Camping it up.

Leamington FC faced a pre-season friendly against Wimbourne, and if you didnt know, thats located near the south coast. Pete, Vince and I had plans to stay in Bournemouth, in a nice swanky hotel, however due to the prices of 110 quid per night, we decided to B&B/pub it, but once again, due to the cost and also the fact we didnt get a reply, we decided to camp it instead.

Now, I've not been camping since I was 16, when I tagged along with Ian and his Dad in the lakes, and due to the fact that I'm now 33, and enjoy the finer things in life, not really had the need to do it since. I was a little excited, like a small child doing something for the first time, and also slightly worried. Why worried you may ask? Well, petal, sit down and I'll tell you. Go on.

Whenever I socialise with Vince and Pete, it always gets out of control, to the point where no (or little food) is involved, and alcohol takes priority. I was also worried that Vince, a married man, with 3 kids, decided to buy a midlife crisis car, you know the type, the roof comes off, with very little room. He also decided to be fancy dan, by purchasing a family tent that sleeps 4 - 2 seperate rooms and a "lounge" area in the middle. Well, Vince is a slim man, and I'd like to think I am too, and no offence to Pete, but he does look like Peter Griffin from Family Guy, both in facial and density. Of course, by the time they get to my place, theres very little room left (due to the style of the car, the family tent and all of their ruck sacks, leaving me wedged in the back of said car, with my own gear. Before we even got out of my street, calls for the roof down were heard - insert Stefan's not so short hair being blown in all random directions of the compass.

We already knew that there would be traffic difficulties around Southampton, around 90 minutes worth, so we decided to take the backroads route (via spending 16 quid on pies, sandwiches and sausage rolls at Warwick Services) which took 2 hours - so sensible - but at least it give Pete the chance to pick up some indestructable wine glasses in a small town in the New Forest (no idea what happened to the old one). Why wine glasses ? Well Pete's boss bought him a bottle of champers for passing his Level 2, and Pete thought it would be nice to share. I also took some Morgan Spiced Rum (with Cherry Coke) incase there wasnt a pub around for miles.

Anyhoooo, we got to the campsite (4.5 Hours later) and started to unpack the boot. It was a lovely afternoon with the sun shining, and it had been decided that this would be the priority, rather than getting lashed up, and trying to errect a tent at 00:23 in the morning. The label on the front of the tent bag stated "Build time: 25 mins". 45 minutes later, we were the proud owners of a stable tent, and the airbeds being blown up via some hairdryer device that plugged into Vince's car. It had been decided that Vince and I would take the two bedrooms, and Peter (not the Family Guy character) would take the "lounge" area that wasnt really pegged in, but the tent door kept it all together.

We got ourselves freshened up at the shower block, and cracked open the champers, which due to Vince and I being on anti-biotics, went straight to our heads. We went to the campsite bar and ordered 3 home made cocktails, this of course took us further to the edge, and we asked for directions into town. It was only 1.2 miles into Wimborne town itself, but we had directions from about 3 different people, so in the end, we avoided them all and made our own route in. We found a nice looking pub, ordered some food and more drink. The food turned up and it was nice, but not the type of food you really need to line your stomach before (and after) booze.

We managed to find a couple more pubs before the town centre, one of which was like the American Werewolf, where locals just stared at us, Vince not making it any easier, by giving a "HELLO LOCALS, WE'RE NOT FROM HERE, CAN YOU TELL" type of wave to them all gathered around the pool table. We managed to get into town around 10:40 and found this neat little pub. It was simple and the type of pub I like - in fact, it was the size of the tent we were sleeping in that night, but friendly people in there. However due to the "we're not busy, so we're shutting up now" attitude, we ended up in the only bar open in town. After J&D coke all around, we managed to get some space near the "dance" floor, where some young woman decided that you can bounce to any type of music, no matter what it was. So after a bit of Nirvana, some popular beat combos and Elvis, we'd seen her one card trick, and could barely stand up due to laughing at her. Before we left, we witnessed a punch up on the dance floor, only to be stopped by a door-woman, only for the guy who was throwing the punches, to throw more punches before he eventually got thrown out for good - nice.

Things from here on are a little hazy, but I remember trying to get the speed sign to register that I was running faster than 30mph - didnt work, I dont think. Claiming that I was "The Bat Man" running up a dark street, filming the "blair witch project" type movie in the middle of the woods, giggling back at the tent while drinking rum and coke and hearing a field full of people snore.

I woke up at 6am to rain dripping on my face. We buggered off into Bournemouth to get some breakfast, and paid £3.75 for a full English breakfast - it was lovely. We drove back to Wimbourne to the club, via meeting up with the minibus party, to watch the game. It wasnt very good, but hey.

Would I go camping again ? deffo! Reckon I'd take my own tent tho.

Stefan on Football

I eventually got my NUFC shares - I bought them for something like 22p around 7 years ago, and now had them bought out at 101p - not alot you might think, but, return on investment is pretty good - oh and it gets Fat Freddie out of the board room and stops him embarressing the club anymore. Overall, I'm pretty confident with NUFC at the moment, good manager, decent buys (although I was panicking up to end of July) and a board who are willing to stick to their guns. We completely destroyed Bolton at their place, and we should have done better against the Villa - but having played 2 games and still undefeated - pretty good going and its been along time since I could have said that.

Leam FC have just started their new season in a new League. Unfortunately, things didnt go to plan on Saturday when, after 30 seconds, the opposition keeper got sent off for bringing down Josh Blake (I'll get you butler!) outside the area. Leighton decided to play 10 men behind the ball, and do anything they could to even it up by trying to get someone from our team sent off - this didnt happen, but they did manage to gain a pen, by a very dodgy decision by the whistle happy referee. The ref was blowing every 30 seconds, thanks to the screaming opposition whenever one of our players even went near him. I suppose, rose tinted glasses, but a better game is expected tonight. We managed to sell 100 fanzines too, which is a good start, considering the attendance was something like 500.

I take my kids team into the U12 age group - and some of them are coming on leaps and bounds - some are showing potential, but yet, still suffering from a drought of players who a) can actually play football and b) want to join Leamington Brakes. A local rival club have managed to put another team into the same league as us, yet, we're still struggling to put teams together - strange. Alot of research has gone on in terms of finding drills that suit our needs and we're looking more professional in terms of turning up prepared and disciplining the team. Onwards and upwards - we can only do what we can with the tools we have.

Brakes just don't stop

Lastnight, Leamington FC hosted the Lord Mayors charity game against Coventry City. It had been suggested that Cov would only send their youth team, but turns out, they started with 6 1st team players on the pitch - we all expected a thrashing. Before the game, we were allowed to touch the silverware that the Team had won over last couple of weeks and take shots. Thankfully, John had his phone with him, while other lesser mortals left theirs at home. Nice shots I think.

MFA Cup Trophy

MFA League Trophy.

Anyhoo, getting back to the game, we beat the Coventry Sunday League Team 1-0, with a Jephcott goal in the first half. Oh how the Cov massive got angry and punished us by throwing jellybabies and milk bottle sweets at us. Still, a massive crowd attendance of 856 - all in the name of Chaaariteee.

Best Day - Ever

Leamington FC hosted a day of football, based on past and future. This consisted of the kids doing an exhibition style game, with Brakes Legends v Chairman Select 11. We were up first and playing the other U11 team, now, Tub's team (manager of U11) are midtable division B, and my team are rock bottom of division C, 15 minutes each way, and it was all about the kids having a laugh, and showing what the Youth club is all about.

Both teams were given the dugouts at the New Windmill Ground, where the kids were able to play on the perfect carpet pitch in a 6aside pitch setup. After 2 minutes, my team went 1-0 up with one of the lads first goals of the season, and we held on, much to Tub's annoyance. Half time came and went, and we had a number of chances up front, and holding strong at the back. However, typical Colts Styleee, we conceeded a goal in the very last minute of the game - making it 1-1 - however probably good for the team, club and crowd to see an entertaining game.

After the game, I was told to go see the youth chairman at half time about getting a couple of minutes on the pitch as part of the chairman select team - fair enough. Nice to be rewarded for working with the kids all season. After 5 minutes of talking to some of the lads, my name was called out on the PA system and told to go to the players tunnel. Half expecting a rollocking for nearly beating Tub's team, I was told to go into a door way. There was the chairman of the youth squad, handing me a kit (all white - handy with my complexion) and sitting on the chair was Tubs. He pulled on this goalkeeping top, looking so giddy - you know the look, like all your dreams have come at once, you've got your first train set, or something special, just add about 30 years and add the same amount of excitement. Tubs was holding onto my arm, more or less dancing saying "Steve, we're going to play, isn't this great ?!?!?"

Photo : Paul Edwards - Me in Number 17 - Looking Excited.

Anyhoo, I sat on the bench for the remaining of the first half, listening to the lads, and hoping the weather would warm up a little. The whistle went and chairman select were 3-0 up, we went back to the changing rooms and had a couple of orders (me replacing the manager of the academy side) but mainly listening to a couple of the legends, about tales from old - fantastic - this is like every boys dream - coming true. The lad who was playing in my position in the first half, warned me about some old legend nutmegging him and generally making him look like a fool - oh fantastic I thought.

Thankfully by the time I got on the pitch, they'd swapped it around too, marking the U9's manager, Mr Ackrill, so we had a laugh, and I generally had him in my pocket for the time I stayed on the pitch. Thanks to Pete and JJ (my coaches) they had collected all the kids from my team, and decided to give me loads of abuse, and the kids shouting the same things that we shout to them when they're playing. Luckily they got bored of that quickly and went to play football. I did manage to get a bit of a clap & cheer when I back heeled the ball to a player behind me while someone was closing me down, and managed to cross a ball into the box. After 25 minutes of running around like a headless chicken, I decided to give it up for a bit and sit back on the bench.

The final score was 4-4 - so there was a bit of Pen action. I don't think it was being counted, but I took mine, managing to some how, slide it under the keeper and squeezing it into the back of the net. What a fantastic day tho, completely honoured to be involved in the game, honoured to represent the kids as a manager, and they done themselves more than proud.

10Km - Oh, so much fun

You may recall, that I applied for the Regency Race a month or so ago, against my better judgement, well, it was today. I've been loaded with cold all week, so much so that I could barely see on Friday when I went into town, full of hot flushes and burning pain. It got to Friday night and I nearly conceeded to the fact I wouldnt be able to do it, but because I'm doing it for the Football Club, and I don't like letting people down, I done my best to get myself fit. Armed with a wad of cash, I went to the nearest Chemist and ordered the strongest medicine that Leamingtonshire could provide. Rather than being given medicine, they give me some dodgy tablets called "chest-eaze" - but true to the chemist's word, they worked pretty well, so took a couple yesterday between the football and Dr Who. Lastnight also involved Vix Vapour rub all over my chest and nose, to help the process along a little faster.

This morning was an early start, mainly because of the chuckling idiots at the Grand Union Restaurant til none o'clock, but at 7.30 it was shower, get dressed and get something simple on my stomach. Bananas I thought would help my energy, so I had 3, turns out, they're not so good. I met Debbie out on the street and we went for a nice stroll into Leamington to find the race start, bumping into Liz & Andy from football. We got ourselves sorted and then it started.

The 1st Km went pretty well, and I was going past a lot of people, not worrying about distance, and listening to music. The "only incline" was up Newbold's Golf Course, which was aided nicely by the Water Treatment place leaking, taking me back to school cross country - so nice, my trainers and socks were soaking wet. The 2nd Km went pretty quickly and I was still moving forward rather than backwards. This was the theme really, and knowing I was full of cold, tried to keep it easy til 5Km - which again, was pretty quick. We headed into town, and I went past what I thought was 8Km, so I decided to pick up a bit of pace, thinking I could get to 9Km, walk a bit then run the rest. Needless to say, after hitting the road pretty quickly, I reached the real 8Km marker and being a bit disappointed, I started to walk a little, to be pep'd up by a complete stranger, while I was listening to the Klaxons.

Anyhoo, to cut a long story slightly shorter, I managed to get to Mill Gardens and greeted by Vince, a football friend, taking nice photos of my "Doc from Back to the Future" style head (putting Hair Gel on before I came out) and barely able to speak. I managed to get my prize bag, greeted by Caroline, Liz, Vince, Andy and waited around for Debbie.

My stomach done some funny thing where it vibrated for a while, then settled down, but I couldnt get any words out - all strange. Luckily for me, everyone else apart from Debbie buggered off, muttered the word "turn around Debbie" and as she asked "why" I cunningly spewed my guts up in front of her. Bananas - bad - told you (sorry if you're eating by the way). But after some water, perfectly brilliant, apart from the stiff legs. Oh, finished the race in 1hour 5 minutes, of which, my aim was 60 mins, so not too bad really, considering its the furthest I've ran - EVER!

I've not got close to £200 quid for the Terracing fund - heading to bed before legs stop working. Oh, so much fun, and bugger off to the 2 castles race!