Sunday morning. Watching FA Cup highlights. Arsenal match on - off side after a foul stopped the ref giving us a penalty – you’re having a laugh ref. More on that match later. Lots of sports coming up with Manure vs Daglish’s Liverpool then Ski Sunday (more on winter olympics) later then dancing on ice then snooker then darts. So a very sporty day for me then.
Activity started on Friday with cycling to and from work (see other entry) in the wind and rain. Once back home go to collect Ramsey who’s down for the Leeds game and we set ourselves up for the evening with roast veggies and French New Year tart. Then off to the Brixton Windmill by bike to exercise our rock and roll sensibilities – meet Simon there. Miss first band but there for all of Deadbeat Descendant. I liked them a lot. Energetic front man who reminded us 3 of various singers including Hugh Cornwell / James Murphy / Iggy Pop / Roger Daltrey – a lot of presence. Band were very tight good rock outfit with a few exceptional bits and hard rock - but could do with a bit more psychedelic guitar and grunge. Next up were Winter Olympics (sports connection – geddit!?!). 5 piece with a dodgy bank manager look - black trousers crisp white shirts black ties. Ramsey says the singer has a blonde mop wig with sweatband but the hair turns out to be real. The front man is great and very entertaining even getting the crowd to practise a singalonga chorus whilst the drummer was sorting out his kit half way thru the set. This may have possibly been a setup? Whatever – the first time I’ve seen such a thing at the Windmill. Aah - the music. 70s Georgio Moroder marries late 80s hands in the air smiley dance producing offspring of confused modern indie funk. Went down very well and I enjoyed them a lot. And was that Simon dancing down the front with his deerstalker on? Another Windmill first methinks. After all that excitement we retire from the oldies bar to the kiddies smoking room to chill out for a while and play at being young again. Then back for the hotly anticipated mainly girl rock n roll influenced Priscillas. But flat bog standard rock with a bit of 50s r&r bits but very disappointing. Ah well, time to leave the indie kids as Si heads home and Ramsey & I pop down to the White Horse for a swift pint and check out the funky beats before cycling home for a night cap and reminisce about ye olden days.
Up early-ish on Saturday for eggs mushrooms and spinach (another classic from Debs) then off to Ashburton Grove for Arsenal vs Leeds - the point of Ramsey’s trip. N5 is awash with Leeds fans. About 10,000 in the ground taking up the Clock End. Swift Guinness for me and dodgy lager for Ramsey in the Auld Triangle (nee Plimsoll Line) then to show off the magnificent stadium. You can read the match report elsewhere but it was a great cup tie with The Gunners chasing a Leeds penalty goal for much of the 2nd half until the last minute when we got our (well deserved!) penalty. What seemed like ten minutes of injury time when we could’ve won but I guess a draw was a fair result given Leeds’ determination and defence and Arsenal’s refusal to shoot from outside the bloody area. Maybe risk a trip to Elland Road for the replay – will need to practice my ee bah gum accent. Walked to the old Highbury east stand thousands of Yorkshire folk. Surreal walking down Avenell Road hearing only Yorkshire accents. Showed Ramsey the home of football (old Highbury East stand) and Herbert Chapman’s bronze bust (wonder if it’s the original?). Then to a local Arsenal pub for a pint. Lost the Yorkshire people by now (mainly) but everyone very kind to Ramsey given his accent. Tube to Leicester Square for a visit to Brown’s where we know the manager – snacks and pints, thanks David – then up to Kings Cross for Ramsey’s train. Time for a last pinto but not easy. Tried one gay Yorkshire bar (nothing on tap) so go for JD & cokes in Chilled Out bar. Full of Yorkshire! Hug Ramsey at the station… So all alone I head for Shoreditch to meet up with Debs for a friend’s surprise birthday meal in the excellent Viet Grill on Kingsland Road. Excellent meal and company – meeting up with Paul (birthday boy), Daisy (hostess – brilliantly organised!), Julia (been too long) and a few others I recognised from previous dos and Glasto Festie. Not a late one as flagging by 11 and need to get back to relieve baby sitter.
So, now it’s Sunday afternoon and recovered from my sporty efforts of yesterday. Currently Manure winning one nil thru a pen due to Berbatov diving and Liverpool down to 10 men after deserved straight red for Gerrard. But Manure look dodgy so there’s hope! Post script on Arsenal - apparently Walcott admitted to diving for the not given penalty. I admire his honesty but why did he do that in the first place and given that he did having admitted it he’ll never get a pen again! Why are we in self destruct? To make matters worse Spurs beating Charlton 3-0 – and unfortunately Beckham isn’t going to play for them (which would have ruined their season). Here’s hoping Liverpool score 2 and Charlton 4 in the next 10 minutes. And looking forward to the darts final this evening…
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