@martin-bellamy - 1096 versus 1209AD. All the fault of a riot and subsequent hanging/lynching of some students following the death of a woman in Oxford at the hands of an Oxford cleric/student. The silly thing is that the perpetrator had already left Oxford and was probably never caught, but one, two or three (accounts differ) of his housemates were seized instead by people from the town/city to a place outside the city where "Justice" was later meted out, with the acquiescence of King John. As seems to be an English tradition, the King was "in dispute" with the Pope at the time.
A number of students at Oxford fled the city and some set up in Cambridge to continue their studies. On the other hand the Pope sent a Bishop from Europe who looked into the matter and fined Oxford the town/city and its successor if need be, with the city being required to pay 52 shillings per year to the University and with there being restrictions for some decades over the rents that could be charged to Oxford students by the local residents.
On a much happier note the same King John in 1209 authorised the Chancellor at the new Cambridge University to sell French wines to the students who had so recently lodged in what then would have been a small town on the banks of the River Cam/Granta. And it was in reliance on that royal authority that Yours Truly operated a College Bar half a century ago but still some 760+ years after King John recognised the need of students to enjoy some conviviality. And at that stage in the 1970s I think that NONE of the colleges considered the need to seek something so plebeian as a mere Justices' Licence to serve alcoholic drinks. The situation has, I understand, been subsequently rectified and colleges will now all have licences to sell not only French wines but ciders, perry, ales and spirits.
King John had a short but eventful reign (starting in 1199AD) so it is good he found time to do the right thing by thirsty Cambridge scholars in 1209,before sealing Magna Carta in 1215 (as a way of bringing an end to the Civil War and his struggles against many of his Barons). He died the following year.
Bob
Your intriguing post about a behind the scenes fallout prompted the following thoughts
1 I Have been banging on about the unattributed briefings to the local media aimed at damaging Carrick's position and enhancing Scott's for most of this season. It seems to be reaching a crescendo with a piece today on why Scott isn't to blame for the January signings, and what could well be a planted story of Scott being in demand - on the short list to replace Dougie Freedman as Palace's Sporting Director. Whether or not the Scott-Carrick relationship was the topic of Bob's post, it looks to be irretrievably fractured to me.
2 How to explain the recent treatment of Burgzorg by Carrick. On recent form, Burgzorg should be an automatic choice, but a fall-out of some description, either with his coaches or his team-mates would explain his recent omissions from the starting XI. Burgzorg came trailing a number of red flags from his time at Huddersfield so a re-emergence of some of those failings would be no great surprise, though it would be a great pity given some of his committed displays throughout the season.
3 The touchline body language between Carrick and Woodgate is somewhat peculiar, to say the least. Woody is generally seen talking not to but at Carrick, often with accompanying gestures, an approach that rarely elicits from Carrick either a nod or shake of the head. Nothing. It looks like a paradigm case of non-communication. Whether this is a symptom of a minor or a major dysfunction within the coaching staff is impossible to say from the outside.
I think that the evidence to support No 1 above is overwhelming. Nos 2 and 3 are speculative and circumstantial. I'm sure that the whole blog would appreciate it if Bob could give us a nod, a wink or even a steer on how hot, cold or lukewarm these thoughts are.
I’ve just read up on the HALO procedure. Ouch! I imagine you’ll be walking like John Wayne for a day or two?
Really not pleasant. I hope you are soon feeling much better. Keep taking the paracetamol.
I’ve just read up on the HALO procedure. Ouch! I imagine you’ll be walking like John Wayne for a day or two? ...
I think you must have overheard my wife talking. That said, she reckons I have been walking more like Nathan Lane in the film The Bird Cage when Robin Williams suggests he should walk like John Wayne:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il81V3Pnl7g
Thanks to you and everyone else for the kind comments.
@forever-dormo I think you are biased, my friend!
BTW, are you around on Teesside to meet around Easter time? I hope to see the matches versus Plymouth (Fri 18th) and Norwich (Sat 26th) at the Riverside. And naturally the Wednesday game at Hillsboro' in between.
I hope we could meet for a lunch or dinner somewhere during the week. Up the Boro!
@powmillnaemore get back well - and soon. At least you can take comfort (no pun intended) in knowing that Boro have taken ten points from their last five matches. That is 2,0 points per match. At least the results have improved after the long run of defeats.
So I hope you will get better and improve your condition. I hope you are running after the International- as well as the Boro will improve their performances.
Up the Boro!
Elsewhere, Paddy McNair will wear the captain's armband on Friday, when Northern Ireland will play Switzerland in Belfast. McNair is still only 29 year old and plays currently in the USA.
An article about him can be find here: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cr72xplz31no
Up the Boro!
@powmillnaemore Hope you are back 'on the grass' soon and fit and well. I looked it up on Google too, not very pleasant at all. By the way I meant that grass as the training pitch not hallucinatory weed!
Diasboro seems to have an lengthening list of unfit players. Get well soon and hopefully the discomfort will start reducing.
ATB and UTB,
John
@jarkko - Me? Showing bias? Totally objective, Sir!
Are you coming to the UK with Eija? And what are the dates?
Depending on the weather and your other commitments for that period, if you wanted a day out to somewhere like Helmsley and Rievaulx Abbey and maybe some lunch there, or to elegant Richmond with its castle and shops, or to Pickering (also with a castle and its steam locomotives), or to Middleham (Richard III territory and a great fish+chip shop on the market square) or a coastal trip to Whitby again or Saltburn, are all possibilities. For us the best days around that peirod would be Wednesday 23rd or Friday 25th or even Sunday 27th April. I don't know where you planned to stay or whether you will have a vehicle this time during your period in the UK but we can always collect you and drive you to and back from any of the above places (or others if you have particular wish to visit somewhere else) on those dates.
@lenmasterman There's usually talks in the circles of the Football league, backroom deals etc
If Gibson has a hint of Scott , exchanging interest with certain partys he'd be gone now,
The issue could be a conflict of one wanting Carrick to carry on, and another wanting a change,
I believe if we lose , a number of games going forward , a change will be made.
On another note Woodgate can't win , with too many Boro fans, but he is respected in the dressing room
That clip is very funny! I’ve never seen the film. It looks one worth investigating.
@clive-hurren it is well worth a watch. The (tragically) late Gend Hackman plays an all American male politician having to face an uncomfortable, but quite hilarious, reality. To be honest, it would have been difficult to go wrong with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane playing together at the top of their games.
Just watched most of the England v Albania game.
Dull as dishwater. Slow, uninspiring, possession football that was simply going nowhere. Looked very familiar to me.
If this is what elite football is all about now, I could easily lose interest.
@clive-hurren it is well worth a watch. The (tragically) late Gene Hackman plays an all American male politician having to face an uncomfortable, but quite hilarious, reality. To be honest, it would have been difficult to go wrong with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane playing together at the top of their games.
I can second that. One of my favourite films. Robin Williams is superb.
@forever-dormo Yes, I am travelling with Mrs. Jarkko. She is keen on football, too. She has won the Finnish Champioship in the sport. So knows the ofside rule 😀.
We are flying in on Thursday afternoon, April 17th. And then Plymouth at Riverside on Good Friday.
We hope (😉) to get two tickets to Monday's match at Hillsborough. Any ideas about the tickets? We have already arranged the transport to Sheffield with John from the Twelthman group.
We are travelling from and to Manchester airport by train. But then we have reserved a rental car for 3 days as follows:
- Car pick-up Tue Apr 22 · 10:00 (Middlesbrough City Centre)
- Car drop-off Thu Apr 24 · 18:00
So we could meet on Saturday 19th or Sunday. Or as you suggested on Friday 25th. With the rental car we have some plans like Newcastle (never been there, but they have finally won something), Scarborough (never been there) or Beamish (we have been there once). But all is open as there are so many nice places in the North East.
We've been to Helmsley once and walked to and back from Rievaulx Abbey. Been once to Richmond, but that could be an option with its castle and shops, or to Pickering (also with a castle and its steam locomotives), or to Middleham. As you knew we have been several times to Whitby as it is one of our favourites but we have more or less driven through Saltburn, so a new place (was Mogga born there?). Staithes is always nice as we love the Moors and its costal area. Last time around we stayed for three nights in Robin Hood's Bay and the magnicently situated Victoria Hotel.
Hope to see you again. And a few Boro wins, too. Up the Boro!
@jarkko I’m not sure how long you’re staying in the UK, but we’re away in Ardnamurchan from 25th April, so if you wanted to use our house as a base, you’d be very welcome to borrow it. We’re 12 miles from Scarborough and the same distance from Malton. Pickering is 13 miles away.
Thanks for offer, but we booked the hotel already.
Pity you are away, I would have loved to see your house amd paid a visit. I have seen the John Richardson Lino Print of the house. Was the house previousky a stable?
Up the Boro!
@jarkko - The tickets for the away game at Sheffield Wednesday are not available yet. Just keep an eye on the Boro website to see when they become available, when is the "window" and how many points are needed.
Blackburn Rovers, for example, traditionally allow a large away following and I think Sheffield Wedensday will be similar. There are always a lot of Owls at the Riverside when Wednesday visit so I am confident that there will be a large away contingent allowed entry. The importance of this is that if there is a small allowance, the number of points a person has to have accumulated in order to guarantee a ticket in the relevant "window" will be very high. On the other hand if a very large away contingent is allowed by a club not especting a big home attendance, virtually everybody who wants a ticket will be able to get one, even with few "points". I have only 163 points which would be enough for many away games, but would not make the first cut for some away games if relatively few tickets are up for grabs.
As for cars and trips out, maybe it would be better to arrange something for Friday 25th April as you will have returned your hire car the day before and will have been able to use that to go to some places you want (I HATE going to Newcastle, by the way). I can drive but we can decide WHERE nearer that time, taking the weather into account. Hopefully Boro will have quite a few more points in the bag by then!
@jarkko No worries. It’s a shame we’re heading to Scotland - it would have been good to meet you all but maybe next time.
Our house was previously the stable and barn for the Pigeon Pie Pub and it’s also been the Dick Turpin Cafe in an earlier life. John’s print was absolutely fantastic and it hangs in pride of place in our house.
https://c13mpr.com/2023/07/31/the-skill-of-the-print-maker/
https://c13mpr.com/2023/04/29/new-home-yorkshire-welcome-pigeon-pie-barn/
@forever-dormo Cheers, mate. I will keep an eye on the Wednesday ticket sales. Thank you in advance.
Now they are about to start selling the Millwall tickets for the match at the Den (to be played on Sat 12th April). https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2025/march/22/ticket-details-for-millwall-away/
Looking forward to seeing you again. Up the Boro!
@martin-bellamy Thanks for sharing the links to the pictures of the house. As I also have an interest in architecture, it would have been fabulous to see your old house in its modern form. And we even have plans to visit Scarborough, that is quite near you, too.
When I retire in ten months' time - my wife has retired already - we also have a dream of purchasing a campervan, it would have been nice to talk about your experience on the subject. But next time, as you wrote.
Up the Boro!
OFB, could you please scroll down to the Challenge as I have left another message for you.
Come on BORO.
EXMIL CHALLENGE 2025 - Part 2
Just a gentle reminder, for those who have yet to submit their entry for Part 2, the cut off is 1900 hrs Friday 28 March.
Come on BORO.
Helmsley is nice in a Friday as there is a market on and plenty of places for lunch !
OFB
Sorry for the delay EXMIL currently in hospital so I’ll withdraw form the entry many thanks for putting up with my poor entry it’s appreciated!
OFB
@original-fat-bob
Get well soon Bob. We need you back out of there and on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
@original-fat-bob hope all is going well and you are back on the grass soon (not put out to grass!!!)
@original-fat-bob Yes, get well soon. All the best for your health and looking forward to seeing in better shape soon. Take care.
BTW. Boro has a match coming up on Saturday. I will also go for Boro3 this time. I hope at least Fry to be back, possibly van den Berg, too. And hopefully McGree on the bench - does anyone remember him anymore? He used to our best player ...
Up the Borol