Festive Clobber Gifts (Recent Purchases)

A few Christmas gifts off the family for the wardrobe -

First up a plain Barbour shirt from me maw. Dark blue and white check, quite a chunky check too. Not the usual thin check most of my shirt choices have. Liking the lack of outer labelling, just a small discreet shield motif with no words on chest pocket.

Next up a nice smart Harris Tweed scarf. It's stiff, it's itchy and it smells of piss when wet, but what a cracking look. Brown/cream houndsteeth design from those Outer Hebrides hermits who weave the wool in their living room. Well documented that Casual Connoisseurs Harris Tweed scarves all sold out within a minute, but preferred this colourway direct from Harris Tweed - half the price of CC efforts at a low low £15. A gift from the wife, who thankfully has the same view on scarves as me - that you can never have too many...

Which is a good thing because the maw-in-law got me another one. A smart Paul Smithesque college scarf by House of Frasers Linea range. Not something I've ever bought from before, but in my humble opinion the likes of HoFs Linea and Howick are just like M&S - they provide good quality everyday clobber for a reasonable price. Anyway it's always been about design as opposed to the label for me (not strictly true when I was younger, but is now I'm more mature), so there.

Next something I been after for a good while but couldn't warrant it at full price. However found one on eBay BNWT and got him for £30. A Casual Connoisseur 'Beat-a-storm' MKII cagoule. Anyone reading this won't need telling they used the Peter Storm Cag as their template and made a pretty damn cool waterproof/windproof lightweight jacket. Deffo the best colourway of the second set of releases, although would have killed for a blue one of the original set. Still this looks the dogs on and the quality is far better than expected, fully lined in white rubbery waterproofing inside. Well done lads.

Finally another eBay purchase. Been on a downer about Stone Island recently and sold this jumper off. However felt lost without him being one of the original S.I. crew. So saw another one pop up on Bay and had to have it. Got for the same price as I sold it, he was one size bigger so a bit more comfy, plus in better nick than my old one so all in all a result. Pale green with marina stripes, and those of you film buffs may recognise it from Nick Love's Football Factory, as the knit on the 'nutter in a Stone Island jumper and a blade in my face' - but we'll not hold that against it.

This is England 88

This is England 88 finished last night and have to conclude there was three excellent episodes from Mr. Meadows. TIE86 was good but this time he quite rightly was the sole director (the first two episodes of 86 he lent out and weren't that good). BAFTA award winning Vicky McClure (Lol) was brilliant as she has been throughout the film/series, but for me Joe Gilgun (Woody) was outstanding. His witty, charming and endearing character was rightly put at the forefront of this installment, and Gilgun steals every scene he's in, be it funny, awkward or sad. He lives and breathes his character with some wonderful improvising going on, hilarious even when he's hurting - I mean that in a nice way. Makes you wish he was in the original film more, as his character is barely seen in the second half when Combo shows up. An amazing actor - Woody by name, not wooden in nature.

Unlike Thomas Turgoose (Shaun). He was good as a boy in the film but has failed to blossom as he's matured. I think Meadows has realised this too, as he was reduced to a few scenes in the third part last night. Hope I'm not being too harsh, but he looks clumsy delivering his lines and there always seems to be a big fuck off pause before he actually does say it. I'm pleased Meadows hasn't let nostalgia rule his storyline, as most of the gang take a back seat and McClure and Gilgun rightly act their arses off - good decision, awards in the bag.

Has to be said, the cameo of Stephen Graham's Combo in episode two was genius. Lol telling him sorry for what she said in the car back in the film and that she loved him was lovely. That was the moment in film for me that sparked off bad Combo, and although he was vindicated at the end of 86 for taking the wrap for Lol killing her dad, this moment of heart felt loving is something he deserved. He'll be out on parole in TIE90 I'm hoping. Hope it doesn't interfere with Lol and Woody as them being back together now looks a done deal. Magic.

Celebs in Stone Island

The label has had plenty of bad press over the last twenty years its been involved with British sub-culture. When it went mainstream towards the mid to late 90s and everyone wanted a piece of Stone, you found jokers like Dale Winton, Ant & Dec and 'Dirty Den' from 'enders wearing it (albeit Lesley Grantham's parka was a snide). So let's relive the glory days when just the cool kids were wearing it, Lock, Stock and green edged badge...

Paul Heaton (Beautiful South)

Bez (Happy Mondays)

Reni (Stone Roses)

Noel Gallagher (Oasis)

Peter Hook (New Order)

Alan Partridge

Griff Rhys Jones (ok, not S.I. but a belting SPW jacket)

Shildon vs. Pools (Durham Cup)

It's a funny one the Durham Challenge Cup. It's a secondary competition that Pools (reserves) take part in yearly, yet it's seldom advertised and I don't find out about matches until too late. Had an annoyingly poor run of form of late. One year we were playing Brandon United, a ground I could see from my bedroom round my mams in the distance. I even noted the floodlights were on one November evening, wondering who they were playing. It was fucking Hartlepool. Another crushing moment was when I was at a league game reading the programme, only to find action photos of a midweek game held at the Vic against Durham City. My first and second team playing each other and the club website negated to tell me. Twats. A final insult to injury was in 2005, freshly out of uni, unemployed and without car, Pools reached the cup final. But being Easter Monday there were no buses running to take me to the other side of town to Durham City's ground, where they crushed Billingham Town.

So this time I was well prepared. Checked Durham FAs website for the date of the draw and it was Shildon who earned the plum tie of Hartlepool United at home. A midweek evening fixture so with work not interfering as usual at weekends, it was off to Shildon - the self publicized 'Cradle of the Railways'.

Its a strange place. A semi large County Durham town, just off from Bishop Auckland. For a decent sized urban area it has no town centre to speak of, just a few shops of bargain basement types and a handful of evil pubs. Even the towns railway station is hidden away in the middle of a housing estate away from what would be dubbed the centre. My mate who's a Durham fan came along and offered to do the driving, boasting that he'd been to a building next door to the ground with work. Half an hour later we were the only football fans at Shildon's athletic stadium. Google maps showed were Dean Street ground was and another five minutes on the journey required.

As with most Northern League grounds its very ramshackle and run down. A main stand with a hundred or so seats and a covered terrace, with netting behind goals. Terraced houses peep over the walls but no one was in their bedrooms catching a free glimpse of cup football. Except some bloke, who with ladders propped up next to him, was sat on a deckchair on his garden shed roof, exposed to windy rainy elements - supping a few cans of Fosters. We questioned a few Shildon fans and they said 'oh, aye - that's Gary. He does it every game'. Legend.

Very much boys against men for Pools. The Durham FA have shot themselves in the foot, imposing that the 'big fish' who take part only select players who haven't been near the first team within the past two months - which means half of the usual reserve team have to sit out, meaning Mickey Barron had to select a handful of U16 players. This rule used to apply to Sunderland but they don't take part anymore and not 100% certain if it'll apply to non league Darlo and Gateshead. But surely the prospect of allowing us to select a few out-of favour-professionals, or those coming back from injury, would generate a few extra bob for the hard up Northern League? I can understand it's done in the interest of fairness on the part-time/amateur clubs, but I think the DFA have misunderstood just how seriously Hartlepool would take the competition if they could - Since 1884 United have only won it five times.

And thus because of the absense of any pros, Pools didn't win owt with the kids. They applied themselves well enough, the young defence in particular closing down well. But a dubious penalty decision and a quick breakaway made it 2-0 to Shildon at the break. United changed the formation, went attacking and  made it 2-1 through Lewis Hawkins. A stunning third goal killed it off and the kids suffered a collapse, conceding two late goals. At 5-1 it was highly unfair but Shildon were always going to win.

Central Station Artwork

Often going hand in hand with Factory Record sleeves, here's some iconic gems by Central Station...

Shaun Ryder (cut for 'Bummed' cover)

Ken Dodd

Babs Windsor

Delightful EP

Wrote For Luck

Pills & Thrills 'Sweetie wrapper' cover

Kelly's Heroes

Tube Graffiti

Often see a lot of forum or blog posts regarding the graffiti on the New York subway. In fact I was browsing a fascinating pictorial book on the subject recently - may get round to purchasing it. I'm a bit of a patriot at heart though so thought I'd give a few samples of spray paint scribbles on London's Underground - do us Brits do it better?

Probably not...

The Citizens

Sometimes the Football League seems like too much fuss. Sometimes I can't be chowed with the 40 odd mile round trip to Hartlepools. Then sometimes I'm often not happy with local looneys on the terraces. I know we're all there to follow the same cause, but fuck they're annoying at times. Have to be in the mood for it these days.

And today was one of those days I was not in the mood. It's a shame that Hartlepool United is playing a less prominent role in my life, but circumstances have changed. Have had to 'volunteer' to work weekends to ease child care worries during the week, so its rare I get a Saturday off. And when I do get one I'm usually chomping at the bit to get down to the Vic. However 10 months ago I became a Dad and money is tight, so the petrol money, pie/pint and gate fee at United seems that little bit more extortionate. So when I have that guilty feeling in my gut - "£20 for the Millhouse Terrace is approx. 24 jars of baby food or 60-70 nappies etc" - I have Durham City AFC.

Used to go fairly regularly back in early 2000s as ex Pools legend Brian Honour was in charge, and a whole host of former Poolie youth/reserves turned out in City's yellow. A trip to Wembley was almost on the cards when they reached the FA Vase in 2002 only to be dumped out by local rivals Whitley Bay. The team has moved up the ladder to two below the Conference North, but now is Sunderland orientated with Dickie Ord in charge and a fair few Mackem releasees plying part time trade for the Citizens.

Popped up today with a few mates, a former Newcastle supporter who has turned his back on the Geordies and now has a season ticket at DCAFC (He gets a ribbing though - only started going a few years ago when they were winning the league. Fucking glory), and two Sunderland fans at a loose end. Enjoyed it immensely. A nice brown ale in clubhouse beforehand, sensational chips and gravy, a cool crisp sunny October afternoon and a topsy-turvy open game of passing football that resulted in a 3-2 victory for City. Plenty entertainment for the £7 admittance, the decision seemingly the correct one with Hartlepool losing at home to Wycombe.

Today I'll be Mostly Wearing...

Barbour mac
M&S Lambswool knit
Faconnable shirt
OTS Dogwalker jeans
Pointer Hopkins

My favourite Shirt

Another new bit of Ralph shirting. The polo horse has been trotting into the wardrobe in some numbers of late - Just pleased he isn't shitting in it as well. Couldn't help myself with this cool design. I'm a staunch button down man, so this unbutton collar wouldn't normally get my cash at the tills, let alone a look in as my favourite shirt. However it's all in the cool curved wings - loving them. Not only that but there's no visible branding on the shirt, except for a wee tab on the bottom of the shirt (about where Ben Sherman used to put them). A very pale blue and cream striped effort on lightweight Oxford cotton, a real winner. Hints of your dad when combined with Clarks and a plain knit as I did the other day. Looking the mutt's nuts Id say.

Stott Hall Farm

Or otherwise known as 'that-farm-in-the-middle-of-the-M62'. Just been to and from Manchester's Trafford Centre on a Christmas shopping trip, and passed the farm twice within 24 hours and felt compelled to google it to find out more.

Built in 1737, it stood for over 200 years in hilltop windswept loneliness before the motorway arrived in 1968. The future of the farm looked as bleak as the Pennines, with officials bulldozing and relocating dwellings in the path of the highways onslaught. However due to the fear of landslides on the steep hill, the motorway carriageways were split and thus Stott Hall was saved.

It's become an unlikely landmark on the motorway and according to tenant farmer Paul Thorp it's often used as an unofficial service station for people struggling for petrol. Can't imagine what it's like living there - Working hard in the fields doing a rural job, then to come back home with all this urban noise and disturbance. The M62 has been going strong for 40 odd years and won't let up until Judgement Day, so there's going to be no break in the 24/7 traffic buzz for farmer Thorp just yet.

1990s Club Badges

No fancy dan coat of arms here, just classic simplicity does-the-job Football Club crests.