Weekend

It's a quiet weekend for me with Alison off to Yorkshire with Glen and Maria. She's going to be seeing Coldplay at Sheffield which is something sees looking forward to - rather her than me. I dropped them off at Salisbury station and have just decided that this weekend I shall mainly be sitting around watching football as I am still getting over the chest infection.

I have now gone all week without smoking which means I've got an investment in keeping that going. We'll see. At least Paul will be pleased.

School sounds as if it's been busy with lots of people off with flu, more than I remember in recent years. Maybe we have different germs this year with 2 schools coming together? It's a deep learning day on Monday which means normal timetable is abandoned for the day. That means no teaching for me and no teaching till Thursday in fact! I am sure you will appreciate just how busy my leadership role keeps me. No, it really does.

It also looks like no football on Monday for me with the breathing being a problem but I am hoping to at least go along and watch.

Health

I went back to work today but left for home after about quarter of an hour when several other teachers told me to leave having been disturbed by my hacking cough. So to cheer Arn up I went to the doctor again and have been given some antibiotics this time to help clear my chest but I have been smoke free for several days now, over a week, which may mean I am now entitled to NHS treatment. However, I doubt it.

I was thinking of Paul today as I also ended up at Bournemouth hospital when QE rang to say Glen had blurred vision after swimming lesson where he was playing water polo and had no goggles. I thought it might be the chlorine but the school had already made an appointment at the eye clinic at Bournemouth, so off we went. It's the first time I've been there apart from A & E, since my appendix came out several years ago and Paul visited a couple of times. I can remember one of the days being a Monday because I was reading The Sun outside when Liverpool and Middlesbrough had drawn 3 - 3 with Ravanelli scoring a hat trick. Wikipedia says that was August 1996!

Anyway, I am signed off for a week but aim to be back on Monday. Sounds like fun back at school judging by the emails today. Can't wait.

C'mon you Greens!!!!!

Good point for us away at St Mary's this evening. Seems like we were under lots of pressure in the first half but improved thereafter. I had a ticket for the game but am still feeling under the weather and had to give the game a miss which is a shame with 1200 of the Green Army there.

The result means I can relax when I go into school next with Argyle emerging undefeated again. With games at home to Blackpool and away to Doncaster there is the lovely possibility of pretending we could reach the play offs only to humiliate ourselves against struggling sides.

The workmen have started. Details to follow tomorrow.

Interesting times at our sister academy

THE head teacher of a troubled Southampton academy where pupils went on the rampage has resigned. Ruth Johnson has quit her post as the head of Oasis Academy Mayfield, one of the city’s two new academies.

On Friday more than 100 parents turned up to a private meeting with Government universities minister and Southampton MP John Denham to voice their concerns about the academy.

I'm not sure what impact that will have on us, if any.

Still ill

Having spent a miserable weekend which was meant to include a day off in lieu for training hours earlier in the term, I decided it was time to visit the GP. He was rushed off his feet and was able to spare me enough time to blow into a tube and to listen to my chest before pronouncing confidently that I was suffering from Bronchial Hyper Reactivity which apparently means things are irritating my lungs and causing me to cough. I'd noticed the cough myself to be honest and thought it might well be to do with the irritation I was experiencing so it was good to have this confirmed.

It is wonderful what a medical training does for us. I remembered back to when my nose was broken and all the blood that didn't spread in a pool on the astroturf spilt over my white shirt. The doctor then was able to tell me I'd been bleeding from the nose. I was concussed which is why he may have felt it best to tell me the fairly obvious.

I am able to surmise that should I ever go in with one of my fingers wrapped in ice having had it severed in a freak farming accident, the doctor would be certain to point out I'd definitely cut myself somewhere in the vicinity of my hand.

It is more likely the GPs are simply bored with having to see people like me at this time of year with coughs and sneezes they can't do anything about and provide a placebo which keeps the economy moving as we shell out for unnecessary medication. In my case I have gone for some good old steroids which ought to give me a boost.

On the other hand what better time to stop smoking than when you can't inhale deeply enough to take a draw properly?

More football

Glen's team were at home today and I ventured out for the first time in several days to watch but from the comfort and warmth of my car. It was a comfortable game from start to finish allowing Glen an opportunity to come off during the second half to rest a slight muscle strain. They were playing Bridport who had won just the once this year from 5 games and that seemed about fair as they played reasonably well without creating any threat during the game.

Eight goals were scored without reply with 4 from Eric, 2 from Jake and a goal apiece from Tom and Shep, the last mentioned when Shep followed up his penalty which had been saved. Despite 8 - 0 , their goalkeeper played well.

Cameras capture snappy Argyle display

A surprising formation produced a confident, attacking start from the Pilgrims, who showed none of the camera shyness of recent visits from Sky. Accommodating Rory Fallon, Emile Mpenza and Paul Gallagher meant there were chances a-plenty during the first half, but it took until an action packed closing few minutes for Argyle to make their pressure count. Man of the match Mpenza put the Greens ahead with a goal epitomising the determination and class he showed all afternoon. Gallagher doubled the lead minutes later, capitalising on a rare mistake from the impressive Cardiff keeper, Tom Heaton. Predictably, it was backs to the wall for the second half and Cardiff pulling one back left nerves jangling. However, it is two years since the Greens have led at half time and lost and despite memories of last season's equivalent fixture, they were able to hold out for the three points.

News for Matt C

MATT Tubbs's move to Cherries was this afternoon awaiting approval from the Football League.
The Verwood-based striker trained with the League Two club at Canford School earlier today and boss Jimmy Quinn was hoping to sign him in time for tomorrow night’s clash at Grimsby Town.

He's made it to the heights of Bournemouth at last! I've played cricket with him. He was good at that too.

A philisophical puzzle

This was on the BBC website today for World Philosophy Day.

SHOULD WE KILL HEALTHY PEOPLE FOR THEIR ORGANS?

Suppose Bill is a healthy man without family or loved ones. Would it be ok painlessly to kill him if his organs would save five people, one of whom needs a heart, another a kidney, and so on? If not, why not?

Consider another case: you and six others are kidnapped, and the kidnapper somehow persuades you that if you shoot dead one of the other hostages, he will set the remaining five free, whereas if you do not, he will shoot all six. (Either way, he'll release you.)

If in this case you should kill one to save five, why not in the previous, organs case? If in this case too you have qualms, consider yet another: you're in the cab of a runaway tram and see five people tied to the track ahead. You have the option of sending the tram on to the track forking off to the left, on which only one person is tied. Surely you should send the tram left, killing one to save five.

But then why not kill Bill?

Maria playing

Alison took this video near Maria's birthday. Very happy.

Sick

I am currently off work but at a good time to be ill as today was a training day and tomorrow a day in lieu which means we've already done training sessions in the evening giving the staff an opportunity to have a long weekend. Shame mine will be spent feeling ill.

It has given me a chance to update the blog and you'll see a link to Arn's blog as well as a painting of the day for the cultured among you and hangman. Most important of all though is a fitness tip as the very bottom which all of Sparkshop will be acting upon each day.

Stornoway

I had a few days in the Hebrides over half term and had something of a nightmare as far as travel is concerned but it was good to see mum and dad after such a long time.

Leaving on Friday from Ringwood, I got a coach to London and then a connection to Inverness. All was well till Glasgow when the coach taking us on failed to arrive at 6 in the morning. Tired and freezing we waited for an hour before a coach came out of the rain and took us through the Highlands. I had 2 hours to kill before the bus to Ullapool but it was chucking it down in Inverness and there was no news on whether the ferry to Stornoway would be running. It was touch and go with the storms still passing through having prevented sailings for the previous 2 days.

In Ullapool the ferry was said to be running, but very late. I had to endure 3 hours in a pub in the warm with nothing to do but watch the football and have a quiet drink or 6. It meant I wasn't sure if I was staggering because of the storm or the drink as i went on board. I sat in the bar for the 2 and 1/2 hour journey and this time did really have to endure hardship as X Factor was on!!

As you'll see from the photos, we had snow as well as rain and the odd glimpse of sun over the days I was there. I managed to get lots of rest though after what has been a very, very hard first half term in the academy.

Rossgarth

Glen's season has gone well so far. Rossgarth will go top if they win their games in hand and they've been playing some excellent football.

This weekend was the best game so far in terms of excitement. They played in Poole and were 2 goals down shortly after half time. The first goal was deflected in from long range and the second, 5 minutes after the break followed a long ball over the top. The score should have been very different as Rossgrath had already missed chances but they were rightly awarded a penalty within minutes of the second goal.

Eric calmly put the ball to the side of the keeper and it was game on. An equaliser followed with 20 minutes to go after the team switched to 3-4-3 as Eric once more slotted home. Better still with moments to go, Glen won a tackle at the back and set off on a mission. He broke through another tackle as he got forward and took the ball on at speed before releasing Eric. He carried on his run but Eric cut inside and shot from the edge of the box and lashed it in.

The win was deserved but they made harder work of it than they should.

Sparkshop

I've been busy with work over the past 2 weeks which has meant missing the first 2 games of the new season. Perhaps that's the way forward as the team have started well with a draw and win, 3 - 3 and 1 - 0, to see a way to promotion this time round.

I'll update on the scorers as soon as the reporters get back to me!

Last game

Sparkshop played the last game of the league season with little to play for but a place in the top half of the table. However, any hopes of a high finish were quickly dispelled on a wet and cold evening in Wimborne as few of the regular team turned up.

Dougie made a welcome return but found himself in goal as Richard had a table tennis match. New Matt had a prior engagement in Bristol(?) which meant he was unable to get back in time, Mike was absent with work and three pint Pete called off with a runny nose. That left us short with Dougie, Matt C, Dom, Kev and myself braving the wintry conditions.

We couldn't play with just 5 players but found a willing addition in someone from the game before ours which meant we at least got to play although the result would be null and void whatever the outcome.

In the event we played very well despite having a man down and being matched against one of the top sides. We held them for long periods to long range efforts and were looking more likely to score at times. The opposition were unable to make their advantage tell with their build up too slow at times but they took the lead eventually leaving us with a mountain to climb. In goal Dougie performed manfully with one particularly fine example of 'getting down early' preventing a goal as he reached upwards to palm the ball away.

Despite it all though, Sparkshop continued to battle and a throw in with moments to go led to a deserved equaliser. Dom had made his way forward several times in the first half but was now firmly lodged at the back with Matt. A lay off back to Kev saw him drill a superb shot, hard and low toward goal and the net bulged as he struck home in the corner giving the keeper no chance.

The rain had begun to ease by then and it was a cheerful group that enjoyed a well deserved drink afterwards with much to play for in the new season. This time we are going up.