Eat Yer Frikkin Heart Out, Roy Of The Rovers

Well, It's not often that I get to say this, but we actually won a trophy.....Picking my jaw up off the floor has taken me quite a while, but I am over the moon. It's taken quite a while to get over all of the disappointments of following Scotland over the last decade, and not making it to the World Cup or European Championship for nearly a decade has been a really bitter pill to swallow, particularly when our charming neighbours seem to get there every time. ( I expect that their extra 45 million of a population helps quite a bit in that regard)

So the Kirin Cup (A yearly tri-nation international competiton hosted by Japan) was for us a chance to have a look at some new players for the forthcoming European Championship Qualifiers starting in September. I expected us to get beaten, it has to be said, both by Bulgaria and Japan, as they're considerably higher in the world rankings than us. But what a pleasant shock. Something special happened in Kobe on Thursday morning. Not only did we beat Bulgaria. We absolutely hammered them. A debut double from both Rangers Starlets Kris Boyd (above) and Chris Burke and another from James McFadden made the final score 5-1 . And what a performance. We truly were playing like a Blue Brazil....

Basically, we had to avoid heavy defeat with Japan today to lift the cup, and in the rain and humidity in Tokyo, we did just that. A goalless draw was enough to see us claim our first silverware since a Rous Cup win in 1985. I know it was a win in a meaningless diddy cup, but it means a lot to us fans who have suffered so much over the years in our luckless quest for international footballing success, and takes the edge off the fact that we wont be at the big World Cup party. Hopefully it won't be too long before the Tartan army is back! A day to savour.

And just a wee note to big up Gretna F.C. Yes, the town more readily associated with the art of eloping than footy battled all the way to the last in the Scottish Cup Final before narrowly missing out on lifting the oldest trophy in world football. Not bad for a second division side!

Well, that's me off till I go me holidays in Florida! See you soon - if there's anyone out there?!?!

Goodness Gracious, Great Balls Of Fire!

Well, only last week it got so cold one evening that I had to put my heating back on having switched it off for the spring. So imagine our surprise here when we woke up yesterday and it was boiling. That sultry heat that everybody hates. Muggy.

Something had to give, and by god did it give. Bear in mind that Scotland is the least humid country on the face of this earth (I may be exaggerating slightly. I've told myself a billion times not to do that). Electrical storms are things that you get in the tropics! Not in the Gorbals! I heard the first flash and rumble while finishing off at work, and waited till the torrential rain had subsided before making a dash to my car. As soon as I was outside though, I became aware of an unusual scent. I know this probably sounds really weird, but it was like an abroad smell...? Fresh but foreign. Whilst speaking with my sis afterwards, she had mentioned a smell, and said it was like the smell when it had rained in Malta when we were on holiday with our folks when we were young. That was it. I was glad that I wasn't the only bampot that was aware of it. One of my work colleagues reckoned that it was ozone, as lightning apparently creates it? I dunno. Never having consciously smelled it I wouldn't know...

Anyway, it was one of the most violent and spectacular lightning displays I've ever seen, and this morning it became apparent that it had caused more problems for the Strathclyde fire brigade than your average Guy Fawkes night!!

This was taken by a guy from Sandyhills in the East End, which is about 5 minutes from my house

And this is at the botanic gardens, near my work

So all in all, an interesting evening. Apparently it was warm air from Spain colliding with the cold air that invariably hangs aboot here that caused it all. Oh well. It sure as hell entertained me for what was left of my evening!

A Little Zalvation

Talking of Birthdays, I thought as it's his birthday today, this would be a good time to namecheck the ludicrously under-rated Zal Cleminson, who aside from being both cool, and slightly scary, is probably my favourite guitarist of all time! I was thinking I had waited long enough to start foisting my strange musical taste upon anyone who happens upon this blog, and what a good way to start. As the lead guitarist of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band he shredded his way through every imaginable musical style, from straight up metal to swing, from 1930's jazz to polka, from glam rock to folk, they did it all until the sad death of Alex himself. Glaswegian legend that he was....I recommend them to anyone who has ears...even if they are a tad risque.
I also think it's extremely cool that I saw Zal the other night wandering up Byers Road, sadly not in his mime getup, but you can't have everything. Truly sensational.

In The 21st Century.......

....Even I will have the internet at home. It is done.
Broadband is mine.