Everton - 1 Manchester City - 0, Goodison Park: 12.01.08

It's hard to support a team from a distance. To follow Everton from North Wales was expensive but to do it from Cardiff, well it's almost impossible, especially when I have to work pretty much every weekend. My working commitments mean my only hope is for Everton to be drawn away to Cardiff or Swansea in one of the domestic cups. It's therefore been a while since I could consider myself a regular at Goodison Park. I'm embarrassed to admit it but it's going back to a time when Manchester City's Richard Dunne and Michael Ball were young players wearing the royal blue of Everton. It wasn't the best game to make my return. Missing key players, endless long balls and a distinct lack of goal mouth action made it a drab affair but come the final whistle I was glad of the three points.

As always it was a good day out. Although I made a rookie error by enjoying a few pre game pints with my mates (including my first pint of Chang) Those familiar with the Upper Bullens Stand will know once everyone has sat down for the game there's no chance of getting out for a pee. This left me aching for the half time whistle for a toilet break. The thing I was most pleased about the first half was not Joleon Lescott's goal but the fact I hadn't pissed myself. Once the whistle came I painfully made my way to the gents only to find it (as always) over populated. When you're there unsuccessfully trying to position yourself next to the trough it's hard not to feel like the runt of the litter. There's something extremely unsettling about having a stranger lean against you as you're both urinating, it takes a level of concentration I don't really possess. I have to dig deep. While I'm in the loo I miss the half time entertainment. A fan randomly picked from the crowd has the chance to win a £30,000 Audi, if he can hit the cross bar with a football from a good distance. And he does it to the delight of the masses! When asked by the announcer "What do you think about your new Audi?" the man replies with the trademark scouse wit "It'll do for now". The second half was pretty bad, I don't think there was a single shot on goal for Everton. I think the highlight was Joe Hart falling over when he took a goal kick...or was that the first half? It was pretty bad. There was a fantastic roar from the crowd when the final whistle came and a overall sense of relief.

We'd parked up near Anfield and as we walked back towards the car we passed a small child no older than four sat alone outside a terraced house sandwiched by two boarded up houses. As each Evertonian passed him he pointed at them and said in his squeaky scouse accent "Everton stink you know, Everton stink!" He repeated this as each of us walked past. We imagined that his father was probably waiting behind the door ready to punch anyone who dared to say anything back to his nipper. Initially we all chuckled but we soon came to the conclusion that it was probably not the best way to introduce your young child to football. Lesson one, abuse strangers in numbers. In twenty years the little fucker will probably be throwing patio chairs at rival fans and policemen during the World Cup.

Car Crash Celebrity No-Marks & to Anfield

Took my first trip of the new year to watch struggling Conwy United Saturday afternoon, up with the hardy old fans in the "new" stand (the tin roof now flapping in the wind, high % of seats broken, and flaking paint) and watch them play Caerwys, who were bottom of the league, and obviously, really struggling... 1-1 at half time, clubhouse coffee in hand with the force 10 wind against in the 2nd half for Conwy, I feared the worst... somehow Conwy dug out a win of 6-1! Great game.

My preparation for the week ahead began Sunday morning in tackling a walk around the Great Orme with Emma... windy? Just a bit. I also think this accelerated my "I think i'm getting a cold" feeling. It duly came on, taking my first sick day from work in what must be 12 months. Daytime TV, a miracle cure. "Alcoholic 45yr old wants access to his 14th child with age-gap of 25 years girlfriend".

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Let's, Play..." every year, why am I saying to myself "I should go there next year"... World Darts Championship at Lakeside, and what a final! For Sunday night drama on the TV, that was the best in years, Midsomer Murders...

Without sounding too diary - Monday night, somebody happened to pull out of a side road in Conwy into the main road without looking properly and swiped along my car good style - on Uppergate Street by the arch... Was entirely her fault, she admitted. Coincidentally she knew me, lives on the same street, and in her state of shock muttered how she was stood behind me in the post office that day - all true. Damage is around the £1500 mark for her insurance to sort out, just another hassle to do without.

Topical bit: So why are Channel 4, or the management companies or agencies surrounding the Big Brother show reluctant about condemning the recent racism on their latest Big Brother show? Here's a thing, since Jady Goody "shot" to fame on the show she has had the same management as the shows host, Davina McCall. Others represented by the same management company and agency include spin-off show hosts; Dermot O'Leary and Russell (cock) Brand. Last year's "Celebrity" Big Brother winner Chantelle (who if i recall wasnt a celebrity 'at all' - apart from having been a Soccerette on Soccer AM) is also managed by the same company. I think i've just answered my question...

How fucked up is it that some dumb-ass "no-mark" is having consequences on British relations abroad (and at home)? I'm sure she'll attempt to resurrect her "career" (?) post Big Brother with a high profile celebrity boyfriend (See pic). A great internet find i'm sure you'll agree!

Weekend ahead then: Whilst my work colleagues are off to the hills above Abergele to shoot paint at each others arses (paintballing) in a team-building exercise (?), i'm swapping tin-pot decaying local football grounds to visit Anfield wth Emma, for Liverpool v Chelsea. Which will this season, make "me" more of a (financial) supporter of Liverpool FC than most Liverpool FC fans i know. Last time i visited Anfield i was about maybe 9 years old and "stood" in the Kop, main memory is being pushed with the general tide of people down the concrete steps maybe 10/15 rows on Liverpool scoring their equaliser that day! So on that note...

Signing off.