Prenton Park

In a little less than three weeks I should be watching Tranmere Rovers play MK Dons at what I like to call the home of football; Prenton Park. It's been awhile since I saw the Superwhites play as the club always seem to put barriers in my way. A waterlogged pitch and re arranged playing times have caused much swearing and trips to the pub instead of the ground. Even this proposed visit hasn't been without it's changes. Saturday 17th Nov at 3.00pm seemed like a good time to kick off. Flights were booked, hotel reservation made, kick off moved to Friday 16th Nov 7.45pm. Whatelse should I really have expected?

I will not be defeated. Early morning flights for Friday had already been booked so I will be at the match.

In preperation for this Tranmere are on the TV next Sunday, the The FA Cup at Braintree Town. It's about time we had a cup run. SWA

On The Buses

I thought I dip my toe into the worlds of politics and industrial relations as the situation at Isle of Man Bus and Rail is starting to grate even someone as mild mannered as me.

A lot has been said and written regarding bus drivers employed in the IOM, some of it quite sensible such as that by political commentator Paul Speller .

From my point of view the bus drivers are paid too much but is this their fault? Of course not. Who, in their right mind would ever turn down a pay increase? The bus service in the IOM has been badly run for years. Successive directors of transport along with their civil service and political bosses have been weak and without vision. They don't really know why they have a bus service. Although at times it would appear that they like the idea of buying new large buses and running them around the island empty. Until they work out what service they should provide the whole thing will remain a farce.

Take the route to the airport. From Douglas at peak times it's every 20 minutes and takes about 20 minutes all for a tenth the price of a taxi. Ideal if you're price aware. The only thing is, there is virtually no luggage space on the fleet of new buses purchased only a few years ago. Poor planning. The bus management claimed they needed these new vehicles as some of the then fleet leaked in the rain. This is true as I have suffered from cancelled buses due to this fault. It was, however, hard to stomach these faulty buses being sold to UK operators who repaired them and are probably still using them in all weathers.

The new stock is brought out of capital expenditure budgets compared to wages which are from revenue although in the case of the drivers tax revenue rather than ticket sales and we always told these are different matters but to the man in the street money is money especially when it's his money.

The driver's union, Unite, isn't blameless either. They seem unable or unwilling to direct their members towards a settlement. They are after all paid by tax payers, many of who are struggling in the current ecomonic climate.  Strike action will result in lost wages which will soon bite. From memory  the drivers are still paid weekly which is always an advantage when faced with strike reduced wages. A monthly paid worker is much less likely to strike.

So the management need to improve themselves and the drivers need to be realistic in their salary expectations. I don't see this happening anytime soon.

Seattle Sounders - March to the Match

Continued from previous post.

On the ECS forums advise had been given that drinks should be finished by 6.30pm so that the "march to the match" could be joined. I wasn't quite sure where this was taking place so I just headed outside with the fans and made my way over to Pioneer Square, normally home to Seattle's homeless. These bums had cleared out and the Sq was starting to fill up in green clad Sounder's supporters. I've been to a few football matches over the years including a visit to Wembley but I had never witnessed anything like this. A marching band was playing in the centre of the square while the fans formed up into rows. 

Those with banners were to the front. Then the chanting. I can't remember them all but "fight or die" and "studs up Sounders" spring to mind. Finally we were off. The march had begun. Well I say march but really more of a stroll. At one point I saw a younger fan pull his scarf up over his face. I feared a kick off of some style or other but moments later a smoke canister was set off filling the street with a green haze.

Not really hardcore covering the face to avoid smoke. The route of the march wasn't long but we did go past FX McCory's, a Seattle bar with what I can only describe as a wall of whiskey. A fun time could be had in there. As we approached the CentryLink Field carpark the march just sort of broke up. It was certainly the strangest way I had arrived at a ground but good fun. I found the "will call" window to collect the match tickets. The woman behind the screen took great delight in making me confirm my address. The words Isle of  Man seem to be comic gold in The Emerald City.

The march hadn't taken as long as anticipated so a good look around shops inside and outside the ground was possible a beanie was purchased as was beer which can be drunk while watching the match. 

I can't recall to much about the game itself as the football wasn't to a very high standard but the atmosphere inside the ground made by the nearly 40,000 fans was great. Being in the Brougham End the ECS chanting was none stop. Again "fight or die" and "studs up Sounders" were there along with others. This constant chanting was led by guys at the front of the stand on raised platforms with their back to the game. They were helped out by a fellow not too far away from my seat whose energetic chanting and leaping around caused his tan coloured shirt to become darker with sweat.

The Sounders lost 1-2 to the Earthquakes but was an experience the whole match day was an eye opener. The American sure do know how to put on a show. 

  

Seattle Sounders

I was in Seattle, Wa recently for a few days R & R after 7 days in Las Vegas. I think it's called "decompression" these days. On the day I arrived Seattle's Mayor League Soccer team were taking on the table topping San Jose Earthquakes. Tickets were purchased for what would turn out to be a top 2 clash. Seats in the Brougham End with views over downtown Seattle's skyline. As well as this view the Brougham End is home to the Seattle Sounders selfstyled "ultras" the Emerald City Supporters or ECS. Rumours of Seattle's rainfall might be slightly exaggerated but there is plenty of the wet stuff which results in quite a lush green city which is where I suppose they get the name of Emerald City from.

With the tickets sorted some pre match action was needed. A visit to the ECS forums quickly ascertained that drinks before the game were positively encouraged. Music to my ears. Several venues were suggested including McCoys Firehouse and Fuel . As Fuel was encountered first, Fuel it was. More than an hour before the match and place was jumping with soccer fans, most sporting the X-Box logo of the Sounder's latest shirt sponsor. As always in a busy American bar a group of hard working waitresses where keeping the punters fed and watered. Having spent many an hour in pubs both in the Isle of Man and various UK towns and cities and experienced bar staff more interested in texting their mates I am always impressed by their hard working US counterparts. Must be the tips.

In order to cope with the influx of pre match drinkers a temporary extra bar had been set up. Without a cash till the waitress made full use of her assets to store the hundreds of dollars she had taken. It put a smile on my face as I drank my PBR.

Will continue this later.

American Airlines

Are American Airlines the world's worst? Probably not but they are rubbish. Over a 10 day period I took 4 flights with AA and all of them were delayed. Possibly it's my own fault for not checking the web and finding out about their labour dispute with the pilots. Mind you had I known this I might not have wanted to fly. We were 4 hours late out of Dublin. The reason given was the late arrival of the inbound flight. This a typical catch all response given by all airlines but it doesn't get to the heart of the matter as to why the plane was late leaving. Once we left Dublin I was disappointed to find out that the inflight entertainment was shown from a few ceiling mounted screens rather than the seatback stuff I and the rest of the travelling public are used to. Thank god for ipads and pods. Our Dublin flight was into Chicago and from there I was transferring to Las Vegas. I'd already been changed to a later plane due to the initial delay only to find that this was also not leaving on time as the previous flight at the gate was delayed. Change gate? No chance. At least 5 hours of Vegas time lost.

I flew from LV to Seattle with Alaska which was great. Took off and landed on time. All I really want from a flight.

My return from Seattle to Dublin was via Chicago and AA. Delayed leaving my about 15 minutes. It was a tight connection in Chicago to my mind for an international flight but good old American helped out with a three and a half hour delay. Plenty of time to make the gate. Again no seatback entertainment. To add insult to injury once we arrived in Dublin the tower made us wait 20 minutes for a gate. Naughty late plane.

Some more stuff on American.