Roy Race's World Cup

With England long gone by the time most second group games kicked off, I was prompted to seek some England glory elsewhere. This came in the form of the parallel universe that England's greatest striker we never had plyed his trade - namely Roy of the Rovers.

This annual is a collection of those World Cup moments from the Roy of the Rovers comic strip - from the black and white originals were Race (and by default Melchester Rovers and England) never lost, right through to the more realistic 90s, when Roy was managing England B, with the press and fan pressure it brought. Naturally he still won the tournament.

Trinity Square Car Park

Cult car park from Get Carter, the demolition of Trinity Square car park commensed four years ago this month...

Filson's

It's July. The height of the British summer. And although it's sunny and (too) hot, it also means the nights shall soon be drawing in, bringing with them grey skies, rain, sleet and snow. Glorious. So it's time start thinking about autumn/winterwear and that can only mean one thing - Jackets.

Myself I'm well prepared with two additions from CC Filson. The brand has its roots set firmly in Seattle of the good old US of A, and they owe their early fortune to kitting out gents heading north for the gold rush. They've been making rugged outdoorsy garments for over a hundred years, with their strap line "Might as well wear the best", and that philosophy hasn't changed. What worked then does so today, and especially across the pond here in Blighty.

Two examples here are the (in my opinion, Great) Redwood smock and the Forestry Chore jacket. The redwood is basic in colour and looks on first inspection, but it's like an onion (not just in colourway) as it has several layers in terms of design. You find find something new every time. Only discovered the little cuff zip compartment (thought was a watchviewer) when taking the photos for example.
The Forestry is from the 1897 collection (year Filson created) and is a limited edition, one of 1897 jackets worldwide. OK so that's not as exclusive as 50 Weirs, but you not going to find many over in the UK... Outside Tk Maxx that is.

So two cracking bits of kit in the wardrobe, just need the sun to take his hat off and go into hibernation so I can out them.

So Might as well have the best... I do. Twice.

Dogging In Sunderland

Cheating wife. Watching husband. Sex in public. Sunderland car park doggers...

For anyone who stumbled across this site via those search words, welcome to Good Northern you sneaky pervs. It isn't what you're looking for. Take your bitter disappointment, nursed stiffy and climb back under your stone.

For all normal people I visited Sunderland dog track last Friday for an evening of gambling and alcoholic beverages of the Newcastle and brown kind. All good fun. And there was no animal like behaviour from us and/or strangers in the car park afterwards.

Armed Forces Day

JW Fosters & Sons Classics

 Founded in Bolton in the late 1800s by the chap mentioned above, his boys renamed the running shoe company in 1958 using an Afrikaans term for a small Gazelle - rhebok. And thus the brand we know and love (or hate) was born.

The Reebok Classic, with its simple design and clean lines, was launched in 1987 to great success, but has become as ubiquitous as it has notorious. Its a trainer that crosses all divides but was seen on a great deal more questionable characters than most. It was the real first pub trainer and was used to good effect in a great number of cult films (again love them or hate them), including Goodbye Charlie Bright, the Football Factory and Nil by Mouth.

They come and go out of fashion with our culture fairly regularly, but are making a mark with me again. Perhaps it's because its the summer and therefore impossible to wear Clark's deserts. Or that adidas lost my vote with an increasingly number of poorly made, poorly conceived and poorly coloured reissues lapped up by the casuals by numbers on Instagram. Or perhaps because I'm in my thirties and I'm pining after my youth given these used to be the trainer of choice in my mid teens. Whatever it is I'm looking at Reebok Ex O Fit low, standard white classics and the Workout Plus with new reverence - one that was reserved, with some irony given the name rhebok, once only for the likes of Gazelles.

Just been reissued / relaunched for A/W at several places including Content

Hallyink

Here's something both good and northern. Hallyink, a Hartlepool based sketchist, who's focussing on local clubs cult heroes and then recreating them with a classic smudging of HB granite. Refreshing to see an artist dedicating his talents to the likes of Pools and Boro, rather then Man Utd and Liverpool, for a change. Could easily do United's treble winners - let's be honest, they'd sell quicker - but no, Hartlepool United are his team and drawing is his gift, so that's what he's going to do. Good man. Check out his wares here