Random Stuff!

[TheLocalYokel]

Well done to Solihull Moors for finishing 2nd in the National League. What a great season. Home advantage in the play offs. Fingers crossed for them. But whatever happens it has been astonishing and they have made their mark as a top non-league side.

Good luck to Walsall this afternoon and hopefully they can pull a miracle escape out of the back.

I hope that Solihull manage it. They must be a bit like Forest Green Rovers, looking to go up to League 1, who play at the tiny Cotswold town of Nailsworth (population circa 6,000) near Stroud south of Gloucester.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Well done to Solihull Moors for finishing 2nd in the National League. What a great season. Home advantage in the play offs. Fingers crossed for them. But whatever happens it has been astonishing and they have made their mark as a top non-league side.

Good luck to Walsall this afternoon and hopefully they can pull a miracle escape out of the back.

I don't know what's happened to Walsall. The first half of the season they were comfortable in the top half of the league. Being a Saddlers fan, I'm pleased with their 3-0 win today, but feel it's just stringing out the agony.

Good luck to Solihul Moors for the play offs.

Kevin

 

[Ianbutty]

Now this has depressed me. The i newspaper: Best New Routes for Summer 2019. Not one route is featured from BHX.

Delta to Boston from EDI is. Even kefalonia from Bournemouth! Nothing from BHX. I wonder why?

 

[Ianbutty]

I don't know what's happened to Walsall. The first half of the season they were comfortable in the top half of the league. Being a Saddlers fan, I'm pleased with their 3-0 win today, but feel it's just stringing out the agony.

Good luck to Solihul Moors for the play offs.

Kevin

Great for Walsall.

Despite being a Bluenose, I support all Greater Brum teams and want to see them do wrll...yes that does include Coventry and even the Villa (I know I shouldn't). But ahead of being a Bluenose, I am a proud Brummie albeit one raised a mile away from the Moors ground.

Down here in Essex I miss the old hunting ground. Thanks for keeping me in touch.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Now this has depressed me. The i newspaper: Best New Routes for Summer 2019. Not one route is featured from BHX.

Delta to Boston from EDI is. Even kefalonia from Bournemouth! Nothing from BHX. I wonder why?

You want to be able to fly direct to Athens, Lisbon, Seville, Brindisi, Valencia....... from your local airport? Sorry we don't do that at Birmingham but please feel free to take your custom to EMA, LTN, MAN or BRS like thousands of others do.

What we can offer you is even more flights to Malaga and Alicante as that is exactly what an ambitious region like ours needs to prosper. I can tell that you are tempted.

 

[David_itl]

Therein lies the quandary for BHX.. does it want volume or variety? It gets a better take-up of business passengers than MAN but the prospect of foreign airlines diluting multiple daily flights out of LHR may see them reluctant to start BHX given the relative ease of tempting them down the M1 and so those airlines may be more tempted to go MAN northwards with which to start routes as it would appear to be harder for them to get down to LHR. Which then means it's down the charter/LCC route for generating higher passengers numbers but BHX management over previous years appeared to be reluctant to entertain no other airline than Jet2. For all the brilliant expansion that they have done, they do tend to rely on holiday destinations only.

BHX has to find a way to get easyJet onboard as they are the kind of airline that may indeed throw in more of the Malagas and Alicantes but also put in places like Athens, Barcelona, Basel, Bilbao, Hamburg, Milan, Munich, etc. Yes the majority of passengers will also be your typical city-breakers but there's also the prospect of having some element of business travel - they don't do many destinations that are double daily weekday out of MAN (i,e. your typical business traveller would like to return the same day) but if you get them operating 4 weekly or above, then there's a greater chance of getting some "regulars" (either individuals or companies) going on these services.

 

[Ianbutty]

Sad that the Solihull 'Mighty' Moors could not make it to the play off final today and a chance for EFL football next season.

It has been a remarkable season and the players, manager, coaching staff, the club staff and the supporters have done themselves and the town proud. Runners up in the League ain't bad.

I hope the disappointment will spur them on to be even better next season.

Well done to AFC Fylde....go win that Final.

http://www.solihullmoorsfc.co.uk/

 

[finchy168]

An absolutely amazing achievement by the Moors this season

 

[Brum X]

Bit of Tram stuff guys and a massive milestone for the West Midlands Metro as the end of Phase 1 gets connected to Phase 2

Photo from Metrogogo on SSC

View attachment 13106

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Sad that the Solihull 'Mighty' Moors could not make it to the play off final today and a chance for EFL football next season.

It has been a remarkable season and the players, manager, coaching staff, the club staff and the supporters have done themselves and the town proud. Runners up in the League ain't bad.

I hope the disappointment will spur them on to be even better next season.

Well done to AFC Fylde....go win that Final.

http://www.solihullmoorsfc.co.uk/

Moors' followers might be interested in the progress of Max O'Leary who, because of the absence through long term injury of their two senior goalkeepers, has had some lengthy spells in Bristol City's Championship side this season. His first match this season was at Brentford in the early autumn when he earned rave reviews and in a recent match at Aston Villa his performance led some experienced football heads to say it was one of the best goalkeeping displays they had ever seen. Last Tuesday night he saved a penalty at Millwall which enabled his team to gain a 2-1 win and thus keep alive their very slim play-off hopes.

Goalkeepers usually mature later than outfield players and it's the experience of playing on loan at such places as Moors and Bath City (his home town club) that enables young keepers to begin to blossom if they have the inate ability.

I learned only recently that Max O'Leary is also an excellent club cricketer and might have taken up that sport professionally.

When I first followed football in the 1950s the football and cricket seasons had their own distinct parts of the year and there were numerous players who were able to combine both sports professionally, including the great Denis Compton (Arsenal and Middlesex). In the 1950s Bristol City had several players who were also Gloucestershire cricketers.

The last double international was Arthur Milton who played cricket for Gloucestershire and football for Arsenal and Bristol City. He was an outside-right (lovely old position names) so his international chances were restricted by the likes of Matthews and Finney but he did play against Austria in 1952. In 1955 he returned home to Bristol for half a season and helped Bristol City gain promotion from the old Third Division South, after which he retired from football at the age of 27 to concentrate on cricket where he considered the financial prospects were better - how times have changed. Milton's first test match was against New Zealand in the 1958 home test series when he opened the batting with Warwickshire's MJK Smith (which was entirely apposite given that Mike Smith was also an England double international - at rugby union and cricket in his case) and scored a century on debut.

For much of his post professional cricket years Arthur Milton was a postman pounding the pavements in his native Bristol. I can't imagine former England internationals whether at football or cricket doing that these days.

 

[JENNYJET]

I think your final sentence said it all. Myself personally, shall be delighted not to be a participant in a future without people like Mr. Milton.

 

[58terminus]

Bit of Tram stuff guys and a massive milestone for the West Midlands Metro as the end of Phase 1 gets connected to Phase 2

Looks like a busy site. For people viewing this from outside the area and not familiar with W.M. Metro phase 1 was about half a mile and phase 2 less than 1 mile. I cannot remember the number of years between starting phase 1 and when phase 2. will be completed.
but it is considerable.The benefit to the vast majority will be nill and in the meantime our roads are crumbling and functioning railway lines running through our suburbs have no local services.

 

[JENNYJET]

Oh dear, this reminds me when Trolly Buses had preferance over private cars as they were not as numerous as today. Trolley Buses were quiet, clean and should be considered for return in modern form.

I am sure those of you that visit mainland Europe will know that they do things better.

 

[Brum X]

Looks like a busy site. For people viewing this from outside the area and not familiar with W.M. Metro phase 1 was about half a mile and phase 2 less than 1 mile. I cannot remember the number of years between starting phase 1 and when phase 2. will be completed.
but it is considerable.The benefit to the vast majority will be nill and in the meantime our roads are crumbling and functioning railway lines running through our suburbs have no local services.

However that is a very short sighted view on this project 58.

A mighty oak from a tiny acorn and all that comes to mind. I agree with you that for a short section of track it has taken a very long time, however this is UK PLC. Everything in this country takes a long time.

HS2 probably wont open until 2040 at this rate, however progress is progress.

 

[58terminus]

however this is UK PLC. Everything in this country takes a long time.

And we are supposed to accept that that is just the way it is?????????????

 

[JENNYJET]

No , 58 Terminus, we can start with not being so British about everything. Got to do everything correctly, to debate and vote or challenge every decision in the courts etc....the world look at quaint little Britishers and despair at a once great nation going the way of the Romans.

Brim X suggests 2040 for completion of HS2. I beg to suggest that might never happen unless those tasked to manage the projects grow some backbone and build the thing before UK officially becomes a Third World nation needing aiđ from our former colonies.

 

[Brum X]

And we are supposed to accept that that is just the way it is?????????????

And what do you propose we do about it, just not build anything in this country becouse it may takes years to complete. We must TRY otherwise people in this city will be crying out in 10/20 years time and asking Why does Birmingham not have a metro network ?? Its becouse we didnt really see the benefits for most people in the city and we must spend loads of money on railways and potholes.

 

[GliderPilot]

Slight change of topic

What a result for Liverpool! Edge of your seat football!

Not a Liverpool fan but I always back the English teams in the Champions League, great game!

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Slight change of topic

What a result for Liverpool! Edge of your seat football!

Not a Liverpool fan but I always back the English teams in the Champions League, great game!

I've just watched it. One of the most incredible games I've seen. I think the highlight for me (although there were many to choose from), was Alexander-Arnold's corner.
For Liverpool to come back from a first leg 3-0 defeat to win 4-0 (4-3 on aggregate), was unbelievable. The last 10 mins were very nervy, with Barcelona only needing one goal as they would then win on away goals.
Full credit to Liverpool for their determination and performance and I hope they go on to lift the cup.

Kevin

 

[rollo]

Watched the game in a bar last night. Loads of scousers and temporary ones like me as well as plenty of spanish, great atmosphere and what a game football really can do stuff.