It's Tuesday morning and GJ Strachan is suffering from a severe case of writers block. Annoyingly, the ordinarily creative segment of my brain currently bereft of an inspirational epiphany or notion. Even the memories of my Gateshead childhood, which have proved so fertile in the past week, thus far unable to produce a narrative topic … Continue reading The Saving Mr Banks
Tag: football
On Allerdene Field
It's a rare occasion these days that I drive past the field bisecting the Leech and Allerdene estates in the southern Gateshead area of Low Fell. However, when I am back in the area I was raised, driving beside this triangular shaped field manifests a strange amalgam of warmth and sadness within yours truly. Warmth … Continue reading On Allerdene Field
Top Man
Yesterday saw the 7th anniversary of ex-Leeds United footballer Gary Speed's passing. A tragic day when the player, who also served Everton, Newcastle United, Bolton and Sheffield United with distinction, was found hanged to death at his Cheshire home. On Saturday 7th April 1990, during a 2nd Division game against West Yorkshire rivals Bradford City, … Continue reading Top Man
Audience With The Pope
I'm penning this offering accompanied by the BBC Radio Leeds commentary of the Leeds United v Rotherham United. The voices of commentator Adam Pope and ex-Leeds player Noel Whelan my self-inflicted distraction to the writing process. As you'd expect this following of events at Elland Road handicaps my focus and concentration. Attempting to write a … Continue reading Audience With The Pope
Puma Boots & Sock Tags
As a child growing up in the 1970's, my aspirations for adulthood were to mirror my then hero Allan Clarke. A fledgling dream to lead Leeds United's (LUFC) strike force to domestic and European honours, like Clarke, clad in Puma football boots and gleaming number 8 sock tags. Unfortunately, they were existential desires that were … Continue reading Puma Boots & Sock Tags
Bielsa’s Club Is A Devil Of A Side…..
Yesterday evening, Leeds United (LUFC) were leading 4-1 at Derby with only 20 minutes of the match remaining. Unashamedly armchair supporting from the comfort of my home, I misguidedly still countenanced the possibility of LUFC leaving the east Midlands pointless. Bearing in mind that score-line, along with LUFC coach Marcelo Bielsa's team's sheer dominance in … Continue reading Bielsa’s Club Is A Devil Of A Side…..
The Eleven Pauls
I was saddened yesterday to read of ex-Leeds United utility man Paul Madeley's death at the age of 73. A consummate professional footballer, Madeley displayed career long loyalty to the team who played a few hundred yards from his childhood home. For eighteen years, a class act on and off field, representing both club and … Continue reading The Eleven Pauls
