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Monday was made busier as the media were hounding me for comments regarding the potential referee's strike in Scotland. I don't personally believe in strikes of any kind, but it just highlights the feelings of the officials up there who are concerned for their own safety.
Celtic Football club and manager Neil Lennon need to have a close look at themselves. They have stoked up the public opinion of late with their post-match comments.
Rangers were drawn at home to Saturday's beaten opponents Kilmarnock in the Scottish FA Cup, having just played them also in the CIS Cup. Familiarity certainly could breed contempt. I would have preferred Celtic's draw away to Berwick Rangers. A shorter trip up the east coast to a ground I have not previously been to would have been great. I hope Lennon has got his excuses ready if they step on a banana skin in the Borders.
Tuesday and I managed to get to Sedgefield and enjoyed a very successful afternoon before meeting up with the lads at Teesside Park to set of to Tranmere for Hartlepool's Division One clash. As well as watching the game I was also doing the summarising with Mark Simpson on Pools Player.
The craic was great and more importantly Pools dug deep after Saturdays injustice and took all three points, perhaps somewhat fortuitously, through a bizarre own goal. Over the ninety minutes though they were by far the better side. Click here to read my alternative match report.
I had been informed prior to the game that Bernie Slaven had once again let rip with suggestions on his own website that Gibson and Lamb must leave the Boro. After his earlier rant about Kris Boyd I don't understand his agenda. He claims to be a massive Boro fan but doesn't go to many games and his comments are destabilising what is already a very unsteady ship.
Wednesday and up to Glasgow for the big one, Rangers vital Champions League game with Manchester United. Click here to read my match report.
News was breaking of Jose Mourinhio's latest act of gamesmanship, as his Real Madrid side deliberately got two players sent off so that they could serve their bans in the final dead rubber group game, so making themselves available for the knockout stages.
Typical of the man, loved by the media, a true winner, but also a cheat. He will never change and is typical of the win at all costs attitude prevalent in the modern game. His actions prompted a call from The Sun and an interview whilst I was driving (hands free!) on my view on The Special One's latest escapades.
On the way up to Glasgow my mate Geoff and I discussed the horrendous situation at the Riverside. As a founder of the Red Faction group, he was particularly unhappy at the club's attitude to the group of fans who are being pilloried by the club, despite only wanting to improve the atmosphere at the club.
As we arrived I received a couple of strongly worded texts from Boro's Press Officer Dave Allan, obviously not happy with my latest article. Freedom of speech seems only applicable as long as you agree with the club on every subject.
The Rangers game disappointed. The Gers were severely depleted but did not really have a go at a far from impressive United side. They are unbeaten since the spring and you can't argue with that, but they are certainly not firing on all cylinders, something that can also be said about Wayne Rooney.
Ironically he scored the only goal of the games between the sides with a late penalty. Rangers qualify for the Europa League though, so European action after Christmas. Many teams, including another in Glasgow, would kill for that!
As we left Glasgow in bright sunshine, we were aware that the north east had been hit by overnight snow. Our progress was good though as initial news broke that foreign refs were to be used in Scotland this weekend, so Sunday's early morning trip to Tannadice may only be in doubt by the weather.
Ninety miles later I was home, a quick turn round and another 160 trip to Tamworth to speak at a Sportsman's Dinner for Bolehall Swifts FC. I was working solo, my act, then a Q & A session. It turned out to be a cracking night, great audience and a few bob made for the team.
Friday and onward to Oldham and Smokies Hotel, a regular venue of mine. Another fund raiser, with Jimmy Bright working with me for the third time in less than month. Poor bugger has to listen to me again!
Before the gig I did a piece on Talksport regarding the Scottish reffing situation. I tried to be diplomatic, but as Goughy named names I had to concur, as I suggested earlier, that this whole situation is down to Neil Lennon and Celtic FC. Their complex that everyone is against them is touching on paranoia. Weather permitting the SPL will go ahead with officials from across Europe.
Friday's gig was different. It was actually a fund raiser for a local college and the audience were made up, in the main, of couples but they were still a good crowd and we as speakers were not inhibited in our content. There was also a singer on the bill, different as he sang in between courses and kept the night moving.
Saturday and homeward and as I approached Teesside the weather worsened. It was OK until the Northallerton turn off. I was aware that requests had been made to clear the snow off the pitches at both Darlington and Hartlepool, but no news from Boro where I was planning to go.
The weather worsened some more and Pools became a victim, most unusual because they, being so close to the coast, usually dodge the worst of the weather. Darlington escaped unusually as they do not have a good record when the weather turns nasty. But the efforts of so many to get the game on were wasted as Darlo crashed out of the FA Cup to York City.
At the Riverside, as kick off approached, the game must have been in doubt. I have covered the match in my match report (Click here to read it) and the subject of the fitness of pitches will be covered later on this week in my articles for ComeOnBoro.com and the Evening Gazette.
Whatever the rights and wrongs, the game was played and Boro twice came from behind to earn a point. On a better surface the three points that we desperately needed might have been attained.
The worsening conditions and the forecast for heavy overnight snow had already caused me unusually to use my common sense. The trip to Tannadice with a 6.30 am Sunday start for the noon kick off had sensibly been postponed. As it turned out a good move because the game was called off about 9.00am. Just think if I had lost my beauty sleep and been half way there!
Instead, with the weather abysmal, it was cabin up for the day, watch the TV football and wait with interest for the FA Cup draw. Neither brilliant for the region's two remaining sides. For Boro a first ever clash with Burton Albion, a banana skin if ever there was one. In reality a game the Boro should win, but the way things are going, by no means a certainty.
Pools, if they can overcome Yeovil next Tuesday night, have an away game at Watford. Not a money spinner and a game that will be very difficult to progress from.
More ructions north of the border as Hugh Dallas, the head of referee development is forced to resign, that coming just hours after the ref involved in the Dundee United v Celtic announced his early retirement. Crazy - Lennon and his Celtic whingers are causing the careers of decent guys to be finished long before their time.
Talksport spot at 10.45pm finished off a very busy week. With Danny Kelly hosting the show we actually talked about the offside controversies and the Scottish situation as well as the usual 'What–ifs?'
This article was first published on the 29th of November here: http://www.jeffwinterentertainmentandmedia.co.uk/world/0910052.php
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