London Welsh Win Appeal

I was well chuffed last night when I came in late from an evening at Gwyl Fawr Aberteifi to read that London Welsh have won their legal battle for promotion to the Premiership - English rugby's top flight.

They deserved to do so just by the fact that they won the championship play-off final with a 66-41 aggregate victory over the Cornish Pirates.

But the appeal panel ruled that the RFU's MSC contravenes EU and UK competition law and therefore found in favour of London Welsh, at the Newcastle Falcons' expense.

I've been following London Welsh for years from afar and they have always in my memory been a solidly performing 2nd tier English rugby side but in recent years have really upped their game and I've always hoped that our 'Exiles' would one day be given their chance to play at the top level as do the successul London Irish.

So now is their chance and for once, as one who has never been a fan of the RFU's Premiership, I can't wait!

Back to the Future? A Wonderful Internet Hoax!

As a big fan of the 'Back to the Future' trilogy, I was slightly in awe when I realised earlier that today, 27th June 2012, is in fact the date that 'Doc Brown' set in his DeLorean to time travel into the future.

Or at least, that's what I thought when I saw this photo going around the internet earlier!

For although the films were released slightly before what I recall of them, I am nevertheless a big fan. Indeed, I am slightly odd I suppose in being a particular fan of the 2nd film which is generally regarded as being the weaker of the 3. Why do I like it? Because it plays with both the 'present' of 1985, the 'past' of 1955 and the 'future' of...wait a minute here...2012?!

It suddenly struck me that the dates just didn't look right. 1985 minus 30 leads to 1955 so why leap 27 years to 2012 and not 30 years to 2015? Oh, and why to June when it was the fall that always played the central part of the narrative.




On doing some quick investigating, it all became clear - it was a hoax! The actual date that Doc Brown typed into his DeLorean as the clip above shows was October 21st 2015!

So folks, we've got another 3 more years in which to invent that hoverboard!

The Handshake of History

Martin McGuinness shook hands today with Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.


Source: BBC Website



Words are important but sometimes, images speak louder. This image signifies a historic landmark event in a relationship long soured my suspicion and bloodshed. 

It is easy in retrospect to say that this meeting was a natural step in the progression of peace in Ireland. But take a step back and look at the image again.

For so many decades, the possibility of seeing such an image was not so much unnatural as it was completely inconceivable.

There are times when the cliches do roll off the tongue and then there are times when, in the great context of history, when even cliches fail to make justice of the situation.

So for once, I'm not going to go into detail about why this image transcends the normal - it really shouldn't be necesary.

All I have to say, quite simply, is wow.

Odyssey - Use It Up And Wear It Out (Funk/Soul Disco 1980)

Associations can take many forms.

As a lover of music, sound associations have followed me throughout my life. A particular sound will remind me, often completely out of context, with a certain time or place. An example is the Eagles' 'Take It To The Limit' which will forever remind me of my time on Thailand's Koh Samui with the Gulf of Thailand lapping against my feet (but that's another story).

Another is one of many songs that I associate with Only Fools and Horses. Having been a fan since I can't remember, I can often recite lines of dialogue off by heart. Throughout its 22 year comedic run, it also ran as a sign of the musical times, playing as it did, hit songs from the period.

So it is that I recall for example Fat Larry Band's 'Zoom' from the Series 2 concluding 1982 Christmas special 'Diamonds are for Heather' and Simply Red's 'Holding Back the Years' in the emotional 1989 Series 6 concluding episode 'Little Problems' where Rodney marries Cassandra.

But winding back to the first series in 1981, the 2nd episode 'Go West Young Man' saw Del Boy and Rodney hit the town. I recall vividly that catchy early 80s disco vibe from that episode including a particularly catchy tune which I have ever since, as a result, been greatly fond.

But until last night, I never actually knew the name of the song or of the band that played it until it came on in the Bell in Cardigan and I instantly recorded it on my Shazam mobile 'phone application.

To my complete surprise, it came from a band that I must admit I had never of so I felt I should share it with those who like me, greatly enjoy a wide range of music.

So here is Odyssey's Funk/Soul Disco 1980 hit 'Use It Up And Wear It Out'.



It's odd how I have always associated this song with that early episode of OFAH and yet could not until now, place it any further than that.

Et tu Brute? Rangers to be Demoted by their Scottish Premier League Foes

The world's most decorated football team is to be sensationally and humiliatingly demoted from its home of 122 years by its own Scottish Premier League rivals.

The disbelieving saga of Rangers' financial turmoil has today taken a severe turn for the worse as Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Inverness Caledonian Thistle joined the voices of Hearts, Dundee United and Hibernian by declaring that they will veto Rangers' application to be re-admitted to the Scottish Premier League as a new company.

This means that the 8-4 majority required can not be achieved with 6 clubs having now already publically stated their opposition to the new Rangers company's re-inclusion in Scotland's top flight.

A Proud History
Formed in 1872, Rangers were one of the 10 original members of the Scottish Football League and have won a world record 115 trophies including a world-record 54 domestic league championships - their last being in 2011. They have won 33 Scottish Cups, 27 Scottish League Cups and won the 1972 European Cup Winners' Cup.

Quite incredibly, they have only had 13 managers throughout this long and proud period of history.

An Uncertain Future for Rangers & Scottish Football
Despite having never played outside of Scotland's top footballing tier, they now face an uncertain future as the official vote on July 4th will formally require their replacement with either relegated Dunfermline or First Division Runners-Up Dundee.

Following the official confirmation of their refused application on 4th July, they will then need to apply to play in the Scottish Football League. Presuming that this is accepted, it will conceivably mean their demotion to the Scottish Third Division - Scotland's Fourth footballing tier.

It is likely to mean that the world's most successful league club with its iconic Ibrox home, could well be playing host next season to the likes of Montrose, Peterhead, East Stirling, Clyde and Annan Athletic.

But what of those still playing in the Scottish Premier League? The loss of such a great iconic, economic draw is going to hit their coffers badly. Celtic, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Ross County and St Mirren have yet to announce how they would vote and for Celtic, this news would presumably cement their dominance of Scottish football for some years to come.

But there's no hiding from the negative conotations of this move.

As this BBC article states, Inverness' chairman Kenny Cameron has said: "Financially, we examined the various scenarios and, frankly, none of them were positive for our club. It is extremely disappointing to be adversely affected by something not of our doing".

St Johnstone added: "The board believes that sporting integrity should not be sacrificed in favour of economic expediency".

Hibernian added: "The board is also acutely aware that in making this decision, Hibernian - like other clubs in the SPL - will suffer collateral financial damage at a time of severe economic hardship and uncertainty".

There's no question that the decision being taken by some of Scotland's longest standing clubs against their greatest foe will have repercussions but they all feel, quite rightly in my opinion, that there is a greater issue at stake here.

As Hibernian stated: "This reaffirms the view of the board that the sporting integrity of the SPL is of paramount importance".

As St Johnstone added: "It is important that a clear and unambiguous message goes out from the custodians of Scottish football that this sort of scenario should never be allowed to happen again".

Well, quite.

Rangers' financial turmoil is a sporting tragedy and beyond that, a tragedy for their fierce community of fans.

But pride comes before the fall and even this sporting historian can not over rule the current financial mess in favour of an illustrious history.

In the final analysis, the Scottish Premier League 6 who have made their intentions for that 4th July meeting loud and clear in recent days have made the only moral choice available to them.

Good luck to Rangers in their new identity and in their new home, wherever that will be. Good luck to the remaining members of a very different Scottish Premier League.

Scottish football is about to experience the greatest shock to the nature of its very being in its 120 year+ history. Good luck all involved in the uncertain years ahead.