Watford managed to take an undeserved lead against Blackpool at Vicarage Road with a great goal from a free kick by the on loan Adam Johnson. However they put in a woeful performance and Blackpool equalised from the penalty spot mid way through the second half.
The Poppies beat Redditch 3-1 to secure their place in the 4th Qualifying round of the FA Cup (draw on Monday lunchtime) an own goal and goals from David Bridges and Steve Burton made it a comfortable afternoon.
For those uninitiated, the round after the 4th qualifying round is the first round proper. So effectively Kettering are one win away from pitting their wits against the likes of Northampton Town, Leeds United or Notts Forest. Watford enter at the third round -so as unlikely as it seems, my two teams could meet in the 3rd round proper at the beginning of January!!!! I could see Kettering progressing a few rounds - they really are a decent side and there is not a lot of difference in quality between Blue Square North and League 2 - I just hope the draw id kind to them. They still have get past the 4th qualifying round where we could see a couple of local derbies thrown at them as Corby Town and Stamford are still in the hat as well!
Sunday, 30 September 2007
Last Friday............................
I sacked my first person ever!
I have to say that it was one of the most horrible feelings I have ever experienced - even though I believe that the decision was the correct one. Going in to make the decision gives you the same feeling when you are told that have to attend a person under a train incident - An empty stomach feeling which causes you a little pain.
I have to say that it was one of the most horrible feelings I have ever experienced - even though I believe that the decision was the correct one. Going in to make the decision gives you the same feeling when you are told that have to attend a person under a train incident - An empty stomach feeling which causes you a little pain.
Monday, 24 September 2007
Umbrellas................
..................... Should be banned from being used in the street!
On a rare wet day today I had cause to walk between Kings Coross and Euston stations. I am lucky I wear glasses as the number of time Umbrella spikes caught my glasses was beyond a joke.
In fact the only thing which winds me up more than Umbrellas are Suitcases on wheels and people who stop dead after getting off of an escalator and then wonder why half a dozen people subsequently crash into the back of them!!!!!
Rant over, that will be all!
On a rare wet day today I had cause to walk between Kings Coross and Euston stations. I am lucky I wear glasses as the number of time Umbrella spikes caught my glasses was beyond a joke.
In fact the only thing which winds me up more than Umbrellas are Suitcases on wheels and people who stop dead after getting off of an escalator and then wonder why half a dozen people subsequently crash into the back of them!!!!!
Rant over, that will be all!
Thursday, 20 September 2007
Time for Action
This is London Undergrounds latest initiative for it's managers. The theory behind it is to increase the efficiency with which Managers operate bearing in mind that there will be lots of changes in the coming years and people will have to move with the times.
I personally think it is a great idea.
The first part of it is for each manager to complete what is known as a 360 degrees review on themselves to identify their percieved weaknesses so that they can address them. The way this works is that you get managers, Peers, direct reports and subordinates to complete a questionaire each about you and then the results are compiled and analysed and you find out how you appear as a manager to everyone.
The art of it's success is to do the same again in a years time and see if you have managed to improve your weak areas!
The message from the senior managers is that they really have not got the time to mess around with people who don't have the drive to improve things in the coming years. Simply put FIFO (Fit in or Fuck Off)!!!!!!
The initiative starts with Centurion managers and will then be done with Duty Managers.
I personally think it is a great idea.
The first part of it is for each manager to complete what is known as a 360 degrees review on themselves to identify their percieved weaknesses so that they can address them. The way this works is that you get managers, Peers, direct reports and subordinates to complete a questionaire each about you and then the results are compiled and analysed and you find out how you appear as a manager to everyone.
The art of it's success is to do the same again in a years time and see if you have managed to improve your weak areas!
The message from the senior managers is that they really have not got the time to mess around with people who don't have the drive to improve things in the coming years. Simply put FIFO (Fit in or Fuck Off)!!!!!!
The initiative starts with Centurion managers and will then be done with Duty Managers.
Last Weekend...............
I bumped into these little critters in Skegness!
Quite a nice place actually and I was pleasantly surprised at a seaside resort in this country which has not been invaded by chav scum.
Certainly worth considering if you want a day out with lots to do by the sea.
Cardiff 1 Watford 2
Another win for the Hornets! Another 2 goals from Darius Henderson and Three points clear at the top of the Championship!
It's all good today!!!!!!!!!
It's all good today!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, 16 September 2007
Watford 3 Southampton 2
Well it was Sunday so I thought it appropriate to visit my place of worship this afternoon!!
The visit was well worth it today as an entertaining game ensued in front of the live Sky Sports cameras as Watford underlined their promotion credentials with a performance of character, which saw them come from behind to snatch three well deserved points.
The game started well for Watford with a host of chances being missed before Dan Shittu met a Tommy Smith cross to head in the opener on 42 minutes. The lead lasted only two minutes as Gregorz Rasiak equalised on the stroke of half time.
The second half saw Watford go close on three seperate occasions with Southampton Keeper Kelvin Davis in fine form. Then just after the hour, disaster struck as nathan Dyer curled in a lovely shot to put Southampton ahead with only their 4th attempt of the game.
This however sparked Watford out of their Sunday afternoon slumber and they again attacked with vigour. This paid off on 82 minutes when Tommy Smith put Lloyd Doyley clear down the right wing; the cross which followed said "tap me in" and Sub Darius Henderson duly obliged.
Watford were not done there however and continued to lay seige to the Southampton goal. Right on full time a corner from Jordan Stewart was partially cleared to Gavin Mahon, who drilled in a shot which was blocked and fell at the feet of Hendo again for him to stab in the winner and gain Watford three well deserved points.
This win means 4 out of 5 for the Golden Boys and top spot in the Championship table.
Workington Town 1 Kettering Town 1
The poppies lost their 100% record in the far North West yesterday Despite leading for a large portion of the game through David Bridges' 4th goal in 4 games. Workington equalised 2 minutes from the end. They still however find themselves at the top of Blue Square North and are still, of course unbeaten.
I'm now off to see how my beloved Watford can do at Home to Southampton. I'll report back later.................
I'm now off to see how my beloved Watford can do at Home to Southampton. I'll report back later.................
Thursday, 13 September 2007
And in todays other news...............
'A French company has launched a service providing alibis for married people who 'need a little freedom'. Alibila, which promotes itself as 'your alibi generator', will make telephone calls, devise invitations and even create restaurant or hotel bills to corroborate any story. Prices for the service start at £12 for a simple phone call and rise to £34 for a 'class 2 alibi', which includes all the documentation, phone calls and back up needed to safely indulge in a 'passing adventure'. The company is France's first agency for adulterers who don't want their flings to be discovered. It provides alibis for a range of other situations, but admits its clients are mostly men'
I had to laugh at this!
Still full marks to the entrepreneur who thought up the idea!!!!!!
I had to laugh at this!
Still full marks to the entrepreneur who thought up the idea!!!!!!
Sunset over Northamptonshire........
Whilst travelling home this evening I thought the sunset was exceptionally pretty - especially when you take a picture of it over the rolling countryside of Northamptonshire.
I was thinking how lucky I am to have stumbled upon one of the prettiest counties in the country and chosen to live there. It's a million miles from what I had just left behind some 50 minutes earlier when I had started my train journey (Ok so Midland Mainline don't travel that fast).
Shiney new platform!
This is platform 1 at Golders Green which was put into use on Sunday for the first time since anyone can remember!
Platforms 2&3 will be out of use for the next 12 weeks while they construct a couple of lift shafts from the subway. Then the station will have step free access.
During this time if you are going beyond Golders towards Edgware and you are on a train which terminates at Golders you should change at Hampstead to avaoid having to negotiate lots of stairs!
Saturday, 8 September 2007
Blasphomy!
If you hate swear words don't listen (that guarantees everyone will have a little nosey now)!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phidpEyZQ88
Not everyones taste but this makes me laugh!!!!!!!!
There's a little bit of Tourettes in all of us deep down!!!!!!!
NOTE: THIS IS NOT WORK FRIENDLY!!!!!
What have I done!!!!!!!!!!!
Today was the one occasion every 13 weeks when I have to show my face at work on a Saturday.
I try to use it by loitering around the DMT's office and engaging in conversation with some of my drivers and also going for a little ride in the cabs with some of my drivers. Today I took along Little Miss Corby as Mrs Corby was working as well.
She tried a little DMT work to start with and was most chuffed that she seemed to be able to wrap some drivers round her little finger with her 8 years (nearly) old charm! But when one asked if he could go home she firmly said no (That's my girl)!!!!!!
We then went for a ride in the front of a train from Golders Green to Kennington via Charing Cross to Edgware via Charing Cross and back to Golders Green. Highlight of the day for her was blowing the train whistle as we came out of Hendon Tunnel and waving at all the drivers going in the opposite direction between Golders and Edgware!!!!
She was also most impressed that we went with a Lady Driver and that she explained everything to her (thanks Maeve!) and now she wants to drive trains when she grows up!!!!!!!!!!!!
She fell fast asleep on the train home and could only conclude when she woke up that it's hard going to work!!
I try to use it by loitering around the DMT's office and engaging in conversation with some of my drivers and also going for a little ride in the cabs with some of my drivers. Today I took along Little Miss Corby as Mrs Corby was working as well.
She tried a little DMT work to start with and was most chuffed that she seemed to be able to wrap some drivers round her little finger with her 8 years (nearly) old charm! But when one asked if he could go home she firmly said no (That's my girl)!!!!!!
We then went for a ride in the front of a train from Golders Green to Kennington via Charing Cross to Edgware via Charing Cross and back to Golders Green. Highlight of the day for her was blowing the train whistle as we came out of Hendon Tunnel and waving at all the drivers going in the opposite direction between Golders and Edgware!!!!
She was also most impressed that we went with a Lady Driver and that she explained everything to her (thanks Maeve!) and now she wants to drive trains when she grows up!!!!!!!!!!!!
She fell fast asleep on the train home and could only conclude when she woke up that it's hard going to work!!
An unusual view of the tube...............
This picture was taken approaching Balham on the North on foot!
Not an evacuation but I joined some Tubelines track patrollers and managers on a night track walk a couple of weeks ago. The time was about 0300hrs!
As you can see The Tube is still very busy even when the trains aren't running!
The Poppies keep rolling.........................
The above pictures are of the A Line Arena (or Rockingham Road in old money). Where Little Miss Corby and I spent the afternoon enjoying Kettering Town's 7th straight win in Blue Square North. They beat Boston United 3-0 with Goals from David Bridges, Tommy Jazczun and Mark Rawle (pen).
We then retired to Corby mansions to watch England beat Israel 3-0. Very unusual as I enjoyed watching England for once!
Thursday, 6 September 2007
Mr Angry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A friend of mine - The Station Supervisor - has a blog too.
http://londonundergroundlife.blogspot.com/
I just had to share this with all of you!
This is a reply to a post he made in July:
98% of people that work on London Underground are......
1. Stupid
2. Rude
3. C*nts
4. Ill-educated
5. Lack common sense
6. Moronic
7. Lazy (as proven in the above blog not once but twice both by the Author and his Boss)
8. Mostly offensively ugly ( I would love to hear of any contradictions - not from people that get off from LU uniform)
9. Crooks
10. Deserve the abuse they get 99% of the time
11. Should get another job or just give up and become a traffic warden.
12. Proved their stupidness by electing, supporting and taking orders from Nob Crow so therefore must be even stupider than I first thought)
13. Are not much better than a pikey/gippo( in fact I'd rather give my money to a crack head in the street than LU, so they can then go and give my money to Metronet, Bob Crow and the rest of the mob. So in fact pikeys and gippos are better than Bob and his cronies) Any crackheads reading this should look me up as I have free money for them!
Ulitmately, the Govt, the Mayor and Tfl have co*ked the whole privatisation affair up and therefore Tfl are illiterate and ineffective in sorting the monumental cock up that has occured.We are a laughing stock throughout Europe anyway and it is bullshit like this that results in more and more Londoners moving out oft his fair city only to be replaced by lower level scurbites who are here chase the dream, where all of a sudden living in shit is better than where they were before.
MY SHITTY ATTITUDE IS DICTATED BY MY SHITTY EXPERIENCE.
Only a matter of time before I take myself , with my education, my culture, my good humour, my intelligence, my compassion, my understanding but ULTIMATELY MY CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY and place it else where, where it counts for something and isn't wasted or shat on by some f*&king pig c^nt Bob Crow and the mug off who didn't do his job properly in managing the relationship between Metronet and Tfl. All a bunch of Kants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
F&*k all of you as karma is a b*tch and I'm sure most of you will at some point OD, get arrested for benefit fraud, get shot or leave the country for their holiday villa in Vietnal which was built off all the tube raises they have made n the last 15 years with an unnoticeable improvement to the service!!!!!!!!
With an attitude like that It's really no wonder he has had some shitty experiences. Taking his alledged contribution to society elsewhere is probably the preferable option to most I would have thought (although he may have a point with number 7)!!!!!
Oh and big brave person that they are they posted it as anonymous!!!!!!!!!!!
http://londonundergroundlife.blogspot.com/
I just had to share this with all of you!
This is a reply to a post he made in July:
98% of people that work on London Underground are......
1. Stupid
2. Rude
3. C*nts
4. Ill-educated
5. Lack common sense
6. Moronic
7. Lazy (as proven in the above blog not once but twice both by the Author and his Boss)
8. Mostly offensively ugly ( I would love to hear of any contradictions - not from people that get off from LU uniform)
9. Crooks
10. Deserve the abuse they get 99% of the time
11. Should get another job or just give up and become a traffic warden.
12. Proved their stupidness by electing, supporting and taking orders from Nob Crow so therefore must be even stupider than I first thought)
13. Are not much better than a pikey/gippo( in fact I'd rather give my money to a crack head in the street than LU, so they can then go and give my money to Metronet, Bob Crow and the rest of the mob. So in fact pikeys and gippos are better than Bob and his cronies) Any crackheads reading this should look me up as I have free money for them!
Ulitmately, the Govt, the Mayor and Tfl have co*ked the whole privatisation affair up and therefore Tfl are illiterate and ineffective in sorting the monumental cock up that has occured.We are a laughing stock throughout Europe anyway and it is bullshit like this that results in more and more Londoners moving out oft his fair city only to be replaced by lower level scurbites who are here chase the dream, where all of a sudden living in shit is better than where they were before.
MY SHITTY ATTITUDE IS DICTATED BY MY SHITTY EXPERIENCE.
Only a matter of time before I take myself , with my education, my culture, my good humour, my intelligence, my compassion, my understanding but ULTIMATELY MY CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY and place it else where, where it counts for something and isn't wasted or shat on by some f*&king pig c^nt Bob Crow and the mug off who didn't do his job properly in managing the relationship between Metronet and Tfl. All a bunch of Kants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
F&*k all of you as karma is a b*tch and I'm sure most of you will at some point OD, get arrested for benefit fraud, get shot or leave the country for their holiday villa in Vietnal which was built off all the tube raises they have made n the last 15 years with an unnoticeable improvement to the service!!!!!!!!
With an attitude like that It's really no wonder he has had some shitty experiences. Taking his alledged contribution to society elsewhere is probably the preferable option to most I would have thought (although he may have a point with number 7)!!!!!
Oh and big brave person that they are they posted it as anonymous!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, 2 September 2007
The poppies are on a roll..................
Kettering Town have now won 6 out of 6 in Conference North. They won 4-1 at Leigh RMI yesterday.
With Harrogate Town losing their 100% record yesterday, Kettering are now top all on their own!
Watford are not playing next week due to the International fixtures but Kettering are at Home to Boston, I might have to see if I can muster together the £12 admission fee to attend!!
With Harrogate Town losing their 100% record yesterday, Kettering are now top all on their own!
Watford are not playing next week due to the International fixtures but Kettering are at Home to Boston, I might have to see if I can muster together the £12 admission fee to attend!!
Strikes on the Tube next week
If you are thinking of using the Tube next week then think very carefully about it!
From 1800 on Monday until 1800 Thursday workers for Metronet are going on strike over the uncertainty of their future now that Metronet are into Administration (not quite a detailed synopsis of why, but I can't be arsed to bore you with the detail)!
This will affect you in the following way:
Monday: No services expected to run after 1900 on Met, H&C, District, Circle, Bakerloo, Central, Victoria, Waterloo & City and East London Lines. You shoud look to start your journey home by the latest 1700 if you want to actually get home.
Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly Lines should run a full service.
Tue/Wed & Thu: Trains will only run on the Jubilee, Northern & Piccadilly Lines. These lines are expected to suffer from severe overcrowding throughout all three days and you should allow some extra time to complete your journey as a result.
I don't see the logic in this strike - If Metronet are going to continue in some form beyond administration then this can't possibly help the cause.
The Mayor must be secretly laughing as I think he will get his wish and all the PPP activities that Metronet do will come back in house a bit in the style that happened when railtrack ceased to exist and Network Rail was born. I do however wonder in the long term how doing this will affect the modernisation of some of the Metronet accountable lines though.
From 1800 on Monday until 1800 Thursday workers for Metronet are going on strike over the uncertainty of their future now that Metronet are into Administration (not quite a detailed synopsis of why, but I can't be arsed to bore you with the detail)!
This will affect you in the following way:
Monday: No services expected to run after 1900 on Met, H&C, District, Circle, Bakerloo, Central, Victoria, Waterloo & City and East London Lines. You shoud look to start your journey home by the latest 1700 if you want to actually get home.
Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly Lines should run a full service.
Tue/Wed & Thu: Trains will only run on the Jubilee, Northern & Piccadilly Lines. These lines are expected to suffer from severe overcrowding throughout all three days and you should allow some extra time to complete your journey as a result.
I don't see the logic in this strike - If Metronet are going to continue in some form beyond administration then this can't possibly help the cause.
The Mayor must be secretly laughing as I think he will get his wish and all the PPP activities that Metronet do will come back in house a bit in the style that happened when railtrack ceased to exist and Network Rail was born. I do however wonder in the long term how doing this will affect the modernisation of some of the Metronet accountable lines though.
Watford 2 Ipswich 0
A good solid Performance from Watford got us back to winning ways. New £4.25m capture Nathan Ellington had to be happy with a place on the subs bench and an inspired choice it was as Darius Henderson, who would probably make way for Ellington, produced a fine performance and scored the first on 6 minutes - Lee Williamson cutting the ball back for hendo to smash the ball home from 10 yards out.
Watford scored their second mid way through the second half with Tommy Smith scoring a great solo goal with a left foot shot from 25 yards out.
Back to winning ways and a nice solid, competent performance, which confirmed my thoughts of last week when I felt the Leicester game was a one off bad performance.
Watford scored their second mid way through the second half with Tommy Smith scoring a great solo goal with a left foot shot from 25 yards out.
Back to winning ways and a nice solid, competent performance, which confirmed my thoughts of last week when I felt the Leicester game was a one off bad performance.
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