Scotland v Ukraine Tickets…Got Them!

Well I set off early and got the train at 06:27 which got me to Newton ten minutes later.  From there I took another train at 06:41 to Mount Florida.  On arrival it was straight to a shop to arm myself with the Daily Record and a bottle of Lucozade Sport.  Strolling down to the stadium I wondered what the queue would be like.  Turned out it wasn’t that bad even at seven o’clock.  In fact it was great, less than one hundred people in front of me.  The confidence of the people around me was great as we were practically guaranteed tickets.  Wrong.As usual the SFA disappointed.  Of the 20,000 tickets still available for the game only 2,000 were on sale at Hampden…yes TWO THOUSAND!  Why, no one knows (but we do know the other 18,000 were sold ON THE PHONE LINES!)  We were informed by a security guard who was obviously instructed to tell everyone that tickets were by no means  guaranteed.  To make us more edgy he added that there were already 500-600 people already inside the stadium who had been there all night.  Cheers!

Anyway, nine o’clock came and the doors opened, media crews at the ready.  No movement.  The queue inside obviously hadn’t gone down any yet, fair enough.  We were then allowed in thirty at a time in around ten minute intervals so I was in by half past nine.  Through the door we went to find…another massive queue!  They must have had a good time in there the night before as there was plenty of food, drink and bovril still lying around.  The line stuttered forward at a slow pace.  This only got slower as time went on and more people were let into the stadium.  Then they stopped letting people inside at around ten o’clock.  I’m glad I wasn’t the one telling people they couldn’t get in! 

Anyway they decided to split us into two separate queues: one for cash and one for cards.  This was apparently to speed the process up.  It didn’t, in a spectacular and perhaps predictable way.  The time passed very slowly and people were getting twitchy.  There were only a number of £32 tickets left and the rest were £40.  To be honest I don’t think anyone cared anymore as long as they got a ticket.This was certainly true as they ran out of the cheaper seats about half a dozen people in front of me, but I wasn’t bothered.

‘Em, four please’ was what everyone said I think, that being the maximum number any one person could purchase.

The tickets were mine!  

If we go into our final game against Italy needing a result i think I’ll start camping two days before the tickets go on sale!

Anyway, bring on the Ukraine! 

Scotland vs Ukraine Tickets

As you will know, Scotland defeated France on their own patch at the weekend.  This means that the demand for tickets for the next home game will be colossal.  When we played France at home I queued for four hours in Glasgow for tickets.  This time they must be purchased either on the phone or at Hampden.  Since the phone will be practically impossible, I’m hoping to head off to Hampden early on in the morning (tickets go on sale at 9am).  There are around 50,000 seats and 30,000 have already been taken by the supporters club.  If you consider seats taken for sponsors and hospitality, etc then there are probably around 10-12,000 tickets left.  Since each person can purchase four tickets each, these will become gold dust within half a day.

Let’s hope I get there in time!

Rangers vs Stuttgart Preview

After a disppointing result at the weekend againt Hearts (4-2 defeat) Rangers will be looking to pick themselves up.  A performance similar to Scotland against France is what we are looking for: defending and more defending.  However, although we must be tight at the back, we must also attempt to push forward as the game is at Ibrox. 

After watching the Celtic match tonight I can be content that we cannot start any worse than that (2 goals conceded in the first 8 minutes).  A major worry for the game is Barry Ferguson who picked up a slight niggle when coming off the bench on Saturday.  Should he be fit, I am sure that he will play, withHemdani will be brought back into the side to sit in front of the back four to clean up any loose balls and start attacks of our own.  This seems to be the way Walter Smith thinks, certainly in Europe, and it has worked so far.

 Up front I think Boyd will start with either Cousin or Darchville if he plays two up front.  If one player is played up there himself then it will most probobly be Darchville.

Hopefully we can have another successful night at Ibrox and get an early three points on the board.

 Mon the Gers!

Getting back to Blogging…or Starting Really!

Once again I’m going to promise that I attempt to blog on a resonably frequent basis.  Hopefully this time it will actually mean something and that I keep this page up to date.  These will be random comments from me so feel free to add your own.

 Let the blogging begin…(again)…

Everton 2 - Man Utd 4

This post was actually from the end of April sitting in my drafts.  Well it’s here at last I suppose.

I recieved a text early on Monday morning simply stating ‘Fone me its urgent’.  I thought something must be wrong or that I was required to be a ‘client’ for him, getting a massage from him perhaps as part of his course at college.  When I did phone him he asked me what I was doing on Saturday.  ‘Nothing’, I said.  He then asked me if I fancied going to Goodison Park to watch Everton v Man Utd.  My first response was simply a laugh since I thought he was kidding.  He wasnt.

 I went out for my birthday into Glasgow on the Friday night and arrived back at approximately 4.30 am on Saturday morning.  I then jumped into bed at 4:46 and got up again at 4:55.  A fantastic sleep of 9 minutes…I was getting picked up at quarter past 5!

We travelled down quite quickly and were within a few miles of the stadium at around half past 8.  COuld we actually get there though?  No.  It turned out that we were on the right road but after we stopped at a police station and asked we were on our way.  We finally reached the Everton superstore at 9:01.  After we checked out where we were going to go we venturerd across the park to….ANFIELD!  Was funny just to stand outside The Kop really.

Anyway, to the game.  This day marked the death of England and Everton legend Alan Ball who had passed away the week previous.  There was a call for a moments applause but the cheers and chants continued for a long period of time.  It was great.  Foolowing on from this came one of the games I will never forget.

After a few minutes of the first half, Everton got a freekick on the outside of the 18 yard box.  Up came Alan Stubbs to hammer it in (albeit with the help of a deflection).  Goodison erupted.  Everton 1, Man Utd 0!  The game continued with a few chances for each team but Everton were still on top.  Half time.

Into the second half and Everton were holding their lead.  Suddenly a couple of passes in the midfield were played and then…BANG!  Fernandez had skelped on in from ouside the box to the keeper’s near post.  Nothing he could have done - no chance.  We had witnessed one of the goals of the season eaily.  Everton 2, Man Utd 1.

 As time went on, Man Utd became more involved in the game and then eventualy won 4-2.  The disappointment around the place was unbelievable.  To add insult to injury it was Ronney, a former Everton man himself, who scored United’s third, sending them into the lead.

 However, it gave me another game, goals and more players to talk about in the future.  A great day out.  I would recommend Goodison as  place to go for anyone. 

 Mon the Toffees!

Connect 4!

Red Sox v Yankees: Game 3 of the series.  I went to my bed and set my alarm for 2.55 am so I could get up to watch the first few innings of the game.  However, on waking up and switching on my laptop, I found myself looking and the headline on mlb.com - descibing the four home runs in a row for the Red Sox.  I couldn’t believe it.  One, I had set my alarm for two hours after the game started and two, I missed the four in a row! 

Incase you didn’t know, the Red sox hit four home runs one after another.  First, Ramirez struck one out over the monster.  J.D. Drew came up next and smacked his over the bullpen.  Next up, Lowell.  Already been struck out, surely he couldn’t do it as well.  Yes he could, providing a huge hit straight over the monster to ‘New Hampshire’ as the commentator described.  Finally, Varitek was up.  The crowd were still in shock over the three in a row when, bang, another home run over the monster.  Fenway erupted into a frenzy with excitement.  This was simply amazing!

After being annoyed, tired and still in my bed, i still wanted to watch a few innings.  Not bad considering I managed to catch Mike Lowell’s second homer of the night…giving us a 2 shot lead.  After trying to stay awake my laptop actually packed in so I fell asleep straight away.  Waking up this morning, I checked the result immediately…7-6 that’ll do!

I think I am now becoming happy with this lineup.  My previous post outlined the worries I had with it and how there didnt’ seem to be suffiecnt run support for our pitching crew.  How that has changed.  These three games are in April, fair enough, but I am pleased to see that we have came out on top of both the Yankees and the division.

Anyway, Toronto next with more important games.  Let’s try and get as far in front as we can in the division and give ourselves a chance. 

Finally, I’d like to say one thing.  Here comes the broom New York….yes, you’ve been swept!

Until next time…

Grand national: picking a winner - how it’s done!

Ah the smell of success.  It’s great.  You may have realised by noticing the title of this post that I was successful with my grand national bets.  Point Barrow, joint favourite at the off, fell at the first which was hardly the best start.  My second of three horses was Bewleys Berry which was going great and jumping well…fell.  I couldn’t believe it.  In fact by falling it almost took out my last hope Silver Birch. 

With a long way to go the excitement was starting to build realising I was still in with a chance.  It was running and jumping well.  Coming round to face the last few fences it seemed as though all the studying of the form had a chance of paying off.  At the last it was neck and neck but Silver Birch jumped it superbly and went stright for home.  If any of you haven’t seen the run in at Aintree on TV then its…well…a long long way!  But it kept pulling away from the others and coming onto the final straight it looked in great shape.  However, with the distance to go ever diminishing, McKelvey was coming like a train up the stand side.  Surely not. Nooooo! 

 Go on the Birch!

Yes, I’d won.  Another Grand National win under my belt.  And to top it off the price at the off was quoted at 33/1 but I ended up getting it at 45/1 including commision.

Anyway, in the end the form in the Grand National was once again correct.  And now I’m £90 up! 

Until Next time…the Scottish Grand National on 21st April.

grand national: picking a winner - update

Well, the time has almost come and my bets are on.  Decided to open an account at betfair.com as well - some of the odds are amazing!  I decided this year to leave out any each way bets and bet 3 horses to win.  Here are my picks:

Point Barrow - £2 @ 11/1  ladbrokes.com

Bewleys Berry - £2 @ 27/1 betfair.com

Silver Birch - £2 @ 50/1 betfair.com

Just thought I’d outline what horses I picked just incase they win.  In which case you know I’m not lying!

Cummon my son!

Grand National: Picking A Winner…Hmm

It’s that time of year again and the 160th Grand National is being run at Aintree tomorrow.  It is quite simply the most famous and prestigious horse race in the world.  Millions tune in to watch the 40 runners and riders race round the four and a half mile course and battle it out towards the finish.  The event is a national occasion in itself.  Even people who don’t have any real interest in horse racing at all have a flutter on this one.  However, right now I’m at the point of deciding who to place my money on.

There are several trends which can be used to elimate a considerable amount of the field instantly.  Most known is the lack of winners over 11 st - apart from Hedgehunter in 2005 of course.  All these horses can be scored off.  Then there are the French bred horses, none of which have won a National since 1909 so they must be taken out.  If the horse isn’t between the ages of 8 and 12 discard them: no horse under 7 has won in the last 66 years and no horse over 12 has won in the last 83.  The final big factor is whether the horse has won over 3m or more.  If not, boot them.  They’re most probobly not going to last the distance.  After doing all this and various other in depth studying I find myself with my final 14.  Looking at these I decided elimate all 8 year olds (only 3 wins in nearly 25 years).  This leaves me with 7.  

These are: Point Barrow, Bewleys Berry, Longshanks, Graphic Approach, Homer Wells, Silver Birch and The Outlier.  I’m still sifting through a few things but I’m going to go with Point Barrow as my main ‘to win’ bet.  My other two each-way bets are still undecided but I’ll end up picking the wrong ones no doubt.  Lets just hope I get some money back!

Red Sox vs. Mariners - Wed 11 2007

Another game.  Not really.  The media frenzy that continues to surround Matsuzaka was out in force once again last night.  Watching the game on MLB.tv I found it amazing that Ichiro could see anything at all with the massive amounts of flashes going off, people trying to catch his first pitch on camera.  Who can blame everyone for getting excited though. 

However, it wasn’t this man who was in the headlines but his opposite number Felix Hernandez.  And what a performance he put on.  Not a single hit allowed until the 8th inning when JD Drew singled.  By this point they were already 3-0 up on the Red Sox but the crowd sensed a comeback.  It wasn’t to be.  Another game and the second shutout already this season.  You could argue that the previous nights game saw Boston score 14 but I’m currently not 100% convinced with the batting.

Obviously you have Manny and Big Dave himself sitting there and will produce once again this season I have no doubt.  But Drew has to keep up his hitting form and everyone has to start chipping in.  This includes Varitek who hasn’t really been up to much so far but he seems to be improving.

 So even if it wasn’t the night we all hoped for in a great first win at Fenway for Dice-K, it’s hardly the all over.  In fact I’m still extremely confident that if we find a bit of consistency we will be there in October. 

What had pleased me over the last few outings is the pitching performances.  Schilling looks back to normal after his unusually bad start on opening day.  Beckett looked immense to me.  And that guy, what’s his name.  Oh yeah Papelbon.  Simply superb as far as I’m concerned.  A true save the other night from that man after some dodgy pitching left him in a difficult position. 

If we can get the batting heated up along with such pitching performances as I’ve just mentioned it should be a good season.  October here we come.  Easy!