It’s time to confess….

It’s the most commonly used story line in ANY TV action-drama series.  Someone has been hired to infiltrate some group or another to find out their secrets.  However, during the course of their task they come to like or love someone that they are supposed to betray.  Cue harrowing final scene where hired person wrestles with their conscience on whether to fulfill their task or succumb to their heart.  This is usually executed with a gun in hand and a finger on trigger. 

It’s been done a couple of times in Charlie’s Angels, a few times in the A-Team and maybe half a dozen times in Star Trek.  High drama indeed.

 That’s all very well, but how in hells name has that got anything to do with a blog dedicated to the fans of Oxford United.  Well, this is where I must make my confession:  Back in March, a job came up that I was really interested in.  Part of the job is on measuring the effectiveness of digital activities (e.g. websites, social media, blogs etc.).  I had little experience in this area, so decided to embark on a personal learning project to find out how this could be done, by actually doing it.  So I set up an online presence, Twitter, Facebook and, as you have guessed, this blog.  The primary aim of this was to understand how it all worked and how it could be measured. 

So the heart of my confession is this:  I have been monitoring you.  There: I said it.  I bet you feel cheap and violated.  Not “YOU” personally, there are limits to what can be monitored, but “you” as an aggregated group.  I have a good idea of when the best time is to update my blog to get the most views, where you have come from to get here, and where you go afterwards (again as a group).  I know the Google search terms that have led people to my blog, and how to improve content to get it higher in a natural search.

Incidentally, I got the job, and I am now engaging in that sort of thing professionally and enjoying it, which is why I am making my confession now.  I always intended to end this experiment, but there’s just one problem.  I’ve come to like it.  I seem to be hopelessly addicted to the social media feedback loop. I really like it when somebody has accessed my blog, retweeted my tweet, or ‘liked’ my Facebook post.  It’s very satisfying to know that this blog gets about one and a half thousand views a month (more than some company web-sites get).  This medium has given me an opportunity to interact with others in a way that I am not able to in the real world, due my bumbling, awkward, introverted shyness that handicaps my daily life.

 So I find myself at a junction.  Do I leave this blog fallow and allow it to join the already bursting cemetery of dead OUFC related blogs?  Or, do I excitedly post another awful “Why not make a weekend of [insert-dire-English-town-here]” that might interest two people?  My finger is on the ‘delete blog’ trigger, as I feverishly wrestle with my options. Will I go with my heart, or will I stick to my original mercenary objective. 

Watch this space to find out the outcome…..

Despicable Me

My Wife was away in London this weekend on a ‘girl’s weekend’, meaning that if I wanted to watch Oxford play at Rotherham (technically Sheffield actually) I was going to have to take my lad.  There’s nothing wrong with this per-se, I have always wanted him to come to football.  What man DOESN’T dream of extending his OUFC lineage to the next generation and even beyond?

The issue was that earlier in the week my son had said “I don’t want to go”.  You see, the memories of Bradford were still too fresh in his mind.   So throughout the week I would ask again, thinking I may catch him at a weak moment, and he may suddenly see the joys of sitting in a cold Eastern-block-communist-country-resembling-stadium for the best part of a Saturday, OR a fun-filled two and a half journey in either direction.

Stalingrad Stada

Whenever I asked he said “no”, but with the promise of new signings and, if I’m honest, some misplaced optimism, I had to resort to different tactics to get the elusive “OK”.  I’m not a complete monster though, I would not take him unless he WANTED to go.  So I had to create an incentive.

The fact that the game was in Sheffield proved to be that incentive.  Looking on the map we could see that Cineworld was within a Millerette’s baton of the stadium and so, I promised a trip to the cinema after the game.  This, he readily agreed to, and so the trip to Sheffield was on.  While I can not say that he enjoyed the match  (in fact he said after the match “I never want to go to an away match again”) I can only hope he got something out of it from a life-broadening-experience perspective.  If you’re reading this in the future son (maybe when I’m six feet under – wooooooh spooky, I’m talking to you from beeeeeyoooooond the graaaaaave) you can find it in your heart to forgive me for Bradford and Rotherham.

The film we went to see, was “Despicable Me” which I appreciate is ironic considering the coercion required to guarantee attendance.  It was shown in glorious 3D, right there in-your-face, which was quite a departure from what had gone before in the Don Valley.  On this blog post, my reason for not commenting on the performance is not that I’m not qualified to do so, but because I really couldn’t see it very well.  Apparently we had some new players on the pitch, but it could have been the Chuckle Brothers for all I knew.

Me yesterday

For the record, we lost 2-1 and with it, I lost a travel partner, who is now convinced that he is the bringer of all Oxford United related bad fortune.  This makes me sad, but you reap what you sow.

Why not make a weekend of…Rotherham

Use the Oxford United Fixture list as a touring itinerary of our amazing country and..

There’s nowt grim about this:

Don’t forget Rotherham temporarily play at the Don Valley, which is more Sheffield than Rotherham.  So most of this guide is pointed towards the highlights of Sheffield….

Things to do and see:  

This very handy website tells you everything you need to know about what to do in Sheffield:

http://www.creativesheffield.co.uk/VisitSheffield/Thingstodo/

Assuming you want to spend some time in our hosts home town of Rotherham, here are some highlights:

Magna Science Adventure Centre – A hands on science discovery centre.  Great for the kids.

Thybergh Country Park – A nature reserve, with 170 species of wildflower and plants, 155 species of birds, and 20 species of mammals in the area.  So, great for walks, plants and animals.

Clifton Park Museum – “One of the most modern and user-friendly Museums in the country, the twice nominated Museum of the year features famous exhibits such as Nelson the Lion and the breath-taking Rhinoceros Vase, the first ever porcelain vase cast in one piece!”  Why would you NOT want to see that?

Walking – There are some great walks to be had in the Rotherham area.  Some handy trail leaflets can be found here: http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/info/200102/walking/898/trail_leaflets/1

Looking for somewhere to stay?:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels-g186364-Sheffield_South_Yorkshire_England-Hotels.html#T_CAT_HOTEL_MOTEL

Looking for something nice to eat:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g186364-Sheffield_South_Yorkshire_England.html

I want pubs near the ground:

http://awaydays-client.salgo.net/away-ground-guide.html#rotherham-united

How do I get to the ground?:

http://www.themillers.co.uk/page/DonValley/0,,10360,00.html

 I want to go on the train:

 http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/en/s/timetable/times

 History and stuff:

There is evidence of life in the Rotherham area in Iron Age times, but it was in the Medieval era when settlements either side of the River Don established it as thriving residence. 

Rotherham's Finest

It was around about then that Rotherham’s most famous sons, the Chuckle Brothers, brought the town International recognition with their hilarious “to me, to you” routine, which, allegedly is a passing routine still practiced on the training ground of the Millers to this day.

The fact that the club are called the Millers might also point to an association with flour milling?  Oh I don’t know, just look at Wikipedia would you?  What do you think this is?  Some sort of travel guide?

I won’t SEE U’s THERE!

Sweet FA at Burton

I’m starting to take this whole losing thing personally.  My lucky pants have broken and I keep putting the hoo-do on OUFC performances.

So today, for Oxford United’s trip to Burton in the first round of the FA Cup, I decided to try to even forget that it was happening.  This was helped by a visit from my brother and his wife.  Sure, I set an alarm to remind me about the draw for the second round to see who we might get if we just happened to win through.  Sure, throughout the course of their visit I would dart a quick glance at Twitter on my IPhone to see the latest update from @OUFCLive.  But apart from that, I was completely unattached.

So, as my brother and his wife left I took a glance at my Iphone once more, to see that the match was in its late stages and, according to Twitter, still goal-less.  “Go on,” I thought to myself, “flick on the radio, you wouldn’t want to miss a last-minute winner?”.  Idiot, absolute ruddy idiot.  The second I switch on the radio, Burton score. 

I can only say I’m sorry, and even though I know it’s me that’s responsible, I can’t stop myself from attending games, so this avoidance thing is not going to last.

I have seen Oxford in far worse predicaments than we’re in now, and I’m not about to stop supporting because of a few losses.  My next match is Gillingham at home on Nov 20th.  Before then, does anybody know a shaman who can wash away my bad karma?

Why not make (another) weekend of Burton?

They say there’s so much to do in Burton that one weekend’s NEVER enough so…..

 

 

Things to do and see: Highlights are below, but more ideas and direct links to the places below can be found here:   

http://www.enjoyeaststaffs.co.uk/events/index.php?fuseaction=location.locations&dcat_id=8   

 

• Marstons Brewery – Join the Brewery Tour
• Blithfield Reservoir at Abbots Bromley – 790 acres of water and 250 acres of woodland
• Fradley Junction at Arlewas – Where the Trent, Mersey and Coventry canals meet
• The National Memorial Arboretum – The Nation’s focus for remembrance in the National Forest near Lichfield
• Barton Marina Fishery – 13 acre fishery for Rainbow Trout fly fishing
• Branston Water Park – Woodland, Wetland and wildflower meadows supporting a variety of bird and wildlife
• Tutbury Castle – Fantastic views from this 11th Centruy Ruin

 Looking for somewhere to stay?:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Search?q=burton+upon+trent&geo=&where=nav&returnTo=__2F__#ssrc=h,o=0,c=global

 

Looking for something nice to eat:

 http://www.toptable.com/venues/?l=2257 

 

 

I want pubs near the ground: 

http://awaydays-client.salgo.net/away-ground-guide.html#burton 

 

 

How do I get to the ground?: 

http://www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk/page/HowToFindUs/0,,10950,00.html 

 

Can't get enough of the Pirelli

 

History and stuff:

  

Burton was founded around the monastery of St Bodwen, one of the few not destroyed by Henry VIII. One of the monks there, Friar Coors, had a particularly nasty habit in which he kept his hops. One day he tripped dropping his hops in a fermenting barrel, and he accidentally invented beer.  To this day the town has a strong brewing industry and this heritage has led to the club nicknaming themselves the Brewers.

The busy market town straddles the River Trent and is within the National Forest. Robin Hood was probably a famous resident of the town at one stage. His dashing green clothing gained national recognition, which ultimately led to him and his merry men founding the famous Burton’s clothing shops which he named after the town. 

What’s missing from this guide?: Add your comments below! 

I’m sorry to say that I won’t SEE U’s THERE!

Happy Torquay, Torquay, Happy Talk*

There was a lot of talk before the game against Torquay of ‘making amends’.  Our own Captain Sensible sent some of us an email underlying how important it was that the players reacted in the right way.  Craddock and Wilder also talked up the effort that was going in, to make up to the fans for Bradford.  For whatever reason, it did not transpire.

 
Now; there’s a number of ways we can deal with this.  It takes very little effort to be negative and point the finger.  It requires a little more energy to constructively criticise, putting more emphasis on where we think things could be improved.  It takes EVEN MORE energy to do this in a way of positive enforcement that encourages a change in confidence and ultimately, results.  I am confident the Chris Wilder has the ability to do the latter. 

What shocks me is the way that some supporters react.  The vast majority I think put the effort into offering solutions, however I never cease to be amazed by the number of people who think that the right way to deal with this, is throwing their arms up in the air screaming “we’re all going to die”.  This is ultimately destructive behaviour that if it goes unchecked could have a wider negative affect .
 
The club should be applauded for the way it communicates with the fans.  The emails from the players are great, and you could say that maybe the last one was a gamble and as such backfired, but, does that mean that they should stop?  Absolutely not.  Talk IS cheap, and actions DO speak louder than words.  However the talk shows conviction, and that conviction is the platform and aspiration on which to act. 

I would like to see more of these positive vibes from everyone, not just the club.  Man for man the players we have are as good as any in the league.  Anyone remember singing “a team to be proud of” at West Ham?  It’s the SAME TEAM.  What we have now is a confidence problem, and confidence problems can be addressed.  As the 12th Man it’s our responsibility to back the team and overcome it together.
 
After all, you’ve got to have a dream, if you don’t have a dream, how you gunna make a dream come true?

*For younger readers, “Happy Talk” was a quite awful song recorded by “Captain Sensible” in the 1980’s that he nicked from “South Pacific”.  If you want to lose 4 mins of your life (that you will NEVER get back) watch the video at the top to see what you missed out on.

All’s (not) fair in love and war

This weekend I went to the Royal Armouries in Leeds.  It’s the best museum I have ever been too.  It’s full of historic military armaments and weapons, which I appreciate sounds dull; but it has great interactive displays and is free of charge.  For a big kid like me (and my big kid) it was great fun.

There are large glass cases with detailed recreations of famous battlefields such as Waterloo and Agincourt.  The descriptions and videos around show how battles were won and lost, how victories were sealed against seemingly impossible odds and how sometimes the slightest piece of fortune or individual effort, could set forth a series of events that could have epic outcomes.  We cut short our visit to the armouries, to go to Bradford [I know, I know!]. 

 The impressive (though expensive) Valley Parade made a good stage in which these two teams would do battle.  The fans of Oxford United, as ever in enemy territory, were a mighty battalion that through the first half were unrivalled in their support.  Confident in their team’s first half performance, they barracked the Bantams manager “We’ll get you sacked in the morning” they chanted.  This seemed to be the catalyst for change, in terms of our rivals support AND their team’s aptitude.

Yellow Army

It took the second half to see this manifest.  A lone soldier; Omar Daley, who in the first half of battle had been made to look ordinary by a defence that looked to have the opposition contained, crafted two opportunities.  The Oxford defence was too easily beaten, and Bradford, who once looked second best, now possessed the attribute that every general would want, morale and momentum.  The winds of war had changed and as so often seen on the battlefield, fortune deserted the U’s.  Penalty retakes and sending offs proved insurmountable odds.  The victory was sealed but its outcome far flattered the hosts.

As the bruised and defeated soldiers of Oxford left the field their battalion of supporters stood solid.  Undying support: singing, clapping, stoic.  The players recognised this in applauding the brave bunch, but reward can only really come in the battles still to come……

We are family, I've got all my hot dogs with me

Amongst the ranks of the Yellow Warriors

 

THERE: Not one single Halloween reference.  Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

Why not make a weekend of….Bradford

Use the Oxford United Fixture list as a touring itinerary of our amazing country and..

 

This weeks “Why not make a weekend of…” includes personal recommendations!

Bradford now.  Bradford Future?:

Things to do and see:  

There’s more to do in Bradford than you might think.  Highlights appear to be Salt’s Mill and the National Media Museum.  Take a look at this excellent website:

http://www.visitbradford.com/leisure-attractions/50thingstodoinBradfordDistrict.asp

If you don’t think there’s enough in Bradford to keep you occupied for a weekend then Leeds is a short drive away:

http://www.visitleeds.co.uk/

Still not enough for you?  Then why not head further North and explore the spectacular Dales?

http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/

Looking for somewhere to stay?:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels-g186408-Bradford_West_Yorkshire_England-Hotels.html#T_CAT_HOTEL_MOTEL

A personal recommendation from our OUFC Northern Correspondent @oufcmad is Kirkfield B&B. Greatly located for the Dales and only half an hour drive to the ground.

Looking for something nice to eat:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g186408-Bradford_West_Yorkshire_England.html

Of course you’ve GOT to have a Balti? http://www.visitbradford.com/food-drink/Bradford-Curry-Guide.asp

And if you’re in Leeds this place gets a personal recommendation from our @oufcmad: http://www.artscafebar.com/

 I want pubs near the ground:

http://awaydays-client.salgo.net/away-ground-guide.html#bradford-city

If in Leeds, @oufcmad recommends the Angel Inn for “good but cheap beer” – My kind of beer!

How do I get to the ground?:

http://www.the2020group.com/cms/document/Directions_To_Bradford_City_FC.pdf

 I want to go on the train:

 http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/en/s/timetable/times

 History and stuff:

Brad "ford" Pitt (yesterday probably)

 

It won’t have escaped your attention that Bradford is another [x]Ford city.  In this case a place where the river was so shallow that it provided a convenient crossing point for Hollywood star Brad Pitt.

It was during the making of the famous Belaggio scene in Ocean’s Eleven when the director realised that Vegas was just not cutting it as a location.  A quick switch to a (then) nameless city in Yorkshire provided the perfect backdrop for this scene.  Pitt was the first of the cast to ford the river at the shoot; and in doing so gave the town its name.  Had he been half a minute later, then the City might have been named Georgeford or, worse, Mattford.  So a lucky escape there.

Pitt and his wife Angelina Jolie, well known for her fondness of Asian food, have been instrumental in establishing the City as Britain’s capital of curry.  They can often be found in one of the many local restaurants enjoying a balti with Brad’s equally famous brother; Courtney.

SEE U’s THERE!

Cobbler, Cobbler, Mend My Shoe

OR…how to take a metaphor to such an extent, that people want to physically hurt you.

 

[How many cobbler/shoe type references can YOU (be bothered) to find in the below?]

At half time last week at Macclesfield we seemed to be on the verge of an unassailable victory.  We were stood on platform heels towering over the opposition.  However, during the course of the second half, this platform eroded and with it, the team’s confidence.  So we looked to Saturday’s match against Northampton Town, “The Cobblers”, to mend that damage.

Yellow Platforms

At half past two we started to gather in our thousands.  The match begun; and it could not have started any better for the U’s.  Constable’s clever foot work set up Elfie to take the lead.  However the joy was short lived, and any confidence we gained was damaged when a great Northampton cross was converted by McKenzie in to the back of Clarks net.

At this stage the Cobblers looked like one of the best teams to play at the Kassam this season, regularly getting behind the defence.  The midfield trio of Freeman, Hardy and Willis* looked particularly dangerous.  At this stage I honestly thought that we were not going to take all three points.

However, I did not reckon on Josh Payne’s excellent execution of a free kick just before half time.  He wrapped his boot around it and curled it round the wall, and into the bottom corner of the new (shoe) box shaped nets.

In the second half the U’s tightened their laces, and took control of the match.  When it mattered most, the team kept possession and stifled Town.  Two straight defeats had left U’s fans with heavy soles, but the win, secured by a third goal from the penalty spot by Craddock at the death, left us walking tall. 

The confidence is restored, and the well-healed yellows can now march to Bradford with the intention of restoring our away form.  Let’s hope we can give them a shoe-ing as well.

*Not actual Northampton footballers

Return of the Macc

“I don’t know how you put yourself through this every week.”

Yeah, we know how to live

That was my Wife’s comment after the game and all I could offer in response was a weak, “Well it’s not like this every week”.  Thank heavens it’s not, because losing the lead like that really hurts.  It had all started so promisingly.  The clock at the ‘hotel’ we were staying at was stuck at 3:06.  So maybe this was prophetic, when Beano’s opening goal of the day was scored at exactly that time, but was it also foretelling the outcome of the match? 

I thought so, especially when we finally doubled the score line immediately before half time (having missed so many chances to do so before then).  But then, in the second half, what happened was inexplicable.  A team that I was convinced we were going to bury scored, and our defence, that have been so key in our successes so far this season, crumbled.

 It didn’t feel as bad as Luton away last season, or how the recent Port Vale game might have felt had it not been for Craddock’s intervention.  It still hurts though.  So can I answer the question, ‘why do I put myself through it every week’?  With hindsight yes, because football’s like that;  for every game we lose like that, there will be another that we win.  It’s the ying and the yang.  You can’t have one without the other, and the contrast between the two is what makes each so pronounced.  Winning every week would just be dull (jut keep telling yourself that). 

Bring on Northampton.

Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls, it’s the magnificent U’s fans in action.

There's a crock of gold at the end of every rainbow