Category Archives: Sport

Dec 30 2017
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Daily Post, Sport

St. James’s Park

Saturday 30th December 2017, 4.20pm (day 2,319)

St. James's Park, 30/12/17

I have been to a lot of football matches in 2017 — around 25, give or take (I have lost count myself). But one distinction was claimed by this, the last match of the year — it had the biggest crowd. Around 52,000 were present at St. James’s Park, Newcastle, today to see them take on the mighty Brighton and Hove Albion — and everyone to leave rather underwhelmed by a 0-0 draw in which neither team seemed willing to take on the initiative. Frankly if there’s one thing the year’s football has shown me it’s that the 220 people at Mossley v Kendal Town last week (5-4) may well be getting rather more for their money. But we keep coming back, week on week. Amazing what tribalism can do isn’t it?

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Dec 25 2017
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Daily Post, Interior, Sport

The tension mounts

Sunday 24th December 2017, 1.55pm (day 2,313)

Jenga, 24/12/17

Christmas Eve games at the parents’. Brother-in-law Pete makes what may or may not have been a crucial move. Look at the lean…

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Dec 24 2017
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Daily Post, Sport

The December non-league experience

Saturday 23rd December 2017, 4.35pm (day 2,312)

Mossley AFC fog, 23/12/17

Latest stop on my 2017-18 tour of the football competitions of the UK, to the Northern Premier League Division 1 North, at Seel Park, Mossley: a game with two distinctions by the end. Number one, it was the foggiest game I have ever seen, in danger of being abandoned throughout most of the second half as it was becoming difficult to see from one side of the pitch to the other.

But I’m glad it wasn’t abandoned, as were the 217 other fans in the ground with me, because the second distinction was that this game had more goals in it than any other I have seen in my life, nine to be precise: result was Mossley 5, Kendal Town 4. An absolute cracker of a game from start to finish. I really am starting to wonder why it’s necessary to pay the Premier League premium to be entertained (which I was not, particularly, last Saturday). Thank you to everyone involved with this game in fact, for giving me a quite excellent pre-Christmas day out.

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Dec 16 2017
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Daily Post, Sport

At the Amex stadium

Saturday 16th December 2017, 2.55pm (day 2,305)

Amex flag, 16/12/17

Welcome back to the Amex Stadium, Brighton, venue for several previous shots: all of which were preludes to victories by the mighty Brighton and Hove Albion. Today’s score versus Burnley: 0-0, so I lose my 100% win-only record there, but still, a point’s a point.

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Dec 10 2017
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Daily Post, Portrait, Sport, Stranger

Hamilton Academicals get ready

Saturday 9th December 2017, 3.00pm (day 2,298)

Hamilton players, 9/12/17

Another stop for Joe and I in our efforts to see lots of different football competitions in one season — today was our 13th, the Scottish Premier League. Hamilton Academical have a great name and I like their red-and-white hoops. I can identify the player on the left as their captain Xavier Tomas; not sure about the other two however, but let me off — we were not even supposed to be here today, having headed for a different game entirely which was postponed as we arrived in Glasgow, hence this emergency replacement, which made all my prior research irrelevant. Accies should have won, but their failure to put the ball in the net when given clear chances to do so meant they lost 1-0 to visiting St Johnstone.

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Nov 22 2017
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Art and architecture, Daily Post, Sport

Entry to the Etihad

Tuesday 21st November 2017, 7.20pm (day 2,280)

Etihad ramp, 21/11/17

For a birthday present for father and nephew (both Manchester City fans) I got them tickets for tonight’s UEFA Champions League game versus Feyenoord at the Etihad stadium, and went along myself.

It was a stellar exhibition of football genius and entertainment, as befits the most exciting sports competition anywhere in the universe, played by Gods who walk the earth in human form. At least, that was the media narrative. Personally I thought it was a rather tedious game, played out by a bunch of uninterested guys who knew it was essentially meaningless and that they’d get their £250,000 each this week whatever the result. And you couldn’t even get a beer at half-time.

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Nov 12 2017
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Daily Post, Sport

Substitution

Saturday 11th November 2017, 4.10pm (day 2,270)

Pickering Town, 11/11/17

Down at the ninth tier of English football, there are many leagues, this particular one the Northern Counties East League which encompasses teams from a slew of small towns across north and east Yorkshire. I have been actively watching football for more than 40 years now (blimey) but since school, not played it competitively, so I can’t quite get into the mindset of those who do, and wonder what it must feel like to put oneself through the physical paces week in week out for the satisfaction of a couple of hundred spectators at places like Pickering Town, which is where we were today (my 10th competition of the season). Visitors Barton Town are the ones making the substitution here, 1o minutes into the second half. The score was 1-1 at the time, but Pickering eventually won the game 2-1. Next weekend… somewhere else for these guys.

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Oct 30 2017
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Daily Post, Sport

Doncaster Belles FC

Sunday 29th October 2017, 3.55pm (day 2,257)

Donny Belles, 29/10/17

This picture is slightly unfair to our hosts for the afternoon, namely Doncaster Rovers Belles FC, here in yellow and blue, as their Women’s Super League 2 match (my 9th football competition of the season) versus Aston Villa Ladies was watched by a few hundred people, but that was only enough to occupy seats in one side of the Keepmoat stadium in Doncaster. Those few hundred made plenty of noise though (more than, say, West Bromwich Albion’s fans did when they were beaten by Brighton back in September), and rightly so — the Belles won 6-0. Meaning I have seen 37 goals in 9 games this season; none of this has anything to do with photography I know, but I get my trivia fixes from all over, these days.

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Oct 08 2017
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Daily Post, Sport

End of the food queue, half time

Saturday 7th October 2017, 4.00pm (day 2,235)

Bamber Bridge, half time, 7/10/17

The tour of English football competitions continues: number 8, the FA Trophy, at Bamber Bridge FC v Brighouse Town FC, Bamber Bridge lying just south of Preston in Lancashire. A grim day of weather, which this picture encapsulates — but, I must also add, an excellent day out, entertaining game of almost wholly non-cynical football, welcoming stadium… a fine cocktail to celebrate Non-League Day and all the roots that keep the sport I love going in this country.  4-2 to Bamber Bridge in the end. Maybe some of these fans got their food before the second half, too.

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Oct 02 2017
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Daily Post, Sport

The Tromsø IL fans arrive for the match

Sunday 1st October 2017, 5.35pm (day 2,229)

TIL fans, 1/10/17

More football; in case you hadn’t realised I am going for it this season when it comes to experiencing different competitions. Seventh match of the season, seventh competition — today, the Norwegian Eliteserien (top division) and the world’s northernmost top-flight football club, Tromsø IL. Although there is a danger they will not be top-flight next year as they are struggling against relegation; however, today’s 2-1 win over southern softies Lillestrøm cannot have harmed their chances. Here, the ultras arrive for the game. The woman in front is sort of in the way of the shot, but she’s carrying her scarf so what the hell.

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