Hello, good evening and welcome…..

Good morning!! This is my first blog.

My late father was an excellent sportsman, able full back in football, excellent left hand opening bat (represented his college and played 2nd 11 at Cambridge Uni) and this first blog is dedicated to him. He once shared digs with Sir David Frost hence the title of this initial entry (for those old enough to recall Sir David’s catchphrase!). Dad took me to my first football and cricket matches, taught me how to win and accept defeat, and many of his mantras still resonate today- keep your eye on the ball, move your feet and don’t show pain! This one’s for you Dad. My hero.

I’m currently in exile from the Uk (work matters I may add, not as a result of association with Peter Mandelson or Prince Andrew) and one of the things I miss is reasoned interaction around sport aside from what we see on social media.

The aim of this is to allow me to offer my opinions on sporting matters of the day, and I welcome responses and debate. Nearing my 58th birthday I’ve realised that over the years on social media getting 2 responses from Henry Winter, 140 character limits and a 12 second follow by Niall Horan on Twitter don’t really satisfy my need to vent!

I’m not sure Niall wanted to follow me, by the way. I suspect he had ‘his people’ audit new followers and as he was the newest high profile follower of Derby County at the time, I decided to follow him. Like a sheep you may say.

I’m a Derby County, Derbyshire cricket club and England supporter - across all sports! A boy of the 70’ and 80’s, who yearns for the simpler days pre- VAR and when we used to debate controversial moments without the use of a computer drawn line or engaging in diatribe on social media. A troll was the beast who lived under a bridge in a children’s story book, not a keyboard warrior and we all had ‘a mate who works at the ground’ for our source of football gossip.

Pubs, school playgrounds and the workplace were our ‘sites’, emojis were actual facial expressions and benefit of the doubt was given to sporting officials and not former BBC presenters.

So over the coming months and new football season, starting with the 2026 World Cup, I’ll be offering my views and comment on what the tournament brings, the inevitable controversies, moments that our children and grandchildren will remember as well as we recall Marco Tardelli, the Brazilian team of ‘82 (surely the best team never to win a World Cup?) and the Hand of God.

I’ll be across all sports over the summer and beyond, unfortunately I don’t have a Southampton intern to do any reporting for me, so will look to observe and opine on all the stuff that matters!! Feel free to comment and debate!!