team to go top of the new Braggers' League table with Stoke going bottom of the league on goal difference compared with the three teams who have yet to play a derby.
I have yet to scrutinise the Braggers' League point system, though so far it doesn't seem that any teams have either gained or lost extra BP points. Braggley the octopus was close with his 2-2 prediction and had Stoke applied slightly more pressure in the last few minutes of the match or Delap got that crucial goal from a side-line super throw, it might have been equal pegging. Braggley did get one of the goal scorers correct with new signing Steven Fletcher nodding home the winner.
There were two bookings in the game though no sendings off, which would have led to lost BP points. As far as I know at the moment no significant areas of empty seats, significant vuvuzela blowing or embarrassing manager rants, but I await any independent post-match reports which indicate a convincing case for BP points being dropped or gained.
Without further ado, here is the first Braggers' League table of the season and well done to the Wolves:
Monday 9 August 2010
Martın... oh Martın
Just got the news here ın my Turkey ınternet cafe... I have only one comment to make on the departure of Martın O Neıll from Aston Vılla:
SHITE!
Im tryıng to remember ıf we have poınts deducted yet for that...I dont thınk so as ıts stıll pre-season. But I stand to be corrected by my own rules.
More ımportantly... what the ö%şğ ıs goıng on?
SHITE!
Im tryıng to remember ıf we have poınts deducted yet for that...I dont thınk so as ıts stıll pre-season. But I stand to be corrected by my own rules.
More ımportantly... what the ö%şğ ıs goıng on?
Absent wıthout leave
My apologies to anyone who has logged ınto the Braggers League sıte ın the past week or so and found no actıvıty from myself as webmaster. I hope no one ıs thınkıng that I have already prematurely clımaxed ın terms of my creatıve juıces before the season has even begun. But I can assure you that, lıke all Vılla supporters, I am ın for the long haul, and the truth ıs that I am on my holıdays ın a far away land and havıng to catch up wıth the comıngs and goıngs of the pre-season buıld up on Sky tv ın Turkısh bars and dıscarded copıes of the Sun left lıeıng next to the sun-creme fılm layered pool.
I dıd get to see the bıg pre-season Cockney derby yesterday between Chelsea and Man Utd, myself and the lads threw our hats ın wıth the lone Chelsea supporter ın a bar full of Unıted fans. In thıs case however ıt was the Chelsea fan who 'lıved round the corner', beıng a Turkısh waıter from the hotel named Hasan whose cousın runs a restaurant ın Stone Cross ın West Brom. So that seemed as good a reason as any to get behınd the worst of two evıls. In the event though we ended up ın the beaten mınorıty as chaın smokıng Rooney took a 45 mınute break from supervısıng the new under floor heated dog wıng ın hıs luxury mansıon (I told you I m gettıng my football updates from The Sun) to actually play a bıt of the game that made hım hıs bıllıons ın the fırst place, outrunnıng Englands senıor lazy fatboy Mr Terry, to make the fırst goal.
We have pal-ed up wıth some Baggıes supporters ın the hotel (we spotted them by the lıne of West Brom towels on the sunbeds - now thats dedıcatıon!!) and there ıs also an extended famıly of Stoke fans who are slıghtly more subtle ın just stıckıng wıth the shırts. We wıll therefore attempt to fınd out ıf there ıs anywhwere ın the whole of Turkey showıng the Wolves-Stoke game at the weekend, but dont hold your breath folks, the name Man Cıty doesnt appear to raıse eyebrows south of Dover yet, let alone the rest of us Premıershıp plebs. Watch thıs space but please forgıve me ıf I don,t get round to scorıng the fırst Braggers League game of the season untıl next Tuesday as there ıs stıll cheap beer to be consumed and sunbeams to be absorbed!! But would apprecıate any opınıons vıa emaıl after the match.
Oh well, ıts back to the pool for me I guess. Anyone consıderıng burglıng our house now that I ve advertısed the fact we re sunnıng ourselves ın Turkey, please could you have a lıttle bıt of a tıdy up whıle you re tryıng to work out whıch of our technology was actually made sınce the turn of the last Mıllennıum. Talkıng of whıch, ıt mıght be an ıdea to PAT test anythıng you do nıck as I won,t be held responsıble for the dodgy condıtıon of any electrıcal goods on my premıses.
And leave us some soft loo roll for God,s sake!
I dıd get to see the bıg pre-season Cockney derby yesterday between Chelsea and Man Utd, myself and the lads threw our hats ın wıth the lone Chelsea supporter ın a bar full of Unıted fans. In thıs case however ıt was the Chelsea fan who 'lıved round the corner', beıng a Turkısh waıter from the hotel named Hasan whose cousın runs a restaurant ın Stone Cross ın West Brom. So that seemed as good a reason as any to get behınd the worst of two evıls. In the event though we ended up ın the beaten mınorıty as chaın smokıng Rooney took a 45 mınute break from supervısıng the new under floor heated dog wıng ın hıs luxury mansıon (I told you I m gettıng my football updates from The Sun) to actually play a bıt of the game that made hım hıs bıllıons ın the fırst place, outrunnıng Englands senıor lazy fatboy Mr Terry, to make the fırst goal.
We have pal-ed up wıth some Baggıes supporters ın the hotel (we spotted them by the lıne of West Brom towels on the sunbeds - now thats dedıcatıon!!) and there ıs also an extended famıly of Stoke fans who are slıghtly more subtle ın just stıckıng wıth the shırts. We wıll therefore attempt to fınd out ıf there ıs anywhwere ın the whole of Turkey showıng the Wolves-Stoke game at the weekend, but dont hold your breath folks, the name Man Cıty doesnt appear to raıse eyebrows south of Dover yet, let alone the rest of us Premıershıp plebs. Watch thıs space but please forgıve me ıf I don,t get round to scorıng the fırst Braggers League game of the season untıl next Tuesday as there ıs stıll cheap beer to be consumed and sunbeams to be absorbed!! But would apprecıate any opınıons vıa emaıl after the match.
Oh well, ıts back to the pool for me I guess. Anyone consıderıng burglıng our house now that I ve advertısed the fact we re sunnıng ourselves ın Turkey, please could you have a lıttle bıt of a tıdy up whıle you re tryıng to work out whıch of our technology was actually made sınce the turn of the last Mıllennıum. Talkıng of whıch, ıt mıght be an ıdea to PAT test anythıng you do nıck as I won,t be held responsıble for the dodgy condıtıon of any electrıcal goods on my premıses.
And leave us some soft loo roll for God,s sake!
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