Dickiebliss’s Blog

THE PLAYERS           

Another striker turned goalkeeper - one Luis Suarez - his Mum must be so proud

GARY MOORE

Position: Goalkeeper/ Manager

Appearances:

League: 11; Friendlies: 2

Goals: 0

Man of the Match Awards: 2

Average rating: 7.6

The verdict: Vindication is the word that sums up Gary’s season. After last year’s poor strike rate, the gaffer resolved to keep goal rather than keep missing the goal this time around and it proved to be  a masterstroke. Some fine performances and top drawer saves littered Gary’s highlights reel culminating in the save of the season in the last seconds of the last game that secured 2nd spot. The question is what will Moore do next year? Stick (goalie) or twist (and shout) to be let out up front?

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OK…once more … but this time …it’s the last time. No second legs, no replays, no “there’s always next week”. For the Kickers the moment had arrived. Last chance saloon. One more game to achieve immortality – well 2nd place in the league anyway. And for those of you thinking that 2nd place is nowhere (yes I mean you Roman Abramovich), then you obviously have no soul. 2nd place would be a fantastic achievement for The Kickers  – a team with almost certainly the oldest average age in the league. By rights they should be hopelessly adrift at the foot of the table. Yet every week this bunch of journeymen footballers have been performing miracles, punching above their weight and pulling results out of the bag and this – the runners up spot  – is their reward. So let’s have it right, 2nd place is everything to The Kickers.

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Oscar Wilde once wrote that “All art is quite useless” – it’s an interesting debate. Is there any point to something of aesthetic value that is of no practical use? Can there be a place in the world for useless beauty?

Why so philosophical Dickie? It’s all because of the latest Kickers game which involved two of the most picturesque goals you will ever witness but which ultimately counted for nought as your brave heroes were undone by some of the scabbiest, shabbiest and downright bedraggled goals of all time.

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It struck Dickiebliss in the week that each Kickers match is very much like an adventure story which features a main character around whom that week’s events are all anchored. So one week it ‘ll all be about Tony Ward’s endless fight to repel the ravages of old age, the next it will be about Andy Thompson’s bleeding knee and so on. Of course every week is about how bad Gaz Thompson was again. In fact, it’s just like Camberwick Green.

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Spring is here – a time of rebirth and renewal, when the world blooms into life and the light evenings start to stretch out before us. What a wonderful season it is….

…And what a wonderful season it’s turning out to be for The Kickers. Hovering around 2 nd position in the table and with a record number of victories (four and counting) under their belts it’s looking like it could be a campaign to remember. After last week’s tempestuous win over Facility Falcons, spirits were high in The Kickers camp and the glorious weather only added to the sense of optimism especially as today’s opponents IECS HIFI had already been soundly beaten earlier in the season in a bad-tempered game. A healthy 8-strong squad assembled for an extensive warm-up routine with the only non-injured member of the team unavailable being, once again, Robert Sherratt (the usual bunkum about meetings and the like his pitiful excuse this time). Questions are being asked Robert….

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The thing about football is that everyone has an opinion don’t they? For example, every football fan in the country believes they could  choose a better England team than Fabio Cappello (actually that’s a no-brainer  – anybody would do a better job than that pillock wouldn’t they?). Opinion is the bedrock upon which football is built. Without talking points and controversy our beloved game wouldn’t have the hold that it has over us all –  it would be as meaningless and predictable as …well…Scottish football.

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Dickiebliss watched Invictus recently  – a film that chronicles Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, and his attempt to unite the apartheid-torn land by bringing his people together through the universal language of sport. Mandela rallies South Africa’s rugby team as they make history by winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Inspired by the film and its triumphant story, the blog this week has a sports films theme to it (groan –  lots of references to Escape to Victory then – Content ed). Like all good films we begin with the voiceover trailer….

“In a world where men old enough to know better do battle with the forces of evil (well.. the Students Union), where bodies are forced into football kits that really don’t fit anymore, where everything you thought you knew about the world (of  6-a-side football) is challenged, witness a story you that your eyes won’t believe – the tale of The Kickers greatest ever win!”

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According to Wikipedia, the word “comeback” describes the process whereby a public figure or entertainer returns to popularity after a period of decline with the term predominately being used in politics, sports and entertainment.

History is littered with such occurrences; from the world of music there is Elvis’s 1968 comeback TV special where a slimmed down Presley dressed in a killer black leather look successfully kick starts a flagging career whilst simoultaneously inventing the “unplugged” format later popularised by MTV.

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After a 2 month break due to snow, Xmas and not having a game last week, the Kickers were finally back in action on Friday lunchtime. The Kickers came into the game with an injury list as long as Man Utd’s unbeaten run with the following players all unavailable due to various ailments.

• Carl Barrow – fractured elbow
• Richard Bayliss – torn cartilage
• Nigel Cass – bunions
• John Higham -work commitments (swot)
• Gary Moore – flu
• Robert Sherratt – stuck in a moment he can’t get out of (well a meeting anyway)

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Carl Barrow: An Apology

Last week’s blog suggested that Carl may have been…..ahem…overstating the extent of his injury sustained in the game versus SHES Electric. This blogger now accepts he was not in full possession of the medical facts and offers a full and unreserved apology to Carl who actually fractured his elbow. Carl is now out for the rest of the season and the team will miss Carl’s ability to….err….turn up each week. Get well soon Carl! Continue reading →