Alan Johnston

If you've scrolled down the screen far enough over the past couple of months or so you'll have noticed this little button featuring BBC reporter Alan Johnston.

Anybody with their own website or blog was encouraged to put this button on their front page so that they could do their little bit to keep Mr Johnston in people's minds. He's probably never heard of Cheadle Town FC, nor is he ever likely to, nor is he ever going to be interested in the comedy quartet that is Howard, Hills, Brokenbrow & Howse, but I felt obliged anyhow to play my part.

I'm glad to say that after 114 days I'm in a position to delete it as the BBC have their reporter back.

Somebody who has such a difficult and risky journalism job as Alan Johnston (anybody who'd want to be a Middle East reporter deserves a medal) must despair at the crass approach that is sometimes displayed by their peers. Take, for example, the journalists that were gathered outside the home of Alan Johnston's parents this morning, two of whom asked questions ranging from the bleedin' obvious ("how do you feel now that Alan has been released?") and the slightly befuddling ("can you describe the 114 days of Alan's capture?").

And these blokes get paid. I'm in the wrong job.

Vodkat Is Just the Tonic for NWCFL

Vodkat. Tonic. See what I've done there? Never mind....

This is old news for those in the NWCFL know, but I thought that I'd give the NWCFL's new sponsors a mention.

Not that we ever did anyway, but we shouldn't refer to the NWCFL as the "Moore & Co. Construction League" anymore; it is now known - thanks to its new sponsorship deal - as the "Vodkat League". Nope, I still ain't going to refer to it as anything other than "the NWCFL".

Speaking of other sponsorship deals, our sort-of-geographical neighbours down the A6 in New Mills have just landed themselves a tidy deal with Princess Cruises extending (and financially increasing) their shirt-sponsorship deal, a record for the club. Well done to them as securing any sort of incoming money at this level of the footballing pyramid is difficult at the best of times. You can read more about the deal by clicking here.

And still speaking of New Mills FC, they have got themselves a new Reserves Team Manager in the shape of Gareth McClelland...who did the same job for our very own Cheadle Town last season. Polardin and I never met or spoke to him as we don't follow the Reserves' fortunes, but we wish him all the best.

Summer Break

Just to let you know that this blog will be taking its short summer break from tomorrow and will return again in two weeks' time on Saturday 23rd June.

On its return the footballing world will hopefully start to slowly wake up from its summer stupor and things may start happening; hey, there might even be news of some CTFC pre-season friendlies to tell you about.

Until then you're just going to make do without my irreverent rambles. If you get bored you can always take another look at last season's photos or wander over to the blog's video channel on YouTube.....or you could even see what Polardin has got to say for himself over at his blog.

See you in two weeks.

From Winsford to Woodley...

There's been a major change "up the road" at Woodley Sports. They have a new management team, no other than Mssrs Wilcox and Flanagan who guided Winsford United to the Div 2 title last season.

"So what?" I hear you bleat.

Well, I thought this was worth a mention as it affects a good friend of this blogsite, Aaron Flanagan who - as you can probably work out - is directly related to Flanagan Snr; after spending last season reminding us two how good Winsford United were, he now finds himself doing his photographic and video bit for our near neighbours...as well as having a whole new list of Unibond One grounds to visit! Good luck on your travels, Aaron...

...just don't expect any favours from The Cheadle if we draw Woodley in the Cheshire Senior Cup!!