Sunday, January 15, 2012

Mid Wales League 1: Bow Street 1 v 3 Newbridge-on-Wye

Played yesterday, a bit cold but at least dry.

Was Assistant Referee along with Will Owen, and John Davies as referee.

I had a very quiet 1st half with the Newbridge defensive line and can't really remember the home side having more than 2 shots on goal. Newbridge were winning 0-2 at half-time. Bow Street were poor.

The 2nd half was much better with more movement from Bow Street and the game opened up more. They deserved to get a goal back and looked good at drawing things level. Then John D awarded a penalty to Newbridge about 10 mins from the end, from which they scored. On reflection I'm not sure if it was correct but John was a lot closer to it than me. Earlier Bow Street wanted a penalty but agreed with John after it looked like the player ran into the defender after playing the ball past him.

Both keepers required treatment which resulted in about 8 minutes overtime being played. I thanked John for this afterwards as my hands were so cold.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Bow Street

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Montgomery League: Waterloo Rovers Res 4 v 0 Bettws

A record is kept of every football game I referee, so this year decided that I would publish where I've been. Not sure yet if I should include everything, like 'dodgy' decisions but at least basic information should be available. After my initial game in the Aberystwyth League at Borth was postponed for an unplayable pitch, was asked if I could travel to Welshpool. Haven't been there for a wee while so left trying to remember exactly how to find the ground. After one wrong turn found it, located alongside Welshpool FC and Welshpool Cricket Club. Later discovered the pitch we were on was where the club originally started before moving to below the rugby pitch. Normally the club uses the Welshpool FC changing rooms but as the Waterloo 1st team were playing on the other pitch, they had first call so we had to change at the nearby school. Unfortunately when I arrived everyone had already gone to the pitch and it was locked. So I hid in a corner and changed. Hope there were no cameras! The game itself was very much uneventful. Rovers were winning 2-0 before I awarded a penalty to Bettws. One or two players didn't think it was but I did laugh when during the set-up the Rovers keeper said he appealed for a penalty by mistake. (note: must not have back to players when talking with keeper). The 2nd half was a closer affair but as Bettws were pushing to bring things level, Rovers broke twice late on to finally wrap things up. I could give you things like scores etc but I don't need to record these during the match. There were no yellow or red cards issued to nothing there. In fact only had to speak with one player who was getting more vocal, but thankfully his captain kept tabs on him. So that's it. First game since early December as I had one free weekend and the rest were postponed. Felt sluggish to get going and my fitness is poor anyway so any break makes things hard. I would post where I am next week but if often changes as the week goes on so a bit pointless. Also last season I was using the Facebook calendar so everyone knew where I was but stopped that in case it caused problems within my FB friends, a few of whom I referee. But we'll see what happens in the future. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Welshpool

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Wedding Anniversary

is coming soon. need idea’s

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Machynlleth Tesco

To save responding to Mr Glyn Davies blog post in detail and filling his comments field too much, I have posted my response in full here.

The blog I am responding too can be found here http://glyndaviesam.blogspot.com/2009/08/magic-of-machynlleth.html


Mr Davies, I wish for Tesco or any supermarket to arrive in Machynlleth as I believe that the area is in dire need of it.

1) Job's

As an incomer I moved here for family reason's and was fortunate enough to get a job in Newtown before arriving. At the time there were jobs available in Machynlleth, but preferred what was offered. Over time, I don't really think the job situation has improved and can be argued it has got worse. I believe the net effect of Tesco arriving will bring more jobs to the area, even if some are part time. However should the application fail, I have already said to my son that he will be better off moving elsewhere to increase his chances of getting a job. (If truth be told, I told him he will be better of moving to another country as the UK is dying.)

Now he may not want to work in Tesco, but what I am trying to get across is these jobs are very much needed. If the application fails, then the Welsh Assembly, EEC and UK Government need to be pressured to get some sort of major employer into the area. I know it has or was granted EEC funding, but at what cost per head for job created? But that is another debate.

2) Competition

As I have said I travel a lot throughout the UK. Guess what I do on the way back? Visit a town's supermarket to get the groceries and save money in the process. I do compare and the majority of cases do save, and better in my pocket than elsewhere. I have been told that the Machynlleth Co-op is the "most profitable in the area", and "covers losses made elsewhere". Personally I would prefer that money in my pocket than cover for any loses elsewhere. Increasing the competition in the town will drive down prices. To what effect to current shops? Very little, Co-op will suffer and less so the Spar. They are big enough organisations to fight back.

3) People

I don't fully subscribe to the idea that local businesses will suffer. The clock papershop will have a problem and maybe the bakers. The others are good or diverse enough to take stock, adapt and prosper. Tesco will over time increase the volume of people moving in Machynnleth (will deal with traffic issue later) and the challenge is for current shops to attract these people through the doors.

4) Traffic

Turn a negative into a positive. The increase in traffic volume will cause a problem but use this opportunity to get something in place. I don't like the clock junction and I do think traffic lights are the answer. Likewise the Dyfi bridge.

(Here is a question. Is the clock junction, like the Dyfi bridge a Welsh Assembly issue as it is on a major truck road?)

Use lights to control the bridge access. Of course, there is the ongoing problem with flooding, and being honest I cannot answer that at the moment aside from building a brand new route into the town.

Glyn, please use whatever influence you have to spread the message that the majority of those who reside in the area that Machynlleth Town Council administer do want this application approved. The 'no' camp are running a very good campaign and as often happens, the silent 'Yes' are slow to get things going.

I do think think that this application does have a problem of being rejected due to the mix of locals. Not something to be sneered at but rather rejoiced, cause I really have become fond of the area. I have often felt that there is a divide in the town and as an 'incomer' it does feel at times rather strange. It would appear that this divide is largely shown between the 'Yes' and 'No' camps. In the end I hope that it doesn't get any worse, people accept and respect the views of all incomers/hippies/bowlers/locals or whatever tag people are given.

At the end of the day, these same people have the same amount of voting power as their neighbour.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

New job

As you may be aware, Raymond A Lamb were bought by Thermo Fisher Scientific during November 08. After worrying about whether I would be kept or not and knowing that Thermo only had one position open, I decided to put a few feelers out.

During November and early December, a number of companies spoke to me with nothing coming from it. In mid December Thermo interviewed me and followed it up with a kind offer to take on an area. I thanked them for the offer and was told that I would get the formal offer once certain details were sorted out.

About then a couple more companies enquired about me. One interviewed me the afternoon after Thermo had said the formal offer would be in the post by end of work the next day. (Roughly two weeks after the informal notification). This interview led to an job offer early the next week and it is this I have accepted.

So now I am winding down my Raymond A Lamb work load and getting it ready to hand it over. I hope that Thermo don’t have a dagger ready for me but I was offered a new challenge which is always welcomed. Knowing what area Thermo were going to offer I would probably get more money in the long term than what the new company offered, but a number of folk I spoke to said that I would be silly to turn this down.

So what have I accepted?

 

Dako – North West  

Sunday, January 11, 2009

MS Office Groove & Palm TX sync

Looking for a software solution where I can sync Microsoft Office 07 Groove application to my Palm TX.

 

Suggestions?

 

Ali