According to Google Earth the grounds of Billingham Synthonia and Billingham Town are about 400 yards apart, as the crow flies. Meadow Park and the Colliery Welfare by comparison are about 800 yards apart. So not the closest, but it still makes no sense to have RCA and the CW at home at the same time, which, unless postponements, cup ties and secretarial ingenuity can work their magic, will happen time after time this season. It's just a cock up of course, not a conspiracy as many would have it, but it is very harmful, not just to RCA and the Welfare, but also to trying to build Northern League football in Sunderland. Self inflicted wounds, the most painful kind, he says pompously...
Anyway nice to be back, after a summer, a short summer, of World Cup football and cricket of various kinds. My confident prediction of glory for Brazil proved as good as my usual football predictions as they were slaughtered by the Hun. And Durham not exactly pulling up trees this year, although I fancy they might stage their usual September rally in the County Championship and do better than looks likely now, without retaining their crown sadly I fear. And the over hyped Scotsman failed to add to his Wimbledon crown, which I confidently predict, will be his last ever major tennis title. And speaking of our friends over the border, there was the Commonwealth Games of course, something of a mixed bag as usual, but which adds to the attraction in my view; a bold swimmer from the South Pacific doing times that wouldn't win the local gala but still sharing a pool with some superstars, or a Bermudan shot putter giving themselves a hernia. Beats the Olympics any day...
More to the point what about the bold boys from over the fence? Well, the ground looks a picture that's for sure, somebody obviously found a shed load of paint that fell off a lorry. I have had my spies out watching training and friendlies and reports are mixed; knock it about nicely, good shape, look strong at the back, good passing, three or four good new faces, but lacking a bit in firepower maybe. We shall see, we shall see. It will all be good fun, ups and downs, tears and laughter, and that summer lark is over rated anyway in my opinion; give me the thud and blunder of a wet night in November anytime. So off we go for another nine months, stay with me for the inside story...