All Aboard, the Magic Carpet has Reappeared.

I want to say to all of you who are going on Sunday, I am so jealous of you. I wish I had the magic carpet here to whisk me down the road. Until I got the news that I am due in hospital again for a test next Thursday, all I have thought about was Martin and Sunday. This is an exciting period to be a supporter. Where will Martin lead us, to the golden heights or another 7 day wonder?

Bye Bye Bruce, Hello Martin

I know I said that I would not be writing a blog this week but that is depression for you. One day something seems too much for you and another day you think you can.

The storm clouds are passing over SOL and a new era is about to being. Wish the same could be said for up here. Winds overnight of up to 70mph and 30-40 winds for the rest of the week with maybe snow. Bruce is gone but lets think kindly of him. He has stabilized us a premiership club, not the mid table team he has been saying we are but one that flirts with relegation most seasons. This tosh the media are saying about we have always been against him because of his childhood, is rubbish. I wish him well and hope that he is soon back in employment as a manager. I believe that he has always tried his best for us but I am afraid that did not work for us.

Bruce

I don't usually write a blog on a Sunday but yesterday's events has prompted me too. I did not want the usual Thursday/Friday blog to be all about Bruce. I will say what I feel right at the start. Bruce is past his sell by date and should of gone in the summer, never mind after yesterdays mess.

Another Must Win Weekend

Here I am a home alone kid. My wife has gone down to Leicester leaving me and the dogs alone to fend for ourselves. Shame, I get to eat what ever I like and do what ever I like. How will I survive? I will think about that later but in the meantime the continuing tale of our beloved club.

I must say I am getting tired of writing whether Bruce should go or not. I should be writing about the Fulham game or what will be happening on Saturday. Instead it is Bruce. I must say I am still in the Bruce out camp but the question is when.

Normal Service Resumes

Sat here with blackness outside after a lovely sunny day. Well sunny but cold as we had the wind again. What would life be up here without the wind? You can feel that winter is definitely around the corner, as is having the yellow ball back again.

It has been a long 2 weeks since the Man U game, its almost hard to remember what happened. Mind I have been into hospital since, so had other things to think of and worry about. Also it was my youngest granddaughter's birthday, Katelyn was one.That was a happy but tiring day.

Blank

Strange title? Nope, for football fans that is exactly what it is, a blank weekend. I do dislike these international weekends. What do you do? Nothing to get excited about or in our case getting worried about. We do tend to worry alot and not without some due cause. Being a Mackem is not a easy life. Would be much easier if you supported Man U or Chelsea, when your only worry is 'How many prizes are we going to win this season. Or a City fan wondering 'which world stars will be coming our way in January & what are we not going to win'.

A Bright View from up North

Hello again from a bright Caithness. From a misty, dreich morning, it is a brighter afternoon. A pleasant change from the wind and rain. Maybe it will stay nice before it is back into hospital for me on Wednesday for a couple of days for tests. I want them to find something but not what they are looking for, if that makes sense.

Anyway lets get to the big test, Man Utd away. Not a great prospect, is it? We have not won against them since 2000, so tomorrow will be a hard task. Also leading against Man Utd does not help, they get so many last minute goals, especially against us. With these stats and that they will still be smarting for that defeat against City, I would be happy with a draw, maybe 2-2.

After the storms

We have had quiet a week so far as weather is concerned. Winds for a few days of over 50mph. This is the main entrance to Wick Harbour. Thank good those winds are over but just been watching the weather forecast for the weekend and they might be returning, not as strong 40+ this time. Strange isn't how life up here sometimes mirrors life down there? No, not contrived, just realised it as I was writing this, honest gov.

...... continued, the saga that is sunderland

I'm back. sorry for the absence but I have been a poorly boy. I went into hospital with severe pains in the bowel, which for a person with Hirschsprung's (www.hirschsprungs.info) can be serious. On my first day in, they discovered that I also had pneumonia. I escaped a operation on my bowel by a whisker, they had transferred me to the larger hospital in Inverness, a very bumpy 2.5 hour journey in a blue light ambulance. Took the dogs heir first walk out for the first time today, only 5 minutes but felt good. So I thought why not write this.

Just another week for SAFC

Wednesday was a good day watching the seals at the yearling beach. Sannick Beach (photos).  This is where the immature seals come to play at being naughty and the older ones look on in disgust. In a few weeks they will round Duncansby Head for the real breading beach by the adults and low betide any young'uns who try to interfere. Then today walk along Keiss beach with one of the other dogs, while the other was being x-rayed for her back. Oh and Bramble managed to get himself in trouble again. Another player down.

West Brom, Saturday. Firstly, great to have a Saturday game, seems to of been ages since we last had one. Secondly,  I have real bad memories of Baggies games. Remember the away game in April 2009. That was the day of my eldest daughters wedding. She is a season ticket holder, her husband and all of her family are, yes for the Baggies. My speech was full of gibes at them, how that back fired, beaten 3-0. Never mind by 4 in the morning all was forgiven.

Cold Light of Day

What a miserable morning.  It is wet, windy and just dreich. Where is this heatwave predicted? Has it gone the same way as the fresh dawn after our great win over Stoke? Full of false promises.

Lets face it, Bruce has now spent a small fortune or for us normal folk a huge fortune. This team has to be classed as his. Yes we do have striking problems with Gyan leaving after the window closed but you need 3 front line strikers, to cover injures, bans, etc. If it was true that Gyan has been pressing to leave since the beginning of the year, Bendtner was his replacement not Bent's or Welbecks. So who is at fault that we are still short of strikers?

A week to forget, So lets forget it

Weather report, wet & very windy. The remnants of the hurricane may of missed us & we had a very quiet day but it has made up for it before that day and after. Winds of 30, 40 +mph and been raining most days for a month or more. Taking about the weather seems better than talking about the events of the past week.

We all have a free Saturday, What are you going to do with it? I am going to a talk on why the Highland Clearances started, at Helmsdale in Sutherland. Should be interesting, anyone want a report? Then off to Tesco's, not so interesting but got to get tea. Might just have fish & chips though.

A strange match day experience

Yesterday was going to be a good day. At 12 the F1 qualifying at Monza and then the pre match build up for the game. I was going for a 2-2 draw, if Gyan was fit, then would of been good to see him and new boy Bendtner teaming up.

Just as the qualifying had started, rumours started that Gyan had gone. He had been sent on loan to Dubai of all places. So absurd that it could not be true. Remember who we are and so the absurd was in fact true. I lost all interest in the F1, trying to find out what on earth was happening. As the realisation sunk in, he was gone, January 2011 all over again. Bent deserted us for money but at least stayed in the Premier League and tried to say he went to a 'bigger club', not true but could be argued. Gyan had no excuse, Dubai's league canot be compared to the PL, crowds of under 1,000. As we learnt later,the increase in wages from 40,000 to 200,000 might just of been the real reasons.

The season starts again

I am sat here looking out over the fields. If you ever wonder what it is like then look no further than here http://www.mc-gregor.org.uk/webcam.html 

That is the view from my study and this is the view in my study, including me. Don't look too much like Santa just now as I have trimmed by beard.

Been a boring couple of weeks without any games. Not too interested in the international games. After spending half my life in Scotland & with a Scottish father, I support Scotland. Not qualifying for a tournament for a number of years has dampened my interest in these games. I get depressed enough watching Sunderland, don't need more punishment by watching Scotland. I was pleased to see a old boy of ours scoring for the England under 21's. Remind me why we let Waghorn go? I can't understand why it has not worked out for him at Leicester but good luck to him at Hull.

Weekend Off - Part II

One of the problems of living up here is the weather, to say it can be a little depressing is an understatement. Couple that with living with depression, not very good. Yesterday was not a good day, weather wise and so not a good depression wise. This meant that I could not write this until today, a sunny & bright day.

You may think, "what is this guy, suffering from depression, doing supporting Sunderland. It must make him worse." Well it does not help. When I was first diagnosed with depression in 1997, I thought I would cheer myself up and watch us play against Reading away. Easy game, wrong !!!! We lost 4-0 against Reading of all teams, this was before their push for PL status. After that result you lucky/unlucky (delete as appropriate) that i am still here. Anyway I digress.

Weekend Off - Part 1

Here we are, a new player in place, wanting to see where he is going to fit in. Will he fit in? So what happens, nothing. International fortnight !!!!! Saturday boredom. For those who are wanting to fill their time on Saturday, go and support your local team. Not me, Wick Academy play in B & W so no. Petty I know but that is me.

Been an interesting few weeks since I last looked in here. I was not an exile for the derby game. My sister had a spare ticket and offered it to me, how could I of refused.  Jumped in me car Friday morning (had to wear my top, can't travel without your colours) and off down the A99, A9, M90, A1 to Berwick and my bed over night. Took me 8 hours, with only 2 stops. The first 2 roads are about the most annoying roads in the country. They go through the spine of Scotland but are not dual carriage way. Get behind a lorry or 2 or 3, or behind a caravan or a tourist looking at the beautiful hills at 40mph and you sit there with your temperature high enough to melt the snow on the top of the mountains. You see a overtaking lane or a short dual carriageway and you take off, pass all those people that have sent you into orbit and then the 2 lanes end just before you can pass the next 2 lorries in front of you. Temperature rising again.

Sunday Morning thoughts

Time for the second episode of this blog. Thought I would take advantage of our Caithness summer. Sat outside, laptop on table looking out over the hill at the back of us (memo find out its name, after being here 18 mths I should really know it). It is not a summer’s day as you know it, the washing is horizontal on the line (a slight Caithness breeze) but the sun is out, so it must be summer. Also I can sit here in short sleeves, no shorts though, now that is one step too far.

The start of a glorious new season, yet again

Well folks this is it, isn't it. The start of a new season, all of our hopes, fears, excitement. How are we going to do this season? Stupid question isn't it, we are going to win the Premiership, FA Cup & Carling Cup !!! Of course we won't but if we can't dream at this time of the season when can we?

This is the second season when the excitement is a little less than it used to be. This is of my own making. 18 months ago I decided it would be a good idea to move as far north as you can on the UK mainland, Caithness. My directions usually are, head north to the A9 and just keep on going. Stop just before you end up in the sea, turn left and you have found me.