Lock Out

Back at work today and I take the car, which is a shame really as it's a great cycling day weather wise and there’s hardly any traffic. Although the lack of traffic also makes the drive not only bearable but quick.

It’s quiet at work and although there are a lot of people in downstairs, it’s just me on the first floor. 

Tonight Derby play at Leeds and we have been invited to watch it on the big screen at my Leeds supporting friends place in Barrow on Soar. That is if it’s on TV.

Leeds' barmy owner has locked the Sky TV crew out of the ground in protest at already being shown eleven times on TV this season. They have been sat outside since yesterday afternoon.

It’s quite funny that the media aren’t really interested, well the BBC aren’t as there are no B list celebs involved and Sky News are just ignoring the issue, hoping it’ll go away no doubt. I follow it via the Yorkshire Post.

Apparently they need a minimum of three hours to set up and it is almost at that point that they finally let the cameras in to the ground with the Football League were threatening them with a points deduction but it was fascinating stand-off.

I think their owner has made his point and it’ll be interesting to see if Sky dare pick Leeds' home games again this season. Derby should have had more bottle to do something when they moved the game with Burnley to a Monday night at only a few weeks’ notice. Derby have been on TV as many times as Leeds this season.

So we head over to watch the match, where there are welcome to Elland Road signs on all the doors. Not sure I totally convinced L that it’s worth an evening of her time but she joins us anyway albeit in the neutral zone where abandoned partners can chat without the hindrance of having to watch a football game.

It is ends honours even in a 2-2 draw.

(Tuesday 29^th December)

125th Anniversary

L is in London today, so I walk the boys. I think this bored MD a bit as we didn't see anyone to bark at. Then I get the bus into work as I plan to run afterwards.

The football fixtures are out and Derby get a opening home game against Blackburn Rovers. This has been ‘engineered’ by the Football League to celebrate this 125th anniversary. 

Both clubs were founder members of the league back in 1888-1889. Similarly Burnley and Bolton Wanderers will face each other. Unfortunately for us this means the attentions of Sky TV and a Sunday 4pm kick off. Well at least it’s not the dreaded Saturday 5:15 slot.

It’s really hot so a short jog to Chaddesden leaves me sweating but thankfully the bus driver still let me on. I get off in Stapleford and run the five or so miles home from there. Its goes relatively well but it was only a small distance.

L gets back from London just after I get home, wearing a very sassy summer dress. In some ways it seems a shame to have to remove it.

(Wednesday 19^th June)

An End Of Season Affair

It seems odd that the Football League have scheduled a full set of fixtures today, Valentine’s Day. You’d have thought Wednesday would have been more sensible. It was bound to hit the attendance and does. Once upon a time we always used to play midweek games on a Wednesday. Them were the days.

L has book club, which is also attendance hit, so we’re in different places tonight. Clearly not everyone managed a romantic weekend with a dog show, a half marathon and sub-zero temperatures.

L also has the car, to amuse the dogs with a bit of boot sitting. So I bus to work and then run to my parents’ which is five miles. I probably should have got off the bus early and ran five into work as well because that is what I would have done if I’d had the car but I don’t. Too lazy I guess.

The match was awful, one of those terrible end of season affairs and it’s only February. Our season may be as good as over but you’d have thought Reading would have made more of an effort, as they are at least looking play-off bound rather than mired in mid-table like us.

Our great leader, in a surprise move, sacrificed an almost certain 0-0 by making two changes early in the second half and went to a more attacking formation. Perhaps he was sick of the constant snoring from the crowd. Second half was much better but they nicked it. L rescues me from drowning my sorrows in the pub afterwards.

(Tuesday 14th February)

They Don’t Have Rain In Spain

Before I ask... apparently he was almost a saint. That means MD’s walk went well. I must admit I was surprised when he hadn’t been returned home by the time I left for work.

Perhaps he and L have bonded or perhaps he’s just couldn’t be bothered today. Very little barking and no hurling himself at cars apparently. He didn't even shout abuse at the dog with no knees, which is an open goal really that he declines to take this morning.

I collect my bike from the doctors. It’s been fixed, serviced and is looking good. The price also wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. I didn’t need a new wheel after all.

L asks when I think I'll be fit enough to bike to work. Well the cough is subsiding nicely but my leg is still painful and I’m finding standing up easier than sitting, which is quite a dynamic way of working. So perhaps April? I think L might have to trade me in.

Then again, cough wise, Wednesday should be possible... I’ve just got to shake this knee injury.

L suggests I should cancel squash. That’s a bit rash.

It’s a tricky game in the FA Cup tonight for Derby away to Crawley Town, who are flying at the top of the Blue Square Premier. They’ve also thrown a lot of money at their squad in an effort to get into the Football League. Which means they've probably spent more highly on their squad than we have this season and they’re in form, which we certainly aren’t.

Anyway like most ‘big’ clubs I imagine we have dismissed the game as being an irrelevance, as finishing 15th in the league is clearly of more importance than a cup run. Not.

So assuming the worst, that Derby wouldn’t cause a shock and win, I arrange to go out rather than listen to it on the radio. I have no idea how you get ESPN to watch it on TV.

Defeat is as a good as confirmed before kick off with Derby not only repeating recent mistakes by playing the best right back in the division at centre half and a midfielder at right back but by bringing a centre half into centre midfield and pushing a central midfielder up behind the striker, a position he hasn’t played before. Then just to make sure of defeat, we leave our second best player, our on loan Spanish striker, on the bench all evening... I suppose it was raining, I understand they don’t have rain in Spain. Well ‘mainly on the plain’ so I'm told, not that that’s likely to be true either.

So we lose, although it’s closer than I expected and I don’t find out until later we even missed a penalty. No one from the club would speak to the press afterwards. I imagine the manager is still trying to understand his own team selection.

Mind you, I had a good night out. Glad I didn’t ruin it with football.

(Monday 10th January)