Hello,

As usual I’m spending Christmas back home in the North East.   Thus far it’s been very good. I’ve met up with a former work mate for a few beers [as we do every year], had a staggering Christmas dinner [complements to the chef again ma], and received some great presents [such generous people I know].  My little bro, who works in Saudi, is home for Christmas too, which is also good.

The afore mentioned “a few beers” were consumed in the on Wednesday in Middlesbrough.  As we do every year, we kicked off in an Irish bar called Mohan’s, before taking in the delights of The Star and The Southfield.  I used to frequent all these places when I lived on Teesside, however they’ve all had name changes since then.  I think Mohan’s Bar was called Scruffy Murphy’s, The Star was The Star and Garter, and The Southfield, for a brief period in the late nineties was a Firkin, The Fly and Firkin if Google serves me correctly.

Actually I should have been able to recall the name of the Fly and Firkin as it was the venue of a pretty traumatic incident.  On May 20^th 1997, at 42 seconds past three, I spun around from the bar with a beer in each hand only to find Middlesbrough one nil down in The Cup Final.  Don’t you just hate Chelsea? They weren’t even that good then.

On Christmas morning Bro and I headed down to the local for a few pre-dinner beers.  It was quite surreal in The Kings Arms.  I recognised quite a few faces from school, and twenty odd years is showing on the faces of some.  It’s difficult to describe but some people didn’t look like old people, but old versions of their former selves.  Young people with old faces. Strange and difficult to describe what I mean.

And that was Christmas Day. Doctor Who, The Royal Family, Gavin and Stacey, and the Catherine Tate Christmas Special in the evening, and bed.

Today, Boxing Day, I’m off to the match.  Again, quite a traditional activity.  I also suspect Middlesbrough FC will keep with tradition and get soundly thrashed.  The giants of football up today?  Sc**thorpe United.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (let's hope it's a good one without any fear)