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Replies 21-40
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DATE: 04 July 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: pupil 1955-57
I note Derek Scudder speaks of Watford [reply 1] when answering my Love of Wolves. My son and his middle daughter are season ticket holders at Vicarage Road. Needless to say they have bragging rights at the moment. But the Mighty wolves will return to the Premiership OR in old money Division 1.
DATE: 08 July 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
Unfortunately my plan to see Wolves v Watford last season fell through when the match was scheduled for Boxing Day, when we had a family get together in Petersfield. However I did get to see the Mighty Wolves play at Brentford and Bournemouth, where my son now lives. Unfortunately they lost both matches. An extra goal in either of the two games would have got them into the play-offs. My son who, in spite of having been a semi-pro standard striker, has never supported a team, was sympathising with me until I pointed out that, as practically every game I had seen was an away match, I had not seen that many victories. When I have seen them win, the segregation of fans means that I cannot celebrate too much, even when they score. As for Watford I was, of course pleased they were promoted and I went to the celebration in Cassiobury Park. My contacts got me into the VIP enclosure where for a time I was standing next to an Elton John tribute singer. A pretty uncanny resemblance both physically and musically, such that even people who had met the man himself weren't sure at first. Again I will unashamedly use my contacts to go to as many Premier league games as I can this coming season. I hope they stay up because Wolves will undoubtedly be promoted and I will be able to see them next year.
DATE: 13 July 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: none
[Re 32E/110]: Met Bobby Brown (at length) yesterday - a lovely guy. I temporarily suspended my rule about 'Wider World' being for OEs only, as Andy's message serves as a reminder that you can still send replies to the closed Thread 32 and your reply will go into some other appropriate thread (even a new one) with a link back to 32.
.jpg "James Cowen gallery")
Then & NowDATE: 09 September 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
The recent one-sided rugby league cup final score of 50-0 reminds me of a time a visiting school rugby union side from Carlisle played a scratch 3rd XV side during my school years and won 66-0. The school side was well and truly trounced and I felt the pain as I watched from the touch line. They should have picked me. I think I would have been better than most of the side, though that is of course arguable and was no doubt argued at the time.
Then & NowDATE: 15 October 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
I have enjoyed watching so many games in the Rugby World Cup. Pity about England losing, though many in Wales would disagree. The English side should have beaten Wales but for those blunders at the end of the game. As for the game against Australia I had some real forebodings of doom before the game and during it was shouting at the set in despair. Sir Clive Woodward in his Daily Mail article was optimistic but alas it was proved not to be. Now I am going to cheer for Ireland, Scotland and Wales, even though I suspect disaster ahead against the southern nations, especially New Zealand.
Then & NowDATE: 25 October 2015
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Well Southampton have beaten Chelsea in their last premiership match together and Jose Mourinho did not like it one little bit, once again blaming the referee with his quiet doleful way of talking. I do enjoy Gogglebox when it features him and the comments of all the participating viewers. Southampton obviously met their team when they are at a very low ebb but Southampton should certainly have scored several more goals. Thoughts also returned to my mind of that great thrashing of Man U some years ago.
Then & NowDATE: 14 January 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
In response to replies 21 from Ken and 22 from Derek, it does not look as if Wolves (11th with 34 points) will make it up to the Premiership this season, though I am aware there is some way to go to season end. Watford has of course done well in recent games pushing up to 9th in the Premier League and are away to Southampton, whom I support along with my son in law and his Dad, a season ticket holder for many years duration.
Then & NowDATE: 18 January 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
I am glad Southampton won that match [see above] as well as v Arsenal a few weeks ago. I think they will be safe from relegation but it has been getting tight with all their recent lost matches aggravated by defeats in the Capital One cup and FA cup.
Then & NowDATE: 29 February 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
In regard to Channel 4's programme The Jump which was the subject of my earlier entries [replies 13-16], relating to last year, my view of the programme has not changed, given this year's injuries, especially Beth Tweddle's. I have given my views in the twittersphere but I have started here, so will continue and probably finish. The Jump, in my opinion, unless great changes are made should be cancelled before someone gets even more seriously injured or even killed. Having said that I am amazed by Paul McCartney's ex Heather Mills returning this year as a replacement, having been knocked out in an early round last year. I have read Channel 4's official statement of there being vigorous instruction, expert teaching and H&S experts present and still mutter "Hmm!". What do others think, if any are interested I mean ?
Then & NowDATE: 07 March 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Since earlier posts Southampton FC has had its ups recently after the return of the main goalkeeper Fraser Forster, as the club picked up a 5th league clean sheet in a row for the 1st time in 15 years. This has been followed by the downs of losses against Chelsea at home and against Bournemouth away. Still relegation is now very unlikely for Southampton, who are still in the top 10 rather than the bottom half. I continue to make my comments on Facebook Barnet FC in division 2 also appear to be fairly safe. Best wishes to all you OE supporters of them. Borehamwood's future in the Vanarama Conference seems more fragile, given their current position. Congratulations also to Leicester, Spurs and Watford for their players and managers' efforts in the Premiership.
Then & NowDATE: 19 March 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
To change tack from football to the oval ball game I have found the demands for tackles in rugger to be banned interesting, including the character assassination in the press of those who advocate it. There does not seem to be any decline in demand for young boys to be tackling others plus many parents on the touchline with all their cars in the adjacent car park at Hudson Field in Salisbury. I have enjoyed the 6 Nations rugby games on the international front, including the tackles, and especially the England victories.
Then & NowDATE: 21 March 2016
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Watching the 6 Nations international rugby on TV takes me back somewhat to those days at QEs when we were obliged in the first form to report to our house representative pre and post matches to watch the school 1st XV against other schools. Now as then there appears to be a great amount of kicking back and fro to touch or sometimes into the midfield. Why this attendance requirement was not applied to cricket 1st XI I do not know. Maybe it was because time played did not have set time limits to games. I do like the fact that in rugby, unlike soccer except for goalmouth queries as to balls over the line or not, there is reference to the TV referee and the technology we have to decide points of query. I personally would like to see extension of this to soccer matches as there are so many clearly bad decisions of referees and other officials. On the other hand I find it astonishing how many penalties against professional rugby players are given in matches.
Then & NowDATE: 31 January 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Well it has been a long time since I or anyone else has put on any comment in replies in regard to sport. Finally my silence has to be broken. Southampton FC have won through to be in the final of the League Cup. So many people who live near me in Ludgershall, who support Southampton FC, are excited, of course. For non football followers: England won the World Cup in 1966, Southampton the FA Cup in 1976. For both it has been barren in respect of cup trophies since, apart from Southampton winning the lower leagues cup final some years ago. I hope that the final match is a good one and Southampton do win against the odds against the mighty Manchester United. It has been done before. As regards other clubs I have been impressed by the continuing efforts of both Watford and Bournemouth in the Premiership with especial praise to the efforts of Troy Deeney for Watford. It has of course been a great contrast to last season for Leicester City in the Premiership, whom Southampton beat in their last game to at last stem the growing sequence of their own losses. I recall Gary Lineker's comment on Match of the Day: "Did I dream about Leicester winning the Premiership last season?"
Then & NowDATE: 01 February 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Further to my last reply, what a difference a few days make to bring changes in football. Southampton FC get to the League Cup Final beating Liverpool 2-0 in aggregate and now they play Arsenal in the FA Cup at home and lose 5-0, though of course this was after ten changes by both managers, Arsene Wenger and Claude Puel. We who support Southampton do of course hope in the Final that the form in relation to the former trumps this latter performance.
.JPG "Nick Dean gallery")
DATE: 02 February 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
... and we who support Arsenal and had the dubious pleasure of being at the Emirates to see them beaten 2-1 by Watford wonder whether it might have been better to have maintained those changes!
36th REPLY
NAME: Vic Coughtrey
Then & NowDATE: 02 February 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1954-59
I must say I'm quite surprised at how few of you have replied in this thread, As someone whose interest in sport is mainly confined to tennis, it has always seemed to me that most men in England are obsessed with football and/or cricket and sometimes rugby. For my part, if I wished to support any football team, it would have to be Newport County of Cardiff City. As one might expect, there's a fair amount of interest in football in those cities, as well as in Swansea. In the rest of South-east Wales football seems to be pretty much ignored, even when the national team is playing in the UEFA Cup. Of course, it's a very different story with rugby (NEVER 'rugger'!), which generates the same sort of fever as football in England. This puts me in a rather tricky situation, on two counts. Firstly, it's assumed that being male, I will be as obsessed with rugby as any other man. {Many women here are obsessed with the game, too, but for those with little interest, no great shock is generated by their lack of enthusiasm.) Secondly, having an English accent, it is assumed that I'm still 100 per cent English and will naturally always support England whenever they are playing Wales. These two false premisses result in a lot of friendly banter and I have to think of some politic response. Useless to say that I've not the slightest interest in the outcome of the match and won't even be watching it. In that direction would lie shock and suspicion that I was not altogether the decent upright citizen they had fondly imagined. Useless also to pretend that I'll not only be taking a great interest but supporting Wales. I've tried that a few times and it's always been taken as a feeble attempt at a joke. The assurance of great interest is readily believed but not the other bit. The fact is that, if I were to get at all excited about it, I would certainly support Wales against England. Having lived here for nearly 15 years, which have turned out to be about the best years of my life, all-in-all, I tend to feel more Welsh than English (and in some respects, even more Welsh than some of the born-and-bred Welsh people around me). The best technique is to say nothing but laugh heartily at the banter, which confirms their assumptions. And why not? It's only a game.
37th REPLY
NAME: Nigel Wood.jpg "Nigel Wood")
DATE: 08 February 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1957-64
I think that in his first paragraph of reply 36 Vic has given a neat overall picture of attitudes to football and rugby in Wales; at least it accords exactly with what I've found when I go to meetings (connected with A-level examining) in Cardiff. Other members of the examining team come from all over Wales, but the only one who follows soccer at least as keenly as rugby lives just outside Cardiff. My strategy, in conversation, for dealing with my total lack of interest in any ball game is different from those that Vic mentioned. I claim to have ball game dyslexia. Although I coined the term, it does seem to sum up my inability to concentrate for more than a few seconds on what is happening on any playing field or pitch. My claim is probably lent credibility by my build, which still resembles that of a stick-insect (except for the belly), and I believe that my Welsh colleagues accept what I say at face value. Like the wonderful people they are, they try to educate me from time to time, explaining, for example, that when England plays any other country at rugby, the Welsh tradition is to cheer on the other country! Makes perfectly good sense.
Then & NowDATE: 11 February 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
Well now that you have put on some replies, Nick, Vic and Nigel, you have tempted me to type in a bit more on soccer matters. Arsenal have lost again to the league leaders, Chelsea, and it does not look as if the latter will be caught by the chasing pack of usual suspects (two of the other London clubs - Arsenal and Tottenham, the two Manchester clubs and the two Liverpool ones). My commiserations to you, Nick, and I hope there is not too much talk of the manager Arsene Wenger's mis-management and possible departing. Southampton FC have lost again, this time at home and against the other London club, West Ham, who have shot up the table in recent times as against their earlier dismal position and state. Thoughts of a possible relegation linger and I hope there are some more wins soon to counter this. As soon as Southampton got a 1-0 lead early on from the new signing, I feared the worst will happen.
DATE: 12 February 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1964-71
[Re replies 36 & 37] I was tolerably good at Rugby because I could run quite fast and take place kicks. However, I never really liked the game and don't follow it now. When I first saw a copy of the "Elizabethan" I was baffled that the Rugby reports were headed "Football", as it seemed to be rubbing salt into the wounds. Talking of which, I still have a slight lump on my inner lip where, at the age of 12-13, I had to have stitches as a result of trying too hard to tackle someone, although, at the time, I did quietly revel in the kudos attached to this modest injury. Years later, I used to go to Wales on business quite often. This helped to keep me fit because I was willing to walk fairly lengthy distances in and around Cardiff and Caerphilly just to avoid having to discuss Rugby with taxi drivers.
Then & NowDATE: 16 February 2017
CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 56-63
I have continued to enjoy the rugby internationals in the men's Six Nations, including England only just beating France and Wales over the last week and a bit. I believe the Welsh crowds still obtained much pleasure from being ahead much of the match, even if not winning in the end. I did also watch on TV the English ladies beat the Welsh ladies 63-0. It reminded me again of the time at school when a Cumbrian team came down and beat our scratch 3rd XV by an even greater score. One sided or not? As regards watching rugby on the pitch rather than on TV, I am due to go up to Cambridge next Saturday to watch a Sidney Sussex old boys side v the current team. I am taking my wife, so will mug up a bit again on the rules of the game. I hope that she can enjoy it a little. She certainly cannot stand watching much cricket such as QEs v the Old Boys side. Rugby is the only game in which there is such a fixture and it is now in its 10th year. I did play rugby for a college team but also football and hockey, for which there are no similar fixtures.