Gloucester Saint

Vaguely Saints-related, Lewis Payne got on second half for Cheltenham in their 3-2 defeat at home to Swindon in a Cotswolds derby today and did well. Harrison Sonha, their other technically good player, didn’t get on until half-time either. Swindon filled the away end for the short trip and gate of 5.5k meant a good atmosphere. Michael Flynn much like Russell Martin at Saints on thin ice, far more so I’d say. In fact, as popular as a fart in a space suit with the natives at the moment unless things rapidly change. Thought he’d be a decent appointment but after a huge turnover of players they really cannot defend at all. There was nearly a comedy own goal before Swindon’s first from a throw in that exceeds anything Saints have done recently. Amazingly, Cheltenham were the width of a post from 3-3 after being 3 down, but both sides will struggle to stay up, exciting as today was. The win is only Mark Kennedy’s second in 14 for Swindon but buys him a couple more games having been under pressure going into today.

Just the single pint at one of my local pubs, Adam Henson Pale Ale.

What an absolute pillock (the cyclist/biker).

What a nutcase. And people said Biden cognitive decline, Donald is at least as bad these days https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-unhinged-rally-rants-pennsylvania-1235130843/

Alex Salmond passed away suddenly after giving a speech in Macedonia this morning. 69 young these days. Whilst not my cup of tea, still sad news.

Haigh will be toast shortly as a minister reading that https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0r82pjd8gpo

Can’t speak for others, but no, never had it myself. I’m pescatarian - which sounds like some sort of religious denomination that gets sung about at Old Firm games - but is fish and plants, so don’t have red meat and some of the other stuff which tends to set it off eg creamy sauces and things cooked in butter. Plus I’m a moderate drinker (5-7 units p/week) and only beer, don’t touch red wine etc. I like it but it’s not so keen on me. Friends have had it and nasty.

Hook Norton Red Rye tonight, the leaves are turning red and so has my pint. Fruity nose, apples, pears, hints of citrus fruit, with the rye noticeable. The taste is toffee apples, citrus, a peppery hoppiness and dryness from the rye in the finish. The colour is really vivid, very deep red like a sunset. Off to a couple of the local pubs tomorrow, will zap a pic with the local stone in the background.

He won’t shed Rayner but tell her to rein it a bit. Haigh needs to tread carefully though.

I think that’s coming very shortly, I sense Rayner et al getting an Outlook invite to go and see Starmer and Reeves. The latter will be the most annoyed. Might be an excuse to get rid of a left winger and bring in someone from the Labour right.

Probably by his brother https://metalwani.com/2021/01/michael-schenker-on-his-brother-rudolf-he-is-a-bully-and-i-dont-connect-with-bullies.html

Do we really want to reward firms who behave like that, and cut wages to less than a quarter of the UK minimum wage relying on labour from all around the developing world at the expense of British seafarers? Not exactly the high wage economy and sunlight uplands (or oceans) promised by Boris and Farage. https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1865749/p-o-ferries-mass-sackings-two-years-–-changed Big words from Grant Schapps in 2022 but the actions and backbone didn’t match whatsoever https://www.newsletter.co.uk/business/tory-mps-refuse-to-vote-on-motion-against-po-ferry-owners-dp-world-after-claims-replacement-seafarers-paid-just-ps181-an-hour-3620904 Clearly the Tories did with Freeports. That said, there is an ongoing problem between Starmer and Reeves on the one side, and Rayner/the left of Labour. I reckon Rayner might be on thin ice.

Receiving an online parcel with incorrect items. Although have never had to contend with an ‘extra’ like this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c39l3ex0mpgo

It probably will be, hence the focus on Pennsylvania in the Electoral College.

I’ll try. I don’t just see it as an issue for the main two parties, although there has been some poor judgement from both, and the press seem to have forgotten the sheer scale of Boris and Cameron’s excesses already. Look at Farage in Clacton https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1l47e86r39o - not exactly screaming of wanting to engage with working people. Although the Nigel Jones, Jo Cox and David Amess fatal MP surgery incidents mean that security cannot be downplayed as an issue. I do find the Lib Dem’s the best in terms of local responsiveness on everyday issues in their constituencies but they’ve still had bad apples e.g. Chris Huhne. Personally, I think the only way you get them working by us is funded by us. No excuses then for wallpaper, spectacles or anything else paid for by various characters. But the public has to be prepared to broadly consent on that.

Great win, rare to win after conceding 550+ first up on a shirt front. Pakistan are about as effective at home as Saints are these days but taking nothing away from Root, Brook, Leach and Carse, who deserved more wickets on his debut.

By all means they can have Badenoch but it’s a choice between that and power for the next 10-15 years. Ditto Jenrick, slightly better but not by much. They fucked up with tactical voting on a par with some of Russell Martin’s selections this season on the obvious option. Truss isn’t on that list above and has to be, Boris is but destroyed their party in doing so and paved the way for Truss who acted as Bomber Harris for what Boris didn’t wreck. Sunak would’ve lost but nowhere near that margin if they’d chosen him first. Good self-deprecating text sent to the Indy by a Labour MP ‘Do we have to declare this result as a gift’ 😂 Very happy about it from a Lib Dem perspective, neither of those will make much of a dent in the old Blue Wall seats just gained/regained in the SW.

Patriots, except when it doesn’t suit.

Straight down the same opposition rabbit hole Labour went down with the wrong Miliband and then Steptoe. That’s them fucked for another Parliament. I’m not saying Cleverley is the next David Cameron but obvious he was the best available.

Similar for me. I’d go back to Pellegrino, briefly flickered again under Ralph and enjoyed the Project Restart little phase. Enjoyed last season a bit more and Wembley was great, but seen far too many poor decisions and a reek of complacency and lack of energy from the people running the club. We could be a regular PL club again but not unless the owners bring in some football leadership with top flight experience.

The article doesn’t state that explicitly but I’d imagine it’s played a significant part in the invite. It’s a great opportunity for the club.

He’s lost 4 games already at that level and Charlton have invested in the playing squad as well as being one of the biggest clubs. They’ve been a bin fire for a while as a club but new ownership and expectations will have risen.

My second team is Torquay Utd and I also watch Cheltenham Town matches when I can. I enjoy the more competitive nature of the leagues and matches but bear in mind how dominant Leics, Saints and Leeds were in the Champ last season, Ipswich did remarkably well last season but they have bigger financial backing than most realise. It’s easy to enjoy it when we have a sizeable financial advantage as we did last season and 2009-12. If Saints were better run and managed we’d be more competitive and enjoying it more. In the 90s the Dell was the smallest top flight venue as we struggled to find somewhere to build a new stadium but the club cut it’s cloth post-Branfoot and found a way to get results when needed without purist football and were hard to beat at home. Plus we had an icon in MLT. Cricket is my favourite sport but that’s had to recover from Aus/Eng/India hogging most of the revenues. Love international rugby but domestically it’s been a mess with top outfits like Worcester Warriors going pop and Wasps moving between London/Wycombe/Coventry and seemingly now Kent.

Meanwhile the Tories are still the best at own goals 🤣 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13932883/Tories-left-red-faced-video-attacking-Labours-winter-fuel-payment-cut-features-wealthy-pensioners-including-one-wearing-Rolex.html

One of 5 clubs to be invited to the Global Super League T20 tournament in Guyana, late November and early December https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cvgd12j8el3o