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WINTER'S WORLD - RANGERS' TREBLE IS STILL ON AND BORO COME UP TRUMPS
Jeff Winter, 8 Feb 2010
Transfer deadline day and while I typed my articles in my office, the TV was on in the adjoining bedroom with the sound turned up. I was certain that despite club statements to the contrary Adam Johnson would leave for Manchester City before 5pm.
I did not expect any moves at all at Hartlepool and it was inevitable that Steve Staunton would keep on trying to improve his squad at Darlo.
With the financial constraints at Rangers it was more a case of not losing players than signing them. As the day panned out the worst news was Robbie Keane going to Celtic. He will score goals for fun in the SPL. Suddenly ten points does not seem that massive, but it's still Rangers' to lose.
Article Continues Below...
First news from the Riverside, or to be precise, Hurworth, was that Boro had signed a full back and a right back at that! Good player but our problems lie in attack. By half four no news, so I rang the Gazette's Eric Paylor. By then we knew that Johno was in Manchester and that we were linked with Charlie Adam. Leon Best had gone to Newcastle and the news was quiet on MacDonald. The Miller deal also seemed to be silent as well.
As the clock ticked Johnson was sold but no news on purchases. I sensed a riot if Boro had sold the crown jewels and not signed any strikers, then pretty soon the Riverside would be competing with the Arena for the smallest crowds in the region!!
Finally it was confirmed that both strikers had been registered but unfortunately no Charlie Adam. We now have the goal scorers but the creativity behind them has left the building. At least these two will guarantee effort unlike many previous incumbents of the forward's jerseys.
Tuesday was off to Malton and the chance to fulfil an ambition. I am part of a syndicate that owns a racehorse but now was the chance to get much more involved. I was planning on going into partnership with out trainer Alan Brown and another investor Kevin Phair, a Liverpool supporter!
'Phair Winter', pronounced Fair Winter, seemed a logical name choice for our filly, who after recently being broken in and showing promise cantering will soon be off to the gallops working towards becoming a racecourse shortly after she is two years old in April.
Decently bred, half sister to a horse that won four times as a two year old we are hopeful, but in racing anything can happen. Still it's going to be fun being involved. Let's hope the horse can run faster than me!
Cantering on the gallops, "Phair Winter" my new yearling which should see a racetrack in May
It was an evening of great shocks, with both Wolves and Wigan crashing out of the FA Cup and Chelsea not winning at Hull City. Also the recently "bhoyed" up Celtic crashed to another defeat at Kilmarnock. So much for the Robbie Keane effect. They have now lost their game in hand and are ten points behind Rangers. My maths tell me that as Rangers have a vastly superior goal difference, Celtic now need to beat Rangers twice, see them lose another two games and win all their games themselves. It can't happen can it?
Wednesday
Away from football and time for another rant. It's about bin-men, or whatever their politically correct title is nowadays. You have to put your rubbish out for them, the bin lids must be closed and every other rule you can think of. Why then can't the lazy bxxxxrds return the empty bins and other containers to your driveway? No they discard them on the pavement.
I live in a cul-de-sac which Mothers use as a cut through for taking their children to and from school. They have to walk onto the road to dodge the chicane of items thoughtlessly left by our educated council workers. That is dangerous. especially as the roads at this time of the year are untreated.
Also the fact that these bins are then left all day is a tell tale sign to passing burglars that the house is probably unattended with the occupants at work. I once knew someone at the council and complained and the next week the morons could be heard making unsavoury comments as they visited my house. They had obviously been told about the "awkward" customer. Things soon got back to normal; should I stop paying my council tax?
Due to the heavy ground we did not enter Ibrox at Newcastle today, which meant my original travel plans could be adhered to - from Thornaby to Glasgow by train, courtesy of the discounted Evening Gazette vouchers. I have to watch the pennies now I have training fees to pay!
On the business side enquiries and bookings continue to flood in for speaking events. Sod's law though, on many occasions the enquiries are for dates that are already taken. It does seem though that like the economy, things are picking up with the agents all reporting that many more events are being organised.
The train journey gave me the opportunity to finish off Andy Goram's excellent autobiography, I would recommend it even to non-Rangers supporters. On arriving in Glasgow I was met with driving snow and after meeting one of our racehorse syndicate members Jimmy Smith and his son Craig, we headed for the Clockwork Beer Company, a small brewery/pub/eatery situated a few hundred yards from Hampden.
In there I came across former Scottish international and Boro star Ian Gibson. He now lives in Dormanstown. I last saw him when he was steward and playing for Dormanstown WMC in the Redcar Sunday League. He regularly heads north to watch Rangers with members of the Harrogate True Blues rendezvousing at Scotch Corner.
As I stood outside Hampden in the snow waiting for the Fife boys with my ticket, I doubted my sanity. Once again the game was live at home on satellite TV and I had spent well over £100 in travel, hotel and ticket to be at the game. I used to feel guilty of getting tickets that regular Rangers supporters would have died for but no longer and what's more, the lads now know I am a deserving cause.
The scoreboard confirm Ranger's opener at snowbound HampdenPark.
Only 17,500 turned up including a meagre 1,500 Saints fans. Rangers won in a canter, in fact 6-1 would have been a more realistic score, but 2-0 was sufficient. I had backed them to win by two goals so I was not too bothered when Stephen Naismith's weak penalty was saved. At least I recouped some of the financial outlay.
I got dropped off near Charing Cross and was able to enjoy a couple in the Bon Accord with another Ibrox 'owner', my mate Fraser. The March 21st final will mean a very busy schedule. I am speaking in London Thursday, Scotland Friday, York after the Boro game on the Saturday and then back to Scotland for the final on the Sunday.
On the way home I was contacted by a TV production company who want me to screen test for a pilot TV programme. Could be interesting.
Friday night saw me head for Saddleworth for the evening's Speaking event for Greenfield Cricket Club. This was a proper event, you know what I mean, lads out on a Friday, good craic and another roast beef dinner. The club house was packed to the rafters and I was working again with comedian Mike Farrell. As with the event last week they were not expecting to make too much on the night, but we surpassed all expectations with Gazza prints, Lampard picture and very topically John terry print making them a tidy sum. More about John Terry in my Villain Of The Week column which will be published on this site.
I also had a long discussion with Radio Hartlepool and it seems that a number of people are missing the Phone-In show and hopefully we may be back on air as a new sponsor seems very interested. I still maintain that a weekly Monday night show would be the best way forward. Watch this space.
I got back to my hotel room at 1am after the dinner and had a lie in before heading back home and then onto Hartlepool for their game against Leeds United. Over the last few seasons there have been some cracking encounters between the sides with Pools usually just getting pipped at the post.
Rangers players celebrate Stephen Davis opening the scoring against St.Johnstone in the CIS Cup semi final.
Pools players thanks the crowd for their support after their late equaliser brought a deserved and vital point for the club.
Well it looked exactly as if that was going to happen again. Leeds were a class apart in the first half and the best news was that Pools were only one goal down at the interval. The home side looked overawed by their high flying opponents and on too many occasions they lost procession cheaply. Much the same early on in the second period.
Chris Turner's introduction of Ritchie Jones changed all that though. He sparked the crowd and his teammates, Pools deservedly got an equaliser and looked the more likely. Then as I feared Leeds hit Pools with a sucker punch and it looked as if the pre match fears were once again going to be realised.
A view from the press box as Pools players shake hands with high flying Leeds United prior to the start of their Division One encounter.
Cue a last second header form Antony Sweeney and Pools had secured a vital point, not only in terms of a numerical nature but psychologically for both the players and the supporters. As the final whistle went you would have thought the home side had won and they had in terms of a moral victory. Before and after the game I popped into Radio Hartlepool to do a few minutes on air. Les is doing a Phone-In hour in the slot that I used to fill, so still the chance for Poolies to have a moan, or as was the case this week to rejoice.
Elsewhere I was very happy with Boro's point at Ipswich. It may not have satisfied all Boro supporters but check out my charity bets page to see why I, and more importantly the Great North Air Ambulance, are happy. A profit of £184 on the day.
Many thanks to William Hill in conjunction with Star Radio who support me with the charity bets.
Elsewhere Darlington must be wishing they could play Rotherham every week. Another false dawn or can they really come with a run to stave off relegation? Rangers will be sick of the sight of St Mirren soon as they face them in the CIS Cup final and now must face them in the FA Cup replay after drawing 0-0, but the treble is still on.
Sunday's football saw another tame big match with ref Mike Dean being exemplary in his handling of Chelsea v Arsenal. Bet that won't make the headlines!
As usual the week closed with my slot on TalkSport now to be after 8.45pm each week. As well as reviewing the weekend's games from a reffing perspective, there were the listener's football posers to answer.
From the bizarre to the ridiculous and as I have no prior knowledge of the questions, a chance to make a fool of myself. This is probably why they have me on! It seems that the slot is being used entirely for looking at very improbable incidents. No time for what actually happened on the pitch this week, just scenarios, such as what would happen if the ball went down a mole hole and came up the other side of the goal line!
THE WEEK AHEAD
Tuesday it's Sedgefield races, weather permitting, followed by Boro v Barnsley, Wednesday up to Motherwell for Rangers SPL clash, Thursday a speaking engagement near Huddersfield then off to the airport with my youngest son for a week visiting friends in Malta.
Enjoy your week.
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