Recent Purchases

 Haven't done one of these for ages. Years in fact. When I post a load of bits and pieces I've picked up. This lot is especially random, boredom of lockdown taking effect...

A vintage Folk rainmac in a striking royal blue. Came as part of a job lot of coats, including an Elka x Norse projects fisherman's jacket and couple other smart folk overcoats. Couldn't get a decent photo of the others, anyway this was pick of the litter.

Brook Brothers shirt. Classic long sleeved button down with a fine check from the shirting staple siblings.

Garbstore x Indigo Farm selvedge denim. eBay bargain this, £13. Only couple of blurry photos in listing so took a risk. Paid off nicely as in top condition - no fading or wear. Very smart.

Clarks desert boots. My old pair have gone the journey so pleased to some new ones dirt cheap from TK Maxx.

Another job lot, this time of tittfers. Two Highland 2000 wool watchcaps - these were the brand who did CC's OG McMurphys (which I've got a handful of) so the quality shines through. Made in England also. Then a couple tweed numbers - a bakersboy, for when I'm feeling Peaky, and a trilby for when I'm Still Game.

Pissed up OG England 96 home shirt and Hackett cap. Recently got a refund on my EURO 2020 tickets so was a bit glum. Got these for watching it at home and throwing patio furniture round my garden...

...with an England soundtrack. World in Motion and England's Irie. The two best football tunes IMO.

The devil makes work for idol hands. Particularly when Sara Cox is the centrefold. Few vintage Loaded mag from eBay. For the articles.

A signed Pools ball. Celebrating 100 years of Hartlepool United. Fortunately I've only been around for 37 of them.

Thrifty Shopper

I love a bargain. Here's a few purchases I've amassed in past few months via cheap but not always tasteful means...

GANT - Brand new, in my size and all for the low low price of £3.50 from the local hospice charity shop. Quality find that proves visiting your local thrift shop, despite leaving hundreds of times empty handed, eventually leaves you quids in...

CC Sweat - Had this since the summer actually, but now we've got to autumn it'll get a bit of wear. Full Metal Jacket inspired Viet conflict sweatshirt that says 'Yeah I support the boys overseas, but I'll do it whilst lounging round at home in a quality sweat. Deal with it". £12 from fleabay.

Decent Denim - Lost a fair bit of weight (two stone to be precise) so needed some new jeans as my arse was slipping off in the old ones. A lot of spoken about Japanese selvedge and the like, but I've headed West for the heritage brands of the US in Levi and Lee. By west I mean I went to the local TKM.

Woolrich - You can't beat a bit of Wooly. Got this vintage shirt from bay of despair for a few bob. Not sure what the design pattern is, but provides a bit of welcome relief from all checks in the wardrobe - Smart chambray with fossils. An added bonus is that it's a large. Get in there you formerly fat bastard.

Minster Moors - Love a shoe that looks like a burnt asymmetrical cornish pasty. So just as well I snapped these prime Minsters from the Connoisseur forum for a price of similar worth to fifteen of the Cornwall delicacies...

Faconnable - My favourite shirt brand of all time, but now available as a cap. Wow. Admittedly I'm not a cap wearer (my basey and Air Max days are about a fifth of a century behind me) but this was going for free on above said CC forum. Will name and shame the kind member - Hax. A true Gent who gave me holiday headwear for the price of a fart (only nice)...

Loaded - I only bought it for the articles. No really. Back in 1995 there were no semi nipped lasses in Loaded. Anyway a Great and Straight (Yeah) Shaun Ryder discusses newly formed Black Grape, plus a decent interview with the yet to be disgraced Ron Atkinson and an article on Casuals shopping. From Bay for a bob or two, expect a blog involving this in the not too distance future...

Coal not Dole - Pin badge for a quid. Just doing my bit, a show of support for the NUM. The union will never cave in...

Serpico - Gone full circle and back to the same charity shop where I got this cult classic, that I've shamefully never owned, for 50p. Widescreen edition too so I can appreciate the great mans beard and choice in hats in all there glory...

Shirts and Shoes

Shirts and shoes are two of my favourite things as you can probably tell from the volume of blogs regarding the subjects. Well here's another one on the handful of bits and pieces I've picked up over the winter...

First up shirting wise, back in September I picked up this very autumnal check from everyone's favourite French fashion house Faconnable. Every shade of orange, red and brown included with a splash of blue. Like taking a leafy walk under a crisp blue October sky and treading in dog poo...

Then up is another Fac shirt. FAC2 if you like. Opposite end of the seasonal scale this one. Nice short sleeved button down in a pleasing plethora of summeresque colourways. Also includes my favourite, and lesser seen, large Faconnable badge which seems to be a grouse playing hockey...

Towards the end of last summer picked up something I'd been trailing for ages. The Casual Connoisseur v tuktuk 'Carter' shirt. Although long since sold out via CC, tuktuk had a few down to half price in the sale. I promptly pulled the trigger on the only size left (luckily an XL) and turned out it was the last of the XLs. The last Carter known to man. Sotheby's you have my number. Anyway the quality is unreal and especially love the pocket detailing...

Now onto shoes. Something I desired from the first time I saw them. Clarks Seam Trek. A beautiful design by the masters of casual footwear. Not much else to say. Pictures say a thousand words...

Got a dirt cheap pair of Clarks via ebay at the end of the summer. Brand new in fact and for roughly a fiver if I remember rightly. Purely because the seller sold these as 'Dessert Drille'. So managed to snaffle the incorrectly titled trotters for next to nowt. Not the finest from the Originals range but champion for knocking about in...

Finally a strange choice to the Good Northern household. Well documented I'm not a fan of trainers these days, but purchased a pair of Beckenbauers. Did so for a couple of reasons. One I've always liked the styling on these adidas originals and two TK Maxx had the red sticker on them, down to £18 from £45. Probably won't ever really wear them much but I couldn't resist for that...

Barbour Thornhill

Fresh from Barbour's back room. The Thornhill. South Shields finests take on the classic four pocket parka in a hikerdelic olive. Plenty of pockets for the compass and Kendal mint cake.

Pleased with this pick up. Headed to Bede blindly, armed only with a few bob of cold hard Christmas cash and no clue if there'd be owt decent. Been a few years since I've visited and I was pleasantly surprised that Barbs have done the place out. Unfortunately I wasn't pleased with the calibre of stock, wave after wave of beige utility jackets and dayglo plasticky looking Internationals. Until I spied this beauty. The only one in the whole place and in my size to boot. Lucky man. £79 down from £220 due to a slight smudge of the B inside. Beautiful.

The eagle eyed amongst you may notice the Clarks Seam Treks pictured too. Another purchase on the same day but you'll have to wait for another blog soon...

Autumn Casual

Few bits and pieces I've picked up for the autumn, but shrewdly got during the summer so they nice and cheap.

First up a pair of shoes I've had on my radar for awhile, some long since deadstocked Clark's Minster Moors in tan. Love the design of these and they're perfect for dressing up or down - example worn for a posh meal with the wife the other night and shall be gracing my feet at Bootham Crescent tomorrow.

Next another nice bit of shirting from my favourite French fashion house Faconnable. In a pleasing shade of pink (for late summer) and brown (autumn ticked off too) check with the usual high quality detailing. Smart.

From the sublime to the faintly ridiculous. Vintage St. Michael grandad shirt in very typical 'your grandad' shades of brown, beige and grey. Lose fitting and linen, this will become my gig shirt the next time the Mondays roll into town.

Another bit of 90s vintage next. An old school Stone Island over shirt. Very lightweight and baggy with a simple design, has been thrown on over a polo when strolling down to get the Mirror. Been ages since I bought some Stoney but this was available for peanuts so couldn't resist.

Next up some cult badges. First a soon to be sold out blue (Hartlepool!) Stand against modern football pin from distant echo. I was online purchasing issue five of the mag when I spotted these, and red ones, fresh in. Purchase had to be made. After that we've got a pin from North East based A Casual Man blog. Those of you who haven't marked my words and visited his site, please follow link elsewhere on this blog. Love the simple yet classy nature of this pin, words which could also sum up the blog nicely.

Peter O`Toole Illustrations

Love this guys stuff. First became aware of his work (like many in my circle) through Casual Connoisseur, with Huddersfield based pensmith arting up their tees and sweats - I thought that Bill Murray one was fantastic. Anyway just been killing time floating on the web and brushed over (see what I did there?) his website and thought I'd share a couple of his prints. Many more high class bits and pieces at www.peter-otoole.co.uk

Ben Clark Interview

I did a short spell at Sunderland fanzine A Love Supreme back in 2005 when trying to find my feet in journalism. It didn't happen for me although I'm pleased to say I managed to get a couple of bits published in the magazine, the most proud of which was with then Poolie defender Ben Clark. Having to write as a pretend SAFC supporter wasn't the best, so I spent my time writing about ex Sunderland players who had gone to Hartlepool, before presenting them to the ALS editor Martyn McFadden. The one he saw prospect in was about Clarky, and as the editor was still in touch with Pools assistant boss Martin Scott (again ex S'land), an interview was set up. You may notice slight Poolie biased in the interview...

"A few eyebrows were raised around SoL last October when Ben Clark swapped the bright lights of Sunderland for the slightly dimmer surroundings of Hartlepool. The former England U21 international's pedigree had been overlooked by three different managers during his time with the lads, and his skills could only be seen on a regular basis at Archibald's Stadium (S'land's reserve ground). It was a surprise to us that Clarky was always in the reserves, especially considering Phil Babb was constantly picked ahead of him.

Clark, a life-long Sunderland supporter, moved down the A19 on a free transfer. He had made only 17 Sunderland appearances in four years, despite the fact he'd been tipped to have a promising future.

Since joining Hartlepool he has helped them continue to punch above their weight, with the club looking to cement another League One play-off position come May. Pools already have a solid back line so boss Neale Cooper has decided to play him in a central midfield role, where his tough tackling, strength and good distribution have won him many fans at Victoria Park.

The addition of Clark to Hartlepool's threadbare squad was worth its weight in gold, and helped the Monkey Hangers achieve one of the best home records in the country. So with Clark doing so well for Pools, we at ALS decided to catch up with him and see how things are going since his exile from Sunderland...

You're a Sunderland lad. Who sticks in your mind as the best players you've seen play for Sunderland and why?
I think when I was there Kevin Phillips was amazing, and Quinny was really good as well. Just before I left I was also good mates with Gary Breen. And before that I used to like watching Dariusz Kubicki. A whole variety of different players basically.

Did any of them influence you?
Not really. I was there with Phillips and Niall Quinn were top pros. Jason McAteer was also a big help with the young lads. Basically all the older pros were a big help.

How did you feel when you signed for Sunderland?
I loved it. It's every boy's dream to play for his hometown club. Especially me coming back from Manchester (United) to Sunderland, and it was a dream to play in front of supporters.

What are your best memories of being at Sunderland?
I think playing for Sunderland against Hartlepool in the FA Cup. There were 10,000 Hartlepool supporters in, and the crowd was 42,000 or something at the game, so it was great to play in. Luckily Sunderland managed to win one nil
(nb - he was playing for SAFC in that game)

What was it like to captain your country at under 20 level?
It was a big honour. It's every boy's dream to play football but to captain your country at that age was a brilliant experience, a great thing to do.

How did you feel when you were told you'd be leaving SAFC?
I was disappointed. I think that I probably stayed at Sunderland too long just because I supported them. I think it was harder for me to leave the club because I'm a fan. But at the end of the day it was the right time to leave, because I had to think about myself and my career.

Do you think you were given a fair chance at Sunderland?
Personally I don't think I was. I needed more opportunities to play more games for the club, because in the games I did play I felt I hadn't really done myself justice. At the end of the day you've got to go by the manager's decision, but I still think I deserve more chances. When I left I felt the time was right, but the first result I look for when I've finished a game is to see how Sunderland got on.

Sunderland seems to have a habit of letting younger players leave. Do you think there is a problem?
I'm not too sure about that. Although it's very hard now for the young lads coming through the youth system trying to get in the first team. I know Chris Brown is doing very well there, so let's hope he keeps going. He needs to keep his head on his shoulders, try to keep progressing and knock on the door of the first team, and hopefully the manager will keep picking him.

Who helped you settle in at Hartlepool the most, and how?
Martin Scott was huge influence because he used to be at Sunderland when I was there. That helped me settle in quickly which is what you need to play well. Some of the older players helped too. Michael Barron who's been here for nearly ten years helped me too.

Why do you think Hartlepool have done so well over the past few years?
They've got a great team spirit and all the lads get on well together, along with the manager and Scotty the assistant. There is good banter between us all. Overall it's down to the good team spirit.

Any chances of getting promotion?
It's still very much in our hands I think. We don't fear anybody in this league. We just need to keep going and win a few more games. A few more wins and I think we'll be safe in the play -offs.

In your own opinion, what are your strengths and weaknesses in your game?
I think my strengths are that I'm very comfortable on the ball and I like to play football, as passing is possibly the biggest part of my game. My weakness is my heading, which I really need to work on.

What are your ambitions for the future?
Hopefully to try and get Hartlepool United into the play-offs. After that keep challenging for promotion to the Championship, and then I'll just take it from there...

A big thanks to Ben and good luck for the rest of the season. I still can't help thinking that we've let a good quality player leave the club. Admittedly Sunderland are currently strong in defence and there is more than enough talent at the back in the event of a defensive injury plague. However it is a shame that a talented young player who promised so much, starting out at Man Utd and captaining England U19s at the 2002 Euro Championship, was never really given the chance to shine at the Stadium of Light. Clark joins a list of players such as Jonjo Dickman, Craig James and Patrick Collins, who were all tipped for great things but have left the club and disappeared into the lower leagues. In this case, Sunderland's loss is Hartlepool's gain".     

This interview was at the end of 04/05 season, and Hartlepool did indeed make the play-off final losing out to Sheff Wed. Clark continued playing for Pools, suffering relegating in 2006 followed by immediate promotion in 2007, before being released in 2010 after making 162 league appearances. He has been playing for Gateshead since, being made club captain and being named player of the year 2011.

Clarks Ashcott & RL (Recent Purchases)

Pretty pleased with these pair of Clarky's Ashcott for the sale price of £34 and free p&p. Quality sings through all round - even before you get into them what with it's solid box, booklet and many layers of wrap. Easy simple design with clean lines and shape, comfiest things I've ever had on my trotters with their signature crepe sole - it's like strolling on white fluffy marshmellow clouds. Clarks do things properly and these shoes are the dogs for the price. Absolute steal.

Next up yet another canny TK bargain. A plain cotton weave sweater by Ralph Lauren and although I'm not a fan of white jumpers this was too good to pass up - hidden away in a dark corner of the store in clearance and mine for the low low price of five english pounds. Bloody hell. How it had been missed by many I'll never know but I know I'm happy about it.

Finally is another cheap pick up from said store, again for a similar fee in their final clearance. Brand shall remain nameless as it's certainly not one I'd ever wear (although some who don't know better live in it thinking it's Funky Cool Understated and Klassic), but for the price and the desert booty style I thought they'd be better inside the tent pissing out than the other way round.