Jack Football – Old Woodstock Town FC

Sat in the car typing this out waiting for Jack’s football to get going – he’s stepped into a vacant position for Woodstock today having texted the manager last night saying he was available. I don’t think he will even get a game but he’s at least involved so will wait and see what happens. I’ve been watching the warm-up, he looks tiny compared to the lads he’s playing with!! I feel real pressure about his football situation, the whole thing has been such a shame as it sounds like the rest of the u17’s at City are going to splinter and go elsewhere. Very sad.

Anyway I had a quick snooze and updated a few other entries in the diary and will now wrap up warm and cheer the team on…or more likely watch and get very frustrated by it all!!

We shall see.

So that went well – Jack wasn’t brought on until later in the game but got at least 25 minutes and he did well. As predicted the football wasn’t the best but I kept my comments to myself although I did shout a few suggestions for better movement etc. The opposing team (Shrivenham I think) were on a run and Woodstock are not so I think the opposition were expecting an easy ride, this didn’t happen and Woodstock rose to the occasion and did well – eventually somehow winning 5-0. A very surprising result.

I was pleased watching Jack, he’s quick and very skilful – I hope he doesn’t lose that ability.

We stayed afterwards and I had a couple of pints in the bar.

An enjoyable afternoon in the end. Still think I could do a job if fit…!

Oxford City ex-Players Day

Well this did NOT disappoint. I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time, in fact as soon as it was announced I was like a kid again excited about catching up with loads of old faces and having a day and night on the beer and having a crack!! Got down to the ground with a bit of a hangover from the previous night having been to Emily’s 18th birthday pub crawl celebration around Bicester and took it easy to start with. In fact even started with a coke – okay because the options were Stella!! Everyone was worried by that…
So gradually more and more players and managers turned up and it was really enjoyable seeing old faces and catching up. We stayed in the classroom side and when the matched started (Wealdstone) some of us went out and watched a bit but after 20 minutes I’d seen enough so went back to the bar and just stayed and chatted. We went out onto the pitch at half-time to have a photo – below – and then back in the bar!!
After the matched we were all the last ones there as you’d expect and then organised lifts into town. Alan Foster drove a group of us down there so that was good of him, I got a round in to say thanks, and we met up in the old Living Room. That was quality because there were all the lads from the Marston racing day down at Cheltenham so loads and loads of ex-footballers on show – it was mad! Everyone is drunk about now so it was such a great atmosphere, I loved every minute of it. At some point, and I don’t know why, there was a decision to leave the Living Room (Slug and Lettuce?) and go to All Bar One – so went there and half were there and the other half were at the old Brewhouse pub – never know what they’re called these days do I? All Bar One was fun and we took some other photos and then some of us (you know I have to be last man standing!) went to the new bar which is what Maxwells used to be. Can’t remember who made it – I think it was me, Paul Creed, Shaun Bradbury, Tim Bowley and Specky. I was flagging a bit in there and just wandered round or were dancing – bumped into other familiar faces, Chris Jones and a few others. By the end I was on lemonade and lime and water – left about 3.00am when it closed and Tash is texting me throughout! Got Shaun Brads to a taxi, he was falling asleep on me at the end of the night and then got a kebab and bus to the cemetery and Tash came and picked me up from there, sat on the sofa watching MOTD eating the kebab and went to bed. I think she was very surprised that I wasn’t completely and utterly bollocksed..in fact I think I was surprised!
So then, a really, really good day and night – loved it!

Some faces/people I was really pleased to see included:

• Eddie Inness (he’s not too well)
• Andy Lyne (down here from up north)
• John Sheppard (he looked really old – he’s 84 I think he said in the bar afterwards)
• Keith Knight
• Lewis Craker (haven’t seen him in years – moved to Radley about a year ago – hasn’t changed a bit!)