Daily Archive for July 16th, 2008

Farsley Celtic 3 Bradford City 1

Published
by
Andrew
on 16 July, 2008
in Football
. 0 Comments

Farsley Celtic V Bradford City
Seems like three is the magic number tonight for Farsley. This is the third year on the trot I’ve seen them beat Bradford City in a pre-season friendly. It was a comfortable win too, following on strongly from the 2-0 victory over Sheffield Utd the night before. The game was also a chance to see former Stoke City favourite Peter Thorne in action for the visitors.

I’d spent my day off on strike sorting out the house and removing clutter from the living and dining rooms. Oh Peter Thorne! Former Stoke City hero now at BradfordI was in need of some light entertainment so I arranged to meet Paddy the Farsley Potter at his place to watch the match and have a swift jar afterwards. The crowd was much larger than for the Vale game, with Bradford fans easily outnumbering the home support. They even started the game on time so we missed the first couple of minutes which is unusual, it is tradition for the whistle to blow as we step through the turnstile whatever time we arrive. For July it was cold, fleeces and waterproofs were needed, the scarf brought along as an accessory was employed for keeping me warm!

It was clear Farsley needed a sharper cutting edge and have moved to improve that problem. They’ve recently brought in striker Andy Campbell from Halifax Town, where last season he scored 12 goals from 49 appearances. It’s the Andy Campbell that started his career at Middlesborough leaving to join for Cardiff City for £1m in 2002. His career highlights include a fine lob over goalkeeper Chris Day to give Cardiff a play-off victory over Queens Park Rangers putting them into the Football League Championship, and scoring against Manchester United in the FA Cup in a 2-0 win for Middlesbrough. At 29 years old he should be half decent at this level.

A clinical first half performance from Farsley saw League Two side Bradford City easily brushed aside. Once again the football was played mainly on the deck with some good passing movements from the home side. Farsely goal scorer KnowlesUnlike the Vale game there were fewer young players on the pitch, both clubs fielding what looked like fairly strong teams. Farsley took the lead midway through the first half. Andy Campbell’s cross caused the City backline problems and James Knowles was able to squeeze home from close range. It was about the highlight for “Knowlsey” because while one of Farsley’s best players last season, tonight everything he touched (bar the goal) went wrong and his colourful language demonstrated he was not impressed with himself either!

There was barely time for the goal to sink in before Farsley doubled their lead moments later through Campbell. Rory Prendergast laid off Campell who smashed home an excellent effort with a thunderous shot from 18 yards. I thought I’d caught it magnificently on camera but a split second delay meant instead of the ball hitting the net I got Paddy’s raised hand of celebration blocking the view. Nice one youth. Farsley effectively wrapped up the match on 41 minutes. Campbell drove at the City defence before laying off Dominic Krief whose shot was deflected in by Paul Arnison. At the other end a free header from a corner was flashed inches wide, and another shot looked to come back off the post but it was in fact the advertising board. For all of their build up Bradford were no threat in front of goal, and it wasn’t until the half-time warm-down that I realised that Peter Thorne was actually on the pitch! For the record he played no part in the second half. HT 3-0

While we expected Bradford to turn up the pressure and mount a second half comeback, the opposite was in fact the case. They again carried no real threat in front of goal despite the pace and trickery of their left winger getting them into decent positions throughout the game. The second half was memorable only for the downpour of rain, the subsequent soaking we received, and how it actually stopped when we finally made a move to the covered terrace behind the goal. Typically having moved we were then the wrong end to see Bradford City pull one back on 60 minutes. Barry Conlon scored from the penalty spot after Mark Jackson had been penalised for an apparent handball. The natives on the paddock weren’t happy about the penalty when we returned to our usual spot and described the decision as “soft”. I think that’s Yorkshire for “dubious”. ;-) No real effort was made by Bradford (who brought on coaches David Wetherall and Wayne Jacobs for a run out) to salvage honour and Farsley ran out comfortable winners, holding on to the possession and stroking the ball around nicely. Hopefully they will prove a capable side in their new division this season. FT 3-1

More photos

Summer of Discontent?

Published
by
Andrew
on 16 July, 2008
in Life stories and Politics
. 2 Comments

Despite what you might think, this isn’t a whinge about the dreadful weather we’ve been having. Although I am getting rather annoyed that Summer seems to be disappearing into perpetual rain and a need for stout garments. No the title of this blog is a play on the phrase “Winter of Discontent”, taken from Shakespeare’s Richard III but used to described the Winter of 1978-9 when Britain faced widespread strikes by Trade Unions demanding larger pay rises for their members. The actions of the Trade Union movement back then were blamed for the demise of the Labour Government in the 1979 General Election. A cruel twist seeing as the Trade Union movement actually gave birth to the Labour Party and was its primary fundraisers. Fast forward nearly thirty years and the current Labour Government is in trouble again in the polls. Now to add to its woes the Trade Unions are once again kicking up a bit of a fuss. History repeating itself?

It’s unlikely that the industrial action carried out by Local Government sector workers today and tomorrow will enter into political folklore like the disruption brought about in 1978/9. Rubbish will not pile up on the streets, the dead will not go unburried. Mrs Thatcher’s severe anti-union employment laws of the 1980s will mean that sympathetic workers cannot strike in support. However Gordon Brown can well do without this sort of irritation from his union allies if he is to turn around negative polls and win the next election. While I do not wish for a return of a Conservative government (18 consecutive years of Conservative rule is enough to put you off the bastards for life), I have little sympathy for Labour as they have brought this on themselves.

I am a member of UNISON the public sector union. The union’s 600,000 members were balloted about strike action over the recent pay offer, and the reponse was in favour of strike action if necessary. As a result I am on strike for two days this week. The employers have offered a 2.45% rise while UNISON have asked for 6%. This might seem greedy but consider this…

Mortgages up 8%
Petrol up 22%
Bread up 9%
Milk up 17%
Fuel bills up 15%
Inflation up 4.3%

But council workers are being offered a pay rise of just 2.45%. Take inflation into account and it’s a pay CUT. Coming on top of 10 years below-inflation pay rises, it’s no wonder UNISON think this is the last straw. So we are striking on 16th and 17th July, and possibly again in the future if necessary.

It’s not because we want to. Many UNISON members are low-paid, part-time women workers, struggling to pay the bills - losing two days pay for strike action is not something done lightly. We are striking because the employers won’t even consider talking to us about a better offer. We know that the services we provide are essential to our community, and that shutting them down for two days will cause disruption and we’re genuinely sorry if people are inconvenienced. We just can’t afford another pay cut.

Furthermore unless we get a fair settlement on pay, local communities will suffer too. Services will simply get worse as councils continue to lose committed staff and struggle to find new employees prepared to work for such low pay. My particular department has problems finding high calibre IT staff as it cannot compete with the private sector salaries. Short staffed the department soldiers on trying to provide the same service with fewer resources, putting extra pressure on those who remain. Local council employees empty your bins, clean your schools, conduct your marriages and civil partnerships, care for your parks, check the safety of your food and look after your children in nurseries, schools and in care. And so much more.

The Labour government is desperate to keep inflation down and to avoid an economic recession. That strategy includes keeping public sector pay rises to the minimum. While there is money for wars and bailing out failing financial institutions there is nothing for the very section of society that the Labour party was set up to represent. Get it sorted Gordon. Public services cannot be done on the cheap, quality cannot be rewarded by empty praise and thanks alone. Support a decent pay rise for low paid local government workers.