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 Welcome to Ally’s Rant No.10 I’ve finally made it into the directors box. (No not me a certain Mr P. Dods) As most people know it is a great privilege to be invited into the directors box. The said Mr Dods has pined for a long time to be granted this privilege. He takes great delight in reminding everyone that in the days of Campbell Ogilvie Paul was asked to attend a Rangers game & watch from the director’s box. After building himself up & informing the world of this event he was taken ill last minute & couldn’t make it. I think it was nerves! Having thought his chance had disappeared for ever Paul had the good fortune to be asked again by PM. The game was the Scottish cup game v East Stirling the game didn’t matter a visit to the box was all that mattered. Darren Cooper picked Paul & myself up in his car & off we went. Paul dressed up as a licence to kill. We sped up the M6 (for the umpteenth time this season). We were well on our way pleasant day in Englandshire then disaster. Paul had heard some report on the radio about the game at Ibrox. Was the game off? Several ‘phone calls later the bad news was confirmed game off to be re-scheduled for the Wed evening. As Victor Mildew would say “I don’t bloody believe it”. bSo we had no option but to return south Paul was a broken man. He couldn’t make the mid week game. Was he ever going to make it? But all was not lost- on the way North to the CIS Cup Final I received a ‘phone call from PM. Could I meet him at the front door of Hampden he had good news for Mr Dods. PM was off on holiday again. Would I like to use his 2 x director box tickets & take Mr Dods with me? After securing the first trophy of the season (one down three to go) I broke the news to Mr Dods and presented him with his ticket. He was like a kid with a new toy. The game was next week v Hibs. This time no illnesses no call offs PD was in!!! All dressed up to the nines we set off up the marble staircase to the Blue Room. PD was armed with a top to be signed by Dado for his son Calum. Dado was to be guest of honour at Ibrox so surely we would see him. We were in the Blue Room partaking of the hospitality on show. A visit to the Trophy Room (just checking that the CIS Cup had arrived & there was room for another three!). There several sightings of Dado but he was proving difficult to track down. He was in Sir David’s office. When he came out of his office PD finally succeeded in getting the strip signed for his son. The only problem I had now was PD asked me to take a photograph of him & Dado with the signed strip at the top of the marble stair. We all know that Dado is a very big person built like a brick s-------e & PD is not blessed with the same attributes so how do you fit them both in a photograph without cutting off heads. We succeeded & everybody was now happy. Strip signed in the directors box Teddy Bears beat Hibs we were all happy. During the time in the Blue Room there several comings & goings of personnel from both teams. PD wasn’t slow in striking up conversation with several guests. I was quite happy to sample the fayre. There was one person who did join us at our high table a representative of Sporting Lisbon. He sat in front of us during the game taking notes taking pictures of our set pieces & our formation at corners. I wouldn’t have thought for one minute he learned much. Now as most people know if there is an opportunity for contacts I will pounce. See Rant No. 11 “Chasing Tickets” What ever happened to the Food Lorry from the Chelsea bus! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Welcome to Ally’s Rant No.9 Every club needs and has characters. We certainly have one. The one & only Sandy Rawlson Sandy or Andre as he had on his season ticket for a while is one of the older members of our club. He tries to kid people he is not but he is THE OLDEST. It is often said the older you get the wiser you get well in Andres case there is definitely an exception. He also feels that being an elder statesman he should travel at a reduced rate. What he tends to forget we have to pay his carers & minders. Sandy was brought in the shadows of concrete city. (home of Tims) so every time we travel down London Rd we are treated to a history lesson from the one & only. “When I was a lad” Sandy we have all heard many times over & whats more we don’t really care!!! It can be difficult to contact the one & only before match days. He has a mobile ‘phone but he might as well have a brick. “I don’t do that texting shite” “I don’t always hear the thing” “how do I know there is a missed call”- When eventually I do contact the one & only I will be greeted with “is that you Ally” I wouldn’t have thought for one minute that anyone else would have the patience. The next question will be “do we have a game this week?” then “who are we playing?” then “is there a bus?” then “what time is the bus?”. The answers are always the same Yes! Yes! somebody but it doesn’t matter! Yes! usual time! It is just as well I don’t have to do this 45 times!!! When we eventually get the one & only seated in his usual seat on the coach (woe betide anyone who sits in his seat) there is usually a tirade of abuse hurled around him with Doddsie “that wee shit” getting the full blast. Andre is partial to sweets , mainly toffees, but is there a hidden agenda to this bags of sweets. It is often said that children shouldn’t take sweets from strange men. The one & only feeds the younger clientele & they certainly don’t come any stranger than the great one! He has had unfortunate experiences with his toffees he broke his teeth on the evening prior to a game. It was certainly not a pretty sight but no worse than normal. Apart from affection of sweets we have to make sure that if we stop to pick up other passengers or change drivers the one & only gets a nicotine injection. As he was once quoted as saying “you should look after the welfare of your passengers” yes by making sure the can have a smoke!! Is there a dark side to our one & only? On the last coach he was seen on several occasions trying to molest one of our members of the opposite sex. Firstly he was observed trying to put his arms around J McC then on several occasions trying to chat her up! But the last vain attempt to win her over he attempted to bite her rear end. I don’t know what he was going to achieve more to the point if there is a point Andre on the job would have been too much of a sight for the rest of the coach teeth or no teeth!! As technology has more or less passed the one & only he has somehow managed to get hold of an I pod. We can only assume that his son Andy (yes we think it is his son but there ends the resemblance) must have set him on the techno front. There is no better sight than Andre singing away to himself on the coach when suddenly someone changes the song or increases the volume. There is normally a delayed reaction followed by “ is that you, you little shit Dodsie”. As described earlier it can be difficult ensuring the one & only actually gets the coach on the right day/time it doesn’t get any better when we have to return south. Our coach has left at the same time after a game for several years 5.30pm. Our noble hero has made a habit of asking “what time is the bus leaving tonight” “can we not leave later” No 5.30pm on the dot. I don’t know if being brought up around Parkhead makes you senile but he is never at the coach at 5.30pm. He is usually stuck in the corner of the Stadium Bar. There was one occasion when I am telling him to hurry up (which is most weeks) he was sitting in the corner with 2 members of the opposite. They could have only felt sorry for him or they were mental nurses or just plain mental. Every coach needs a one & only Sandy Rawlson Any Takers Please One Going Free!!!!!!!!!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to Ally’s Rant No.8 Is there a curse hanging over us!!!!! Having had problems on last 2 coaches from Leon’s it is always said that events happen in threes! Or is it a Darren Cooper influence.!! It all very strange. Coach breaks down on the return journey v St Mirren. Coach breaks down on the way to the Falkirk game.
V. Pana thingy! When numbers were gathered it was decided that it would be better to just take a 9 seater plus several cars mainly due to the fact a 4am return is not very funny. With the 9 seater booked from one of our usual contacts everything seemed settled a brand new Merc 9 seater would mean a quick return to Stoke-on-Trent. The game was scheduled for Wed 8pm but the night before the curse appeared a ‘phone call from hire company informed me that there was a problem with the said vehicle “it had been involved in an incident & was being held by Midlands police”- oh here we go again. I was reliably informed that all would be resolved Wed am. Having to work in the morning (yes there is a bit of work carried out as well) I contacted the hire co. only to be informed that the offending vehicle was still in custody. A short journey to the hire co. was called for. Meeting at work had been overtaken by more serious events. The owner of the hire co. was full of apologies & said he would sort “something out” for us. With time running out & meeting nearly over plan B had to put into place more cars. A ‘phone call to Darren Cooper could he drive then we had another call from hire co. he could give me a minibus!!! He was told where to stick his minibus following the subsonic journey to & from Lyon game. After further discussions I discovered they had another minibus which would at least pass some traffic (this Merc.17 seater would reach speeds in excess of 85mph) this was not the ideal but options were slowly disappearing as was my patience. So a Merc minibus it was. It turned out to be a good option. The Darren Cooper influence. Darren was asked if he would mind driving on the return journey. Unfortunately I had to endure the hospitality within the Blue Room thanks to PM going on the Piste! ( I think he said Piste). As Darren got behind the wheel & turned onto Paisley Rd for journey south we were ground to a halt by a yellow PC calling himself a director of traffic he did direct traffic but only one way - & certainly not ours after 19 minutes of going nowhere fast we eventually set off at least our Merc soon burned up miles we were home by 2am Why do we do it! Darren C influence. Darren is by far our most loyal fan attending most home & away games unless its St Mirren away or East Stirling home. Darren had travelled up to Paisley only to find the game was rained off then days later we are travelling up to the East Stirling game in the Cup only to find another game called off at least we only got to Lancaster. It is all very spooky. Ticket rant: We have now reached a Cup Final. It may only be the CIS Cup but we don’t care after 2 years with the trophy cabinet looking rather bare a cup is a cup. Thinking that there may be tickets galore I sent an e_mail to our colleagues in the ticket office.(Sorry The Stadium Access Centre). Requesting 52 tickets for our club only to be informed that the allocation was more likely to be in the region of 7.( yes seven). Can Dundee Utd justify taking an allocation of more than 10K leaving us to scramble for the rest. It looks like another case of beg steal borrow pull in favours etc. etc. etc. Our next game is against Gretna. Traffic organisational post passed over to Commanders Dods & Leighton. I am having to go to Spain for the weekend. Tough decision Spain or Gretna game!!! When fully refreshed & rested the keys will once again rattle with free flowing utter drivel. Wait for Rant 9 Dedicated to one Sandy Rawlson. There could only be one the world could never cope with 2!!!!! Forthcoming Rants: Characters of the Club & the lengths people will go to follow the Bears. What ever happened to the Food Lorry from the Chelsea bus!
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Welcome to Ally’s Rant No.7 I now have found a work / football balance again or should I say a football/football work balance rants are flowing at full pace. Travelling to watch the Bears As the experience of the St Mirren coach is still deeply imbedded in my head it gave me thoughts of other encounters with transport. Over the years (too many to remember them all) I have travelled to hundreds of games throughout UK & Europe with some varying experiences. Let me bore you with some of them throughout UK. European trips to follow. Student Days in Edinburgh:
Modes of transport varied from train to aeroplane- bus to furniture van. Yes furniture van!! A friend of mine said he would sort out transport through to Ibrox from Edinburgh. We all met at Haymarket for breakfast (lager) to wait for our mode of transport to his word transport was arranged and arrived at the allotted hour only when we got out of the pub the transport was a furniture van. It did have cushions & a small light but no windows. We still piled into the van & off we went. Another occasion we travelled to Manchester for a “friendly” v Man U (friendly it certainly was not.) It took 4 hours to get there & 2 days to get back. Our transport left 6 of us behind we only started with 12 so that was the end of diplomatic relations with them. Footnote: Another tale of woe from meeting at Haymarket pub for breakfast on match days. Having had one or two half pint shandies too many the night before the need for a good healthy breakfast (i.e. more) this sometimes led to an overindulgence of breakfast. On one occasion the breakfast took over the body having se tout with the famous Rangers scarf in pocket I somehow managed to land at Tynecastle watching Hearts v M’Well instead. I still don’t know why or how it was obviously a better breakfast that day!!!! Living in Aberdeen:
Our main transport from Aberdeen to Glasgow was good old British Rail there seemed to be little problem getting to & from the only problem was the events during. We used to meet by the station again for breakfast (8am opening) this usually only topped up the previous nights!! More breakfast was taken (Tennents best). After the 2.5 hour journey we were then ready for a leisurely stroll down Paisley Rd taking in the sights as we travelled to Ibrox. On the return journey to Aberdeen the secret was not to fall asleep. There would be no guarantee what would happen minus an eyebrow half moustache or on one occasion one of our companions from Portsoy had no socks or shoes they had been thrown out of the train. At least we were happy who said following Rangers was boring. Stoke-on-Trent:
For the last 20 or so years the M6 north has been more or less a constant journey. There have been various modes of transport cars- minibuses-30 seater coaches to 49 seater coaches Until the St Mirren game we have been fairly fortunate with little or no incidents. It is always said you learn from experiences. On a recent trip to the Lyon game at Ibrox we ended up hiring a minibus. (Not something we are too keen on). This said minibus was all of 1 year old. Mr Dods & I were to be the allotted drivers. As we left Stoke-on-Trent the minibus seemed fairly powerful reaching a grand speed of 62 mph at not quite formula 1 pace but fairly reasonable. That was when the problem started it had reached top speed when a bloody limiter kicking in to ensure we not only kept within the law we might as well have gone in reverse. As most people know, especially Northern Constabulary, my driving doesn’t involve limiters. When you are sitting in Paisley Rd at 10.30pm knowing that the wheels under you are never going to overheat you begin to wander why Follow Follow!! We also got found out on the pitch 0-3. When we did eventually reach the M74 it was flat out for all the 250 miles south at the top speed of 62mph. 4 hours later we pulled off jct 16 M6 NEVER to travel in a bloody minibus to Ibrox. ::Footnote : 3 of our passengers were travelling onto Coventry. They were just about home when they run out of petrol. They were close to fuel station so a short push into the garage rectified the situation. But for Carol & her daughter worse was to follow she was locked out of her house & had to wake her husband at an unearthly hour! who said following Rangers was boring. Forthcoming Rants: Characters of the Club & the lengths people will go to follow the Bears. What ever happened to the Food Lorry from the Chelsea bus! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes I’m back on the keyboard. Welcome to Ally’s Rant No.6 No I haven’t been on holiday again- believe or not I’ve had to work!!!! Imagine working hours getting in the way of communication to fellow bears. As we well know since my last tickle with a keyboard many events have taken place. Mainly top of the League!!!!!!!!!! I must start with the most recent mainly because it is easier for my body functions to remember recent events- some would say its age others would say its alcohol or possibly a combination of the two! On our very recent trip v St Mirren there was a strange event on the return journey south. Just as we were over the border into Englandshire our coaches’ body function ceased to function properly. Most of us have experienced such a happening especially on a European trip! Yes the bloody automatic gearbox ceased to be automatic! Or even manual. The time was 8.30pm Sat night cold / wet just what we needed. No sooner had we stopped then when a visit from the highways agency greeted with us “you can’t stop here!” as though we usually make a habit of stopping in the middle of nowhere. With the coach nearly full we had no option but to sit fast until a decision could be made what do we do next. In the meantime one of members (Scott Fitzsimmons used his initiative I’m not sure where he got it from!) Scott had contacted a supporters coach from Derby hoping it was behind us & had some spaces. Fortunately it was both. The coach could take up to 15 of us. As we have many members who travel up to Stoke-on-Trent from further south to join our coach it was decided that they could transfer onto this coach. When the Derby coach stopped it was like rats deserting the ship the 15 grew to 20 where they all fitted I don’t know but they didn’t return on our coach. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Derby RSC for helping us out. Being captain of our ship I mean coach - I stayed to determine how & what our next course of action would be. George our driver contacted Leon’s. There main concern that it may cost Andy Douglas some money to tow us to the next services. When he found out it was a free recovery service in the road works area the decision was easy. (He is a Man U fan). As we were not far from Carlisle truck stop we were going to be taken there. My first thought of this was a boring service station with the resilient 20 then I remembered there is a bar at the truck stop. When we arrived at the truck stop my first port of call was to be this watering hole. Another disaster the bar doesn’t open on a Sat night! A quick question at the counter “where is the nearest bar” 10 minutes walk The Coach & Horses we were off. It seems rather appropriate that we go into a pub called Coach & Horses a Horse would have got us back quicker. Once settled in the boozer we suddenly forgot that we had actually broken down but now we didn’t care. Here we were sitting a quaint pub on the outskirts of Carlisle the locals must have thought “what have we got here” the average age of the 9 locals in the lounge was 105. At least Glyn was in his element. The barman greeted us like long lost brothers then the other barman came into the lounge he was a nice boy! The pub was run by gays! So here we are in Carlisle 165 miles from home with 9 locals who didn’t exactly liven the proceedings in a bar run by gays. At least we were happy they sold alcohol- who said following Rangers was boring. The Dods Crusade is marching ahead with great success. Function Date Sat June 14th 2008 Venue Florence Sports & Social Club Thornlie Boys Guest DJ Hot/Cold Buffett Ticket price £10 Forthcoming Rants: Up date up to St Mirren coach Characters of the Club & the lengths people will go to follow the Bears. What ever happened to the Food Lorry from the Chelsea bus!
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The Loving Cup Welcome to Ally’s Rant No.5 I’ve been on holiday (before anyone says it again!). It’s becoming a habit of missing “big games” if you can call a victory v the sheep a big game! I have to ask what is better sitting on a sunny patio in Spain with a beer listening to Radio Scotland or sitting in a cold stand watching The Bears v the sheep. It would be better sitting on a patio with a beer & watching the Teddies! But how can anyone better a 4 to 5hour coach journey a few beers chase tickets- be on the beck & call of fellow travellers then walk down Copland Road to watch your beloved team. As is often said “Once A Rangers Always A Rangers” All my previous tales of woe have been very light hearted moans & groans. But this moan & groan really does hit a nerve. The biggest majority of Rangers supporters will have heard of The Loving Cup. Background: The Loving Cup was presented to Rangers by Stoke City FC in 1937. There were 30 only of the 3 handled cups manufactured & presented to all English 1st Division clubs of the time the 2 promoted teams SFA Stoke City Council In the year 1937 Rangers played Stoke City FC in a fund raising match to raise monies for victims of The Holdhitch Colliery disaster. A sum of £8000 was raised and Rangers were presented with The Loving Cup. Every year since The Loving Cup has been taken out of The Ibrox Trophy room on the first home game of the New Year. The directors & guests of both clubs are in the Blue Room. The ceremony consists of one of the Rangers Directors (last time John Greig) giving a background to the Cup & minutes silence in memory of the Holdhitch Victims followed by “God Save The Queen”. I have been privileged to be present at this ceremony on a number of occasions therefore I was more than interested in the back ground. Moan / groan: As the Loving Cup was presented to Rangers by Stoke City FC & the victims are remembered by Rangers FC 70 years after,I felt that the local people of Stoke-on-Trent would be interested and touched that this was the case. The obvious port of call would be the local newspaper The Sentinnell. Despite several attempts over a number of years the personnel at the newspaper offices have never bothered or cared to acknowledge me. I have been giving promises of “yes they would be interested & call me back” but I am still waiting. This year a memorial plaque was un-veiled in their memory & I once again contacted the newspaper but again nothing! Footnotes: On one occasion when I was present in the Blue Room at this ceremony the visitors were Celtic ( Fergus McCann’s days) Donald Findlay was Master of Ceremonies. All the directors from both clubs were lined up at the end of The Blue Room as Donald was giving his spiel. There were Kellys everywhere. When Donald started off the rendering of “God Save The Queen” there was a distinct silence from the Kelly brigade!! Although Fergus did join in. As this is a very private ceremony Sky were told where to stick their cameras on this occasion as they wanted to film this unique occasion. But even their money could not win. It is fitting that we will be holding our function on the grounds of a now defunct coalmine. This club has a memorial plaque to all miners who lost their lives in the mining industry. We hope to tie up with the club a memory during our end of season function. The Dods Crusade is marching ahead with great success. Function Date Sat June 14th 2008 Venue Florence Sports & Social Club Thornlie Boys Guest DJ Hot/Cold Buffett Ticket price £10 Race Night Nov 23rd The Royal Exchange Stone. Forthcoming Rants: Characters of the Club & the lengths people will go to follow the Bears. What ever happened to the Food Lorry from the Chelsea bus! Yours in Rangers
Ally Redford
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Club Secretary / Chairman : Ally Redford Miss a Match who organises weddings during football season. Welcome to Ally’s Rant No.4 + a bit. How often do we score 7 goals in one match? If you’ve got to miss a match make sure it’s a guid ane! Most of us have been to weddings but surely not when The Bears score SEVEN. Before I go onto more important issues. Not only did I have to miss SEVEN yes SEVEN goals the wedding was held in a hotel close to Stoke-on-Trent with a 4 o’clock kick-off (sorry wedding ceremony). My dear wife & myself arrived at the hotel well before the allotted time when we heard the most astounding news ( no we weren’t about to score our SEVENTH goal) the bar was NOT open & they couldn’t open it until after the couple had been committed. This was never the case in the Blue Room this was going from one extreme to another. There was no more to do but grin & bear it!! During the time the deadly deed was being performed a constant check had to made with events elsewhere ie. The Brox : via technology - mobby’ ht 2-1 to the Teddies at least I was cheered slightly. As the match went on (some people call it a ceremony) a constant score check had to made 3-1 (my wife was kept up to date) she didn’t really care. I thought events at The Brox were well under control even the wedding ceremony was coming to an end at least a celebratory drink would soon be coming. We then filed outside for the photographic shoot - another score check 3-2 (the bar better open soon). With a constant check of events behind the bar still no action obviously all the action was at The Brox game over 7 yes bloody SEVEN -2 : At least I knew the score : The photograph’s had been taken the room was being set up for our meal we had to stand about I had to constantly answer the question What tartan is your kilt ”Rangers“ tartan Oh do they have a tartan. The last straw was when the question was asked Are they playing today? Yes they bloody were & they scored SEVEN. At a time of 5.13pm precisely the bar opened - nearly 2 hours after arriving. (this would never happen in Scotland bar not open- organising wedding during football season) A very large G & T was then partaken! During the evening festivities a ‘phone call from Chas ”you have missed one of the best games for years & just witnessed the league champions“. Thanks just what I wanted to hear. The Bit Part Every football supporters club needs a home. The Stoke-on-Trent RSC has been running for over 25 years with several base movements. The club has held meetings in various pubs throughout Stoke - The Potter Gray’s Corner (run By An Everton Mick ) The Castle Mona. With a constant need to watch games at rather obscure times on TV, a pub which appreciates the needs of Rangers Fans had to be found. After several aborted sorties to watch Rangers games in pubs The Royal Exchange in Stone was mentioned by Dave Calvert. The owner, Andy, was approached & so we have probably the most accommodating venue for both meetings & watching ALL televised Rangers games. When the Killie game was on several Liverpool fans were disgruntled when they couldn’t watch their team play Paddy eleven(Sunderland). They also have a very useful pole in the area where the large screen television is housed. This pole could have several uses - it was very helpful during the Red Star game it meant I could hide behind something at the rather anxious moments (90 minutes). It could also be used to hold the building up but I certainly had a better use for it. A message to all Bears who are in the area - join us to watch Rangers games in the company of fellow Bears & of course contribute to Dodsies Cash Crusade during the obligatory raffle. We may have to resurrect the food lorry to supplement The Royal Exchange half time nibbles!!!!! Forthcoming Rants: The Loving Cup lack of acknowledgment by Stoke-on-Trent local paper Club Characters & the lengths people go to watch The Bears -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From Club Deck to Directors Box. Welcome to Ally’s Rant No.3: As I am only allowed to issue 1 page articles at a time I have to ensure I make the best of it. As mentioned on the last rant following on from the Chelsea game. The secretary’s job has some ups & some downs. The Dods crusade to raise as much money as possible crusade carries on.
As a club we met to watch the Inverness game in The Royal Exchange Stone: The turn out was excellent which is obviously good news for the pub & makes a nice environment to watch games with fellow bears. Our singing was also better & just as controlled!! It was nice to get off to a winning start & bury the Inverness hoodoo of last year. Having endured the mountainous climb to the back row of the Club Deck it was a very pleasant change to watch the St Mirren game from the comfort of the Directors Box. For those privileged to having watched the Bears from such comforts it is certainly an experience from the minute you walk through the famous Ibrox front doors & ascend the marble staircase (it certainly beats the climb up the Club Deck stairs) to watching the game itself. The privilege of such an event was forwarded to myself by PM. As always there are always down sides to everything. I normally sit in the Main Stand with my buddy Chas but on this occasion the both of us had to endure the hospitality afforded by RFC. We entered the Blue Room at the top of the marble staircase only to be faced by the biggest challenge anyone can ever face. A table filled with alcohol. I now felt like a kid in a sweet shop!!!!! Anyone who knows Chas will know that on rare occasions he has entered into the spirit of events wholeheartedly on this occasion I had to do the gentlemanly deed and partake merely to keep him company. Being the gentlemen we were a small sample of the goods on display were checked for consistency & flavour once established that the goods were of the right standard a further check had to be made & then another! The worst thing about the occasion there was also food available. As said in previous rants food is normally an optional extra on match days of course this didn’t match up to food lorry taken on the Chelsea bus by Craig’s girlfriend. So now there were major decisions to be made food or alcohol!!! Much to Chas’s dismay I went for both even he was surprised I was eating on a match day. A normal visit to the trophy room was endured just to make sure we still had trophies. Just before 3pm all the hospitality had to come to an end we had to watch the bloody football I knew there was a reason why we went to Ibrox but the previous 90 minutes made us forget the next 90 minutes. If I remember correctly we won the game 2-0 or was it something else!! After enduring the 90minutes of high drama we were re-treated to the confines of the Blue Room again this time no major decision to be made -NO food available. Some people may think that this hospitality is enjoyable (well I can tell it IS). A quick visit to the nearby toilet how many can say they have stood next to John Greig when having a p_ _ _. The day could only go down now 4 ½ hour coach journey back to Stoke-on-Trent. Start looking at transport for next games etc. etc. etc. My many thanks to PM for affording me the privilege of the day. The Dods money crusade is well on schedule for our club to host one of the best end of season functions see website for updates. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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