yanto

Hi Gordon ...Have you ever spilt blood at Tattersfield, Athletic Stadium, Recreation Ground,Derwent Park, Naughton Park ,Knowsley Road,Wilderspool,Clarence Street,Station Road,Central Park,Post Office Road bla bla bla ...if not I guess you love the new ikea stadiums but never experienced the old skool. Nowt wrong with that marra but give me a full Knowsley Road v a full Toatally Wicked any day Just read back....not sure if Gordon is for or against modern stadiums

After 25 years I'm still a Spy

In trouble now..locals want to watch some women's football game in half an hour .

Town looking decent despite all the things that have gone.on in the background this week.

Enjoying this. Sitting in Bridgewater Somerset spreading the gospel. Town shirt on but very concerned (reading about the money problems and the release of players) how we will turn out in the West Cumbrian Derby.

Change of plans ...I have to go look at a new flat this weekend and guess what time and date the landlord wants to meet me... Hopefully will be other oppertunities marra .

Saturday ?? Sounds good. Just under an hours drive. Cheers for the heads up.

Down in Somerset working on HPC Bridgewater. Any rugby on in or around the area this weekend.

Heartache again for Den Haag Knights. Six minor premiers six Grand Finals but cant seem to take their league form into the play offs. Winners three years ago before the covid lock down,lost by golden point to Amsterdam4 years ago,lost to a last minute try and conversion to Rotterdam 5 years ago. Today the Knights came back from 8-26 v Zwolle Wolves to lead 28-26 with three minutes on the clock. It looked like fortune was finally on their side. BUT Wolves had other ideas and scored a try with the LAST play of the game deep into injury time to snatch the trophy from the Knights once again. Conversion completed leaving a final score of DH Knights 28 Zwolle Wolves 32.

Minor final play offs. Zwolle Wolves 32 Amsterdam Cobras 20. Harderwijk Dolphins 20 Rotterdam Pitbulls 22 Grand Final is now Den Haag Knights v new comers in their first full season Zwolle Wolves. Amsterdam will play Rotterdam Pitbulls for third after the Pitbulls won 20-22 today in Harderwijk. Nice season here in Holland.

Depressing reading. Made the effort to travel from Holland for the play off game last season and the whole Town was bouncing that Sunday evening. Hard to read some of the comments less than 12 months later but looking at the results and reading about the performances it's understandable. Where do we go now.

As grassroots as grassroots can be. Family and friends make up the crowds. Social media presence is growing and provincial teams like Harderwijk and Zwolle do sometimes make the local press. The big city teams Den Haag,Amsterdam and Rotterdam can't compete for press inches with soccer, hockey and Max Verstappen dominating. Standard of play is rising but its still only around the lower divisions of local leagues back home . Even the National team would not compete with top sides from say the NW Counties or CARLA leagues and that's not being disrespectful to the work being done but an honest opinion. World Cup !!! Unless you find another 20 Dutch heritage players... no chance. But steady progress us being made and I would still class the Dutch as one of the top four or five development nations on the continent.

Play offs next week. Zwolle v Amsterdam. Winners play Den Haag In the Grand Final. Losers play the winners of Harderwijk v Rotterdam. For third place.

Amsterdam 38 Rotterdam 28. Harderwijk 12 Den Haag 30 DH Knights every final since the competition started. Every league leader winners. Hopefully this year they can carry on from pre covid.

Half time in Harderwijk. Must win game for the Dolphins v Den Haag. Standing at 6 points all. Amsterdam v Rotterdam the other "do or die" game this afternoon.

No fall out whatsoever. Travel was an issue and I for one thought it was unfair that NBG had to play their games in the Netherlands.Gorrillas hosted the finals day and I'm certain if they had stayed in the comp the travel would have been resolved in season two. Brussels though had their own plans and decided that was the direction they wanted to go. Unsure of what's happened in Belgium. Gorilla players have turned out for Den Haag and illias is playing this season at Amsterdam. Even the NED BEL union comp fell by the wayside due to costs and the union has way more finance behind the clubs than the League organisation. Now with five Dutch clubs maybe they can organise themselves a bit better and ŕun into an eight game season plus finals day. Bur steady growth is great.

WOOOOOO JUST LOOKED AT THE PRICES !!!!!!!!

No longer buy from UK sources. My soccer kits come from China and from 15 -25 euro a shot with all the tags and logos I would never dream of paying full rip of price again. Was in Hamar Norway last year wearing a "Chinese" Man United top and this guy wearing a 150 quid United replica asked me where I got my " Players issue" from ..thats how authentic it was. Even started buying my South Sydney shirts and NSW shirts from China. 2023 United top arrived yesterday...woops not launched till 1st July

Anyone thought this may be more than a rugby thing. Is Kheirallah an Aussie citizen and French resident . Residency and citizenship are entirely different. Try working abroad for more than 180 days (I think it is) and how this affects you taxation and also residency of any country if you are not a citizen. Also may I throw in France to England ..EU to None EU. Maybe just maybe its more than sport that makes him lose his residency / Selection rights. So if by law he is no longer a French residence (due to him moving to the UK) then I guess that will also affect his selection criteria. You are only a resident if you follow the rules so when you give up your residency you also give up your right for selection. Just putting it out there and I may be totally wrong .

Serious we were in the local here in NL. Three screens showing the game but there was a private party also in so no sound from the TV. I said to some Dutch mates thats a smart England shirt with the blue and red flashes. It was not until we had a close up that every one realised we were all shouting for the wrong sides. This carried on as other people came in the bar. Very very confusing. Personally I thought a great mind games from Sarina Wiegman who knows how win in "Oranje". PS won 20 quid of the daft cloggers.

Top of the table clash this morning . 12 noon kick off and by half time Den Haag Knights had punished some weak Zwolle defence to race into a 32-0 half time lead. Credit to the visitors ,who were looking to extend their unbeaten run in their debut season, as the scored 16 quickfire points after the break to narrow the gap to 16. Knights then got their game back together ,upped the pace and took the points, and a place in the Grand Final, running out worthy 42-28 winners. 4pm in Capelle, Rotterdam Pitbulls entertain Harderwijk Dolphins as the Pitbulls go looking for their first win.

Maybe late Maybe been discussed. England v Combined nations a disaster. The other code England v Barbarians a big success. Where do we fall down in two similar games ?

36 /22 Harderwijk beat Amsterdam. Strange results here in Holland the new boys ,the underdogs are suprising everyone. Wide open going into round four.

Early result from round three. New boys Zwolle Wolves beat Rotterdam Pitbulls 40 points to 4 in a 12 noon kick off to leave the Pitbulls win less after two games. Two wins and a draw put Zwolle on top of the table with five points. Den Haag who are free this weekend sit second with two wins out off two. Next Saturday the Wolves travel to Den Haag for a very interesting top of the table clash. 28 degrees in the Harderwijk at the moment but should be a bit cooler at 4pm when the second game kicks off as Amsterdam travel to the Dolphins.

Hmmm Have a Lancashire Combination medal from 77 or 78. I THINK Will have to look it up.