Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[TightEnd]

sorry, should have remembered

please find out why he didn't get picked for England!

How will he know the answer to that? But yes, I'll ask him.

in his opinion.......

[Geo the Sarge]

Bonds, was one the bench for England in one game. Probably didn't get caps because at his peak WHU were a 2nd division side

Still, these days, he'd have got many many caps. Excellent wholehearted player, the John terry of his day.

Surprised to see a man of your football knowledge mention Bonds and Terry as a comparison Mr P.

Terry, although an England cap has a long way to go to get close to the ability of Mr Bonds IMO.

Billy Bonds, an immense, work hard - play hard player who didn't get the acknowledgement he should have.

Geo

[TightEnd]

Bonds, was one the bench for England in one game. Probably didn't get caps because at his peak WHU were a 2nd division side

Still, these days, he'd have got many many caps. Excellent wholehearted player, the John terry of his day.

Surprised to see a man of your football knowledge mention Bonds and Terry as a comparison Mr P.

Terry, although an England cap has a long way to go to get close to the ability of Mr Bonds IMO.

Billy Bonds, an immense, work hard - play hard player who didn't get the acknowledgement he should have.

Geo

Similar types of players Geo

and my opinion is that Terry more than justifies the comparison, as a truly excellent player, although my memory of Bonds is hazy these days.

[tikay]

Bonds is still going strong but did his nuts on his horse Bonzo at Kempton last night apparently. Maybe not his nuts but there was a proper each-way punt that went astray in a terrible race.PS, stilettos are a must for doing the ironing, is there any other way?

Not his nuts, apparently, & he was shocked at the activity in the ring - he said it went from 14's to 8's at one stage. Connections were NOT on, it was a 12f jobbie, & Quinn told them alll it needs 2 miles, so he's a bit surprised by what happened.

He is a lot older than he used to be, but seems to be great craic.

Ricky arrived with Mrs Ricky - they look a lovely couple. I was surprised how good his English is. Not good, but better than I expected.

It's a real bonus to meet these guys, comes with the job I guess. I don't fawn over them, they are but flesh & blood, but they are big, big, names, & it's interesting to meet them personally.

Life is odd like that. A computer programmer, doctor, Airline pilot, bus or train-driver, say, can be as eminent in their job as a football star, and quite possibly "better people", (being a huge name does not make anyone great) but they don't get celebrity status, or MBE's.

[DesD]

Ask Ricky about his older brother Aston, the one who moved to Spain...

[Geo the Sarge]

Bonds is still going strong but did his nuts on his horse Bonzo at Kempton last night apparently. Maybe not his nuts but there was a proper each-way punt that went astray in a terrible race.PS, stilettos are a must for doing the ironing, is there any other way?

Not his nuts, apparently, & he was shocked at the activity in the ring - he said it went from 14's to 8's at one stage. Connections were NOT on, it was a 12f jobbie, & Quinn told them alll it needs 2 miles, so he's a bit surprised by what happened.

He is a lot older than he used to be, but seems to be great craic.

Ricky arrived with Mrs Ricky - they look a lovely couple. I was surprised how good his English is. Not good, but better than I expected.

It's a real bonus to meet these guys, comes with the job I guess. I don't fawn over them, they are but flesh & blood, but they are big, big, names, & it's interesting to meet them personally.

Life is odd like that. A computer programmer, doctor, Airline pilot, bus or train-driver, say, can be as eminent in their job as a football star, and quite possibly "better people", (being a huge name does not make anyone great) but they don't get celebrity status, or MBE's.

QFT

And here's a wee bit for you in regards to the Ross/Brand debacle. it is no coincidence that Ross has kept hids head down over this. Brand and the lass who resigned are the ones who have really taken the can on this.

As well as having some protection at the BBC, his brothers Miles and Simon are top producers and I'm sure his Mother still has influence there. He was awarded the OBE in, I think, 2005.

The fact that he was awarded the OBE and not the lesser MBE makes him a more likely candidate for a Knighthood further down the line. So for him it will be a case of ride it out, get back into mainstream telly and increase his charity portfolio and party donations and in 15 years times it will be Sir Johnathon.

Turns my stomach when I think of the many people as mentioned above aren't suitably recognised.

Geo

[Chompy]

Bonds is still going strong but did his nuts on his horse Bonzo at Kempton last night apparently. Maybe not his nuts but there was a proper each-way punt that went astray in a terrible race.PS, stilettos are a must for doing the ironing, is there any other way?

Not his nuts, apparently, & he was shocked at the activity in the ring - he said it went from 14's to 8's at one stage. Connections were NOT on, it was a 12f jobbie, & Quinn told them alll it needs 2 miles, so he's a bit surprised by what happened.

LOL, don't they always say that? Harry Findlay is the ONLY owner that ever admits it's his money. Rest of them, plus their trainers, give it the...'I don't know where the money's coming from, but it's not mine/ours' spiel.
Michael Wigham, William Musson, Gay Kelleway, those bookie fellas took one hell of a beating, but not your money right?
Of course, in Bonzo's case it may not have been.
PS, thanks for the slimline comments, that first 3lb seems to have made all the difference...

[The Camel]

Why are there never former QPR players on Sky Poker?

I bet Clive Wilson or Andy Sinton play aces on the button better than any Chelsea or West Ham has been.

[Karabiner]

Why are there never former QPR players on Sky Poker?

I bet Clive Wilson or Andy Sinton play aces on the button better than any Chelsea or West Ham has been.

[ ] Rodney Marsh was a good example

[tikay]

Why are there never former QPR players on Sky Poker?

I bet Clive Wilson or Andy Sinton play aces on the button better than any Chelsea or West Ham has been.

Because only class players, or top-flight players, are of interest to the viewing public. And with due respect to QPR........

Sorry Keith, but the Griffin Park Masive never forget - & you did, audaciously, try to take over Brentford a few years back. You failed, & we prospered. In fact, I purchased shares in the "Save The Bees" Fighting Fund, specifically to thwart the pesky Loftus Road low-lifes.

[The Camel]

Why are there never former QPR players on Sky Poker?

I bet Clive Wilson or Andy Sinton play aces on the button better than any Chelsea or West Ham has been.

[ ] Rodney Marsh was a good example

I might be old, but I'm not THAT old. Rodney is a legend, but he's no Simon Stainrod or Stanley Bowles.

In fact Stan would be a great guest, and tikay could label him "former Brentford star Stan Bowles"

[The Camel]

Why are there never former QPR players on Sky Poker?

I bet Clive Wilson or Andy Sinton play aces on the button better than any Chelsea or West Ham has been.

Because only class players, or top-flight players, are of interest to the viewing public. And with due respect to QPR........

Sorry Keith, but the Griffin Park Masive never forget - & you did, audaciously, try to take over Brentford a few years back. You failed, & we prospered. In fact, I purchased shares in the "Save The Bees" Fighting Fund, specifically to thwart the pesky Loftus Road low-lifes.

No class players huh?

Terry Venables
Sir Leslie Ferdinand
Stan Bowles
Roy Wegerle
John Byrne
Simon Stainrod
Andy Sinton
Rodney Marsh
Don Givens
Phil Parkes
David Seaman
Paul Parker (not the chatterbox)
Trevor Sinclair
Ian Gillard
Dave Thomas

shall I continue?

Football is funny. QPR fans think of Brentford with a certain amount of affection. Like a pesky little brother. Yet we detest Chelsea. Chelsea fans have only apathy where QPR is concerned.

[tikay]

Why are there never former QPR players on Sky Poker?

I bet Clive Wilson or Andy Sinton play aces on the button better than any Chelsea or West Ham has been.

Because only class players, or top-flight players, are of interest to the viewing public. And with due respect to QPR........

Sorry Keith, but the Griffin Park Masive never forget - & you did, audaciously, try to take over Brentford a few years back. You failed, & we prospered. In fact, I purchased shares in the "Save The Bees" Fighting Fund, specifically to thwart the pesky Loftus Road low-lifes.

No class players huh?

Terry Venables
Sir Leslie Ferdinand
Stan Bowles
Roy Wegerle
John Byrne
Simon Stainrod
Andy Sinton
Rodney Marsh
Don Givens
Phil Parkes
David Seaman
Paul Parker (not the chatterbox)
Trevor Sinclair
Ian Gillard
Dave Thomas

shall I continue?

Football is funny. QPR fans think of Brentford with a certain amount of affection. Like a pesky little brother. Yet we detest Chelsea. Chelsea fans have only apathy where QPR is concerned.

To be serious Keith, I spent many a happy Saturday at Loftus Road - QPR were always a sort of poor mans West Ham - attractive football always, but losing football mainly.

My main memories were of course Rodney Marsh & Stan Bowles. When either got the ball, nobody blinked, they both had magic in their boots & anything could happen.

I also well recall admiring Venables at QPR, (as a player), which was, if I recall correctly, after he left Chelsea. He was awesome, with great personality, this was years before he acquired the reputation as being well dodgy with money. In fact, I seem to think he wrote, or had something to do, with a TV Series - "Hazell", maybe, which starred Nicholas Ball? (That seems so unlikely now, that I probably imagined it).

But of that list of players you've noted, you might be surprised to hear my personal favourite was Don Givens, who played for QPR in the 70's, I believe he was a Man Utd reject, via Luton. He'd be about my age, & was a very gifted footballer, Irish I believe.

I so wanted to like QPR, but as a Bees supporter, it was difficult. Same with Fulham, really. Amazing that so many Teams were so close, geographically, together - Brentford, QPR, Fulham, Chelsea, even Wimbledon.

I'd better go, I'm reminiscing again.

[tikay]

sorry, should have remembered

please find out why he didn't get picked for England!

I asked him, he shrugged his shoulders, "no idea, I just got unlucky I suppose" he said, somewhat stoically.

I decided to press further, "you tread on someone's toes maybe, or upset Ron (Greenwood)?" - & that was the key that unlocked the mystery, because he replied......

"Actually, I did get selected to play for England, Ron wanted me to play alongside Alvin (Martin?), & I think we would have been so good as a pairing that I'd have got a long run in the side. It was against Brazil, but on the Saturday before, I broke a rib playing for West Ham, & that was that, I never got another shot at it. But I did OK".

So there you go.

He said, interestingly, that the most he ever earned at West Ham as a player was £600 a week. Amazing really, because he was some footballer - as hard as nails, & extremely combative. He'd not survive in the Premier League today, of course, he was way too hard, he'd be on Red Cards every week. Nobody messed with Bondsy.

[tikay]

Here's Mr & Mrs Villa. Lovely couple, she typically Argentinian, jet black hair.

He speaks halting English with a beautiful accent, & they own a Ranch near Buenos Aires, & he's just got back into Politics out there.

We spoke of his substitution on the "wrong side" of the pitch, & his desolate walk back to the Tunnel, & his exhileration at being selected for the replay. I forgot to ask him who won the war.