My kinda town

What is it with the clamour for a flu vaccine here? Personally I would rather have my leg chopped off than have to queue for ages to have someone stick a needle in me. It seems as if everyone gets one here. "Come on, we're going to lunch and going to get a flu jab while we're at it." Er, no thanks.

Signs sit in shop windows: 'Get your shoes rehealed and a flu-jab while you wait.' Honestly! That does remind me that my Green Card process means that I have to have all of my vaccinations up to date. That will not be a pleasant day in the Chicago Addick household, that is for sure.

A Green Card has been proposed to me by my company, in fact it was proposed a while ago, it's just that it's taken me ages to trawl through the hundreds of pages of questions. But a Green Card is a good idea, whether long-term I stay here or not because it gives me more freedom particularly regarding employment and coming in and out of the country at any stage in the future. It also doesn't insist on me giving up my British passport, not that I would have anyway. Neither does it mean I have to take the Oath of Citizenship, you know the bit about "absolutely and entirely renouncing all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign sovereignty" or "that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States, so help me God" etc, etc.

Anyway these were the kind of questions that I was asked in the green card:

1) Have you ever within the past 10 years engaged in prostitution or procured anyone for prostitution, or intend to engage in such activities in the future?
2) Have you ever engaged in, conspired to engage in, or do you intend to engage in, or have you ever solicited membership or funds for, or have you through any means every assisted or provided any type of materials support to, any person or organization that has ever engaged or conspired to engage, in sabotage, kidnapping, political assassination, hijacking, or any other form of terrorist activity?
3) Have you ever engaged in any unlawful commercialized vice, including, but not limited to, illegal gambling?
4) Did you, during the period March 23, 1933 to May 8, 1945, in association with either the Nazi Government of Germany or any organization or government associated or allied with the Nazi Government of Germany, ever order, incite, assist or otherwise participate in the persecution of any person because of race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, or political opinion?
5) Do you plan to practice polygamy in the U.S.?

I'm struggling with 3). Question 5) is a definite no, as I'm still paying for the first one. 4) I think I pass purely because of my age. I'd have to check my work contract for question 2) and 1) I'm not ruling out in the future but if I have in the past, it wasn't very lucrative!

The England job odds

It has been called the proudest job and the worst job in football. Everyone thinks they could do, few could although even Tim Feldbruegge would be better than 2nd choice Steve. Change is needed though. Here are the bookies choice with my comments next to them:

9-2 Martin O’Neill Does he really want it? The FA overlooked him before remember.
9-2 Jose Mourinho Has made it clear that he wants to be a club manager. Not a typical FA yes man.
7-1 Fabio Capello My tip. Out of work, experience with a daunting media in Italy and Spain.
12-1 Luis Felipe Scolari Despite ongoing problems with Portugese FA, don't think he would fancy The Sun camping in his garden.
14-1 Sam Allardyce He was very outspoken about the FA's selection process last time. Think he thinks he can be at Newcastle for a while and succeed. Hahaha....
14-1 Guus Hiddink Why would he give up the luxury of being King of Russia?
14-1 Alan Shearer Don't make me friggin' laugh.
20-1 Marcello Lippi Not working since resigning as Italian boss after world cup victory. Can't see him being interested, only ever worked in Italy.
22-1 Stuart Pearce Interesting one. I think he would have a lot more stock with fans and media.
25-1 Harry Redknapp Undoubtably has been a great club manager but England? Really?
25-1 Arsene Wenger My first choice along with 50 odd million others, except perhaps Spurs fans. Only problem is, is that he would be forced to pick Englishmen. Oh.
28-1 Alan Curbishley I wonder if he would have done better than McClaren? Think he too would struggle with media attention.
33-1 Steve Coppell Fair choice. Good age for it, maybe coming to the end of his Reading job.
1,000-1 Prince William Why not? Probably understands the game better than Brian Barwick!

Rant over

What a loap of crap. I have heard Gerrard on television say that it was unfortunate and the 2nd half was a big improvement, he is the kind of prick that we don't need anymore. As for McClaren who spent the whole game sheltered under an umbrella, while his opposite number passionately patrolled the touchline, well he's now gone and so he should but was it his fault that he got appointed in the first place? His tenure was tainted as soon as the FA fucked up the whole interview process last summer.

Nonetheless my real grievance wass with the players. How many of those that wore the English shirt gave a shit? The bench, Beckham aside looked non-plussed. James was cracking jokes, Terry was bored, how much does John Terry really care about playing for England? And Gerrard, the captain, cares more about the next Champions League match than having the annoyance of playing football next summer.

The players are are so removed from the football fans in the country, what each of us will go through next June will not bother the majority of these overpaid prima-donna's one bit. The pandering to the few 'decent' players in our country and the complete dominance of 4 sides, who primarily look abroad for young players is killing the competitiveness and the attachment to the national team.

The only upside of our desperate failure is the hope of change but as I said yesterday I have no confidence in the people that laughingly run our game to implement it. When Prince William goes to an England rugby international, he is sat up in the stands, at an England football game, he is sat next to Brian Barwick. What the hell has happened to our game?

Croatia beat us twice, and deservedly so. We are not good enough plain and simple. A precocious coach would have changed it after 15 minutes. The defence was appalling. Crouch, who was only player to start to come out of the game with any credit cannot get in the Liverpool first team. Substitutes Defoe and Bent are 3rd and 4th choice strikers at a club near the bottom of the Premiership.

We need to start again, I actually feel for players like Beckham and Owen because they appear to actually care and were both inculpable. Personally I would like to see Beckham get his 100th cap but otherwise lets get the big broom out and start again. The golden generation? Don't make me laugh.

Mark it up

Breaking News 88888 Manager of week 14
Mark Simmons swept the week 14 best score and his 68 points was enough to take him to the top of the best weekly score of the season table. Davor Duvancic stunned the fantasy world by scoring 66, the 2nd best of the season, and once again climbed the table.

Behind these two were Ben Graves (60), Paul Hargis (58) and then 3 manager's each notching 57 - Paul Kelleher, Aaron Barden and Mark Dewberry. John McGowan and Dominic Barrett scored 56 and Div 2 struggler Steve Black 55.

Best weekly scores:
1. Mark Simmons, week 14, 68 points
2. Davor Duvancic, week 14, 66 points
3. Paul Kelleher, week 9, 65 points
4= Greg Foulger, week 9, 63 points
4= Barry Plummer, week 9, 63 points
6= Paul Kelleher, week 7, 61 points
6= Barwick & Higgs, week 9, 61 points
8= Ian Kennett, week 9, 60 points
8= Ben Graves, week 14, 60 points
10. Paul Hargis, week 14, 58 points

The lowest week 14 score was Brian Rutter's 17.

Stronger than dirty feet

Breaking news 8888 Division 1 - week 14 news
Flighty Feet turned their ankle in week 14 dropping back two places to 3rd, their lowest place since early October. This meant that Ajax Treesdown are out on their own by 6 points.

This is a very tight league, Tally.Wacker.co.uk are in 2nd and Sleepless Knights move up to 4th. Coming from behing again are upto 6th from 8th whilst Egg & (Stevie) Bacon fall out of the top 7 for the first time this season, despite an excellent week proving how close the top of the table is.

Lower down Tora Tora Torres are aiming higher after a season best weekly score and with sights even higher are Glenn Francis' Lamb to the slaughter and Davor's Dinamo Ilegalna Imigrant, who both hit superb scores to improve their chances of escaping relegation and who knows, maybe making their way towards the top of the table.

Gregory's pecker up

Breaking news 8888 Division 2 - week 14 news
Boys on Tour currently are the best team in the N&R FL, fact. No one has more points than the Miami based Greg and he only began in Div 2 because he was a newby. He is showing us all that he is a force to be reckoned with and will no doubt be up there when it comes to the big prize money at season end. Adding another 49 points to his total means he is now 39 points ahead of Student Uprising, who themselves moved into their highest place of the season. Chris too, is in his first N&R season. Arsene Knows on the flip side are oldstagers, Danny being around since the first ever N&R FL in 1996/97 when alongside Peter Godfrey he won it.

Earlier leader Megan & Hannah's Bears are back in 4th, with Get him Big Dave up to 5th. Another previous champion 2Infinity & Beyond are 6th with Barretts the Bollocks, one of only 3 managers out of the whole 55 to have spent every week in the top prized places. Cutie Helen's Hotties remain in the promotion pack in 8th.

Lower down Hargs Hammers, Premiership - here we come and PLG is a fud all climb the right direction, whereas Goonersmoan and NotmadeinSheffield fall away.

Movers and Shakers

Some news from the managerial rollercoaster that is the Nobby & Ready Fantasy League. Howard Grace, manager of Carnarvon Kickers and keen cyclist has biked his way around to Lockton from Aon's facultative reinsurance team. Which is good news particularly for Alex Boswell because the casualty high-flier now has a fantasy team mate and Lockton will join the N&R Team Challenge with immediate effect.

When I was back last I met James Down for a cup of splosh and tried to help him on his forthcoming move to the United States with Aspen. Sounds like a great opportunity for James, who will leave at Christmas to work in Atlanta, as well as spending time in Boston.

Another manager who has already made the transition to the good old US of A is Greg Foulger. The high-flying Boys on Tour will now be managed Jurgen Klinsmann like from Miami, Florida. Greg, who has recently been doing more travelling than even me still works for RSA and I am sure he's enjoying the crazy nightlife in Miami. When I was last there I manged to lose my hotel key, my blackberry and my company credit card all in one night - it is that sort of place!

Good luck to all three of them.

My kinda town

At home for Thanksgiving. Last year we had family in town and before that I went home, but this year I'm looking forward to taking it easy for the full four days after a recent exhausting travel schedule. So eating, drinking, sleeping and watching television while the first winter snow falls outside my window.

The first ever Thanksgiving was said to have been celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrims after their first harvest. The Pilgrims had settled in Plymouth Colony, which is now in Massachusetts on the beautiful slither of land between Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound. As wild turkeys were in plentiful supply, that is what they ate.

The day sporadically became a regular observance throughout Colonial America, but after the American Revolution, it was George Washington who declared the first official national Thanksgiving Day on November 26, 1789.

However even up and until 1940, various states observed different dates and some, particularly in the south didn't recognise it at all. It is now always on the last Thursday of November.

As for 'Turkey Day,' since 1947 the National Turkey Federation has presented the President of the United States with one live turkey and two dressed turkeys. The live turkey was pardoned and lived out the rest of its days on a peaceful farm. In more recent times two turkeys have been pardoned and in 2003 the public were invited to vote for the two turkeys' names. Last year, so I read, they were named Marshmallow and Yam, and they went on to live at Disneyland.

Schizophrenic tendencies

I was at wedding the weekend and when the European qualifier scores filtered through on Saturday and I did feel sorry for the Scots who suffered the inevitable anguish. I remember my brother and I having a beer at the end of September with a good Italian friend of mine concerned about his countries chances of qualifying and us reassuring him that Scotland were bound to cock it up.

They did but it's a real shame because I for one would have loved to have seen the tartan army at the finals evoking halycon memories of Archie Gemmill and Alan Rough. Lets hope Northern Ireland can squeeze through the back door instead.

As for England, people that know me well will know I have schizophrenic tendencies towards the national team. McClaren is a nob no doubt but against all odds Israel overcame the Russians and amazingly we now only need a point on Wednesday against the already qualified Croatia. For all but two months every four years my support of the national team is passive at best but then of course during the two big tournaments I wrap myself like others in the St. George.

Next June's festival of football would of course be wretched without us in it, although no doubt I would get over it. The answer to that renowned football fan question. Club or Country? Doesn't take much thinking about from this quarter.

So Wednesday I will of course drag a motley crew of ex-pats and American 'soccer' fans, including Davor, a Croat down to the boozer to hopefully watch us grab a place in Austria and Switzerland next year. Enger-land....

Get Inter them

Breaking News 88888 Manager of week 13
More surprises than a night out with Suzie in week 13 when Rob Munden's fine skills floated to the top securing the five quid MoW prize scoring 5 points more than Paul Long aka known as Mutley to all of his old Lloyds friends. Another low scoring week, and a with a point less than Paul was was Davor Duvancic hitting his biggest homer of the season to finally climb of the bottom of Div 1.

Other managers making a positive impact in Div 1 during week 13 were Mark Dewberry, Richard Nathan, Barry Paull, Kirsty Baillie and Mark Wenman.

In Div 2 Dave Wisdom and Steve Black, again, both scored well as did Welsh wizard Huw Thomas.

Other mentions in dispatches should be made to Paul Hargis, Greg Foulger, Michael Stout, Rob Munden, John McGowan and Alex Byatt.

No such luck for Tim Feldbruegge who low scored with 12.

Feet tied to Tree

Breaking news 8888 Division 1 - week 13 news
The battle at the top hotted up in week 13 when Ajax Treesdown joined Flighty Feet on 407 points with Tally.Wacker.co.uk nestled in behind. The next four teams continue their chase with Runningoutofroubles and Inter the pub running the fastest in week 13.

Oldham tightly (which I understand Ryan has been lately!) slipped a little and Tora Tora Torres lower down the table showed some good form in week 13 after Richard managed their best score for 11 weeks.

The relegation sides remain unaltered but there was big news at the very bottom where my rather tall Croat’s Dinamo Ilegalna Imigrant moved off the bottom spot for the first time since September. A good week all round for Croatia and bottom spot is now occupied by Herr Oakers.

No change

Breaking news 8888 Division 2 - week 13 news
It was the old one-two in the second tier of N&R FL in week 13. Boys on tour and Arsene Knows stay out front although Student uprising and Megan & Hannah’s bears climb over each other as they battle to reach them. The rest of the promotion challengers remain in the top 8 and all the way down to mid-table there was little change.

NotmadeinSheffield further down the table dropped a few notches (thanks for the pint the other day Ian) and Hargs Hammers gain some ground. Nancy Lollygaggers was a faller and What the hell gained more ground after another cracking week.

Bottom side Nipple Antennae are now 33 points adrift.

Road to Wembley - Shame on Shaymen

Halifax Town's hopes of a run as N&R's Wembley dream team was left in tatters after they were stuffed at home by Burton Albion.

Incidents midway through the first half and early in the second against high-flying Burton Albion ended the Shayman's time in the FA Cup. Halifax were reduced to 10 men after 25 minutes when Anthony Griffith became the fifth player in eight games to be sent off after he clipped Shaun Harrad's heels as he raced towards the edge of the Halifax area.

Burton's DARYL CLARE smacked home the free kick to deliver a double whammy and when Cortez Belle delayed a clearance and gifted JOHN McGRATH a second three minutes after the break the game was over a contest. Albion went on to bag a couple more before the end, picking Town off on the break as the home side tried in vain to get back into the game.

There was nothing to suggest it would end up such a one sided game in an entertaining opening 20 minutes which saw chances at both ends.

Burton's third goal in the 63rd minute came from a Poole clearance that was flicked on by Harrad. CLARE latched onto the ball and fired home from the right side of the area. Then Clare reacted quickly to flash a shot across the face of goal and wide and hammered a free kick into the Halifax defensive wall as he went in search of a hat-trick.

But the fourth goal went to McGRATH who tapped home from close range after Legzdins had saved superbly from Clare, who shot from eight yards.

Halifax had chances for a consolation late on, but Shaw had a header from Daryl Taylor's cross deflect wide and Bushell sent a shot from another Taylor delivery from the right over the bar.

Halifax Town: Legzdins, Scott, Young, Belle (Taylor 50), Doughty (Wright 50), Heslop, Kearney, Griffith, Torpey, Stamp (Bushell 29), Shaw.
Subs (not used): Mawson, Quinn.
Sent Off: Griffith (25)
Att: 1,936

Nigel Clough's Burton Albion become our newest team and were drawn at home to Barnet in the 2nd Round. The winner has the chance to pit their wits against one of the English big shots in the 3rd Round. More on the Brewers soon.

Catch up

I am somewhat behind with the N&R FL due to holiday and then a work trip to London followed by New York and a fun-filled sojourn in Akron, Ohio.

I will quickly knock these scores out beginning with the below week 12. Have no fear any transfers are backdated.

Hope you are all well and getting ready for the season.

Take care, Nobby & Ready

Black Beauty

Breaking News 88888 Manager of week 12
What the hell indeed. Steve Black, whose first ever N&R season has been at best non-descript suddenly went from a fantasy nobody to a real somebody in week 12 when he battered in 53 points to be the clear MoW winner. A crisp royally minted 5 pound note will be exchanged for however many 100’s of dollars that turns out to be come May!

Behind Steve was Nigel Tatlock with 48 points, helping Nige to continue to climb the table. Relegation fodder a couple of weeks back he is now on the verge of the title race after an excellent few weeks. Helen Peters is also new to this fantasy malarkey but is doing a sterling job. Helen hit the 3rd best weekly score to propel herself into Div 2 promotion contention.

Megan McLeod is another manager on the path to greatness, moving herself away from the bottom towards the top, a fine week for her and also leader Greg Foulger.

Another sort off forgotten star is John Littig but the boy in Philly did well in week 12 as did Huw Thomas and Barry Plummer.

Not so good was Neil Cryer who scored week 12 lowest total with 6.

Top 3 march on

Breaking news 8888 Division 1 - week 12 news
Only 5 points separate the top three teams at the summit of the N&R Div 1 table after week 12. These three Flighty Feet, Ajax Treesdown and Tally.Wacker.co.uk have opened a little gap at the top of the table. There are 31 points between 3rd and Sleepless Knights in 4th but then the league concertinas once more with Coming from behing again, Egg & (Stevie) Bacon and Runningoutofroubles FC just split by 3 points. Another 5 teams are all within spitting distance.

The major change at the foot of the table is that Obeonekanobenil join the relegation stragglers whilst Little Red Devils move out of the bottom 8 for the first time since August.

What the fookin’ hell

Breaking news 8888 Division 2 - week 12 news
Boys on Tour stay at the top of Div 2 after week 12’s scores increasing his lead over Arsene Knows to 22 points. Megan & Hannah’s bears and Student Uprising continue in 3rd and 4th but 2Infinity & beyond and surprise package Helen’s Hotties climb into joint 5th.

Get him big Dave is back in the race, whilst there is a fall from grace for Howard’s Carnarvon Kickers.

Below the promotion races both No hopers and Californication improve their placings, whilst Goonersmoan and Premiership - here we come slip.

At the bottom What the hell climb away from the last three places after his amazing week 12, Steve’s best score of the season by a country mile. This drops Red Bull Ginger into the bottom three for the first time this season.