Gawd its boring

Its that useless week between Christmas and New Year that is just totally pointless. Yes ok I am off work and there is much to say about that, but there is bog all on the tele and the streets are packed with people scrapping with each other for that all important bargain.
Speaking of which I popped into the Trafford Centre earlier, jesus what a bun fight. Total chaos and I couldn't get out of there quickly enough.
Mind you, I went into town yesterday and picked up this beauty http://www.oipolloi.com/oipolloi/gfx-items/3500-300.jpg
But I sit here, watching Sky Sports News on a loop, and wait for 5th Jan when its back to the workhouse

It's the most wonderful time of the year

To continue the locally based clothing theme, now the cold has arrived with a vengence, it has been time to dig out the Henri Lloyd jacket.
A jacket from the Worsley based firm has been a staple in my wardrobe since the mid 90s. In fact the first HL jacket I ever wore was bought for me
for my 21st birthday back in Jan 1995 and since then there has always been at least one jacket on my back, alongside a number of jumpers, t-shirts and jeans and hats.
It is a label that has always attracted me as it is casual, without making you look "scally" and there is nowt wrong with giving the impression that my weekends are
spent on some yacht moored off the coast of Monaco, or Butts Basin in Leigh. And that is before you think about its ability to keep you warm on some freezing terrace in the middle of
Jan. Of course by buying Henri Lloyd I am keping the money in the Manchester area, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Anyway, I have dusted off my lovely black number, that has been in dock since last winter, and shock horror it doesn't really fit. I mean I could get away with it
but for those cold days at the football, wrapped up with a thick jumper and scarf round the neck, it's just a little tight.
Gutted.
Still with high street in the state it is in, and Christmas quite literally round the corner, I can feel a few hints coming on, I mean, who would want to see me full of a cold?

No more three stripe

When I was a school I had a mate who had a pair of trainers, nothing strange in that of course, we all did, especially in the 80s, I loved my Adidas Kick and New Balance Bryan
Robson trainers, but this guy had the same pair for years. They were plain black, with a long tongue and I mean long. They actually resembled a pair of rugby boots but with no studs of course.
And like I say he had them for years, in fact I think he had them for the majority of time we were at high school. They were that durable that he could play football in there, run in them and wear them casually and they never split or ripped. They were a pair of Walsh trainers. Sadly I never had a pair of them in those days, I was too easily seduced by the three stripes.
Over the weekend I was doing a spot of shopping and popped into Life, a clothes shop that has had many a penny from me over the years, but sadly in the last few, not too much. Anyway, there I was mooching around when I noticed a rack of shoes, and there it was, the name, Walsh. The name stirred up the olden days, and that immortal pair of black trainers, I had to take a wander over. There were no black leather trainers there, but these beauties stared at me back from the rack http://www.normanwalsh.com/trainer/12.
I was in love again, I had to touch them, to have a feel. I was reborn, never mind the three stripes, the trainers that everyone these days wear. The Walsh Bazley are the trainers that I need to get on my feet.
Walsh, in case you didn't know, is a local company based in Bolton, so not only do my feet get the fantastic trainers they are used to, but my custom stays in the region. Everyone is a winner.
A request for a pair for my birthday in January has already been made.

Ok ok

I said I would be updating this regularly then haven't touched it for a couple of weeks. But hey sometimes less is more you know.
This week I have two days off work and I intend to use them wisely. On Thursday I reckon I am going to train it to Blackpool. Not been for over a year, there will of course be a full report on here (bet you can't wait) and on Friday I am going to do some early research for an idea I have for a new book next year. Have to see how it goes, I reckon.
Now a small rant not overly linked to Lancashire but good old Ringo refusing fan mail and to sign autographs from 20th Oct. Give your noggin a shake fella, you are one of the most well known people on the planet who was vital in shaping many aspects of popular culture. If someone wants a squiggle on their copy of "You're 16..." then I reckon they are entitled to it. I mean you see all those coins in the bank and tucked under your Rory Storm duvet cover? They are there thanks to the people who want a squiggle.
Sort it man.
Peace and love and all that shite.

No football today

Now what to do today? No football as we don't do FA Cup runs, the sun is out and the sky is blue. Oh what to do (hey they rhymes) anyway.....
Nantwich food and drink festival? Tempting
Kings in Salford for a couple of fine ales? Maybe.
All I can stuff down my throat in Taybarn in Wigan and then the Utd game on a dodgy internet channel? Aye I reckon so.
Food, internet football and general laziness rules I reckon.

Happy New Blog (again)

Red Rose Ramblings is back. I have left this place to gather dust for far too long so it’s time to wipe down the keyboard (quiet at the back) and start scribbling again.

So what have I been up to since my last couple of posts? Well I wrote and published my first book, which is probably the main reason why this place has gone to rack and ruin. You can find info on the book here www.tripsonglue.co.uk, please have a look (you can buy one as well if you like!)Erm what else?... Travelling around watching FC United of Manchester, eating the superb non league pies and seeking out pubs with fine ales. I also visited Stratford earlier in the year, sadly I didn’t get to bump into Dr Who or indeed purchase tickets for Hamlet in London, but gig/play ticket rage is a subject for another post I should imagine.

I have also been reading some great books, at the moment I have two football ones on the go, “Mad for It” by Andy Mitten, about various derby games around the world and “Calcio” the history of Italian football, totally fascinating. I have also done my first piece of acting, well extra work on the Ken Loach film “Looking for Eric” which premieres at the Cannes Film Festival next year. That was a good day and a laugh, hopefully I will make it in to the final cut, though I reckon it is much cooler to be an extra on the DVD.

Site of the Week: http://itllbeoff.wordpress.com/ - a superb FC United blog.

Radio update

Just a follow up to a previous post. Talksport and XFM are now officially off the list. The latter just can't get past its samey playlist and as for Talksport, now Ronnie Irani might be from Leigh but he certainly isn't a broadcaster. All he does on air is agree with everything Alan Boozil says, winds him up over his drinking habits or just asks banal questions. Not good for a national station.
The Revolution just seems to be wanting to be XFM lite and seems to be disappearing up its own bum hole so its GMR all the way for me.
Eamonn O'Neil and Dianne Oxberry are quality radio. Empathetic with the listeners, informative, even Eamonns old jokes get me laughing. They have a good team esp when they include the newreader Faye Ruscoe into their show. It certainly cheers up the drive through the traffic in the morning.
Terry Christian is still on GMR, he now does the drive show and is just the typical Terry, loud, opinionated and pretty funny. He even plays a Manchester tune everyday at 5.15 and not just the typical Momdays, Roses, Morrissey neither.
It maybe the BBC but GMR is at the moment a great listen and long may it continue.

What the crivens is going on??

What is it with this country and January these days. I remember there used to be a bit of snow round my birthday (this Sunday hint hint!!) but for the last couple of years all we have had is rain and wind. Any day now I expect 4 people on horseback to appear on the horizon and then it is curtains for the lot of us.
On Monday I did the usual walk from the workhouse to the Betamax shop for that dinnertime pick me up of chocolate and I was nearly washed away as the Irwell was, shall we say, pretty high. In fact I read that the Mark Addy is actually flooded, which doesn't surprise me. It was looking that if it got much worses they would have to evacuate the Lowry Hotel. Now what a shame that would have been looking at the the rock stars, D list celebs and footballers with their clothes horse other halves standing outside trying to avoid the shopping trollies, McDonald litter and condoms that were washed up from the river.

Am I getting old?

I finally think I am you know. I have started listening to Radio 4 and not just for test match special. I don't read tabloids anymore and go for broadsheets (this may just be common sense I suppose) and I have also reinvigorated my passion for golf, well of sorts.
I spent last weekend on a freebie at The Belfry. Now whilst I didn't play any rounds, I had a bash on the driving range and have now decided that I am going to dust the clubs down this year and get back playing. I haven't played in about 4 years but fully intend to get right back into it.
I am even, as I type, wearing a jumper and polo shirt combo.
I'll be namedropping Brucie, Tarby and Lynchy if I am not careful

Writing on the Wall for Afflecks?

Well it looks like that is it for Afflecks. The stallholders have been given 2 weeks notice it seems to vacate the premises.
Now to be honest I haven't been an Afflecks customer for years, not since the heady days of Madchester when I used to go there most Saturdays in the summer (Winter was for football) and get my hands on some live bootleg tape or vid or some rare record or other. But it has always been a Manchester institution and as such its possible closing should be mourned.
Fingers crossed a compromise can be reached but sadly it doesn't look like it and once more we will the erosion of Manchester and the continuation of its decline into just another city centre.

New Year, new blog....

I have just realised I haven't posted on here since March last year. Not really sure why, think it was more that I started my book in the summer and so forgot about it. I am going to try and get onto it more this year I reckon.
Keep your eyes peeled for more from this on a regular basis (fingers crossed)