Within the next seven days I’m hoping to receive keys to the Wakefield centre flat which’ll shortly become my nouvelle demeure. A rental residence which’ll hopefully become base for the new start yours truly seeks following sale of his parent’s home. A completion date of 2nd September for our (my siblings and GJ Strachan’s) former…
Tag: leeds
Three Years On!
Today marks the third anniversary of yours truly suffering a heart attack. Yes, a trinity of summers have now elapsed since GJ Strachan stood face to face with the Grim Reaper – An adversary who I mercifully dodged; allowing this capricious northern Englishman to live to write another day. Below is the first blog I…
A Close Shave
Around ten minutes prior to commencing this blog I was almost mown down by Alan Bennett, the acclaimed Leeds playwright, performer and author. At this juncture, I’d like to be clear the octogenarian wouldn’t have been the guilty party should any unfortunate injury has been sustained and litigation pursued. After all, the author was merely…
The 100 Year War
It’s just ten days before Leeds United’s footballing return to (hopefully) conclude the 2019/20 COVID delayed Championship season. A remaining nine games which’ll (again hopefully) propel the club back into the Premiership after sixteen years in English football’s second tier or lower. In pundit parlay, prior to coronavirus induced cessation of footballing hostilities, my half…
Eleven Kings
During my fledgling years my main love was association football, as an old Pathe news commentator may’ve dubbed the game in his authoritative BBC English tones. In particular, I was enamoured by the all conquering 1960s/70s Leeds United teams managed by Don Revie. Accomplished exponents of a game that led to a boyhood pipe dream of…
Jack Strachan’s Chippy
In the late 1950’s/early 1960’s my grandparents owned a fish and chip restaurant on land which later became the roundabout at junction 27 of the M62 at Birstall. This land on the cusp of Gildersome and Morley – Suburban bastions separated by Gelderd Road in the west of Leeds. Although his tenure as the Harry…
Chilling in the Chill
Post-haircut, I’m writing this literary effort sitting outside of the Botanist pub on Boar Lane, Leeds. It’s nippy out; however, keen to avoid legitimate observations like “Well go sit inside and sit where it’s warm you pillock!”, I’m reticent to complain about today’s late winter chill To be honest, being well wrapped up against the…
Careful What You Wish For!
In the last couple of decades there’s been a growth in the number of double barrelled names in the UK. One of the reasons behind this change being a greater desire for newly weds to merge their surnames. An example of this being when Jemma Shoe married Arnie Box in Lytham registry office in 2011…
Starstruck
This morning I felt moved to say hello to TV broadcasting royalty Harry Gration, who was stood next to me in a coffee outlet queue in Burmantofts, Leeds. A greeting to which he politely responded in kind, prior to us wandered off on our own ways – Me childishly giddy that I’d briefly met the…