The Big Voice of Sport
LAST Saturday evening I donned the thermals and a fleece-lined jacket and, with the good lady also suitably attired, we attended the 20th Anniversary Celebra-tion Summer Ball superbly put on by Brighouse Juniors at their Broad Oak headquarters, Hove Edge.
While some very brave men and women were dressed for a ball in a dance hall going along with the Eighties theme, others pulled their sleeves down to act as impromptu gloves and others zipped their collars up.
I had arrived at 8.45pm with the thermometer in the car showing 9C, some 46F in old money, and when we left at 11.30pm it was down to 7C.
I remarked it would be cold enough for snow in Scotland and the Lake District and then lo and behold on Sunday morning there were pictures in the papers of people making snowmen in the Cairngorms and above 2,300ft in the Lakes. There was no way anybody could take a pleasant sightseeing climb or walk on an early June day as the snow lay deep, crisp and even.
The chill aside it was a lovely evening, superb company in the shape of former chairman and founder member Chris Wadsworth, his wife Marilyn, their good friend Anne Pitcher, Pauline King and her husband Jan, another founder member.
Chairman Ian Addy brought in his Leeds University catering team and what a great job they did with the savouries and multitude of sweets.
The band, Chicago Joe, was first class, former chairman and president Doug Tait did a sterling job as master of ceremonies and disc jockey and the bar staff were most efficient and polite.
There had been action all day at the ground, as reported on the back page with some 90 prizes and mementos handed out. This was followed by another full day on the Sunday with the giant slide always busy and two full car parks.
The time these people give up week in week out to provide for some 30 teams is enormous and can’t be assessed in terms of what it would cost.
They are running a huge junior and youth club and grants should be forthcoming annually to go some way towards the work they do in putting on matches, providing kit and the like.
Those not interested in sport do not realise what goes on at grass roots level.
Long may it continue as these boys and girls do at least grow up having been involved with sport, which is not only character building, but also provides an interest which keeps them entertained and busy.
I FOR one will be very sad if Setanta Sports goes off the air at the end of this week for failing to make its huge rights payments to the Scottish FA and the Premier League.
It will also badly affect the Blue Square Premier Division, the Conference. Their clubs reckon it will cost them around 75,000 each which is a lot of money for non-league clubs.
It will also reduce their exposure which has seen them on the station Monday and Thursday evenings and with all their play-off games.
There was some talk that ESPN with their Disney Channel may make a plunge and that Sky might take them over, but as yet nothing and tomorrow, Friday, is D-Day.
NEXT week in South Wales they are opening a brand new racecourse on the site of an old open cast mine.
The only reason I know is that a good friend of mine has invited me down there to see the grandstand named after dual code international rugby legend Jonathan Davies who was born in the town of Ffos Las near Trimsaran between Carmarthen and Llanelli.
At the moment Wales has two courses, Chepstow in the south and Bangor-on-Dee in the north.
It will be some journey for northern trainers but there will no doubt be incentives.
The Essex course, Great Leighs, opened last year on the site of the old Essex Showground near Chelms-ford, has had its problems over funding and has been closed, but there is talk of it reopening under a new owner.
THEY are holding a Tamla Motown and soul night at Rastrick PS Bowling Club on Saturday night with renowned DJs Larry Lloyd and Steve Rowe and I can guarantee you it will be one of the best three quids-worths you will have spent.
Larry informs me that he has purchased lots more vinyl for your pleasure, so on with the glad rags and prepare for a great night out.
FINALLY, I must say how I am enjoying the current World Twenty/20 cricket on Sky at the moment with the highlights on TV.
The performances of Holland against England and Pakistan have been superb, the batting of South Africa amazing and to see Australia pack up and leave after losing their two group matches and not making the Super Eight was a sight to behold.
They now have to kick their heels for two weeks before meeting England in the first of the Ashes Tests.
June will eventually warm up and then we get Ascot, Wimbledon, Henley Regattta and the Test Matches. Great times ahead if you like your sport.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Halifax
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
