On a mild November night I was at St Andrew’s to watch Blues fight back from two goals down to earn a point against Club Brugge in the Europa League.
The Belgian side went ahead after 39 minutes through Thomas Meunier who scored from a corner. 5 minutes later it was 2-0 when Joseph Akpala side-footed past Colin Doyle.
Jean Beausejour pulled a goal back in the second half after Brugge failed to clear Nikola Zigic's effort. Marlon King levelled the score from the penalty spot after Ryan Donk fouled Beausejour.
The point leaves Blues second in the Group H table, on head-to-head, with two games to play.
To be honest, the first half performance was poor but after King, Wood and Burke were brought on after 65 minutes we looked a better side.
It was good to see another full house and I was surprised at the amount of Brugges fans who made the trip. 3000 of them all in good voice (well at least until Blues scored).
A nice moment was the applause on 23 minutes. It turns out that Club Brugges fans do this at each match in memory of sriker Francios Sterchele who passed away in a car crash back in 2008. When we played them at their place the Blues fans who had travelled over joined in, the only away team to do so. Last night we did it again. Both home and away fans came together for that minute, something the Club Brugges fans appreciated. At the end of the match they even sang Birmingham City’s name! A nice touch and something I’d not seen before!
Although we only managed a draw it was a great night and I’m hoping for many more European nights before this competition is over!
An early start on Sunday for a trip to Solihull Nature Reserve. Arriving at sun up we managed to see the best part of 40 species of bird in just under 2 hours. Not bad for what is in fact a park with a couple of fields attached.
Redwing, Fieldfare, Brambling, and a couple of Green Woodpeckers were amongst the highlights but my favourite was the return of the Mute/Whooper hybrid swans on the lake. I last saw them on January 10th!
Having arrived home the rest of the day was spent listening to music and watching Blues take on Leicester City (live on BBC 1). A dismal first half and an action packed second. A penalty to Blues (Marlon King putting it in the bottom corner giving Blues a 1-0 advantage), Not long after Leicester, were reduced to 10 men but still managed to put up a fight until a great move by Blues on the counter attack saw Chris Wood fire home Blues' second.
It's been an odd day today. We decided, this morning, we would head to Wolverhampton and go and visit Bantock House, believing it to be similar to Winterbourne Gardens.
Arriving in the city centre we decided the best way to get there was to get a cab. At first the cab driver wouldn't take us but when he realised we were from out of town he changed his mind. Strange that! He was very chatty and a little camp but the 5 minute journey (£5 fare) was pleasant enough.
The brochure for Bantock House led us to believe that we could spend ages wandering around the house and gardens and so we were surprised to find a very small garden attached to a park.
The house itself is lovely and the staff were friendly. There just wasn't enough of it!
Having stopped at the cafe we decided to walk around the park. Although pleasant enough there isn't much there. Just a green space surrounded on all sides by main roads. So much for getting lost exploring!
We left feeling a little disappointed and decided to walk back into the city centre. It took about 15 minutes. We had a couple of hours going around the shops before heading back to the station.
Getting home around 4.30ish meant I we had time to watch the end of the cricket. England seem to be in control of the Second Test against India with leading by 374 runs at the end of Day 3.
A bizarre incident occurred when Bell was run out on the final ball before tea. Believing the final ball had been hit for four he left his crease and headed off the field. The ball however had not made the boundary and India knocked the bails off his wicket. During tea behind the scenes a decision was reached that, even though India were correct and Bell had been fairly dismissed, he would be able to take to the wicket again after the break. I admire India's sense of fair play but if I'm honest I wouldn't have changed my mind!
The weather has been lovely over the last couple of days and yesterday we headed to RSPB Sandwell for our monthly walk. Bird wise it was very quiet but we did see quite a lot of butterflies including Peacock, Small Tortoise Shell, Green Veined White, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and a Small Copper.
Having spent the best part of the day wandering around we got back just in time to see Broad get his first test hat-trick. A maiden over, 0-0-W-W-W-0. A great display!
With the sunshine and the cricket, the last couple of days has felt like the first proper summer weekend of the year and I'm hoping it continues for a while longer!
The weekend started with a quiet Friday in front of London Boulevard. With a cast that includes Ray Winstone, Colin Farrel, Keira Knightly it tells the story of a man who is released from prison but finds himself being dragged back into the underworld by gangsters. Refusing to be drawn in he decides to go head to head with the top man.
I really enjoyed the film. It wouldn't make it onto my best of lists but for a couple of hours entertainment it was perfect. For me Jordan (an out of work classically trained actor who spent his time getting stoned) played by David Thewlis stole the show although all the parts were well thought out and well acted.
Last night my football team qualified for their first major trophy in 10 years. Blues last made the final of the League Cup back in 2001, losing to Liverpool (on penalties) at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. Blues have won the cup once, back in 1963 when they beat local rivals Aston Villa.
Last night they beat West Ham 4-3 on aggregate and booked their place at Wembley where they will face Arsenal.
West Ham came to St Andrew's with a 2-1 lead after the first leg. That game had seen Blues fail to make an impact in the first half but gave a much better performance in the second.
Last night was very similar. A dire first half saw Carlton Cole score for the visitors. The second half saw the introduction of Zigic and much better Blues performance. Bowyer levelled the score, on the night, after 59 minutes. As the game entered it's final stages Roger Johnson's header levelled the score on aggregate and took the game to extra time.
Craig Gardener had already hit the post twice with long range efforts and put the ball in the back of the net in extra time taking the final score to 3-1 on the night.
The final takes place on 27th February. I hope I'm able to get a ticket!!
England have won The Ashes Series beating Australia 3-1. It's the first time in 24 years they have won on Australian soil.
The final Test in Sydney saw England win by an innings and 83 runs. The time difference meant staying up all night to watch it but I couldn't manage that. Each morning I would wake up and put on the news to see that England had edged a little closer to victory.
India (ranked number 1 in the world) are due here in the summer and if England can maintain their form it looks like it will be a great year for cricket!
So, Spain lived up to expectation and lifted The World Cup, beating the Netherlands in the World Cup Final. In a match that couldn't be settled in normal time, an Iniesta goal put Spain ahead with only a couple of minutes left to play in extra time.
It was the right result in a game that saw 14 yellow cards and the Dutch reduced to 10 men. It wasn't a pretty affair but as the second half drew to a close and extra time came in to play, you can't say it wasn't exciting!
The World Cup 2010 has been a mixed bag. There have been some good games and plenty of drama on and off the pitch. There has been some terrible decisions by the officials and England's disallowed goal prompted me to email Fifa demanding a review of goal line technology. They never replied but at least they have now said they will look at it again.
There has been controversy with the ball, goalkeepers saying it was unpredictable, ground staff not being paid resulting in a walk out and demonstrations and team hotels and journalists being robbed. There were even court cases. The England fan who managed to evade security and get into the England Dressing Room and some Dutch girls who were taken to court because they were promoting a beer that was not officially approved by Fifa.
Then there were the Vuvuzelas. A plastic trumpet that the South Africans blew throughout most of the games. At first I didn't mind them as I thought they sounded good in South Africa's opening match but as the tournament went on they became annoying as it killed the atmosphere of the other matches. Fan's chants were drowned out by the sound. I suppose one saving grace was that a lot of the matches were not sold out and so it cut down on the amount of Vuvuzelas.
On the pitch, the French camp were in disarray and the team never made it past the group stages. Nor did the Italians. England scraped through finishing second in the group behind the USA, only to be humiliated by Germany, losing 4-1 in the first game of the knock out stages.
So, a mixed tournament in all. Spain can now join the other 7 nations who have won the World Cup since 1930 and the TV schedules can return to normal.
Over the years I've lost count how many times I've climbed the Malvern Hills. I'd also forgotten how steep some of the inclines are! Although saying that, on Saturday,I found myself on a route I'd not taken before. The first part of it must've been at least at a 45 degree angle!
Clare and I decided we were going to climb to the top of Worcestershire Beacon. At 425 metres it is the biggest of the hills. It was a very warm day which made the climb that little bit more difficult. It's always worth it though. From the top you can look across seven counties and the breeze from the west went someway to cooling us down.
After a rest, we descended via a more direct route. Back in town we headed straight for a cafe for a sandwich and a cold drink. It was lovely. Sitting outside watching the world go by. We then browsed the antique and book shops. Malvern isn't a big place so doesn't take too long to get round so, after a while, we headed for the train station.
Great Malvern is a lovely station and we sat and had another drink at a little cafe on the platform. Our train home was waiting for us and with the driver sitting at the next table, having a couple of tea, there was no danger of missing it!
Once back I managed to catch some of the Spain versus Paraguay match. Blimey, talk about an incident packed second half! The biggest surprise though was when I saw the Germany 4 Argentina 0 scoreline. Now I wouldn't have predicted that!
England's cricket team couldn't manage to finish the series on a high, losing to Australia in the final One Day International. At least we still won the series 3-2.
I suppose I should get the football out the way first. I really haven't got much to say.
We were beaten by a better side. Prior to the competition, the pundits were saying that this was the team with the best chance in years to win the World Cup. I never agreed with that. I thought we were a mediocre team at best.
Yesterday, I watched England suffer their biggest defeat ever at a World Cup Finals, at the hands of Germany. England were outclassed and the game finished 4-1. Yes, Lampard had an obvious goal disallowed, as neither the ref or linesman saw it cross the line, but I doubt that would have made much of a difference to the over all result. However, FIFA really do need to review their policy on goal line technology. It is becoming ridiculous.
On the plus side, our cricketers put on another good performance to go 3-0 up in the ODI series against Australia. Although, in the final few overs, they made hard work of it! Bollinger bowled a great over. Taking 2 England wickets and giving away no runs. In the end it was left to Tim Bresnan to notch up the required 8 runs off the last 8 balls. A tense but thoroughly enjoyable end.
The Big Brother eviction on Friday night saw Govan evicted. He had 72% of the public vote. Very high. He deserved to go as he didn't come across well, a bit of a stirrer by all accounts.
So with the TV stuff out the way, what else have I been up to? Well, on Saturday I went to Birmingham Rep. Not for a show but for a sale! It is due a refurb and they were selling off costumes and props. I came away empty handed but there were some fantastic things on offer! There was quality furniture being sold for £5. Clothes and costumes were selling for between 1 - 5 pounds. There were a lot of am dram people buying all sorts of weird and wonderful things. It was like the most interesting jumble sale you have ever been to. Have a rummage and who know what you will find!
After the sale we headed to Moseley where we bought fresh bread, cheese and olives and headed for Highbury Park. We sat under a tree and ate our food. After, we wandered the park and found a beekeeper looking at her bees. As we watched the secretary of Birmingham Bee Keepers Association came over for a chat. A very nice fellow. Did you know that there are up to 16 exams to be taken to become a qualified bee keeper?!
Having walked the park Clare went for a drink at Kitchen Garden Cafe while I nipped off to a friend's daughter's birthday party. I met Clare at the Kitchen Garden a couple of hours later when, after a quick drink, headed home.
Yesterday, was a trip to Solihull Nature Reserve, just to get out for a few hours as the afternoon would be spent in front of the TV watching the football. We walked for a couple of hours but ,as it was the hottest day of the year so far, was shattered by the end.
Finally, Glastonbury weekend has sort of passed me by. I have recorded a lot of the coverage but haven't watched it yet. It was nice that they got good weather for their 40 year anniversary.
Here are Muse covering U2's Where The Streets Have No Name. Complete with The Edge on guitar.
So, England upped their game yesterday and managed to make it through to the next round. They played well, especially in the first half and at times, looked like a World Class team. It still worries me that we only managed the one goal (Defoe 23mins) and that we never topped what was a relatively easy group.
What I did enjoy about yesterday was the vibe. From lunchtime onwards, there were people on the street. Walking to the pub or popping to the shops to stock up on supplies. Others on their way home from work early. You could feel the excitement in the air, or should that be tension? The weather was great. The sun was shining which added an extra element to things. I think the time of day helped as well. There were the lucky ones who were not at work, others leaving early or just skiving off. Some were stuck in their offices with it on the radio (Clare) or were watching it on their PC. It all added to the sense of occasion.
So Germany in the next round. Tough game. If we manage to beat them then our next game would more than likely be Argentina. We don't make it easy for ourselves!
With all the drama of the World Cup I have neglected other things. Yesterday was National Cricket Day. When the stars and coaches go into schools and organise competitions to help develop children's education through cricket. I'm not entirely sure how that works but it has been going since 2005 and so must have some benefits.
Today, England take on Australia in the second One Day International. On Tuesday, a great display by Eoin Morgan helped England to victory, winning by 4 wickets.
Finally, there have been stories in the news lately about foxes attacking people. There has even been talk of a cull! Yesterday I was lucky to find one asleep in my garden. He's welcome back any time!
A poor performance by England on Friday night. I was dubious as to whether we'd do well but thought we could have at least managed a 1-0 win. 0-0 against Algeria is not a good result and leaves us needing a win against Slovenia to qualify. Even if we do, I don't fancy our chances in the next round!
After the football it was time to turn over for Big Brother. The first eviction! 3 up for it, Rachel, Shabby and Sunshine. Despite the crowd chanting "Get Sunshine Out" it was Rachel who was evicted. I can't say I was expecting that!
Saturday meant a trip to Shropshire with friends. The day started well with a veggie breakfast at Morrison's. We picked up some food for the picnic and headed back to meet the others. Then it was off to Haughmond Woods just outside of Shrewsbury. I'd not been there before. There are some amazing views from the top of the hill. There is also a viewing platform overlooking a working quarry. Having walked around the woods for a few hours we drove to Monkmoor Fishery for a picnic beside the River Severn. Again some great views. We found a great spot on the curve of the river. It was a lovely way to spend a few hours on a sunny Saturday afternoon and I am sure we will do it again before the summer is over.
Driving home we saw this. I'm sure I must have seen this before but I can't remember. I still found it very impressive! I looked it up when I got in. It is called The Lord Hills Column. It is the world's largest Doric column. It is 133ft and 6inches tall (13 feet higher and 2 feet wider than Nelson's Column). It was built between the years of 1814 and 1816.
We got home early evening and watched Sunshine Cleaning. An odd little film but I enjoyed it. Apparently it came out a couple of years ago but have to admit it passed me by. It's about two sisters who start up a crime scene clean up business. It stars Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin and is worth a look.
After the film I managed to catch the last 30 minutes of Cameroon vs Denmark. It was a shame to see Cameroon go out of the competition having lost 2-1. I hope I'm not writing something similar about England later in the week!
Sunday, and a meal with the family. We drove out to The Falcon in Hatton. The food wasn't cheap and even though I enjoyed mine, a couple of people were not impressed with the standard. It has, however, got the poshest smoking shelter I have been in. Made of perspex and canvas. It has a wide screen TV. Tables and chairs and corner sofas for lounging on. In the corner was a jazz musician playing a saxophone and clarinet. This is where we ate our meal. It's a great idea.
In the evening watched the football, Brazil versus Ivory Coast. Brazil won 3-1. A good game but the referee has some questions to answer. Firstly, Brazil's second goal shouldn't have been allowed due 2 hand ball. Fabiano, the goal scorer, handled it twice. The ref missed it and the goal stood but minutes later the camera focused on the ref asking Fabiano if he had used his hand. Obviously he said no. The second thing was Kaka's sending off. It was an off the ball incident that the ref did not see. Kaka raised an arm to stop Lannoy running into him. Lannoy then hit the ground clutching his face even though Kaka had not made contact with his head. Kaka was shown a second yellow card and was therefore dismissed. It's a shame as ruined a perfectly good game and Kaka will now be suspended despite his innocence
So, the football fixtures have been released today. I always look forward to them coming out. The first thing I do is look at the last game of the season. Are we home or away? I prefer to be away as it is more of an occasion. The next thing I look for is our opening game. I prefer one of the big clubs because, if I'm honest, it means we get them out of the way. Finally I look to see when we play Aston Villa. I'm sure I've mentioned I support Birmingham. Villa are our biggest rivals.
Our last game of the coming season is Tottenham away. As much as I like the away trips, I just hope that we don't need the points at that stage of the season because I don't think we'll get anything there.
This year I have another couple of games to look out for, West Bromwich Albion. Another local derby and also, Clare's team.
Last season saw us finish 9th in the Premiership. Our best finish for 51 years. Here's hoping we capitalise on that this year.
It's been quiet of late. As the weather was fairly nice, at the weekend we decided to walk the tow path again. Each time we do, we go a little further. We made it to Knowle. Roughly 7 miles. No kingfishers this time but plenty of herons and some lovely scenery.
If I'm not walking then I am watching the World Cup. Slow starter this one. There haven't been many stand out performances. Germany's 4-0 win over Australia is the best result so far. North Korea played well against Brazil, despite them losing 2-1, they can hold their heads up high. The Dutch also look good but didn't really set the world on fire against Denmark. I'm hoping that, after today, when everyone has at least one game under their belts, that things will kick into life.
Something else I have been watching is Big Brother. This is something that, over the years, I have dipped in and out of. In the ten years it has been going I have watched some series and some have past me by completely. As this is the last one I thought I'd give it a go. It's been about a week now and it has been quite good so far. Already, the housemates seemed to have ganged up against one particular person (Sunshine) and, there are allegations of bullying! I haven't got a favourite yet but as there is another 3 months to go I'm sure someone will stand out eventually.
Another uninspiring performance from England then. I had hoped, that despite the last couple of matches, we would have stepped it up a gear when the tournament started. Sadly, it was not to be.
Green's mistake will appear on countless footballing gaffe DVDs in the future and I haven't really got much to say about it, except I hope Joe Hart gets a chance against Algeria.
Heskey's work rate was very good but how he has the nerve to call himself a striker is beyond me.
Why is Ledley King even in South Africa? He is already ruled out for the next match!
Why wasn't Joe Cole playing?
Rooney was very quiet as was Lampard. A couple of long range efforts between them but nothing to write home about.
On the plus side Gerrard led by example. Good goal and some great tackles when tracking back.
Here's hoping for a much improved performance on Friday!
It's here! The World Cup 2010 starts today. I can't believe how quickly it has come round.
The opening ceremony starts at 1pm BST and is followed by South Africa vs Mexico and later, Uruguay vs France. England face USA tomorrow and despite England's unconvincing performances of late I can't wait.
I'm hoping for a good tournament. My social life for the next month or so will revolve around this and any plans I make will only be after I have consulted the fixtures.
I didn't watch The World Cup Concert last night, it just wasn't for me. Alicia Keys, Shakira, Black Eyed Peas are not really my sort of thing but from 1pm today I will be in front of the TV.
I'm not going to make any predictions as to who will win the tournament. In all honesty, if it's not England, I don't care but I am looking forward to some great matches and some great football.
I'm not going to talk too much about this as there will be plenty of football talk next month when the World Cup starts. England won 3-1 last night, a good result but for some reason I just wasn't convinced. We didn't dominate and could have gone behind couple of times in the first 30 minutes. There were some good points, Ledley King's and Glen Johnson's goals. Although King scored with a well placed header, defensively he made some mistakes.
As a Birmingham fan it was good to see Joe Hart get 45 minutes. He deserved it after the season he had with Blues but I thought Robert Green played very well in the first half and deserves a place in the squad. I would have liked to have seen Adam Johnson get more of game as I think he could bring something different to the team.
On the strength of the performance last night, I think we will be in for a roller coaster ride come June 12th.
Yes!!!!!! England beat Australia by 7 wickets to win the World T20 final! I've thoroughly enjoyed the tournament and think England's performance has been great throughout. What a great start to the summer. I hope we can do as well in the football!
