Mutterings for the Minority

Swansea v Bournemouth

Hmm, so much for our promotion party at the liberty stadium today. I was gutted and annoyed, but am now (after a few hours thought) somewhat strangely positive again.

Losing 2-1 to Bournemouth wasn’t in the script and losing in the matter we did - two goals in two injury time minutes wasn’t either. I was left speechless to be quite honest and wondering quite how we managed (with the help of an iffy corner decision) to feck it all up having controlled the game for so long.

From my perspective, we didn’t play up to our usual standards but still showed enough to beat an average Bournemouth side whom only started to play after we went 1 up (which beggars belief as they need every point they can get to stay up?!?).

It was all going to plan with Huddersfield doing the business on Doncaster, us leading one nil and the majority of the 15,000 odd crowd thinking Championship here we come. But come 16:50 it all started to go out the window - starting with the news of a Doncaster equaliser. It went downhill fast after that as you now well know.

What went wrong? Well regardless of the finger of blame being pointed at the linesman for the 1st goal (the rub of the green flows both ways) our defending has to be criticised - especially in my opinion Dorus DeVries on today’s evidence and from what I’ve seen of recent away games (on TV highlights). Yes he’s a decent keeper, but I do feel that he could have done better today.

Messrs Lawrence, Tate and Austin are usually made the scapegoats - rightly on occasion - but I do feel a blind eye is turned to Mr DeVries inadequacies as well.

Pick of the bunch today for me were Britton and Kevin Austen - regardless of the flak he got/gets.

One other moment worth a mention was a terrific half time display by the Royal Marine Commandos, whom abseiled from the roof and then gave an unarmed combat display on the field. Excellent entertainment and a nice change from the usual half time fare. Well done lads!

I’ll finish off with a picture of Cyril the Swan just before he abseiled off the liberty stadium roof before the game…

… by the end of the game, I think quite a few fans wanted to jump off the roof! Keep the faith Jack Army, we’re nearly in the promised land.

Swansea Jacks

No this isn’t an explanation as to why people from Swansea are referred to as ‘Jacks‘, it’s about a book I’ve just finished reading.

The book was called ‘The Swansea Jacks - From Skinheads to Stone Island‘ and was as the title might suggest about football hooliganism or terrace culture as it is often referred to nowadays. Now you’re probably wondering why the hell I’d want to read a book of this nature.

Well there are several reasons to be quite frank… I’m a Swansea fan and am intrigued by our ‘hooligan element’ and their literary skills (LOL); I was curious if I knew/recognised any of the ‘faces’ (which I did); but most of all it was because I have an interest in the world of football hooliganism - purely from a psychology perspective I can assure you!

As an ex-semi professional rugby player who represented his country, I’m intrigued (and always have been) as to what makes these men/teenagers (and some women believe it or not) get out of being a football hooligan. Now I’m not referring to the people who walk around clad out in the latest Stone Island, Burberry, Aquasanctum gear for bravado - I’m on about the real hardcore element who purely want a scrap with the oppositions firm/dressers call them what you want and get one hell of a buzz out of doing so.

I just find it odd that you don’t get this sort of needle between rival sets of rugby fans - well none that I’ve witnessed anyway - but you do with football. Is it because the ‘aggro’ is on the field perhaps?

I suppose I always remember what a football playing mate of mine used to say - “The real hard lads in school played rugby, whereas the lads who thought they were hard played football” - now personally I don’t entirely agree with that statement, but I can see what he means to an extent.

Anyway, back to the book. It’s pretty much a warts and all story of the top Swansea ‘faces’ over the last 30 years or so broken down into sections by each hooligan. It was an ok read, but I felt the book was let down by a lack of consistency between each section - which could vary between 2 pages to 20+ pages.

From what my memory recalls of the media reporting about various bouts of trouble involving the Swansea Jacks, the book is a pretty accurate reproduction of the facts. It certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re a local and follow the Swans then it should hold enough interest for you to see it through to the end.

The next book on my reading list is ‘Killer Web Content’ by Gerry McGovern - which as the title suggests is the complete opposite end of the spectrum in terms of my book reading habits!

Free Digital Prints

Seeing as there is a spate of companies offering free digital prints at the moment, I thought I’d give you a breakdown of each one…

Truprint - 50 Free Digital Prints

Photobox- 50 Free Digital Prints

Snapfish - 30 Free Digital Prints

MyPixmania - 25 Free Digital Prints

Jessops - 20 Free Digital Prints

Now that can’t be bad can it, I mean 175 FREE digital prints that should keep anyone going for a while I’m sure. It’s time to make those favourite snaps of yours come to life I think and they’ll make a handy pressie for someone I’m sure.

Beetle castle

As a member of Swansea Council’s Junior Park Rangers, DDWT Junior headed off to Coed Gwylim park in Clydach today for a fun session on building a beetle castle and general bug fun! He thoroughly enjoyed himself and so did all of the other kids - learning a lot about the world of insects at the same time.

The club is free to join and I’d recommend anyone with kids below the age of 7 to join (which you can do online). They have events dotted around the Swansea area, so there are bound to be some near you. Besides, it’s a great excuse to get the kids outside having fun and learning at the same time.

The gloriously sunny and warm weather (this is what spring should be like!) made my lunchtime run along the beach all the more pleasant. Obviously judging by the number of sunbathers about (kitted out in bikinis I hasten to add!) I wasn’t the only one enjoying the weather. Anyway, I did a 20 minute 16 second stint and am pleased thus far with my progress to get back to full fitness - whilst shedding the pounds!

After work I also decided to give the lawns their first proper crew cut of the season - partly because they needed it and because the weather for the weekend promises to be wintry! So much for spring eh *sigh*

Woolworths Free Delivery Discount Code

My voucher code posts are like buses today, you don’t seen any for ages then they all come at once!

Anyway, Woolworths are giving shoppers the chance to make big savings on delivery until April 7th with the discount code for FREE delivery.

Use the code freea08 at the checkout to claim your FREE delivery from Woolworths.

Go to the Woolworths web site now

Early Learning Centre Discount Code

It’s been quite some time since I last posted a discount code, so here comes one!

The Early Learning Centre are offering a 10% discount until the end of April.

Use the code AFF08 at the checkout to get your 10% off.

Remember this can be used in addition to the various 20% spring offers on the Early Learning Centre web site as well!

Go to the Early Learning Centre web site now

Dentist x 2

I mean how weird is that, both Mrs DDWT and I go to the dentist on the same day but at different times!?!?

In fairness though whilst I was having a filling done, the Mrs had to have an emergency appointment as her filling had fallen out. Just to complicate matters further - as Mrs DDWT is now 31 weeks pregnant - she can’t have a “proper” filling only a temporary one, well until the baby is born anyhow.

It’s a bloody good job we’re with Denplan as well, otherwise it could have been a very expensive day all around!

As I was working from home today, I decided to give our York Elliptical workout machine a pounding for 25 minutes. During this session - in which I sweated the most I’ve done for many moons - I managed to cover 9km and burn 246 calories in the process! Whilst I felt a wee bit leg weary after it, I was glad I’d stuck to my guns and did some form of exercise.

DDWT Junior continues to make the most of the Easter holidays. He had his first proper go of his Apollo Moonman bike, which considering he’d been jumping/climbing/sliding about in Funsters most of the morning, he did quite well.

He also went to have his feet measured and like me, he also has one foot slightly bigger than the other. Anyway, he’s now a size 10.5G.