So shouteth Shay Given several times during a competitve foot-volley-ball tournament at training today. Unfortunately their team (also consisting of Howey, Goma, Hughes, Griffin, Barton, and Bassedas) lost to the team consisting of Shearer, Ferguson, Cort, Gallacher,Harper, Cordone...errr...can't remember who else was on that side. However the Shay and Dabs show did manage to beat the third team which included Speed, McClen, Glass, Kerr(?) and others.

It was highly entertaining. Different from the usual training routines. Ref'd by John Carver, who came in for alot of abuse from Howey and Shay...especially when he kept penalizing Shay and Dabs for falling into the net. I think JC referred to particularly rough incident as "net abuse". Lots of banter, quite competitive, and lots of entertaining moves(lots of bicycle kicks). The game took place on a grass tennis court where each side of the net had been marked off into 9 squares. Players sort of defended zones, as in volleyball, but did move further if called on. As far as crowd, there were probably 50-75 people watching. And we couldn't have been any closer unless we were sitting on the players' laps. The tennis court was directly behind the bleachers for the soccer pitch, so standing up on the top row of bleachers and looking down was the perfect position. You could hear and see everything. I took alot of pictures, not sure how well they'll come out since the sun was in my face.

After those games and a gatorade break, the players moved out to the pitch for a half-field game. Again, we were literally standing behind the benches so very close to the couple of players not taking part inthe game. Robert Lee was nursing a strained thigh muscle. He had been walking around during the vollyball and sat with ice and did some gentle stretching during the practice match. Cort had treatment for blisters. We couldn't figure out why Domi appeared to be sitting out, though he was dressed and had done some light work prior. Hughes also looked to be walking gingerly in his socks.

I didn't have quite as good an angle during the match. Gallacher had a few good shots, but they went wide. Shearer really belted one and it just caught the upper corner of the goal posts and back out. Cort had some nice touches, but still needs to get used to communicating with his teammates. At one point, Speed was open and screaching(I've never heard his voice so high pitched!) for the ball but Cort went the other way and gave it up.

Everyone appeared to be working hard and in good spirits. AFter a 9 hour hell drive from Boston, I got to my hotel too late to get a lift to the grounds, so had to drive myself. Fortunately it wasn't too hot, but being tired and not having eaten all day, forgive me if my memories are a bit hazy. ;-) It was also just so exciting, and a bit surreal, to see the lads here and working away. I was so out of it when I got there that Bobby and I literally walked right past each other....and it didn't even register with me until he was past. argh!

Question for the R-team.....Is Brian Kerr skinny and blonde? I was thinking he was Coppinger until I logged on just now and saw that Copps scored a hatrick at Ashington. So unless he hopped the Concorde and flew over here...... ;-)

Also, Howey no longer has blonde locks. He, and a number of players, have gone for the nearly shaved head look(ala Beckham).

Now to get some sleep and up early for a 9am session in the morning! This time I'll have to get myself ina better position when they finish and head back to the bus. Today I completely missed a chance to meet Bobby. When I noticed he was stopping and posing for pics with people I couldn't get over there before he'd disappeared onto the bus.

Sorry for the long rambly post. :-)

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

Answers

Ciara, sorry for long rambly post, away with you gal, brilliant, at 5am in the morning you have made my day, telling it how it is, we are indebted to you, sleep well.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

Don`t apologise for your posting Ciara! It`s wonderful! I am so thrilled for you that you are getting an opportunity to see the boys, for once, on your home turf (well relatively speaking!) You make sure you get a good position next time and make the most of it! Bobby will be thrilled when he finds out what a dedicated supporter you are.

Look forward to your next posting.(:o)

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Got me bloody excited now , and sounds like the weather is canny too . Im leaving in 5 hrs and time cant go quick enough : - ) Cort sounds a bit ropey mind , hope he gets it together by season start . What abt Big Yin , how did he look . Ill see you tonight pet , hee hee .

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Skinny, blonde, neat footwork, slippery as an eel, erect carriage (fnarr fnarr), lovely short passes....Brian Kerr it is!

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Ciara,

I'm only an ignorant Eurocrat. What's a bleacher?

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Nice one Ciara. Cheered me up no end hearing that Lee, Cort, Domi and Hughes are injured :-((

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

I think bleachers are those wooden stands around sports fields in the States....like what Danny and Sandy run about on in Grease while singing about those oooooohhh, Su-u-ummmmmm-eeerrrrrrrrrrr Niiii-iiiiiiiiiiighhhhts (Tell me more, tell me more).

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Didn't Hughes play in the Ashington match???

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Hughes wasn't at the Ashington match according to nufc.com. The line up was Karelse

G.Caldwell - S.Caldwell - Marcellino - Beharall

Green - Hamilton - Boyd - Brady

Ketsbaia - Coppinger

Macmahan and Amoebi came on as subs.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Some one on here posted a story about who was and was not going to the US of A. Who ever it was was speculating on the future of those that did not travel. Maric, Marcellino, Charvet etc one of the names was Hughes and who ever it was said that they were all not left behind because they were stiffs as Bobby obviously rated Hughes.

I hope I was not misled by whoever it was or I will be very cross. It is not the sort of trick to play on those of us who get sod all in the press and depend upon places like this for news.

Come on own up and then go and stand in the corner, go on

Thanks for the correction Windy

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

just like to thank Ciara for putting in the effort and giving us an exclusive first hand account of the lads US tour. Good stuff.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Yeh cheers for the reports Ciara, extensive reports of the matches and future training sessions are expected now !0)

there's a pint in the pump at my local if you can keep us informed

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Glad it made some sense! Hopefully I'll have more to report over the next few days. :-)

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Just remembered another little incident fromThursday's training. During the practice match, Cort kinda dived after which Harper turned to the crowd and had a howl about it. "He bloody dived!! *grumblegrumblecursegrin*"

ok...I need to get out of here and get a camera battery. I just want to walk up the hill. oh, hangovers are so much fun! ;-)

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2000