World Affairs

Calling the shots/David Dein

David Dein is one of the most successful figures in football in the last 50 years and here he tells his story and his recipe for achievement. He acquired and subsequently lost a fortune in the sugar trade, went onto the Arsenal board where he formed – with Arsene Wenger – one of the [...]

September 27, 2022 // 0 Comments

You could hardly make it up!

I guess every one of us experiences incidents or periods in life when events, other people, instances of bad luck (and/or even the weather) conspire to thwart or flip upside down the most careful of best-laid plans, or even our actions taken after having accepted a modest degree of risk or gamble [...]

September 26, 2022 // 0 Comments

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

I had this DVD of this 2018 Mike Powell film lying around in my to-be-watched pile for some time. I was persuaded to watch it as its star Lily James features in the Sky Mobile ad and I like her smile, vivacity and vitality. The film is set in occupied Guernsey. There a book club was formed and the [...]

September 22, 2022 // 0 Comments

The terminal decline of customer service

One of the features of modern life that drives me to distraction more than any other is the degree to which the standard of customer service in all sectors of industry and commerce has plummeted since we … er… all “came into the 21st Century at last”. By this means we all acquired our [...]

September 21, 2022 // 0 Comments

The Queen’s last journey

Yesterday I joined hundreds of millions around the world watching television coverage of Her Majesty the late Queen’s funeral service despite having decided several times over the past ten days that this was close to the last thing I intended to do. I’m an atheist when it comes to God and, when [...]

September 20, 2022 // 0 Comments

Le Mepris (Contempt)/1962

Partly out of respect to the recently passed Jean Luc Godard – and partly as there was little else to do or watch on Sunday afternoon – I took from the French section of my DVD library his Le Mepris starring Michel Piccoli, Brigitte Bardot, Fritz Lang, Jack Palance and Georgia Moll. [...]

September 19, 2022 // 0 Comments

Tribute to Ted Dexter

Yesterday I attended a MCC tribute in the Long Room at Lords to Ted Dexter. I felt honoured to be invited as – although I had got to know Ted well these past few years and his charming wife Sue too in Nice- I had not expected to be invited to such a gathering of cricketing luminaries. I [...]

September 17, 2022 // 0 Comments

Rugby’s Premiership – a commercial head-case?

When it comes to one’s specialist subjects, interests and hobbies (not least favourite sports) over the course of decades one’s perceptions of the pertinent issues of any specific moment, as formed by one’s personal impressions and attitudes – taken together with media reports, [...]

September 17, 2022 // 0 Comments

New Zealand All Blacks 37 Wallabies 34

Rarely have I experienced such a dramatic and controversial end to a rugby international. After trailing by 19 points at one stage, the Wallabies came back to 34-32 and – with the klaxon about to sound – the All Blacks mounted their last attack. The French referee Matthieu Reynald [...]

September 16, 2022 // 0 Comments

Reflections upon the death of HM The Queen

I suspect like many Rusters over the past week, I have taken the news of the Queen’s death last Thursday – and watched all the resulting consequences, including the carefully-rehearsed-down-to-the-last-detail administrative and ancient (and some not so ancient) preparations, traditions, [...]

September 15, 2022 // 0 Comments

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ITV COVERAGE OF CHELTENHAM

March 14, 2026 // 0 Comments

I am in the camp of watching on tv rather than attending for the 3 Cs: cost , convenience and comfort. With the cost of travelling and attending Cheltenham and last [...]
Max Schmelling/ The Good German

March 4, 2026 // 0 Comments

In the unlikely event that I would be asked to nominate a Great Life on Matthew Parris ‘ show my choice would be the Black Uhlan Max Schmelling. In the 1930s thee [...]
The Tanner Report : Fulham 2 spurs 1

March 3, 2026 // 0 Comments

Prior to Fulham ‘s comfortable win over Spurs (2-1) I watched the big match Revisited featuring Chelsea 1 Arsenal 2 i guess in the early 70s It would be foolish to [...]
The Six Nations

February 24, 2026 // 0 Comments

The Six Nations continues to throw up surprises. England could not bounce back against Ireland , a resurgent Wales gave Scotland à close game with the Millennium Stadium [...]
Brentford 0 Brighton 2

February 23, 2026 // 0 Comments

The heat is off Fabian Hürzeler with Brighton ‘s 1st win in 13 games. Club owner Tony Bloom was not at the G Tech stadium due to a long planned family engagement but had [...]