King Kenny back at the Kop

Kenny Dalglish has returned as manager of Liverpool Football Club! This has prompted me to write for the first time in about six busy months. The Koppites demanded and got what they wanted; the departure of Roy Hodgson and the reinstatement of ‘King Kenny’ at the helm of the good ship Anfield.

For the sake of a city I love, I hope things work out, but I suspect that the outcome will not fulfill the expectations of those demonstrating ‘fans’. If I recall correctly, Kenny resigned following an FA Cup tie against Everton, when they lost the lead four times in a game that finished 4:4; at that time Liverpool were actually top of the league! LFC fans and others were bemused by the departure of Dalglish at that time because Liverpool seamed to be flying high!

However, Kenny was aware that he had taken his team as far as he could! This was realised in the following weeks, months and years – they lost the replay against Everton 1:0 and have not won the league since; the only ‘real’ points of achievement have been Gerard Houllier’s cup treble and Rafael Benitez’s Champions League victory.

It is my personal understanding that following Bill Shankley’s premature retirement, subsequent managers have reaped glory from the seeds he had planted within the club. By the time Dalglish took the reins lack of vision and forward planning meant that the elite status which Liverpool had enjoyed had changed into something mediocre. Dalglish recognised this but knew he could do nothing about it and therefore resigned!

Now he has returned. I predict he will rally the team and things will improve but unless he is given £100m minimum for transfers, they will struggle to get into the top five teams in the Premier League! There is a cloud over Anfield and it will take more than the appointment of an old favourite to blow them away! The look on Dalglish’s face during the 1:0 defeat in the FA Cup at Old Trafford said it all – he realised that there had been no progress from the day he resigned and in fact things are much worse! I hope he does well because a strong Liverpool is good for English football, but I suspect he will be remembered as a better player than he was a manager.

Evangelicalism in practise

Julie explains why she is going to be baptised

Many people who are either unchurched or attend a church that is not evangelical, have a bad experience of over zealous evangelicals. I have played amateur football and have worked in factories as an engineer; I am an evangelical Christian and have heard story after story of people who have been ‘put off’ church by keen christians whose ‘good news’ has simply been to condemn those around them!

I’m not going to attempt to write an apologetic here, rather I just want to state that actions speak louder than words. Faith in Jesus Christ, when it is real and personal, is life changing! And it is this change that speaks loudly to those we come in contact with, I would even go as far as to say that if you have not experience this forgiveness and change through Jesus Christ you are not even a Christian!

Zoe being baptised

Having said the above I quickly want to add that God is the judge not me! All I want to do is point people towards Jesus because He is the one whose death brings new life to those who have faith in him! Easter 2010 saw nine people from our church in Pocklington baptised in the street, each person said why they had put their faith in Christ before they were baptised as the Bible teaches, by full immersion in water. To do that something special had changed in all nine lives!!

Peter steps out of the water

Germany 4 England 1

Heads will have to fall following England’s worst defeat in the World Cup Finals ever! But, who is to blame?

Many fingers are pointing at Fabio Capello; but given that he got us to the finals in a manner that gave us confidence in the team, he cannot seriously be wholly responsible. Having said that, at the time of writing, he does appear to want to jump ship and is manoeuvering to take with him as much financial gain as possible!

So what about the players; some appeared to be out of their depth and others were plainly not dovetailing into the team. Matthew Upson despite scoring the goal was anything but positional and was weak when he needed to be strong. John Terry seems to think he is the player manager, what was he doing pushing up the field leaving just Glen Johnson in defence? – if Terry is half the man he thinks he is, he will put up his hands!

Then we come to the midfield boys; Steven Gerard, he seemed to think he was playing for Liverpool and had to grab a goal, so every time he had half a chance he would waste the move by shooting weak or wide! Frank Lampard, ‘player of the year’, ‘best midfielder in the Premier League’, but never really producing for England. Yes, his shot was over the line, and yes, had it counted the game would have been turned around. But, we didn’t have the guile, strength, will power or determination to influence the game in our favour, even at 2:1!

Howard Webb, England's World Cup success, on duty in the Premier League.

Many pointed the finger at Rooney, but he had half-hearted player around him who were not moving off the ball, and who appeared restricted by a hidden and ineffective game plan. Which brings me back to Mr Capello, I do feel he was out of his depth and was unbelievably stubborn in his approach, this was best seen through his team selection as well as his late and ineffective substitutions. For example; when you need a goal, why take off Jermain Defoe and bring on Emile Heskey?

Finally, in my opinion, the greatest negative influence on the England team was threefold. The newspapers, the radio and Television – the media! There are too many journalists pressing for interviews and searching for stories! The team should be left alone to get on with the job in hand! We may not be good enough, but I fear England will never be able to show what potential they have because the media will continue to build them up beyond what is real, only to knock them down again!

Coastal Erosion

The North Sea is slowly eating away at the Yorkshire coastline. We saw this huge pile of rocks which had collapsed some time before our visit – very impressive! Above the cliffs there is a constant erosion of farming land as the fences are moved back to leave a safe path for the walkers on the Cleveland way.

Note the new fence and eroded path.

Bed and Breakfast

On our last walk along the cliffs from Ravenscar to Robin Hood’s Bay we came across this B&B with a clever name. When you first read it, it doesn’t even sound like English!

Happy family

During one of our many visits to York we came across a family of geese on the river ouse. This was the cheeky lively one, his three siblings were much more sedate and lazy. It was good to see them all together on the river, the parents making sure their four chicks were safe.

Electric Nest

Blue Tit chicks - seven in total

I called on a friend a few weeks ago and as I was leaving to go home, he said he had something to show me. I was led to the electricity box at the front of the house; as I wondered what I was to be shown he opened the front of the box to reveal a nest with seven Blue Tit chicks in it.

I was amazed to see such a sight right before me. I rushed to the car for my camera and was allowed to take this single picture before the door was again closed. There was a small opening at the top of the box, where the parents gained access to build their nest and raise their chicks!

Morale booster

I spotted this poster at Eden Camp (Malton). Although from a different age and time, I think it gives some good advice for 2010 from WW2. What do you think?

Morale
How to play your part

Forget yourself in helping your neighbours. In days of tension this casts out your own fears and worries. Help them to carry out all instructions about air-raids, evacuation and waste.

Keep the morale standard of the nation high. Don’t weaken the home front by trying to wangle something for yourself on the quiet. Make a break with all the personal indulgence, selfishness and private wars which undermine national morale and unity. Everyone has his part to play in the moral re-armament of the nation.

Be a rumour stopper. Those who love their country sacrifice the luxury of being the ones to pass on ‘the news’. Any patriot shoots a rumour dead on sight. Face the facts but don’t exaggerate them. Prepare to meet then instead. Faith, confidence and cheerfulness are as contagious as fear, depression and grumbling.

The secret of steadiness and inner strength is to listen to God and do what He says. God speaks directly to the heart of every man and woman who is prepared to listen and obey. Write down the thoughts he gives you. His voice can be heard wherever you are – in the home, in the factory, in the air-raid shelter, in the first aid post.

Fore arm yourself by listening to God first thing every morning. This provides a clear plan for each day and the power to work with other people in complete unity. In a time of listening, God takes away fear and fortifies against uncertainty, hardship or bereavement; He gives foresight and cool judgement. He offers limitless reserves of energy and initiative.

A British General who has fought through two wars said this ‘Telephone wires may be cut, wireless stations be destroyed, but no bombardment can stop messages from God coming through if we are willing to receive them. To listen to God and obey Him is the highest form of national service for everyone everywhere.

Councillor A.H. Clarke J.P. (Mayor of Hove)
Sir Cooper Rawson M.P.
Lord Erskine G.C.S.I. G.C.I.E. M.P.

Pin this up in your home office or shelter

Humour is funny?

Humour is funny! Sometimes people get the joke and sometimes an innocent quip becomes an insult. So, what about this picture?

‘I always said she needed a bomb put under her!’

Funny or not? Let me know.

Spring in York

Bumble Bee

Following a long cold winter it was good to feel the sun while we were in York recently. We were also fascinated by the blossom and the bees and we managed to get a few photographs; this being the best one. I hope you enjoy it.