#I support West Ham because my Dad does

[bakingblues]

Everyone tell me why you support your sports team/sports person!

[camelely]

The Betrayal of Ted Lasso S3

Yea. The title is a bit dramatic but I have been one of those people who will defend the Shandy and Zava arcs. I thought everything had a purpose, but really really this season felt like a turn, and part of it felt like the plot belonged in a different show...

They keep saying this was the three season arc they planned. But this felt very rushed, and wrapped all these plots up too neatly too quickly. Ted was reduced to a manic pixie dream girl floating in and out of peoples lives teaching them about love, forgiveness, and to believe.

Lets start with my least favorite thing in the finale. Reducing the Jamie/Keeley/Roy story to a fist fight and a "choose me over him" arc. Belonged in a different show. Pheobe said it best in the first episode "Why are you breaking up?" Nothing they did this season was better because of the Roy x Keeley breakup. Even Keeley's bi arc. Like she has always been implied bi, so they could have just made it clear with Jack being an ex that resurfaced instead of a new relationship. Imagine the version of the KJPR plot with Jack being an ex. No out of date leaked nudes plot. Roy can be jealous because he thinks maybe Keeley does want to get back with this ex, but he sees that is his problem not hers and works on it internally/with Dr. Sharon. And Keeley can think Jack is just trying to help and apologize for the mistakes she made in their relationship, but soon its clear Jack wants to get Keeley back by funding her business and then pulling her funding when things don't go her way. This leaves Keeley wondering if she ever had any value as a business woman and Rebecca and Roy are there to support her. Rebecca as a friend and financial backer and Roy as a supportive BF. Then Keeley can return the favor supporting Rebecca when she is deciding to sell the club or not, and Roy when he is promoted to manager.

The leaked nudes plot belonged on a show that came out like five/six years ago when society first started to shift and see that the celebrities were the victims. I understand it was a true story from the real Keeley, but seriously it dated a show that could have been pretty universal otherwise. I know they deal with issues like racism and homophobia but those things aren't going anywhere. We have to keep fighting, but those people always exist. Meanwhile the nudes thing has seen a pretty quick shift already. They built Shandy up as this vengeful character, Why didn't they have her do something to try and blow up Keeley's business? Even something simple like an attempt at wrongful termination? Shandy could have posted on her socials and been like "Keeley Jones claims shes for women but she fired me for no reason" got a bunch 'eat the rich' activists on her side since Keeley is backed by a billionaire and caused a lot of problems for the PR firm in the press.

Jamie reconnecting with his abusive parent. Honestly this did feel in place for a show thats all about forgiveness. But the more we learned about him the more he felt worse than Rupert. Absolutely awful. A better ending would have been his death and Jamie coping with the conflicted feelings he has vs the sadness he is expected to show by the media. Or even just letting Jamie move on. "I don't need him. I have a great mom, team, friends, and step dad/mom's bf" (I can't remember if they were married or not lol).

Nate simply quitting off screen and then being welcomed back like it was nothing. Belonged on another show. This one's been talked to death but I'll say it anyway. We see Rupert try to push a boundary and Nate left the bad situation and then fast forward, Nate quits and Rupert is being accused of impropriety. The start of the season was so focused on Nate being an ass to the West Ham players and then they just brush that under and rush him coming back? I didn't need a redemption arc. I liked the apology to Will and Ted's speech to Beard. But I did need to see the moments with Nate's choices. Nate made zero on screen choices this season. I mean even coming back was influenced by Jade.

Jade suddenly liking Nate, belonged on a different show. Okay I didn't hate Jade. I didn't hate that she started to date Nate. I think its weird the writers wrote a possibly racist character and then didn't address it but I guess the white af writers room just didn't get it. But I also liked Jade, Nate needed a no nonsense strong person in his life. I feel like his sister could have filled the role a bit better. But the girlfriend route wasn't bad.

Rebecca and the Amsterdam guy belonged in a rom com. Yea it worked a bit since Ted's whole rom com speech. But still, part of what I liked about the Amsterdam plot was that he was a great guy and a great time and then he was just gone. A happy memory to look back on and nothing more. It was so stupid that she randomly ran into him and they just magically got together. With Rebecca's romantic past ruined by Rupert's behavior. And the Sam relationship being kinda cute kinda doomed boss/employee weirdness it felt like Amsterdam guy was the true rebound she needed to move on and start a new path. Rebecca didn't need an endgame romance imo, she needed a fresh start. While I think she should have sold the whole club and moved on from the Rupert chapter of her life, I didn't hate the selling it to the fans thing. That was a decent way to end her journey. If they wanted her to have an endgame romance why not let the fans get to know the guy? Or flash forward to a guy we have never met implying that she eventually found someone?

Rupert hitting the coach also belonged on another show. Rupert is the guy who has everything work out for him. He's cool and collected and confident. Pushing the guy who wouldn't listen to him didn't seem like a Rupert move. Rupert would have fired him and promoted the guy under him. The big change would be if they had that guy quit and then the next guy quit until Rupert was left with no one. Could have also gone back to the Nate thing. If Nate leaving the toxic environment inspired others to do the same. Rupert publicly loosing his cool might have been fun since hes the worst, but it was too neat a wrapped bow.

Beard and Jane. Why did they literally only tell us everything bad about her if they wanted us to root for them? I'm sure she had some good qualities we could have seen. I did like that Beard was the character that got the ending rom com 'stop the plane' moment.

Colin's coming out. I could have done with less Isaac and more Trent or even less angry Isaac and more supportive Isaac but I liked it overall ngl. The kiss in the final episode was the best romantic moment in all of Ted Lasso. My canon favorite ship was RoyxKeeley but they never had a moment I could turn to. This was perfect and Colin was the best character for it.

The Van Damme thing was dumb. The joke about the mask making him 'Zorro' was dumb. I assume they were making fun of Ron Artest/Metta World Peace/Metta Sandiford-Artest but Zoreaux didn't need that. And it was funny for like one month in 2011, get over it.

Ted. Oh sweet Ted. I loved his talk with Trent about changing the name of the book because its not about him, and Trent taking that note but no others. At the end of the day, Ted's whole thing this season is Jason Sudeikis's whole thing in real life. He has a work family in London but his kids and ex in America. He's still low key in love with his ex and doesn't like the new relationship she's in and even though the new relationship ends pretty quickly it still sucks. And that is exactly what ruined the show. I'm sorry Jason is sad, I get people work through their problems in their art. But what a very emotional Jason sees as a good ending for Jason, is not a good ending for Ted. Ted Lasso the character deserved to decide to report Dr. Jacob (sorry Jason you can't report Harry Styles, he didn't do anything unethical... except maybe spit on Chris Pine...). Ted Lasso deserved a solid relationship with his son and a new partner, whoever you ship him with could work. I mean Sassy could have reported Dr. Jacob and told Ted maybe they could make it work since she is spending some time in the US for work. Or Rebecca with her millions saying she can commute as much as they want. Or a third new person in Kansas. The way the show implied Michelle is single and Ted is single. The 'they are getting along' narrative was a bit much.

The dream ending. Yes Bill Lawrence, this worked for Scrubs because JD was a character constantly fantasizing. But thats not Ted Lasso. This show deserved something more unique and more open ended. The final shot could have been Ted on the plane, smiling and that would beat the weird dream flash forward imo.

Yes the show has a central theme about forgiveness. But in previous seasons the person being forgiven earns that forgiveness. Here it was handed out to everyone regardless of who they hurt and what they did. It undermined Rebecca's s1 arc, Nate's multi season arc, Jamie's multi season arc, etc. The only arc that wasn't undermined was maybe Roy, since he ended up in therapy and actively trying to be better. So I guess good for Roy?

Overall my point is Ted Lasso was special because they marched to a positive and hopeful beat while still discussing hard topics. This season took everything special about the show and garbaged it, creating a messy, bland, and insulting final product that was a shell of the show they created. And they managed to do it in three seasons. Congrats guys? I mean most shows take 5-6 seasons to get truly off the rails.

[realchemistry]

Jamie Johnson BAFTA Q&A Full transcript

14:02:35 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Good evening, everyone and welcome to this special BAFTA event as part of Pride Month. I'm Alex Kay-Jelski. I'm the editor in chief of the athletic and I'm going to be moderating a discussion of Jamie Johnson, Tackling Issues Head On.

14:03:09 I'm sure you have seen the incredible episodes that have been airing recently and before we have a great discussion with your panelists. I have bits of housekeeping. Live captioning is available if needed on this, click the option at the bottom of your Zoom panel. Also, we will be taking questions later, because we want to answer your big queries, but to do that, use the Q&A button at the bottom. We will not see you on the chat function.

14:03:44 I will give you a five minute warning to get the questions in and we will get in as many as we can in the next hour. So here we are, Jamie Johnson, what an incredible, incredible few episodes as we saw Dillon comes to terms or start to terms with his sexuality and being gay and coming out in a time of him being a starring footballer and how difficult that was for hill.

14:04:17 I think in a world where a lot of people feel comfortable going to football grounds, not like anyone is allowed at football grounds right now, unfortunately. With people coming to terms with who they are, trying to speak to their family about it, trying to speak to their friends about it. Really moving, fantastic drama.

14:04:39 We're going to talk to the key people and try to explain why it is so important and what effect it had and will continue to have. So I will stop prattling on because you are probably bored of hearing from me because there are far more interesting people to hear from.

14:04:58 We have Shaun Duggan the lead writer on Jamie Johnson. He has been BAFTA nominated alongside of Jimmy from the accused and he is famous for righting the lesbian kiss in brook side. I'm old enough to remember that.

14:05:33 Next, we have actors Laquarn Lewis and Patrick Ward, so hello to you two. We have Cheryl Taylor. Cheryl is the head of content of BBC Children and she commissioned Jamie Johnson and all of the BBC content, that is hard to say when you say it quickly for television and online.

14:06:03 For now, we have Hugo Scheckter who is the head of Player Care of West Ham United. Later, we have an extra because we're going to be joined by the executive producer Anita Burgess who produces Jamie Johnson for BBC. Lots of people with lots of things to say. We should get started, shouldn't we?

14:06:32 I'm going to talk to Shaun first, because I think you're the best persons to answer this question. Jamie Johnson has always been a huge success, we're in series five now, great ratings, lots of interest, telling really, really important stories that reflect sort of the lives of children and teenagers. Why do you think the show has been so popular and why does it engage this audience so well?

14:07:07 >> Shaun Duggan: I think for what you have said and from the outset, we wanted to tell a show that felt very real and reflect the lives of our young audience and not patronize or condescend them. My background is working on soap operas and other stuff and this was rarely the first big show I worked on in children's drama.

14:07:40 I have to say, I didn't approach it any differently. I approached it in the same way as I would an adult drama. Obviously, there are things you have to be careful of in terms of language, but in terms of thinking of challenge in story, thinking about what reflects the young audience as lives, what is important to them and just in terms and I'm sure we'll talk more later about how the whole Dillon story came about.

14:08:08 If I could say from a personal experience, when I was younger, I could I've with the show because I'm football mad, working-class background, I remember my dad carrying me over the turnstiles and slipping the man some cash and all I wanted to do was play football in the street and that is why I was obsessed with going to every game I could.

14:08:39 Then I got to about 11 and things changed because suddenly all I play football with didn't want to be my friend anymore and people started saying I was gay, queer, in the 80'S, I did not know what these things were. It I just knew I was something bad and something to be ashamed of and things got worse where I was not welcome to play football anymore.

14:09:14 People turned their backs on me and all through senior school, for me personally, I had a hellish experience. I left school without any qualifications and not just talking verbal bullying, I'm talking getting beaten up most days, so school became about survival. I couldn't turn to the teachers. You were not allowed to talk about gay issue, I couldn't go  home and tell my own family.

14:10:04 They were homophobic, not homophobic in a bad way, but we didn't know and I know firsthand how isolating and lonely, you know that is to be a young, gay person. I know things have changed to a degree, but in terms of education these things aren't talked enough within school, so to get this opportunity to tell a story like this in children's drama, I have to say a massive thank you to Cheryl and everyone at CBBC. If they don't support it and go along with it, then it wouldn't happen.

14:10:31 I have to say I found it very emotional seeing these stories going out on screen last week, not only that but everything around it, the support on news, the presenters after they talked to the audience and it is OK to be yourself and it made me proud to be a part of it and how far we have come.

14:10:46 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Do you think producing a show like this plays a role a little bit, a small role in helping the next generation of kids who are growing up, teenagers who are coming to terms with who they are, they don't have to go through what you have gone through.

14:11:24 >> Shaun Duggan: Absolutely, it is all cliche really, but if people say, if we telling this story, we can help one person not to feel -- let them know they are not on their own it is really worth doing. You mentioned at the intro, I did the lesbian kiss, which is almost 30 years ago now, but to this day, people who are in their 50s or whatever will approach me and when I meet them and you can tell people are in isolated communities with a traditional family.

14:11:34 The impact of seeing that story line on screen and making it feel less alone and that is so powerful.

14:11:54 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Cheryl, does the BBC have a role to play in that sense in trying to reassure people like this program does and let them know they are not alone? How important is it when you're choosing which programs to put on air does that come into play?

14:12:31 >> Cheryl Taylor: Thanks, Alex. It is really important to us.  Obviously, as a public service board, we are there to inform and to entertain and I think we want the children who are watching our shows to feel good about themselves and feel informed. I think it is key. It sets us apart from other broadcasters and listening to Shaun there, such a powerful story that he has told, not just on Jamie Johnson, but to us here this evening.

14:13:02 I think, I don't know how old Shaun is, but he looks younger than someone who wrote brookside 30 years ago. When I was the age of Patrick and Laquarn, I would not have had any role models and it is fantastic that people are able to write these important stories and we very much want to reflect them.

14:13:31 I have to point out it takes a special kind of writer and special performer to achieve what Jamie Johnson has achieved and the whole production team as well. A lot of people have talked about authenticity at the moment and to hear Shaun talk about the story that has woven into a football series.

14:14:06 Jamie Johnson has been around for a long time and to artfully weave that story, in a sense, I don't think any of the fans or viewers would have felt in a sense they were being preached at or lectured, which I think is amazing. I think Patrick has taken us through Dillon's journey in a way that Shaun has given us the story, a coming of age story, someone finding his identity and that is something all kids will be going through. They will all be looking for signals and for help.

14:14:42 It is hard being a kid and hard growing up, so you know, absolutely, I think the BBC is the platform for this type of story, but fair play to these guys. They told it beautifully. I was seeing the comments on Patrick and Laquarn's Insta and there are people saying this is amazing and this is great to seeing this happen. People have written, what an amazing episode of Jamie Johnson. It is such a valuable series.

14:14:49 I'm grateful to Shaun and all of the team for telling the story so beautifully.

14:15:12 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Shaun, how do you write for a teenage and child audience? How do you get insides of the heads of teenagers and people of that age and make it relevant to them? As been mentioned in this call already, you are not a teenager anymore.

14:15:44 >> Shaun Duggan: No, but I thank Cheryl for the comments they am older than you might realize. I have lots of nieces, nephew, firstly, we have all been teenagers so I have been there. But I have nieces and nephews and so many of my friends' children love Jamie Johnson. In the past, for example, I tried to incorporate stories being relevant.

14:15:58 We had Dillon being diabetic in an earlier series because my friend's daughter was diagnosed with type I diabetes and that is where the idea came from, so you draw from all of those experiences.

14:16:10 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Patrick, do you remember the day they came to you with the idea of this story line and how did that feel? It is quite a responsibility, I guess.

14:16:41 >> Patrick Ward: Sure, I do remember the day, actually, before every series, I would meet with Shaun and Anita and talk about the next year and this idea was brought forward. To be honest, while a lot of people may see it as being a surprise, when you look back over Dillon's journey, it made a lot of sense and as playing Dillon, it felt organic and needed in society as well.

14:16:56 Yeah, definitely, I think that is really important as well, I have younger brothers and sisters who fancy the star and to see their response and other people, it has been brilliant.

14:17:20 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: How many barriers do you think there are to breakdown? For example, hopefully, this makes a lot of people feel more comfortable and better about themselves, but realistically, when you went and told your friends about this twist in Dillon's character, were you nervous about the response that you would get? Has that been positive?

14:17:42 >> Patrick Ward: I suppose you are nervous, for me especially with negative feedback, it is more kind of, like what Shaun was talk about earlier, it shows that it is perform that we're doing this story line. When you see negative feedback, which is not a lot of it to be fair, most of it is positive, but I think it is important.

14:18:03 People around me responded very well and my family was very supportive and is very forward thinking. I was proud to be doing it and I didn't care what other people had to say about it negative thinking, because I'm honored to be a part of it.

14:18:13 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Laquarn, how did you feel that? Do you think Jamie Johnson has a unique way of telling a story like this?

14:18:45 >> Laquarn Lewis: Yeah, I think it is unique in terms of the way he told the story, because any story can educate people on coming out and finding your own sexuality, but Jamie Johnson has done this through an industry which seems to be gay in football, especially and they tackled this on one of their main characters and followed the journey of his homophobic past with himself, his younger brother and dad.

14:19:16 He was only sharing the homophobic because that is what he was used to around his family and maybe his football team, you know, so the fact he had to hold it in for so long and hide who he is because of his passion for football. Jamie Johnson told an amazing story and did an amazing job of getting it across and you can be who you want to be no matter what your dreams are.

14:19:49 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: I think it is great that he was not playing into people's stereotypes as well. Some people like to think what they know what a gay person looks like, talks like, walks like, right, Dillon did not fit the stereotypes. Hugo, I don't know if you had the same thing, but when I came out, a lot of people were like, oh, we didn't see that coming necessarily, which is fine but you wish they had known it was coming because it was less of a surprise.

14:20:06 I think the fact that Dillon was not what some people would expect is a great thing for the audience because it makes them think about their own assumptions and prejudices, if you don't mind.

14:20:31 >> Shaun Duggan: I hope you don't mind me jumping, in but it made the story more interesting. The audience had these expectations of Dillon that someone like him wouldn't be gay, so therefore, that makes it more challenging.

14:20:48 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Yeah, absolutely. Did you, Patrick, Laquarn get involved in the story line or were you good boys and did what you were told?

14:21:07 >> Patrick Ward: Well, we rehearsed beforehand, actually in this house, in the next room. Laquarn came with someone we have known for a long time and rehearsed this kind of thing. I think it is very important as well.

14:21:42 >> Laquarn Lewis: He made us do games where we had to get to know each other really well before we shoot the scenes, so the story that we were telling was truthful. We had to do this one task and we had to look at each other and we couldn't smile and we had to keep pushing each other. He did so many games to get us on to a level where our relationship outside of acting could really like grow for our onset acting and I think that helped a lot.

14:22:10 >> Patrick Ward: I was going to say it is interesting because if you look at Dillon when he meets Elliot, it is like when he first sees him. It is like there is something that goes on insides of his brain. He doesn't understand what it is, but there is something and it is new and it happens very quickly, so I think it is important that me and Laquarn were able to understand each other as people and actors beforehand, definitely.

14:22:28 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Absolutely. We touched on this is a little, Cheryl, but outside of this show, generally, do you feel the BBC has a responsibility to put forward stories that represent underrepresented parts of audiences?

14:23:08 >> Cheryl Taylor: Yes, I was just thinking there when Shaun was talking about Patrick having diabetes just using Jamie Johnson as an example and this is one example of one of many, many dramas that we do. The different storylines that people judge as mainly football drama. We covered Jamie's family and kids looking after sick parents, so young carers, we had the homophobia, we had bullying. Just in that one series, you have a set of writers and producers and commissioners

14:23:50 Who intend to broaden the scope to be as inclusive and relevant as many kids as possible. Someone was talking about we know a lot of girls watch Jamie Johnson as well, so across the piece, it is important that all of our brands have a broad appeal. I think, I know I sound like I'm heaping praise on these wonderful creators but because I think they deserve it in this one drama. Secret life of boys, all of these shows on the surface, you can say this is a comedy, this is a drama.

14:24:19 Under beneath of that, every episode addresses these issues and reflects many of the audience's lives as many as possible and giving them tools and strategies to manage their own lives. I do think suggest a scale and a specialty skill and I don't think anyone watching the show would argue that they have done it incredibly well. It is very important.

14:24:44 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: That is it, isn't it? We can talk about sport and football and LBGTQ relationships in a minute, but Jamie Johnson, this story line is a show about football largely, but the story line is not about football. You can be any young more than or older person who doesn't have the courage to come out or the opportunity to come out and see that.

14:24:59 Hopefully, be confident and inspired by it. This is not about football, right, either of you, this is show to reach out to a much, much wider audience.

14:25:27 >> Cheryl Taylor: As I say it is about identities, rites of passage, coming of age and the journey that Dillon goes on, especially the extraordinary scene with his dad, for any kid, you know who is thinking about a difficult conversation that they might want to have, that would have been key. That would have been crucial and the fact that he goes to speak to Jamie. He reaches out to his friends and gets advice.

14:25:51 That is where the beauty of having Elliot there who has gone through this before, who has to some degree come to terms with his identity and that gives lots of information, lots of hope, useful take out for kids who are watching and feeling uncertainty about their own identity.

14:26:23 >> Shaun Duggan: I think that is, if you don't mind me jumping in again, really important because we established in the story that Dillon's family is homophobic. We ran a story where his little brother was kicked out of the club about making homophobic comments about Ruby's foster parents. We have time to establish that, but it felt important when we brought in Elliot's character that he was coming in from a different place.

14:26:37 He was comfortable in who he was. He says on screen that he had been brought up with gay people, so they had different experiences, but learned from each other's experiences.

14:27:03 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Also for parents, too, right? This is not an easy conversation and not always an expected conversation for parents as well. I think is very hard to know sometimes how to react and how not to react and everyone wants to say they want to be understanding with their children, but some parents may get shocked and surprised and don't react in the most helpful ways.

14:27:13 With that scene in particular with Dillon and his dad is a good thing to pin up on the wall, and go, whatever you do, don't do that.

14:27:39 >> Shaun Duggan: Again, in terms of that is such a powerful scene, very difficult to watch and all of the actors played it so brilliant, but there is quite a pit of the series to go, so although Dillon's dad reacted veried badly, he will have his own journey to go on through the rest of the series.

14:28:18 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Hugo, you sat there patiently and calmly and nodding in the right places, so now you get to talk. Hugo works in west ham. He is in the dressing room with players. He is helping them out. He used to work at Southampton, so he works at various football clubs. He understands football. He is a gay man in football. What did you think watching this and do you think football is a different place than other parts of society?

14:28:56 >> Hugo Scheckter: First of all, it struck me how powerful it was and it was jarring from a kids' TV show. I'm not someone who watched Jamie Johnson on a regular basis before, I don't know if I'm supposed to say that. This was my first expectation of the show, watching cartoons with my nephew. Did not know what to expect, but I thought, wow, this is hard hitting and I was jarred by the whole Dillon and his father's scene.

14:29:24 I think it was absolutely fantastic to highlight that. In terms of football, I think it's a different environment in a lot of ways, but negative and positive. I think a lot of people see football as this horrible, you know, macho, alpha-male environment. The changing room is one of the most diverse groups of people you can meet.

14:30:08 We've got on the team, for example, a guy from the republic of Congress go who is friends with a Scottish guy and a Hawaiian guy and you probably don't see that in society on a general basis. I think seeing the role molls come -- models coming out, but you're seeing it in the lockdown, but allies and I think people have spoken openly and eloquently about the importance of the rainbow campaign or openly gay players or role models.

14:30:42 For me, I was in the closet and I came out about two or three years into Southampton. My job is to look after players and the families and I was trying to get the players to trust me without sharing all of myself. Once I did, the relationship was so much closer and even today at lunch, I had a player ask me about my coming out and how I realized and he talked about how he would react if his kids came out.

14:31:14 That is a conversation that you would not expect to be in a changing room or a club and the amount of discussions we had about LBGTQ issues or trans issues, I'm not shaggymane expert, but I'm a resource and I think it is hugely encouraging and it means they are inquisitive people. I think they get a bad rap and I'm 100% sure who came out would be fully accepted in the change room.

14:31:44 Players want you to be a good person and a good player and if you can 10 us stay in the league or other teams' cases, higher up in the league, that is all that matters. It does not matter who you are or what you do in your free time, what religion you are or sexual orientation, it does not matter as long as you're a good person or a good player. I think football gets a worse rap than it deserves at times.

14:32:22 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: I would counter it to be the awkward person to say going to football is the only place I would not hold my husband's hand in public. It is one thing to know what it is like in the dressing room and that is fascinating, it is another thing to walk into a football stadium and the atmosphere and the words that you hear there, whether it is racist stuff, homophobic stuff, football as a sport has a long, long way to go percent. Sports has a long way to go. There are not out

14:32:59 Is not a great place. You say it was Dillon's line in the episode, there is no out -- no out footballer in this country, how can I sort of come out and be successful and that is the crux of that is a big part of the episode, isn't it? It is a really complex question because the worst thing that can happen people endlessly talking about it and the witchhunt of we need gay footballs. Who is the gay footballer?

14:33:14 I think the narrative needs to be a welcoming environment so people feel comfortable and that may take another generation's time.

14:33:53 >> Hugo Scheckter: There are gay women footballers in the west ham. You know what, yeah, I can talk to my experience in the changing room. To be honest, I go to every game we play and I don't hear the negativity. I think there is a lot of discussion in football about this banter and from an outsider's point of view, especially in the change room, it can be seen as negative. The way I felt was the players did not joke about anything, whether it was my sexuality or whatever else,

14:34:20 My hair, my weight, or whatever it is, that means they accept me. If it is like, don't talk about gay stuff that is like they don't accept me. I had players saying can I make a gay joke to you and I say as long as you make it to my face and prepare for me to come back at you and I think that is a little bit of a difference in football environment where other industries it would not be acceptable.

14:34:46 At the end of the day, we are focused of doing one thing, which is winning matches and we have a match tomorrow. We're all focused on that we're not worried about what everyone is doing around that. We're worried about everything is doing everything they can to beat Chelsea or get a point at this point, but it is important that we work together for that one goal.

14:35:06 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Just a quick, not warning as such, advisory, that we will probably start the questions in a few minutes. I can see there are few in there. If you want to ask these lovely, almost interesting people questions, make sure you get them so we can make you as happy as possible.

14:35:18 What is acting like in comparison, Laquarn, Patrick, do you feel that is a welcoming environment for people to be themselves?

14:35:54 >> Laquarn Lewis: Well, I feel like it. Yeah, there is, but there is a lot of discrimination in the acting industry, it is not just football. I feel like, especially with type casting that is very hard in the industry, because if you act or look a certain way then it is most likely you're going to get put for this same character over and over again. It is good to just play something different to yourself and get that opportunity.

14:36:07 It is getting better in the industry, but like I said, I'm happy to play whatever, especially this role right here, because I'm helping so many people, so I'm -- thank you, yeah.

14:36:13 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Have you had people get in touch with you to say it has helped?

14:36:17 >> Laquarn Lewis: You can do this one, Patrick.

14:36:49 >> Patrick Ward: Yeah, yeah, definitely, it has been mostly positive and that is the benefit thing for me is seeing people with a message saying this has helped me come to terms with this or this helped me speak about this and that is all we're trying to achieve and just I'm proud watching the episode because everyone did such a good job. It has been fantastic and see how people have responded in a good way.

14:36:57 There has been some negativity, but a lot of people have taken it positive.

14:37:18 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: One person who is in a great position to explain a little bit more about the reception that this story line has got is Anita. So Anita Burgess, for those who were not here at the beginning of the conversation, Anita. Hello, Anita. Good evening. Nice to see you.

14:37:21 >> Anita Burgess: Hello. Nice to see you, too.

14:37:35 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Anita is the executive producer of the show. You must be absolutely fantastic the repping you have had, I would love to hear from your perspective.

14:38:11 >> Anita Burgess: It has been amazing actually. I'm known as someone who cries a lot and the reception has made me cry a lot even for me. It has been overwhelming. I think as Patrick was saying largely positive. I mean almost entirely positive, the 1% have their other views and that is there and that has to be acknowledged, but I found, I think as what was said, the most moving ones are the positive ones.

14:38:39 People feel for the first time there is something on screen that they recognize themselves in and it helps them and the complements about how the story has been handled and us not talking down to people, that sense of what we're trying to do is empower and educate and get the word out there to help people who are already in this position.

14:38:53 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: How would you not talk down to people? What are things that you can do so it does not come across as patronizing? What are things in your head as a producer to say don't do this?

14:39:30 >> Anita Burgess: We are mindful of the audience and the age they are, so you explain things and make it clear to not -- what you're trying to do is use language that they would understand, but not treat them kind of too young. I think the simplicity of the story comes from truth. It comes from Shaun's experiences.

14:39:44 Making sure the research is as thorough as possible, so we are representing the truth as much as we can, I think it is about that, so don't talk down is just be honest and clear as best we can.

14:40:10 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: That is brilliant. I think it is time we put you to the sharks and answer some questions, really. There are quite a few of them. I'm going to try to do something if I press a button, they might come up on the screen. I'm going to apologize in advance if I get that wrong and someone will tell me if I'm doing this wrong.

14:40:42 So Dillon's storyline has been gripping, someone says. Beautifully written and amazingly active. Lots of compliments. This is best directed to you, Cheryl, of CBC producing a series with younger audiences where being LBGTQ plus being the center of the show? Can you, not target, but get this message to a younger audience?

14:41:13 >> Cheryl Taylor: Thank you for the question. As I was saying earlier, obviously CBC is the preschool channel and we have 6-12, to some degree we're limited to the type of lens we can put on sexuality, obviously, and as I mentioned earlier, a lot around your identity is something that we can explore. It has to be done in a certain way, because we have quite a wide age group.

14:41:47 I think the way this story is played out from 9-12 and above has been perfect, so depending on how someone wrote a story and type of character that they highlighted, I think anything is possible. Our central messages are about tolerance and inclusion and that people should feel OK about being themselves and I think you can get those messages across in many, many different ways, as to say for preschool age.

14:41:54 It would depend on the type of character and how they were portrayed, but essentially, yes, absolutely.

14:41:59 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Since you're talking, you can answer the next question.

14:42:00 >> Cheryl Taylor: Go.

14:42:22 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Shaun might have an opinion as well. How long did it take to develop the idea and were you nervous about it? The person here, he says he produced when Andrew Hayden Smith came out and people were nervous that people like parents would complain. Were you aware of that or, no, we're doing the right thing?

14:42:51 >> Cheryl Taylor: I wasn't nervous, actually, that is partly to do with the team. Again as I mentioned this there are a lot of tricky storylines in Jamie Johnson and our other dramas. Anita, Shaun, everyone is very, very experienced and I knew they would handle it really well and similarly, the commissioning editor, Amy and her team would have explained the storylines with Anita.

14:43:25 That is one part of it and going back to Patrick, Patrick is such a key, key character in Jamie Johnson and he has taken on so many different things, so right from the beginning. I remember Anita telling me Patrick embraced the idea because he felt it was so important. Genuinely, we knew the team, there might have been a few more question marks, but with this team we did not have any anxiety.

14:44:06 Anita and Amy in presentation and talked to the press and introducing it and Patrick introduced it and pushing to news rounds and also on social media kind of making sure there were links there to child life or the other kids that might be watching who were worried and going through new experiences. Across the piece, everyone was so empathetic that it might be a troublesome story line, and they did brilliant work to make sure it was embedded in the right way.

14:44:23 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Brilliant. Shaun, this one is for you. This person is called anonymous attendee, who I don't think is their real name, how important is it for LBGTQ stories to have a happy ending?

14:44:46 >> Shaun Duggan: Incredibly important, as far as I'm concerned. In the past, we have seen so many examples, you know, where there is a tragic ending and to be honest because that is reflected reality, because it has been in the past incredibly hard to be gay in this country. It was only in the 1960's, it was legal to be gay.

14:45:11 In the 80'S, we had the AIDS epidemic and you couldn't discuss being gay in school, so it is only in the past 20 or so years, we have been on this incredible journey and we are in a position now where we can tell these positive stories that reflect real people's lives.

14:45:31 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: I think when you grow up a gay teenager there is a lot of feeling that you won't have all of the things that people laid out for other people. I grew up thinking I'm not going to get married and not have kids and I'm going to be unhappy. Having hope.

14:46:11 >> Shaun Duggan: For me being able to tell it, I talked about being bullied at school. I was 21 before I came out. That ad less scents that most people have, I didn't have. It was stolen from me. It gives me so much hope that young people have the confidence to talk sexuality and build on those.

14:46:45 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: I'm being asked by Christopher, how have your peers responded to you playing this role? Obviously, Laquarn, you mentioned discrimination in industry. Have actors been supportive in what you have done? Lincoln people around me like my friends and family and people who watch have really supported me and and there is nothing far from like myself. Elliot is just like myself.

14:47:19 >> Laquarn Lewis: I -- so my friends have always been supportive, but I chose to wait until I left secondary school to tell them what my sexuality was, because I knew in secondary schools, if you are different in any way shape or form whether that is sexuality, disability, you will be brutalized and it is a horrible thing. I already knew I was going to wait until then. I was worried about my friends and what they would think as well.

14:47:46 When I told them, I have never seen such amazing support of people and doing this right now in the show, they have picked me up so much. They said the bravery it takes to be able to be open about your sexuality and then do this and silt just amazing and I thank everyone around me really.

14:47:51 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Patrick, anything to add or is that an impossible act to follow?

14:48:22 >> Patrick Ward: That is summed up perfectly. A different thing for me, this story line, but everybody around me has been very supportive. There are people I know, to be fair, from school or who you see out who haven't -- made comments, but as a reality, for me, you have conversations about this and able to express and I think it has been already.

14:48:43 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Someone sells asking, when you're doing a story line like this, are you given any help or claiming in terms or warnings about how to deal with the response afterwards on social media? It is hard to know what things are going to be like, right?

14:49:12 >> Laquarn Lewis: Yeah, we have had Zoom sessions with Anita and Shaun and BBC, everyone involved in making Jamie Johnson and particularly, this storyline, they have given us guidelines and a draft response to people who are giving us hate and BBC says we don't respond to this. We have been helped really well.

14:49:50 >> Patrick Ward: I think that is spot on that it has been interesting that I have been doing this for quite a while and I remember being 12 and in a room and talking about social media before I had ever been on TV and people saying, this is -- you're going to have this kind of response and this kind of thing and I remember being mind blown. It now a part of reality on how to respond with these things. I have a strict code of conduct with my social media and mostly what we have had ha fantast

14:50:26 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: There is one question that has been asked more than anything else, so we're going to save it to the end. We're going to go to a tough one and Shaun and Anita, you are probably best place to ask this. Someone said a line that jumped out to me, I think this is in the scene with Dillon and his dad, you are gay or you're not. Should we be telling people that identities aren't binary?

14:50:52 >> Shaun Duggan: I think with that line, you're writing truthfully from Dillon's dad's perspective. He hasn't got this great understand on of the subject and it is the kind of thing that he might say and not everyone is 100% gay. A lot of people are, a lot of people aren't, a lot of people in the middle.

14:51:32 Dillon is actually trying to tell his dad the truth and his dad is making it as difficult as possible for him, so I think I would rather focus on the positive message and the scenes that we have between Dillon and Elliot, where there was so much positive materials spoken about rather than focusing on Dillon's dad, who at this stage is homophobic and ignorant and a bigot, really.

14:52:05 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: This question is from a teacher and she says if she teaches things about homophobia or transgender issues, she gets parents saying she is trying to make them that way and we hear this quite a lot, right? If you tell people about transgender people, you're going to make them transgender. She is asking, have you had any of that or generally people been a lot lovier?

14:52:38 >> Shaun Duggan: If I could just say from my perspective on that, again, talking about what I was saying earlier, from being born to 12-13, I did not see any gay representation on TV I did not know what gay people were. I still became gay. If you go on that lodge you can, I should be an heterosexual, because I should have been inspired by boys and girls, but I wasn't. I still became gay.

14:52:54 You have to be careful when you have the debates, don't you of just having an open mind. At the end of the day, you know instinctively what you are from an a young age.

14:53:23 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Begs the question, if I watch enough "Game of Thrones" will by a weird person and run around with a spear in my hand?  Not sure how that works. This question is for Cheryl from Miriam. She says in children's media, it can be hard to get certain things to air. With this story line, you had to tweak it or limit it in order for it to get to that stage or were you allowed to be fairly free with it?

14:53:57 >> Cheryl Taylor: Thanks for your question, Miriam. I think that goes back to the one we answered earlier, which was, I think the teams, s Anita and Amy and Shaun were looking at getting the story across in an age appropriate way. We is 6-12, so we need to make sure it is age appropriate.

14:54:38 Generally, there are some things I get exercised about, along with Katherine McAllister and I think pat and Laquarn was mentioning and we talked to her if we worried about a story line. Because this one, series five, coming from Shaun's personal experience and a specialty team, I didn't have any concerns about that.

14:55:12 >> Anita Burgess: Can I jump in as well, because I think it is important that people can understand how the producer coming to the BBC with this story, it wasn't something that we thought oh, we're not going to be able to do that. We knew the team would be very willing to talk to us and they did and we had a very in-depth discussion all the way along the line, they were incrediblably supportive of making sure this is age appropriate and the clarity was there, but the truth was there.

14:55:31 I think all credit it to the BBC if there is a perception that there is something you can't do there, that is not the case. There is always a conversation to be had there and they have been enormously supported right from the start.

14:55:50 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Hugo, young footballers coming through as teenagers, do they get a good education in being open minded? I can't remember how much they are in school and how much they are not at school. How do young sports people get taught how to be open minder?

14:56:17 >> Hugo Scheckter: I don't think we teach them to be open minded, I think we teach them a variety of life skills that leads them to being open minds, which was the idea. They are meeting people that they would not have met through their normal lives and I think that is a positive experience, but we also make sure everything we are doing that is appropriate and talk about the social media guidelines that the actors go through.

14:56:43 We go through the same thing, not only in the things they put out, but what they receive and we have had a number of issues with various comments getting to our players and having to deal with that. I think you can't maybe teach -- you can teach open mindness, but that is not our goal. Our goal is to make well-rounded people who are also excellent footballers.

14:57:06 We haven't seen issues in the any of the clubs I worked with where players are not accepting each other or having problems with each other it. Tends to be they competed on a position, where two goalkeepers competing for one position, but not the personality of the major clashes that happens at younger ages.

14:57:25 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: I reckon apart from the one person who is asking if they can play football with Patrick, we have time for two more questions. Laquarn, Patrick, what have you learned from filming these scenes?

14:57:49 >> Patrick Ward: I think a lot. These are the scenes I was looking forward to the most. When you get the scripts, especially the ones, obviously we rehearsed a lot, but I learned a lot as an actor and I am not able to prescription it very well because it is an organic process and try to embed yourself into it.

14:58:01 I like to think of it being modern and I think you learn a lot from this kind of thing, especially as a new actor.

14:58:04 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Laquarn, over to you.

14:58:40 >> Laquarn Lewis: I think it is -- it shows a way of how somebody can cope with coming out and how they deal with telling people and stuff and what I have learned from filming this and getting out there to people is, it doesn't have to be someone on the screen. You can be the person in real life to support your friend. All it takes you to ask them if they are OK and they might all of a sudden tell you that or anything.

14:58:55 If you just support people around you then you know it is something to help them that little bit more to be themselves.

14:59:11 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: So the last question of the night, the question that everyone is asking in this Q&A and we have to ask wow getting in trouble, is Elliot coming back? Who is answering that question?

14:59:28 >> Anita Burgess: I guess that is me, isn't it? We're hopeful. Things are in the process at the moment. Things aren't completely finished yet, but we're hopeful to find a way of continuing it somehow.

14:59:33 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: Laquarn, you're in luck. It is a night to celebrate.

14:59:35 >> Anita Burgess: He might not want to.

14:59:37 >> Laquarn Lewis: I would. I would.

15:00:14 >> Alex Kay-Jelski: There you go. It is a job acceptance live on air. Thank you so much all of you for your time, your questions, your excellent answers. I have enjoyed it and I hope you have as well. There are a lot of people struggling out there, as well, if you know them, I recommend the charities, it takes so much work to help people in relation to storylines like this, absolutely massive.

[goldcrush]

Right now i understand its all to do with the controversy with ole in Norway and not football matters 🤔 the experience thing is nonsense plenty of ex players went straight into management and did well ! So that's not a problem the same players are doing the same things under ole that they did under jose what happened to maguire has messed him up pogba again saying he wanted to leave 🐍🤬 caused stress greenwood being a muppet and twat Ed being completely incompetent to run a club and deal with the transfer market and undermine ole in that is where the problem is! Having a policeman as your dad should let you see things from a correct view not based on other contexts

No you did not understand me at all. First and foremost my issue with Ole is that he IS NO WAY COMPETENT enough to manage a football club the stage Manchester United are on. He is clearly out of this depth but you refuse to see it or acknowledge it, simple as that. You are hanging onto Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the player, the super sub, the one who has won it in 1999, the club legend and it's clouding your judgement of him. If he wasn't either of those would you still defend his disasterclasses tooth and nails? Would you? No.

You are going on about how it's the players are to blame for everything but do you even realize we have a better squad than every prem side save for Liverpool, City and Chelsea? Do you realize? Yet we are sitting proudly at 15th (with a game in hand) and our football is utter shit and totally unwatchable. These players aren't coached properly or at all for fuck's sake!! What's not clicking about that? We have so many quality players or players with considerable potential but they aren't managed the way they should be. We have no game plan, Ole knows next to no tactics that would actually work and he can't even use his subs smartly! His lineups? Let's not talk about that either cause it's ridiculous what he is doing most of the time.

If our players are such crap then do you seriously think Leicester City, Spurs, Arsenal, Wolves, Aston Villa, Everton, Southampton, Leeds, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and West Ham United have a better squad than us??? No, they are just managed way better, all of them, at the moment. We on the other hand are clueless as hell and so is your hero Solskjaer.. he is counting on a spark of genius from Rashford, Martial or Greenwood to win games for us but that's it. Heaven forbid we concede cause sure as fuck we can't come back from that, he doesn't know how to achieve that. Like how we defended that 2-1 yesterday.. pathetically. So yes, lack of experience is proving to be a HUGE fucking issue and it's laughable that you think it's not. In this moment of time Ole does NOT have what it takes to be Manchester United's permanent manager and appointing him on such basis was a mistake. Oh yes he went straight into management and had fantastic success with Molde in the Elitserien and of course I did not forget that he got promoted with Cardiff City.. then relegated them right away and almost sent them to the third tier... Anyway, like I said he has great achievements in the Norwegian league but with all due respect to Molde and the Elitserien that absolutely cannot be compared to the United job which is an entirely different stage. You refuse to see it cause you can't view him objectively. If he wasn't Ole Gunnar Solskjaer United legend but simply Ole Solskjaer from Kristiansund you would not overlook his shortcomings and fuckups like the way you do.

As for Woodward we ALL know he should have nothing to do with the football part and the transfers but you straight up act like Ole is somehow getting a worse treatment than the previous managers..which IS NOT TRUE. Moyes didn't last one season ffs, he was sacked with 4 games to go which was a bit disgraceful on our part tbh. He was bad but he didn't deserve that in my humble opinion. LvG got more time sure but not much more support when it came to transfers and especially the players he asked for. He managed to win an FA cup though as a parting gift. And José.. he didn't get nowhere near that backing that he needed to succeed and at the same time his ego alone was bigger than the whole club itself and created a very toxic environment in the end. He wasn't it for us either but it wasn't because of his competence. So Ole isn't some special snowflake who has it worst.. all of our managers got the short end of the stick from Woodward and the board and they had to deal with that. Solskjaer can't even put together a decent lineup or manage that squad he has at hand.. what does it say about him? He didn't get the players he asked for but if he can't even coach those he has then it's pointless to complain about that.

Controversy in Norway??? Please you did not just say that to me. Controversy? Your hero supported and played and coddled and captained a player who raped at least 5 women. He decided to just turn a blind eye to that, to excuse that because football and his personal success was more important to him than exposing and excluding Babacar Sarr from his team!!! What context or perspective am I supposed to see this from??? You are one of the very few people on here who know what was done to me and you are still implying I should just excuse that? Solskjaer supporting a rapist? I can't and I won't. You better accept he is very much morally questionable and is no way a saint and I don't fucking care that "he has won it".

[hops1982blr-blog]

Weekend Football

Welcome to my first blog. I’ve chosen an incredibly original subject to write about, that being men’s association football, seeing as nobody ever talks about it and it’s seldom seen on TV.

 However, despite this, I am going to try and look at it from a different angle including TV coverage. I’d like to use the word ‘irreverent’, but this just reminds me of an irritating, try-hard ‘comedian’ who’s just got his (or her) own vacuous show on some late-night slot on BB3 (RIP) or ITV2.

 A little about the author. I’m a cantankerous, cynical sports fan, born in the 80s, a misty-eyed romantic, harking back to ‘the good old days’ of football in the 90s, when players like Shearer, Gazza, Baggio and Weah were my heroes. When social media and being ‘woke’ wasn’t a thing; players weren’t trying to make side careers in broadcasting, making clothes, giving themselves nicknames like ‘J.Lingz’ or being cool and looked like the supporters on the terraces.

 And so, as you’re losing the will to live, onto the football. The weekend started (for me, at least) with the lunchtime kick off at the Olympic Stadium for West Ham vs. Tottenham. Of course, all the talk was about Jose’s return, and I’ve a feeling he took the Spurs job simply because the first game was the welcoming prospect of facing West Ham; like returning from holiday and getting a hug off your mum, this was as nice a comeback as is possible.

 The downside of the lunchtime kick-off is that we’re forced to watch the game on BT Sport. From the annoying, smarminess of the presenter Jake Humphries, a man who’d probably show you his bank balance on a night out, to the twee, cockney geezer analysis of Joe Cole. How appropriate that this match featured the ‘Ammers, because the latter always reminds me of a member of Albert Square.

 The game itself was as underwhelming as Joe’s hairline, with West Ham playing up to their ‘mumsy’ role and allowing a Spurs team with only one away Prem win in the last 12 months to romp into a 3-0 lead, before showing some sort of commitment and getting a couple of late goals back. In truth, 3-2 flattered West Ham, who were so bad in the opening 45 minutes, that it prompted the pundits to laud Dele Alli, who is now apparently ‘back’, a conclusion that was drawn primarily from one on-the-floor back flick to Son which brought about the second goal, and not much else in the way of hard evidence.

 Accordingly, Mourinho had a part to play with a fantastic bit of man management in which he supposedly asked ‘Dele’ if he was the real person, or if it’d been his brother playing for the past year. With insight like this, why is ‘The Special One’ (I hate that nickname, so please read it with the highest level of cynicism humanly possible) wasting his time managing Tottenham and not involved in the Brexit negotiations or middle east peace negotiations? It baffles me.

 Fast forward past Gillette Soccer Saturday, which is now becoming trite given that Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson are still on our TVs every week. With a similar, baffling level of ubiquity, they’re like a football version of Ant & Dec, but without any of the wit, charm or entertainment value. Nicholas still thinks he’s living in the 80s with his poncey haircut and daft earring, and Thommo is just annoying, spitting out heavy clichés with his guttural scouse accent for six hours each and every grinding Saturday afternoon.

 Saturday tea-time brings us the delights of crisis club (again, find that sarcasm level and ramp it up to 11) Man City at home to Chelsea, who, as many before me have remarked, have become weirdly likeable. I guess when John Terry isn’t involved with a club, they immediately become 1,000 times more affable and it feels acceptable to not hate them.

 The game itself was dull, with not much to talk about except the disallowing of Raheem Sterling’s goal because his armpit was offside. Thank God for VAR, otherwise the heinous, egregious error to award Sterling that goal would've stood. What a time to be alive and how grateful we should all be that this fantastic piece of technology has been brought in to 100% improve the world's greatest sport. Truly joyous. As is probably obvious, I hate, hate, HATE VAR. It’s sucking the life out of football, with its sanitation and cleansing of passion. I’d rather see 100 incorrect decisions per season that be forced to spend five minutes watching the fun police disallowing a goal because a striker’s pubic hair is beyond that of the last defender.

 Talking of fun police, in the studio are Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp, a couple of pundits whose opinions are polar opposite in terms of validity. Keano could tell me that Primark made the world’s best garments, and I’d believe him. On the other hand, Redknapp would, for me, struggle to sell water to a man dying of thirst. He should be put out to pasture now, free to pursue his interests, which no doubt include heading into town after the match to see how young a woman he can pull (to be clear here, I’m not suggesting he’s the new Adam Johnson, just more that he’s probably a bit of an old sleazebag) and trying on as much aftershave as possible.

 Saturday ends with Match of the Day, which is still the only way to watch Premier League highlights. If you don’t enjoy watching and listening to the obvious dad jokes of Lineker, then you’re probably someone who votes for the Brexit party and can’t see past your right-wing views. On the other side of that weird, low table they have are Danny Murphy and Alan Shearer.

 Murphy, for me, always looks like he’s just stepped out of Burton’s menswear but is annoyed at himself for once more going back in after being disappointed with his previous purchases. I heard a BBC commentator/presenter once say that Murphy is ‘hilarious and great company’. That same commentator also spent some time in a correctional facility in the early 2000s, so his gauge of fun and good company might be somewhat skewed. Shearer is Shearer. As a Blackburn fan, I won’t say a bad word against him, and his punditry has drastically improved over the years, but he does have a habit of, have a habit of repeating himself, which is his idiosyncrasy that I find quite endearing.

 As I’m writing this, Sheffield United are playing Man United. In the studio, Graeme Souness and Brian Deane are both dressed like country gents who are about to go shooting pheasants and grouse at Sandringham (with Prince Andrew and Jamie Redknapp, perhaps?), and on the field, another Blackburn connection is Phil Jones, the gift that keeps on giving, handing the Blades the lead with a fantastic piece of misjudgement that allowed the striker Lys Mousset the opportunity to pull the ball back and give his team the lead. The final 25 minutes was chaos, with two mid-table sides scrapping it out to a 3-3 draw with awful defending getting the assists.

 That’s all I can muster this week. If you managed it, congratulations on getting to the end. What will football bring us next week? I can hardly contain my excitement at the prospect.

[downstvged]

“ oh. uh... you had your eye on that last laffy taffy, too ? ”   awkward. peyton reaches for the candy anyway. his fingertips close around the treat and nudge it closer to the person beside him. “ go for it. my favorite’s banana anyway. ”

or, alternatively : i have zero restraint & ‘tis i, linc, comin’ atchu w/ my third, peyton pellegrino !! resident senior class treasurer & lacrosse co-captain & theatre techie. he’s a wholesome boy but jeez... is new ham gonna break him. dun dun dunnnnNNNN .  ; )

✔ ┊❝ noah centineo. he/him &. cismale ) eighteen year old peyton pellegrino was listening to “no place like home” by marianas trench when the field trip buses turned around. rumor has it he’s on a missing children’s list in delaware & his dad is actually his childhood kidnapper, but who knows if that’s true? what we do know is that their friends describe them as suave & bona fide, even if they’re known to be a little restless & yielding from time to time.

i’m... not gonna do my long intro format for him bc ain’t nobody got time fo dat! and i’m lazy sfhiefh. but here we go !!

( tw: mentions of kidnapping, false death, anxiety, familial deceit )

AMBER ALERT, MILTON PD, DELAWARE —  MILTON TOWN POLICE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED EIGHTEEN-MONTH-OLD JAMIE CLAVERTON WAS STOLEN FROM HIS MOTHER’S STROLLER IN BRUMBLEY PARK EARLIER TODAY. SUSPECT WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AT THE SCENE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ENCOURAGED TO CALL POLICE IMMEDIATELY.

spoiler alert : little jamie claverton never quite found his way home. with no witnesses to the kidnapping ( thanks to his mother’s ignorance... yikes ) ,  matthew pellegrino, age 30, was able to make an easy getaway with the child. in 2010, milton police closed jamie’s case. the clavertons, heavy-hearted, buried an empty casket for their lost boy, unaware that he was alive and well just two states away, living comfortably with his “ father ”  in west ham, connecticut.

peyton pellegrino’s mother abandoned her family shortly after peyton’s first birthday –– she’d struggled with postpartum depression & decided she wasn’t made out to be a mother. despite matthew’s pleas, his wife disappeared into the night. and just like that, it was just father and son. us two against the world, peyton’s father would say. they moved around frequently, spending almost each passing birthday in a different place. new york city, boston, miami, chicago, philly. it wasn’t until peyton’s seventh birthday that they finally settled somewhere long-term: phoenix, arizona. and, by the time his tenth birthday rolled around, they hopped across the country once more.

to west ham, connecticut. a dramatic change of pace. matthew had landed the position of fire chief, his record of improving local fire departments finally recognized. so ten-year-old peyton careened into fifth grade, then middle school. he fit right in. and west ham? west ham ate up the pellegrino family story. nobody suspects a thing.

in a hidden compartment locked under matthew’s desk lies the only record of peyton’s past. duplicated fingerprints. forged social security documents. fake passports, just in case. the key’s hidden somewhere in the house. but it’s the two of them, father and son, them two against the world.

and up until now? peyton hasn’t had the means to discover the truth.

peyton pellegrino, aspiring broadway set/lighting engineer:

inspired by “no place like home” by marianas trench.

peyton moved to west ham when he was 10, so i would love some long-term connections for him. his dad’s the fire chief, so he’s definitely... involvedˆin the smell stuff. more on that in the future.

he’s heavily involved in lacrosse, mock trial, theater, & student gov. he’s the senior class treasurer because freshman year, his pals on the lacrosse team joked he had the only face people wouldn’t be mad to hand class dues to. he’s been voted into position ever since.

will be attending eastern connecticut state university for a degree in theatre & theatre design !! he’s SUCH a techie and very unashamed about it, but he will get bashful if he gushes on too long about the importance of a crisp curtain or how much of a difference fading spots can make. he acts as well ( see his excellent performances in mock trial competitions ) but he’s got such a love for framing the stage, making his performers look good. making the visual effects an extension of the story.

works as a pizza delivery boi for one of the local faves — and you best bet this kid makes amazing tips. in the summers, he techs at a bunch of theatre camps and throws in a gig scooping ice cream just for some extra dough. it’s not that his dad doesn’t make good money as fire chief, but they struck a deal that peyton would foot at least half of the bill for college. so he’s trying to getting a jump on that.

one of those rare breeds that is hella involved and seems really relaxed about it? but... he does have anxiety & struggles with panic attacks from time to time. they were really bad when he was around 8 to 11, but they’ve calmed since being here. it’s one of the reasons why matthew looked for a position in such a small, calm town.

sike !!!!!  west ham ain’t calm no more !!!!

speaking of his dad. they’re fuckin’ best friends, alright? saturday nights are reserved for the pellegrino boys. foosball. ping pong. b-rate game shows.

he’s the kind of dude to go out of his way to help you and say it was no sweat. even if it was all the sweat.

if he loves you, watch him lay out his jacket so you don’t have to step in mud.

has a bad habit of nipping at the edge of pens. it’s one of the anxious ticks he hasn’t quite been able to shake. sometimes his right leg bounces, if he’s forced to sit still in one place for too long.

will likely join the committee on going home, if something like that arises. leadership courses through his veins, but peyton’s not really one to pursue it very much. he’s more content to chip in and help everyone else than sit at the top. but if someone close to him ( cough cough, @cvssndra​, cough ) decides to take the reins, he’ll be right there to support.

he eats his pizza rolled around the crust, like an italian taquito.

notable fashion choices include : leather bracelets, cuffed jeans, lots of solid colored and colorblocked tees. when he dresses up for mock trial, the girls kinda swoon. boy looks dashing in a suit. has a glasses prescription but always wears contacts. his dad says he looks sharper that way ( but it’s actually because, with glasses, he looks too similar to the claverton family. )  beat up chuck taylors, kind of untied on purpose. he’s got that whole loosely kept together, sleep deprived look down pat.

in middle school, he did a social studies project on milk carton kids. his project partner said there was this sketch from delaware that kinda looked like him. they both just laughed it off. young peyton came home and told his dad all about it over dinner. his dad laughed. the next day, peyton tried to find the same webpage, and was met with a notice that it had been permanently disbanded.

catch him longboarding around town like an absolute boss.

his favorite gum flavor is juicyfruit. it reminds him of go kart racing with his dad in arizona.

has functional knowledge of asl. he began learning at his school in chicago, and pursued it a bit further in arizona when he learned their next-door neighbor, patricia, was deaf. young peyton would walk the nice lady’s mail up to her door and learn a few signs from her each day, then practice them at dinner with his dad.

i imagine his dad’s reputation makes him fairly well-known around town. it’s likely peyton knows the owners of most businesses around here, so he’s the dude you stick near if ya want free shit.

he knows his dad’s disappointed he’s not pursuing a career in law enforcement or medicine. but peyton barely survived one day of junior firefighter training.

he actually just went back on anti-anxiety meds recently. so that’s gonna be interesting, when that supply starts going bye-bye.

people always assume he’s from cali, because of his overall vibe. his dad says he was actually born in ohio. peyton did a whitepages search in ohio for kenna pellegrino. the search came up empty.

his pals have a running inside joke where they hand him bottles of san pellegrino mineral water. it’s hilarious. and he hates it.

aight cuttin’ it short so i can hop onto this dash!! as always hmu for plots, bants, and good times !!  xx

[saint-dominik-of-zadar]

top 5 football teams and top 5 players :x

Teams:

Widzew Łódź - basically my entire family supports them, went bankrupt and got relegated to 5th league and is now in 3rd, speciality: winning 3-2 after losing 0-2 for an hour or alternatively letting the other team do so

Croatia NT - does it need an explanation?

West Ham - because how can you hate a team which has a bubble machine on the stadium and blows bubbles before every match because their anthem is about blowing bubbles? Freaking bubbles?

Tottenham - well, I’d still mention them although it has many people from England nt and Lloris, aka all the people that ethered Croatia this year, so I kinda lost my warm feelings for them, but I’m somehow still around ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I didn’t know what to put there, so this place goes collectively to all clubs that I’m used to watching with my dad for years now: Everton, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Roma, Inter, Napoli and many more that I can’t even remember now - I’m not around constantly and I wouldn’t really mention them as my faves but I’m always happy to see them.

Players:

that was one hell to answer.

Luka Modrić

Mario Mandžukić

Heung-min SonChristian EriksenÁlvaro Odriozola

I wanted to make this more diverse than just 5 Croats in a row but keep in mind that entire nt should be there

and no, this is not editing mistake, Luka and other Croats always go first and the rest is in random order.

Sorry it took so long anon 🙏

[dailysportclubs]

Frank Lampard: why I love reading, writing and playing football

First some questions from site member Striker, aged seven, a huge West Ham fan:

Striker: How did you get the idea of the magic football books? I got the idea from reading other stories to my two girls. Seeing as football is such a big part of my life I thought it would be fun to create stories around a magic football for young boys and girls.

How long does it take you to write them? Each book does take quite a long time to write. I usually write notes when I have ideas at different times and then put the stories together while I am home or travelling with my football where was Frank Lampard born .

Can you give us an idea of what other adventures will Frankie have? The thing I love about a magic football is that it can take the gang anywhere. In the future I can imagine Frankie travelling forwards and backwards in time and to lots of different interesting parts of the world. How old were you when you started liking football? I was very young when I started liking football. I grew into a family of people who loved the game so for as long as I can remember I have too.

What did you like reading when you were seven? I liked reading books like the BFG by Roald Dahl. I enjoyed all of his books and they definitely stick in my mind as my favourites at that age.

My mum is a librarian, she wants to know if you went to the library when you were a child? I did go to my local library when I was young. I particularly remember going during school holidays and taking out books whilst I was off school. I think it's great if kids go to libraries as it's a way of finding lots of variety in what you are reading

Are you going to write books for older children? I am not sure if I will write books for older children. I am really enjoying writing about Frankie now and I like the fact the books are a good age for young boys and girls who are just beginning to read. Maybe in the future I will try something different but there are lots of ideas I have for Frankie now so that will have to wait.

Why do you think it's important for kids (and adults) to read? Reading is such a great way to gain knowledge and also to have fun and enjoy. That doesn't matter whether you are young or an adult. I read now and love finding new books that excite me but also make me learn.

I support West Ham, do you miss playing for them? I will always remember how West Ham and particularly Harry Redknapp and my Dad helped me start my career. I do not miss playing for them because from the moment I arrived at Chelsea I have had such an amazing time and feel very close to the club and the fans.

What do you think was your best goal? I think my best goal was against Barcelona for Chelsea in the Champions league. It was a few years ago now but I managed to chip the ball over the goalkeeper from the goal line which is something I'm not sure I could ever do again!

How hard do you have to train for England? Every time I train I try to train my hardest and this is very important to become a professional footballer. England is exactly the same as when you train for Chelsea or even your local football team. It's about always giving your best.

And now some questions from Pirate Bones, also seven.

Why did you want the book to have history and football and are you going to keep writing history-football books?

The reason I wanted the first series of FMF to have history and football was that I love football and I also love history. It was my favourite subject at school and I thought it was a good idea to have lots of fun with some education in there as well so you can learn. In the future I would like to try different places for Frankie to travel but I certainly enjoyed taking him back to interesting times in history.

[downandoutinliverpoolandlondon]

Correspondence Club: Part 2 – Dick Swinging

It’s 4.00pm in a small bar in a village near Grimsby and two men in their sixties are having their weekly dick swinging contest. One is my Dad, the other is a Geordie man called Bob. They claim to be here to watch the football – West Ham and Swansea are playing out a lacklustre draw in the background – but they’re really here to get one over on the other, and I have been drafted in to help. I knew at some point over the festive period I would be required to witness one of their bouts. I knew that my Dad was fond of going down the local pub, watching the football and interacting with the small-town personalities he loves to hate, but I was completely unaware of how competitive the battles had become. Despite meaning so little, they mean so much.

Today’s contest is taking place at The Holt, a lounge bar that in a previous life was a car showroom. The Holt is an unpolishable turd of a bar that could only be found in the dreary characterless pockets of rural England. A place where a pint of Carling comes with a two-inch tower of rubbery foam and there’s so many people called Dave at the bar that they require adjectives to be differentiated. Big Dave is tall. Ultimate Dave works at Ultimate Fishing. Nobody has ever took the time out to question the origins of Magic Dave. The Holt’s saving graces are cheap beer and football on big screens as well as the fact that unlike the local cricket club, it hasn’t burnt down yet.

Within five minutes of walking in, my Dad is losing and it’s my fault. I haven’t offered to buy him a pint and my Dad has to laugh it off in front of Bob. Despite not having seen Bob since the pork scratchings and Panda Pop glory days of my youth sitting on bar stools in old man pubs, he recognises me immediately.

“You his youngest lad? Doesn’t even want to introduce you does he?” 

Bob quips, a bit of diluted Guinness spit escaping from his mouth.

“I remember you. Last time I saw you, you were a babby, crying your eyes out at the football in the Etherington Arms. That’s the year you got relegated.”

It’s a classic small-town memory move. It’s almost impossible to go home without somebody you barely know reminding you of a time gone by when you did something embarrassing and asking if this is still a regular occurrence in your life. 

My Dad immediately pulls one back by reminding Geordie Bob of Newcastle United’s lowly league position. It’s a simple route one tactic, but it still levels the scores. Bob respects my Dad because he is a "proper supporter”, he has a season ticket and he goes to every home game. Bob attempts to pull one back by delving into my employment status, but my Dad cuts in with an outrageous boast about me being a successful freelance writer. Geordie Bob doesn’t acknowledge it as a proper job, but his daughter is on the dole so it’s enough to seal a point.

For the next ninety minutes the dick swinging plays out over a variety of ridiculous topics. At one point, after a harmless mention of the wind at The Hawthornes, Bob stakes the claim that despite St James Park being on a hill, in Newcastle, no wind can infiltrate his team’s stadium. The two men continue to swing dicks over which of their respective team’s stadium is more sheltered from wind. It’s mesmerising stuff, like great stags rutting with horns of bullshit. One of Bob’s friends Iggy, a supposed “proper” Liverpool supporter interrupts, bringing Bob over a Jager Bomb. Just as he’s about to drink it, my Dad quips that it’s a “women’s drink that’ll give him tits” and Bob resentfully gives it back to Iggy to save face. It’s a move that puts my Dad ahead 4-2.

The final whistle blows and my Dad finishes the remains of his pint in one gulp. We leave the bar and West Brom beat Newcastle the following week.

[heather-destler]

Tagged by @tanz-der-vampire-musical thank you!!

1. Name: Heather.

2. Nicknames: To be fair I don’t really have any nicknames but my mum does call me hunnie over text.

3. Zodiac: Libra

4. Favourite Musician and Group: Freddie Mercury and Panic! at the Disco.

5. Favourite Sports Team: I watch no sports but my dad supports the football team West Ham so I’ve been told to write that 😂

6. Other Blogs: My only other blog is an art account I started at the beginning of lockdown @heatherdrawscartoons because I want to start a business with my artwork someday. (By the way, shameless plug here, if you’d like to give that account a follow, or my Instagram of the same name, I’d greatly appreciate that!)

7. Do you get asks? No. Not at all.

8. How many blogs do you follow? 291 blogs.

9. Tumblr Crushes: None.

10. Lucky Number: 19.

11. What are you wearing right now? My RuPaul’s Drag Race ‘Don’t be sorry, be fierce’ PJs.

12. Dream Vacation: Definitely Greece.

13. Dream Car: Not really a car person but maybe an old MG because my dad had one once and I really liked it.

14. Favourite Food: Any kind of creamy pasta. There’s one from Frankie and Benny’s with chicken and mushrooms that I adore.

15. Drink of Choice: Tea!

16. Instruments: I played the marimba at school.

17. Languages: Only English with school level Spanish but would love to know more Spanish.

18. Celebrity Crush: Where do I start? Tom Hiddleston, Simon Pegg, Brendon Urie, Ramin Karimloo, Jason Momoa and many more.

19. Random Fact: I’ve been writing an unsaved story over iMessage with my mate for 5 years!

20. Favourite Ecosystem: Marine Ecosystem.

21. Favourite Cat Species: Err pass? I can say Springer Spaniel is my favourite dog species!

Tagging: @ofbeautsandbeasts @epwhales @catcorsair @julieczyras @ineffablebuddies @carpe-noctem-vitae

Answer 21 questions

Tagged by @angelofmusic1296, thank you (tag games are always fun)

1) Name: Jennifer

2) Nicknames: Jenni (and yes I write that with an “I”, I always have)

3) Zodiac: Capricorn

4) Favorite Musicians or and groups: Mark Seibert (who could tell😉) and Tonight Alive

5) Favorite sports team: I don’t follow team sports, but Team China for artistic gymnastics and I stan figure skaters and rhythmic and artistic gymnasts

6) Other blogs: @jennibeultimate (my main account, mainly about rhythmic gymnastics and figure skating) @myjunkisyuzuruhanyu (my sideblog dedicated to Japanese figure skaters Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno)

7) Do you get asks?: On this blog I rarely get asks, on my other blogs more but not frequently

8) How may blogs do you follow?: 190

9) Tumblr crushes: none

10) Lucky number: none

11) What are you wearing right now? a pyjama shorts and a tshirt 

12) Dream vacation: visit Japan (I would have realized this dream in May, but then COVID came)

13) Dream car: lol…I can’t even drive 

14) Favorite food: probably chocolate, but I am not so picky with food

15) Drink of choice: Ice Tea

16) Instruments: I play recorder 

17) Languages: German, English 

18) Celebrity crush: omg I have so many…lol - Yuna Kim, Evgenia Medvedeva, Yuzuru Hanyu, Shoma Uno, Aleksandra Soldatova, Katsiaryna Halkina and many many more (mainly sports ppl actually)

19: Random Fact: ??? Sorry

20: Favorite Ecosystem: the ocean

21: Favorite cat species: I don’t even know cat species 😅

Tagging my most active followers here @heather-destler and @denise8691 (but don’t feel like you have to do it, it’s supposed to be fun)

[lavellenchanted]

Hogwarts Reread Chapters 9-13 

because apparently I just can’t keep up so here’s a bunch of thoughts, will finish off tomorrow

I honestly refuse to believe that there is not one single person in the wizarding world that just doesn’t care about quidditch, some people just don’t like sports

that said it always makes me smile that Dean is a West Ham fan because my dad supports West Ham so I also do by proxy

and here we start setting up Hermione’s difficulty with more emotional/instinctive forms of magic that don’t have clearly defined guides and outlines

like you know if she wasn’t a witch Hermione would vastly prefer maths/science subjects to arts subjects that are much more about subjective interpretation 

I wonder if this is meant to happen before or after Quidditch try-outs? have Wood and McGonagall been sharing worries that there aren’t any decent seekers this year? or does McGongall just shove Harry at him and at try-outs he’s like, “Oh, yeah, btw, seeker’s already taken, soz if you wanted to try for that.” Either way I like the idea of Wood and McGongall having regular meetings about the state of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. 

I love how supportive Ron is, immediately declaring himself Harry’s second and making sure it looks like Harry knows what a duel is

rereading this is reminding me just how badly the films butchered both his and Hermione’s characters and its annoying me

like without the duel and Hermione inserting herself the animosity between her and the boys doesn’t really make as much sense

also this reads so much like Neville’s supposed to join their friendship group as well

I love how McGongall was apparently just able to access Harry’s account and decide to spent probably a load of money on the most high-end broom ever no problems

the bludgers have never killed anyone at Hogwarts ... but they have elsewhere? and everyone’s okay with this? Quidditch is still legal?

also where did Wood get a bag of normal golf balls

does he even know what they are

poor Hermione, two months and she has no friends, I’d cry too

it’s alright just wait a few hours and live through a troll attack and you’ll have the two best friends ever

I always wondered why Harry and Ron didn’t just say tell McGongall they were looking for Hermione because she didn’t know about the troll and it just happened to be there they had no choice, but I guess Hermione assumed they’d gone looking for it and were trying to cover for them?

aw, friendship

again people “rarely” die in Quidditch, but they do sometimes why is no one concerned about this

I’m sad we didn’t get more of the team dynamic/banter in the films

also Lee Jordan’s commentary, which will never not be fantastic

if you’re not willing to set a teacher on fire, are you really someone’s friend?

wizarding christmas crackers sound so much better than normal christmas crackers

it’s more heartbreaking to me that Harry sees his whole family and not just his parents, and from both sides - there’s a whole wealth of love he feels he missed out on

also that ron’s most “desperate” desire is to be seen as better than his brothers ... it’s a really significant insight into his character 

I love the idea of Dumbledore just chilling on the desk and then sitting on the floor with Harry

Hermione being bad at chess and Ron being good at it showcases their different types of intelligence so well, I’m sad it wasn’t really developed more 

Neville standing up to Malfoy is one of my all time favourite moments in the whole series

I still can’t believe I didn’t see Snape was a red herring, I mean sure I was 8 years old but it’s so obvious

[winterolympicssports2018-blog]

Gary Charles on drinking, prison and now helping addicts

Click here for More Olympics Updates https://www.winterolympian.com/gary-charles-on-drinking-prison-and-now-helping-addicts/

Gary Charles on drinking, prison and now helping addicts

One of the pivotal voices in Gary Charles’s struggle with alcoholism was not that of a manager or team-mate, but a fellow inmate at HM Prison Ashwell.

Charles told Sportsmail: ‘This old bloke asked me what I did when I made mistakes on the pitch. I said I tried not to repeat them, tried to learn.

‘He just looked at me and said, “Why don’t you apply that attitude to your drinking then?” Those words stuck in my head.’

Gary Charles started his career playing for Nottingham Forest when Brian Clough was boss

Charles, 47, has been sober for 12 years and uses his experience to run a business counselling people from sport and commerce struggling with addiction problems.

But his has been a very long road. A talented, athletic full back for Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest and also England, Derby County, Aston Villa and West Ham, Charles believes he got ‘about 50 per cent’ of what football had to offer. Alcohol and injury took the rest. His fall from grace was lurid, public and appeared rapid.

He was imprisoned twice after his career ended in the middle of the last decade — once for a serious drink-drive offence and once for threatening a nightclub bouncer. He also received a suspended sentence for assaulting a woman in a taxi office.

Charles pictured with former England manager Graham Taylor and team-mate Stuart Pearce

At one sentencing in 2006, a judge said: ‘Everyone needs a rest from Gary Charles.’

Charles admits today that his issues had always been there. The descent was not as sudden as it might have appeared. There were other, smaller criminal incidents involving alcohol in 1993 and 1998.

A binge drinker since his teens, he just hid it well. He is confident that none of his managers — experienced men such as Clough, Brian Little and Harry Redknapp — ever knew.

Now that he is out the other side, he believes he can help.

‘Footballers can have the same problems as a postman or plumber,’ Charles said this week. ‘Millions watch them on a Saturday but some suffer in silence. It’s hard for them to own up. Will it be detrimental to their next contract? Will they be replaced?

‘Would I have gone to one of my coaches and admitted my alcohol problems? No.

‘Did I know I had them at that time? Maybe not. It’s hard to think you may have serious issues at 19. It’s still seen as a weakness now, in life and in sport.

‘I am relieved to know that I was an alcoholic because I know what I need to do to live the happy life I have today. I want to help people understand they can get their lives back.’

Charles says he is relieved to know he was an alcoholic so that he can best help others

Charles does not know when the problems started. He will attempt to make sense of it in a book he wants to write and at times the recall may be painful.

An unstable childhood in east London did not help. He remains close to his mother but grew up with no father figure and spent time in care.

‘Many in prison have similar problems,’ he said. ‘There was no dad for me, nobody urging me on from the touchline, but with addiction comes bigger problems. I know that now.’

There was another factor in Charles’s young life, an incident of almost unspeakable horror that took place in 1991. He has not spoken about it before.

‘At Forest I had a call from the lads telling me I was in the England squad,’ he said. ‘I thought they were joking so I drove to the paper shop. There it was in print. I was over the moon. Then, minutes later, it happened. I’ve never talked about this and maybe I should have. The cyclist, a teenager, hit me as I turned right.

Charles, an England player, wasn’t offered the support he needed during his career

‘He overtook me on the wrong side. It’s still a blur. He came off the bike and hit a lamppost. The inquest (a verdict of accidental death) was the saddest thing. It devastated me.

‘The night of the accident I played for Forest. I didn’t tell a soul what had happened. That was me all over. Block it all out and it will go away. But it doesn’t.’

It is a tragic and telling story. Charles adored Clough but received no offer of counselling from within the game. He was already self-medicating with alcohol to deal with shyness and it is hard to believe that incident did not propel him faster down his road.

‘Alarm bells were probably always ringing,’ he said. ‘Even when I was 18 I would stay out a little bit longer than others. I didn’t like the taste but it took the nervous edge off. I could always leave booze alone and not even touch it for two years.

‘No two alcoholics are the same. I would go out with the Forest lads and drink orange juice. I would go out for 51 weeks of the year and be fine. Then on the 52nd week I may go out and stay out for three days drinking on my own.

‘People said I must have been out enjoying myself but it was lonely, hiding drinks from the family at home.’

Charles is a regular at Alcoholics Anonymous. He first went in his mid-20s but is committed now and it works. At Forest and Derby, Charles’s secret was safe.

The full back’s secret was safe when he was playing for Nottingham Forest and then Derby

I’d stay out for three days drinking on my own…then beat everyone in the bleep test – Gary Charles on battling his demons

‘Even when I went out for two days I would beat everybody on the bleep (fitness) test the next morning,’ he said.

But life eventually unravelled when he broke an ankle at Villa late in the 1995-96 season. Charles was out for almost two years and with solitude and boredom came trouble.

‘My foot dislocated and the ankle was a mess,’ he said. ‘Dwight Yorke was crying on the field. I was out for 20 months and I couldn’t keep the good habits.

‘When I did get back I wasn’t as quick. In my head, my career was over. I was 26, in my prime. We had won the League Cup and been promised new contracts. I didn’t get mine.’

Do not be fooled into thinking this is a sad story. It is largely a tale of recovery and rejuvenation.

Charles’s career spanned just under 15 years

Charles talked at a hotel in Nuneaton this week and was generous and uplifting company. His business is slowly building, he has a new relationship and is close to his children.

In Derbyshire a restaurant bears the family name and he can occasionally be found behind the bar. ‘I am happy to be around alcohol and serve alcohol,’ he smiled. ‘It genuinely doesn’t trouble me.’

A quick, athletic defender, Charles was described as a ‘gazelle’ by Clough, who signed him as a 16-year-old from Clapton FC by offering the east London club some footballs. Charles used to run Clough’s bath every Monday and walk his manager’s dog by the Trent, losing it only once.

‘I was nine and a half stone and Cloughie said if I didn’t put on weight I had to go and live with him and his wife Barbara,’ laughed Charles. ‘I used to go there for breakfast and do his garden.

‘I was a YTS on £25 a week and would get £20 for the garden. I used to send it home to my mum.

‘I went from having not a great upbringing, leaving home and school at 15, to all of a sudden cleaning Garry Birtles’s boots.

‘I was always sneaking in the first-team dressing room. Ian Bowyer would catch me and say, “What you doing in here, you little Cockney?” But I just wanted to listen. I was fascinated.

He said I had to put on some weight so I’d go to his house for breakfast…and do his garden! – on his mentor, Brian Clough

‘Cloughie would take me away with the first team for experience. I had to carry the tea but I would watch them go out on to the pitch and think, “That is my dream”.

‘Gaz (Birtles) used to have two Toyota Supras and I would wash them. One day I washed one of them twice but I felt looked after. Brian taught us to respect people. “Look after your own”. When it was the tea lady’s birthday we sang and gave her flowers.

‘When Cloughie first saw me he asked why I was playing with older lads. I looked so young but he signed me on my first day of a two-week trial.

‘He just used to say, “Play your football and everything will be OK”. And 18 months later I was training with the first team.’

Charles played more than 50 League games for Forest. His first came on the back of a run-out for a Sunday league team managed by Clough’s son Simon.

Charles played more than 50 League games for Forest during a six-year spell at the club

‘I was a ringer and scored two but Brian said, “I could have scored those. I don’t know why you are smiling”. The following Wednesday he picked me for the first team. I hadn’t even trained with them.’

Yet his most famous game is remembered for the wrong reasons. Charles was the victim of the Paul Gascoigne tackle that ruptured the Tottenham player’s cruciate ligament in the 1991 FA Cup final.

‘I am respectful of Paul as he has had his own problems, but he seems to be doing well now,’ he said. ‘I see his daft jokes on Twitter and it makes me smile. Hopefully we will get together and have a chat soon. We will do that. I would really like to see him again.

I was just the unfortunate person involved. It was much worse for Paul. He’s had his own problems. I’d really like to see him again – on ‘that’ Gazza tackle

‘I’ve been asked many times to talk but I was just the unfortunate person involved in the tackle. It was much worse for him.’

What hurts Charles most about that day is that Forest lost. Charles was on the post when team-mate Des Walker headed in a decisive own goal in extra time.

‘Why didn’t I jump?’ he laughs. ‘When I see it now, it makes me jump to try and head it off the line! Even my son asks me why I froze. To this day I don’t know why…’

Paul Gascoigne injured his knee when he lunged in on Charles during 1991 FA Cup final

The first night inside was not good. HM Prison Nottingham as a holding prisoner. A shared cell, 23-hour lockdown.

Charles coped, though, and sometimes people helped him. One of those people was Roy Keane.

The two men had shared digs at Forest and Keane, hardly known for his softer side, wrote to Charles in prison offering work at Sunderland and a bed at his family home when he got out.

Charles was hesitant when the subject was raised this week but said: ‘Roy is a good mate but he is a private person and I like to consider that. He’s a good guy — loyal. He knows what he did for me. He wrote, he came.’

Charles is a fully qualified coach. Only his commitment to his children prevented him taking another club job after a spell at Lincoln City. His first experience came in prison.

After leaving Derby, he joined Aston Villa in 1995 where he would spend the next four years

‘I ran the prison football team and we had a game against the officers,’ he said. ‘There was this one guy, he was about 20st. Stumpy, they called him. There were no shorts to fit him.

‘Place 10 balls down and he would literally miss them but he was desperate to play. For seven weeks he did laps of the prison, lost three stone. But I told him I couldn’t pick him. He said, “I will kill you if you don’t”. He was joking…

‘So I put him on for 10 minutes. The whole prison cheered. He said it was the best feeling ever. He looked at his life differently when he was training.

‘That is what I get from coaching. That’s why I miss it now — and we won 4-1, too!’

Charles’s story takes many twists and turns and at times some of the pieces are hard to fit together. His epiphany with the old guy in prison is not as straightforward as it sounds, for example.

On his final release, there was a return to old habits before a moment of private reckoning and a commitment to care and residential treatment that he had not shown before.

Charles was a key part of the Villa side and was part of the League Cup-winning side in 1996

‘In prison I planned what I’d do with my life,’ he said. ‘It’s common with inmates. You have finished, had your bit of trouble — or so you think — but then it happens again and again until you actually address the issue.

‘Eventually I’d had enough. I woke up one day and booked myself into the clinic. It wasn’t the first time but this time I was ready.’

What matters about Charles and his recollections are the lessons learned, the experiences shared and the engaging, open guy who walks tall today.

Charles and his expert team at GCSportsCare and GCcare work with clients such as bankers, accountants and barristers. Most are terrified of being found out at work.

‘They are striving and working under pressure and forget about the basics in life,’ he said.

‘I spoke to a barrister suffering in silence. Who would employ an alcoholic barrister?

‘I still don’t believe many footballers would go in-house with a problem. You may rather come to my team of counsellors, wouldn’t you, in the hope that nobody at work would find out?

‘So from that point of view, things haven’t changed much from my day. That’s the fear of many of the young lads. I deal with football agents, too. They are not trained in this. They push people to us and it works.’

The full back, who was born in Newham, east London, joined West Ham United in 1999

Perhaps the most rewarding times for Charles are those spent at football club academies, talking to young players about the pitfalls down the road.

‘The discussions are fascinating and some lads get in touch after,’ he said. ‘There are a couple who I almost feel like a father to.’

For Charles, the football is over but life lies ahead. He loved his first career but maybe seems more suited to his second one.

‘Being a footballer was the best thing ever,’ he said, grinning. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I adored it most of the time.

‘I saw Brian Little recently and he just winked and smiled. He knew what I could be like. One of the lads in my own way. But someone said to me recently that I must be sad I don’t have all that money from football any more.

‘I said, “Yes, but I don’t have all that unhappiness either”. I don’t think he believed me.’

For more information on GCSportscare and GCcare go to: www.gcsportscare.co.uk

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Premier League predictions: Lawro v former Wales rugby captain Sam Warburton

Liverpool are top of the table with five wins out of five – but will their 100% start survive Sunday’s trip to Stamford Bridge?

“I am sure Chelsea will have a good spell in the game, but I just think Liverpool will have too much nous for them,” said BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson.

“Good sides are able to bounce back and win, and that’s what I am expecting Jurgen Klopp’s side to do after their defeat at Napoli on Tuesday.”

Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.

This week he is up against former Wales and British and Irish Lions rugby captain Sam Warburton.

Former Wales rugby captain Sam Warburton takes on Mark Lawrenson in Premier League predictions

“Football was my first sport, I love it,” Warburton told BBC Sport. “When I was younger my dream was to play professionally.

“I have been a big Tottenham fan since I was about six. My dad was born in London, near Wembley, but moved to Wales at a young age and he brainwashed me and all my family to support Spurs.”

Warburton, who has released a book called ‘Open Side’, thinks Tottenham will beat Leicester on Saturday, and is backing New Zealand to win the rugby World Cup, which starts on Friday.

Premier League predictions – week six Result Lawro Sam FRIDAY Southampton v Bournemouth 1-3 2-1 1-1 SATURDAY Leicester v Tottenham x-x 1-1 1-2 Burnley v Norwich x-x 2-0 3-2 Everton v Sheff Utd x-x 2-0 2-0 Man City v Watford x-x 3-0 4-0 Newcastle v Brighton x-x 2-0 2-1 SUNDAY Crystal Palace v Wolves x-x 2-1 2-2 West Ham v Man Utd x-x 2-1 1-2 Arsenal v Aston Villa x-x 2-0 3-1 Chelsea v Liverpool x-x 0-2 0-1

A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.

LAWRO’S PREDICTIONS

All kick-offs 15:00 BST unless stated.

FRIDAY

Southampton 1-3 Bournemouth

Lawro’s prediction: 2-1

Sam’s prediction: 1-1

Match report

SATURDAY

Leicester v Tottenham (12:30 BST)

I was surprised by Leicester’s lack of threat in their defeat at Manchester United last week.

The Foxes were very neat and tidy, but there was not much of an end product, and they will have to put that right here.

Tottenham have got their own issues, after throwing away a 2-0 lead against Olympiakos on Wednesday night.

They did the same at Arsenal in the Premier League at the start of September and this time Mauricio Pochettino gave his side a bit of a shellacking afterwards.

Champions League: Players didn’t respect game plan – Mauricio Pochettino

Spurs have been very up and down so far this season, but I don’t think they have too much to worry about – they are a good side, with some quality players.

Sometimes you just start the season slowly – it happened to Liverpool sometimes in my time there – but the most important thing is how you finish the campaign, not how you start it.

You just know Spurs are going to have a run where they win loads of games, but they might have to wait a bit longer to get up and running.

Lawro’s prediction: 1-1

Sam’s prediction: 1-2

Burnley v Norwich

Norwich’s win over Manchester City last week was a fabulous performance and result, and one of the biggest upsets we have seen in the Premier League for a long time.

Forget how poor Manchester City were at the back, because Norwich’s gameplan was absolutely perfect, and they stuck to it. Well done to them.

It’s a special day to beat Man City – Farke

This is a totally different test, however.

After playing the champions in your own ground, with the whole place jumping, a trip to Turf Moor is going to take a bit of an adjustment, and it is going to be a completely different game.

The Clarets might not be great in terms of creativity but they give everything for their manager, Sean Dyche, and I can see them making life very difficult for the Canaries.

It’s not all bad news for Norwich, though. I have gone for them to draw a blank – so that normally means Teemu Pukki will score.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

Sam’s prediction: 3-2

Everton v Sheff Utd

Everton were not good enough against Bournemouth last weekend but they are usually much better at Goodison Park.

This will be a decent contest, though. Sheffield United were a little bit unlucky to lose at home to Southampton, after having a goal ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee that would have changed the complexion of the game.

The Blades were still very competitive and, if Everton show any of the defensive weaknesses that cost them against the Cherries, then Chris Wilder’s side can capitalise.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

Sam’s prediction: 2-0

Man City v Watford

I presume Fernandinho will fill in at the back for Manchester City, the same way as he did in their win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, because they don’t have anyone else to partner Nicolas Otamendi.

That all went pretty smoothly, and they definitely looked a better defensive unit than they did last weekend against Norwich, when they defended abysmally.

I cannot see it being much of an issue against the Hornets at the Etihad to be honest.

Highlights: Man City 6-0 Watford

Watford showed a bit of spirit to come back from 2-0 down for a point against Arsenal last weekend, in Quique Sanchez Flores’s first game back in charge.

But I do not see them keeping City quiet. It won’t quite be a repeat of the scoreline from last season’s FA Cup final, but I see Pep Guardiola’s side winning comfortably.

Lawro’s prediction: 3-0

Sam’s prediction: 4-0

Newcastle v Brighton (17:30 BST)

Steve Bruce is still waiting for his first win at St James’ Park as Newcastle manager and this will obviously be a very good time to get it.

Both of these teams are in the bottom five, and it is important to beat the teams around you, especially at home.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

Sam’s prediction: 2-1

SUNDAY

Crystal Palace v Wolves (14:00 BST)

Wolves are still winless in the Premier League and seem to be feeling the effects of their early start to the season in the Europa League.

Crystal Palace got taken apart at Tottenham last time out but I am expecting to see a reaction from them here. Wolves will just have to ride this rough patch out.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-1

Sam’s prediction: 2-2

West Ham v Man Utd (14:00 BST)

West Ham got a point with 10 men against Aston Villa on Monday, and played some good stuff at times as well.

I think the Hammers are an improving team, and I am expecting them to have a real go at Manchester United, who are yet to convince me with their performances this season.

I can’t remember a game where they have impressed me over the 90 minutes – even in their 4-0 win over Chelsea on the opening weekend, the scoreline did not tell the full story.

Clearly they are still building too and, if they end up in the top four this season, they will have done brilliantly.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-1

Sam’s prediction: 1-2

Arsenal v Aston Villa (16:30 BST)

It was a case of ‘same old Arsenal’ with their defensive collapse against Watford on Sunday.

The Gunners still have a weakness at the back but, from what I’ve seen of them so far this season, I don’t think Aston Villa have got the attacking power to take advantage.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

Sam’s prediction: 3-1

Chelsea v Liverpool (16:30 BST)

It doesn’t look like Mason Mount will be fit for Chelsea after he was injured in midweek, which does not help Frank Lampard’s side.

Mount and the rest of the Blues’ youngsters have come in and done really well but Tuesday’s defeat by Valencia was another example of how they are up one minute, and down the next.

Defeat a harsh lesson in Champions League football – Frank Lampard

You could argue that their win over Wolves last weekend was the best they have played over an entire game – in others they have only done well in parts – so consistency is something they are still searching for.

Liverpool need to improve on their performance against Napoli but this is a good fixture for them to do it.

When you go and play one of the other big boys, you know you need to concentrate fully.

Their players will not need their manager to remind them that in this fixture last year, it took a late wonder goal from Daniel Sturridge to snatch a point – so they need to be at the top of their game.

Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp hails ‘outstanding’ equaliser from Daniel Sturridge

Lawro’s prediction: 0-2

Sam’s prediction: 0-1

Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan

How did Lawro do last week?

From the last set of Premier League fixtures, Lawro got seven correct results, including one exact score, out of 10 matches for a total of 100 points.

That meant he beat all three of the hosts of MOTDx that he faced, maintaining his 100% record against guests this season.

Craig Mitch got the best guest score with four correct results, including one perfect score, for a total of 70 points. Chelcee Grimes and Reece Parkinson both managed five correct results, but with no perfect scores, for a tally of 50 points apiece.

+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO’S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION TEAM P W D L PTS +/- 1 Man City 5 5 0 0 15 +1 =2 Chelsea 5 4 1 0 13 +4 =2 Liverpool 5 4 1 0 13 -1 4 Man Utd 5 3 2 0 11 0 5 Tottenham 5 3 1 1 10 -2 6 Leicester 5 3 0 2 9 -1 =7 Arsenal 5 2 2 1 8 0 =7 Aston Villa 5 2 2 1 8 +10 =7 Everton 5 2 2 1 8 +4 =10 Sheff Utd 5 2 1 2 7 +5 =10 Watford 5 2 1 2 7 +10 12 Newcastle 5 2 0 3 6 +6 13 Burnley 5 1 2 2 5 +1 =14 Bournemouth 5 1 1 3 4 -5 =14 West Ham 5 1 1 2 4 -6 =14 Wolves 5 1 1 3 4 +5 17 Southampton 5 1 0 4 3 -7 =18 Brighton 5 0 2 3 2 -2 =18 Crystal Palace 5 0 2 3 2 -6 20 Norwich 5 0 0 5 0 -7

GUEST LEADERBOARD 2019-20

Score Guest leaderboard 100 Adam Peaty 96 Lawro (average after five weeks) 90 Helen Housby, Jo Harten 70 Craig Mitch 60 Stefan Ratchford 50 Chelcee Grimes, Reece Parkinson 40 Stephen Fry

Total scores after week five Lawro 480 Guests 360

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Canning Town's Charlie Duffield Talks To Us About His Next Big Fight and How He Needs To Win

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ARE CHANCE ENCOUNTERS, really chance encounters? Six months ago, I met Charlie Duffield in the same way that I met former middleweight champion boxer Darren Barker–by chance! There is an old Chinese proverb that reads; ’The heart is always trying to figure out what the heart already knows’ basically a gut instinct. I have quite a good sixth sense when I meet athletes for the first time and usually gauge within a short conversation their character.

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Charlie has a self-effacing characteristic that has dealt with the disappointment of defeat and turned it into a lesson. He says he is now greedier, better than before, and ready to fulfil his boxing dream to become a champion. According to Former Olympics Coach James Michael Lafferty, the difference between a Winner and a Champion is that the winner wins occasionally while champion wins with consistency, over to you Charlie.

Who is West Ham fan, Charlie Duffield outside of boxing?

More than anything, I am a doting dad to my two girls, Lillianne and Robin.  My girls are 2 years old and 8 weeks old. I am very much a family man and always have been, even before I was a dad and a husband. I come from a big family, I have eight siblings and both my parents come from big families too. We always have big family parties and get-togethers. I love it! I’m also a personal trainer and fit my clients in around my boxing training and commitments, as that takes priority for me.  How did you get into boxing?

When I was about 10 my dad, Charles, took me to West Ham ABC. I was a bit of a terror as a kid and apparently this was a desperate bid to get me on a better path and disciplined. It worked! I loved it from the minute I stepped in there and within a few months I already had my first fight lined up. I remember that feeling still, I couldn’t wait to fight, and it went from there. I loved training and being around the likes of Micky May and the older, more experienced boys at the time, so I threw myself into it.  How well did you do in the amateurs?

From the age of 11 when I had my first fight to the age of 16, I probably had near on 70 fights. I only lost a handful. I got to two NABC finals and won the Schoolboys at 16.  I then fell out of the sport a bit because I hated the dieting and felt like I was missing out when it came to my friends. If I’m honest, I was also frustrated that boys I was beating were getting better recognition and picked for teams I wanted to be in. It was immaturity on my part, but I cut my nose of to spite my face and stopped training. I have mixed feelings about the decision to walk away from the sport now. I regret not sticking with it as I believe I would’ve progressed and got the recognition I was fighting for. It would’ve kept me on the straight and narrow and stopped me making some stupid decisions. But everything happens for a reason and I can’t change that now. I did get back to the sport at 21. I went to watch my friend Dudley O’Shaughnessy train in the lead up to the ABA’s and his dad, Brian, who was my trainer as an amateur along with the legend Micky May, dared me to make a comeback and enter the ABAs the following year. I decided to and trained for three months in the lead up and got for the finals. I carried on training after that, but then tore my rotator cuff and it put me out again.  Who was your boxing hero growing up and why?

I’d say Rocky Marciano. I’ve idolised the man since first watching one of his fights. I love his fighting style. It goes without saying the great Mohammed Ali is an idol and Thomas Hearn’s is another favourite of mine. They all have different styles and qualities, but something draws me to them. I didn’t actually watch much boxing growing up, it was later in life I took more of an interest and it’s probably what gave me my passion back for it.  What has your technical preparation been for this fight?

Working up here in Loughborough has been tough, but I’m learning a massive amount. We get to use state of the art equipment and I’m learning so much about the scientific aspects of training by a great team of trainers. The biggest difference about being here is being around Dillian Whyte. His training structure is really good. It works incredibly well for me because every day is different from one day to the next, we might be doing rowing intervals and the next sprinting on the track. Sparring with Dillian has been a real learning curve because he knows all the tricks of the trade. We’ve sparred in the past, but I’m gaining a lot in terms of technical preparation being able to regularly spar him and also Richard Riakporhe in this environment. Being away from my family has been difficult, but this camp is an amazing opportunity for me, and I’ve benefited massively from having this level of training and being around the people I’ve been around.

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How did the Azeez fight get made?

Andre Sterling gave up the Southern Area title to fight Craig Richards at the York Hall to set up a shot against the current British champion Joshua Buatsi for the British light-heavyweight title. We heard through the grapevine that Azeez was struggling to get an opponent prepared to fight him for the belt. So, Mark and I put it out there that we want the fight. Mark was then approached my Lee Eaton to set it up and we said yes straight away. How well do you know Azeez?

I know him very well. We both train out of Peacock Gym and his trainer is my former boxing coach Brian O'Shaughnessy, who was like a second Dad for me growing up. I’ve never sparred with Azeez, but I think that it’s a good thing because neither of us know what to expect when we meet in the ring. I think he will believe he has an advantage because he is being trained by my former coach who knows a lot about me. But I have moved on a lot since those early days, especially training with Mark Tibbs. These days I see boxing as a career, so my attitude is totally different to what it was back then, and I train completely differently too.  What is different about your mental state, from your only professional defeat?

I’m a much stronger person mentally now. I have more structure in my life. I will never get over the loss of my brother and will always have to stay focused when it comes to my well documented gambling addiction problems, but I have learned to live life with positivity and am a lot more open now than I was then. I’ve now beaten that demon that use to give really bad, bad thoughts, it’s behind me now. Mentally, I am completely different, and I’ve learned a hell of a lot from that loss. Training and boxing have been therapeutic, especially training with Mark Tibbs. Before now I never took boxing seriously, before it has been just like a hobby. I trained as and when I felt like it and no one could tell me what to do or when to do it. I also have a great wife who was a pivotal figure in my recovery. She pushed me all the way and even though she didn’t know the full story of what was going on in my head, she went through the hell we were going through with my brother and stood by me as I self-destructed when it came to the gambling. We picked up the pieces together and I sometimes I don’t know where I’d be or who I am without her. She is my rock. Come July 20th I’m going to show everybody who I really am and how far I’ve come from that time.   Where do you see yourself against current Light Heavy weights?

At the top you’ve got Callum Johnson, who gave Artur Beterbiev a scare in October, before being stopped. You’ve got Hosea Burton tall rangy fighter, Anthony Yarde who hasn’t really been tested, Joshua Buatsi, who gets his opponents hurt and then gets out of there. Always does the job in style. All in all, there’s quite a few out there who are well ranked above me. But I believe I can beat all of them, so I want to be pushing up through the ranks and challenge for the titles. I rate most of the fighters in my division, but I rate myself more and want to prove what I’m capable of!  I’m being given a great platform on the 20th to continue to do that, thanks to Dillian and Eddie Hearn.  What should fans expect to see from you against Azeez?

I’ve got a lot of respect for Dan Azeez but when I get into the ring, respect and friendship are put aside. I intend to become a different man. I will beat whoever is in front of me, boxing is a brutal sport and I am willing to do whatever it takes to become a champion. It is strictly business and come July 20th, fans are going to see a new me.

A message to your supporters?

I’m on a journey and I want everyone to be there with me. With your noise behind me, it will spur me on to greater things. I am grateful for the huge amount of support I’ve received since I turned pro and can’t thank everyone enough for sticking by me even after the loss. I know people can lose support in those circumstances, but if anything, my support is stronger and its overwhelming. I’m forever grateful!

Good Luck Charlie, from everyone at Sustain Health Magazine

What is different about your mental state, from your only professional defeat?

“I’m a much stronger person mentally now. I have more structure in my life. I will never get over the loss of my brother and will always have to stay focused when it comes to my well documented gambling addiction problems, but I have learned to live life with positivity and am a lot more open now than I was then.“

“I’ve now beaten that demon that use to give really bad, bad thoughts, it’s behind me now. Mentally, I am completely different, and I’ve learned a hell of a lot from that loss. Training and boxing have been therapeutic, especially training with Mark Tibbs. Before now I never took boxing seriously, before it has been just like a hobby. I trained as and when I felt like it and no one could tell me what to do or when to do it. I also have a great wife who was a pivotal figure in my recovery. She pushed me all the way and even though she didn’t know the full story of what was going on in my head, she went through the hell we were going through with my brother and stood by me as I self-destructed when it came to the gambling. We picked up the pieces together and I sometimes I don’t know where I’d be or who I am without her. She is my rock. Come July 20th I’m going to show everybody who I really am and how far I’ve come from that time.” Where do you see yourself against current Light Heavy weights?

“At the top you’ve got Callum Johnson, who gave Artur Beterbiev a scare in October, before being stopped. You’ve got Hosea Burton tall rangy fighter, Anthony Yarde who hasn’t really been tested, Joshua Buatsi, who gets his opponents hurt and then gets out of there. Always does the job in style. All in all, there’s quite a few out there who are well ranked above me. But I believe I can beat all of them, so I want to be pushing up through the ranks and challenge for the titles. I rate most of the fighters in my division, but I rate myself more and want to prove what I’m capable of!  I’m being given a great platform on the 20th to continue to do that, thanks to Dillian and Eddie Hearn.“ What should fans expect to see from you against Azeez?

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Dan Azeez but when I get into the ring, respect and friendship are put aside. I intend to become a different man. I will beat whoever is in front of me, boxing is a brutal sport and I am willing to do whatever it takes to become a champion. It is strictly business and come July 20th, fans are going to see a new me.”

A message to your supporters?

“I’m on a journey and I want everyone to be there with me. With your noise behind me, it will spur me on to greater things. I am grateful for the huge amount of support I’ve received since I turned pro and can’t thank everyone enough for sticking by me even after the loss. I know people can lose support in those circumstances, but if anything, my support is stronger and its overwhelming. I’m forever grateful!”

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Woman in long-distance relationship with a plane loves his wings and thrusters

Michele has been in a relationship with a plane named Schatz for the last five years (Picture: MDWfeatures / Michele Kobke)

Michele Kobke is in love with a plane named Schatz.

It’s a long distance relationship, as Schatz often needs to be flown to faraway locations, but Michele makes do by taking a replica of the plane to bed each night.

She hopes that one day, the distance between them will disappear and she and Schatz will be able to get married.

‘Schatz is my first love,’ says Michele. ‘This is the most beautiful relationship you can imagine.’

It was love at first sight for Michele, who met the plane at Berlin Tegel Airport in 2014. She had loved flying for months before, having only been on her first flight in 2013, but Schatz was something special.

‘The last time I was in a relationship with a man was in 2011 but there was no love there,’ she explains.

She was first attracted to the plane’s wings and thrusters (Picture: MDWfeatures / Michele Kobke

‘My first flight was at the end of November 2013 and I became so in love with aeroplanes, I got so excited every time I looked at aeroplane pictures and videos.

‘On March 11, 2014, I was in Tegel airport and visited the aeroplanes and then came a 737-800 airplane, which approached me, and I have been so in love with him since.’

The relationship is physical despite the distance. Michele says she loves Schatz’s wings and support surface, and was first attracted to his wings, winglets, and thrusters.

To keep the spark going Michele hugs and kisses retired parts of the plane (Picture: MDWfeatures / Michele Kobke)

She says: ‘Every type of aircraft looks a bit different and my darling is the most updated version. My love is not easy, because I only meet him if I fly with my 737-800.

‘In Hangar and Taxiway is not possible to be with him, so we don’t have much time together to enjoy each other’s company.’

To stay intimate when the pair are separated, Michele sleeps with a 1.6 metre model of her beloved plane or with old components of his body.

When they’re together she kisses and hugs the plane’s wings.

She also sleeps with a model of the plane every night (Picture: MDWfeatures / Michele Kobke)

Her family has been supportive of the relationship, so it’s really only the distance that’s making the relationship tricky.

But Michele won’t let that stop her love.

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‘Since I’m in a long-distance relationship; it is a disadvantage as I can only get to him when I fly with him,’ says Michele. ‘My family has reacted quite pleasantly and accepted my relationship with my 737-800.

‘I get many pejorative comments like that I need to go to therapy or that I am sick. But this love is present, and I’ve never been so happy.

‘I sleep with my darling every night, either with real components or 1.6-meter model. Intimacy is part of our relationship.

‘I want to marry my sweetheart and live together in a hangar. It’s a special kind of love and it does not hurt anyone.’

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[365footballorg-blog]

Writing's on the wall for Wenger at Old Trafford - Lawro's predictions v singer Plan B

Arsene Wenger’s departure from Arsenal at the end of the season means the Gunners’ trip to Old Trafford on Sunday could be the final time he takes on his old rival Jose Mourinho.

Wenger claimed his first competitive win over Mourinho at the 16th attempt last season, when Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-0[1] at Emirates Stadium, but who will come out on top this time?

BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson says: “From Wenger’s point of view, hopefully he won’t be stood up in the stands this time, looking for a seat like he was when he was sent off there in 2009.[2] That was comical.

“But I just cannot look beyond a United win. I thought they dealt really well with Tottenham in the FA Cup semi-final last week and they will be too strong for the Gunners.”

Wenger v Mourinho Competition Wenger win Draw Mourinho win

*Wenger also won when Arsenal and Chelsea met in the 2015 Community Shield, but that fixture is officially a friendly

Premier League 1 7 6 League Cup 0 0 2 Total 1 7 8

Lawro will be making a prediction for all 380 top-flight games this season, against a variety of guests.

This week he takes on singer and actor Plan B, who supports Arsenal “because of Ian Wright”.

He has met the legendary Gunners striker when they interviewed each other in 2012 and Plan B – real name Benjamin Paul Ballance-Drew – still remembers the occasion fondly.

“It was amazing, like a boyhood dream come true,” he told BBC Sport.

“I did not have any older brothers, my dad was not about and my mum was not into football, so I got into it off my own accord.

“I saw Ian Wright play and that was it. I was a Gooner after that.”

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Plan B says he “loves Arsene Wenger for what he has done for the club” but thinks it is the right time for him to step down as Arsenal boss.

He explained: “I am sad to see him go but I feel like we should have achieved more in the past 10 years because of who we are.

“Arsene helped us become who we are, and you can’t take that away from him, but there have just been some decisions – like with players that we nearly bought but didn’t – that I think would have changed things for us completely if they had been done differently.

“It became this regular occurrence every season that we wouldn’t buy the players we needed, and we wouldn’t plug the holes where they needed to be plugged, while Wenger would be insisting we had the depth in the team.

“It was just the same old story every time. To begin with we had to accept we would be second every season, then it was fourth that was the target – now it is sixth.

“Who fills his shoes is for the board to decide, but regardless of who our next manager is, things have stagnated at Arsenal and we need a fresh approach, and we need some excitement.

“We all need to feel that there is a chance that things are going to change, and it just has not felt like that for a long time.”

Premier League predictions – week 36 Result Lawro Plan B SATURDAY Liverpool v Stoke x-x 2-0 3-1 Burnley v Brighton x-x 2-0 2-1 Crystal Palace v Leicester x-x 1-1 1-1 Huddersfield v Everton x-x 1-0 0-2 Newcastle v West Brom x-x 2-0 2-1 Southampton v Bournemouth x-x 2-1 1-1 Swansea v Chelsea x-x 0-2 1-3 SUNDAY West Ham v Man City x-x 0-2 0-4 Man Utd v Arsenal x-x 2-0 1-2 MONDAY Tottenham v Watford x-x 2-0 4-0

A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.

LAWRO’S PREDICTIONS

All kick-offs 15:00 BST unless otherwise stated.

SATURDAY

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Liverpool v Stoke (12:30 BST)

Saturday lunchtime kick-offs usually feel a bit flat, so no wonder Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has asked for Reds fans to create the same atmosphere against Stoke that they did against Roma on Tuesday.

Klopp says Liverpool will need their fans but they are just playing so well at the moment that, even if they have an off-day, I would still back them.

Stoke badly need a win, but not only do they have an appalling record at Anfield – they have never won there in 54 top-flight visits – they are playing a team with such impressive firepower.

What do the Potters do? They simply cannot compete if they try to fight fire with fire, and I do not see them holding out and nicking a goal either.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

Plan B’s prediction: 3-1

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Burnley v Brighton

Brighton have got 36 points and are seven points clear of the relegation zone, and they are probably going to be all right even if they don’t pick up another point.

Bearing in mind the Seagulls’ final three games after this one are against Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool, that is entirely possible – but I think they have got enough points to stay up already.

Burnley’s winning run ended last week but I do not see Brighton causing them too many problems – Chris Hughton’s side have managed only nine goals in their 16 away league games this season.

The Clarets need four more points from their final three games to be mathematically certain of finishing at least seventh and qualifying for Europe, and I am backing them to get three of those on Saturday.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

Plan B’s prediction: Burnley are doing all right this season. 2-1

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Crystal Palace v Leicester

Leicester’s season has tailed off a bit, but they are still going to finish in the top half of the table.

Crystal Palace are not safe yet, but a point here should be enough to keep them up – and that is exactly what I think they will get.

Considering he took over when the Eagles did not have any points after seven games, and his main striker Christian Benteke has only scored two league goals all season, Palace boss Roy Hodgson has done a terrific job.

Lawro’s prediction: 1-1

Plan B’s prediction: 1-1

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Huddersfield v Everton

Everton fans are just waiting for the season to end to see what happens to their manager Sam Allardyce, but the next couple of weeks are going to be huge for Huddersfield.

The Terriers are another side who probably only need one more win to stay up and secure another year in the Premier League, so this is their cup final – their biggest game of the season.

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When Huddersfield started to slide in the New Year I could not see them staying up – everyone had worked out what they were doing, their away form was poor and they were not scoring goals.

But they found a way to rectify that and, if they do survive, it is a major achievement.

Lawro’s prediction: 1-0

Plan B’s prediction: Everton will nick this I think. 0-2

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Newcastle v West Brom

I was at The Hawthorns for 5 live to watch West Brom recover from going 2-0 down to rescue a point against Liverpool last week.

I think what happened had as much to do with Liverpool as it did the Baggies but it was still a good fightback which means their caretaker manager Darren Moore has now had three games in charge and picked up five points.

People are saying give Moore the job permanently but that is ridiculous because his role as a caretaker is completely different to being in charge full time – there are so many different facets to it. It would be a massive gamble.

Those three results mean West Brom still have the faintest glimmer of hope of survival but I do not see that being the case after this game.

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Newcastle fell a bit short of their recent levels in Monday’s defeat at Everton but this game is at home and I would expect this performance to be very different – their players will demand it.

The Magpies have got a great chance of finishing in the top 10 and theoretically could end up eighth.

With everything that Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez has had to put up with this season, that is almost best-case scenario.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

Plan B’s prediction: 2-1

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Southampton v Bournemouth

Southampton have picked up one point from Mark Hughes’ first four league games and are in massive trouble towards the bottom of the table.

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But with just two points from their past four league games, Bournemouth are having one of those spells they seem to get where they have a bit of a stutter.

The Cherries tend to go on long runs of similar form whether it is good or bad, and I just have a feeling that Saints are going to nick it.

This is Southampton’s biggest match of the season, far bigger than last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final, and I think we will see a response from them.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-1

Plan B’s prediction: 1-1

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Swansea v Chelsea (17:30 BST)

If Southampton do beat Bournemouth, they will only be a point behind Swansea – who will kick off this game shortly after the final whistle at St Mary’s.

Swansea are back in trouble because they have only managed three draws in their past five games, although their only two defeats in that run came at Old Trafford and Etihad Stadium.

I don’t see them returning to winning ways here, though. Chelsea have not been in great form in the league but they have showed their quality by reaching the FA Cup final.

Lawro’s prediction: 0-2

Plan B’s prediction: 1-3

SUNDAY

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West Ham v Man City (14:15 BST)

West Ham lost heavily against Arsenal last weekend and they will have to be careful that something similar does not happen again on Sunday.

Manchester City might have the title in the bag already, but there is no way their manager Pep Guardiola will let them take the foot off the gas.

City want to break records, be it for most points in a Premier League season or most goals and they will be going for it at London Stadium. I just don’t see the Hammers stopping them.

Lawro’s prediction: 0-2

Plan B’s prediction: I think Man City might smash them you know. 0-4

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Man Utd v Arsenal (16:30 BST)

United are looking very good for second place now – it is in their hands and with games against Brighton, West Ham and Watford to come after this one, I don’t see them letting it slip.

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Could Wenger’s record against Mourinho give him extra incentive to try to beat United on their own turf again, like they did when they won the title at Old Trafford in 2002? No.

I think he will be more bothered about his side’s Europa League semi-final, and trying to get them through that.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

Plan B’s prediction: Alexis Sanchez will probably score against us for United, that is the way it usually goes down, isn’t it? But come on Arsenal! 1-2

MONDAY

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Tottenham v Watford (20:00 BST)

Harry Kane does not quite look fit to me, although he has had since last Tottenham’s FA Cup semi-final defeat last Saturday to try to change that.

Watford have inched their way to safety and I think they will be fine now with 38 points – you could not say they have done it in style, though, because they have not won for six matches.

I cannot see them ending that run on Monday night, either – Spurs will win at Wembley this time.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

Plan B’s prediction: 4-0

Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.

How did Lawro do in the FA Cup semi-finals?

On FA Cup semi-final weekend, Lawro got both results correct, with one perfect score, for a total of 50 points.

He was up against BBC Asian Network presenter Noreen Khan[3] who also called both games correctly, with one perfect score. They both had a 100% success rate.

FA Cup leaderboard after round six Correct result (Perfect scores) Success rate Noreen Khan 2/2 (1) 100% John Bishop 3/4 (1) 75% Lawro 41/62 (11) 66% Vuj 7/16 (2) 44% Guz Khan 12/32 (2) 38% Poet 6/16 (0) 38% Tekkerz Kid 3/8 (0) 38%

From last week’s 10 Premier League games – including the midweek games – Lawro got six correct results, including two perfect score, from 10 matches for a total of 120 points.

He beat Khan, who got four correct results, including two perfect scores, for a total of 100 points.

Total scores after week 35 Lawro 3,150 Guests 2,600

Lawro v Guests P35 W21 D3 L11

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+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO’S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION POS TEAM P W D L PTS +/- 1 Man City 34 27 6 1 87 0 2 Man Utd 34 27 6 1 87 0 3 Tottenham 34 26 7 1 85 +1 4 Liverpool 35 21 14 0 77 -1 5 Chelsea 34 21 8 5 71 0 6 Arsenal 34 17 12 5 63 0 7 Leicester 34 15 6 13 51 +2 8 Burnley 35 10 12 13 43 -1 9 West Ham 34 9 16 9 43 +6 10 Southampton 34 11 8 15 41 +8 11 Bournemouth 35 10 10 15 40 0 12 West Brom 35 11 7 17 40 +9 13 Crystal Palace 35 9 7 19 34 +1 14 Everton 35 8 10 17 34 -6 15 Stoke 35 7 13 15 34 +4 16 Newcastle 34 6 10 18 28 -6 17 Brighton 34 4 13 17 25 -4 18 Swansea 34 5 5 24 20 -1 19 Watford 35 4 7 24 19 -7 20 Huddersfield 34 1 12 21 15 -4

GUEST LEADERBOARD

SCORE GUEST LEADERBOARD 160 Justin Hawkins, Chris Shiflett 130 James Anderson*, Joe Johnson* 120 Russel Leetch*, Will Poulter, Moeen Ali 110 Aron Baynes* 100 Noreen Khan, Cesaro & Seamus, Wretch 32 90 Lawro (average after 35 weeks), Arni and Justin from The Vaccines, Pete Wentz 80 John Cena, Darren Campbell 70 John Bishop** Brendan Foster*, Mark Strong 60 Jimmy from Django Django, Will Ferrell, Nish Kumar, Non Stanford, Rick Witter 50 Steve Cram, Michael Dapaah, Russell Howard, Channing Tatum, Joe Root, Margot Robbie and Allison Janney, Dario Saric, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell, 40 Craig David, Ed Lay 30 Elis James, Rhys James, Felix White 20 Charlie Cooper, Richard Osman, Emmanuel Sanders and Josh Norman

* Shows weeks where Lawro had more than one guest, and only the highest score contributed to the guest total.

** Shows weeks where guest total does not include all rearranged games.

Lawro’s best score: 170 points (week 30 v Arni and Justin from The Vaccines)

Lawro’s worst score: 40 points (week four v Umenyiora and Bell, week five v Non Stanford, week 21 v Darren Campbell and week 23 v Saric and Baynes)

References

^ Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-0 (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ when he was sent off there in 2009. (www.telegraph.co.uk)

^ BBC Asian Network presenter Noreen Khan (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Football

Writing's on the wall for Wenger at Old Trafford – Lawro's predictions v singer Plan B was originally published on 365 Football