'Sheila Take a Bow', 'Picture This' & 'Promises' this week, please.

Just obscured the pile of Miguel Delaney's States of Play with a few copies of David Peace's Munichs (which is on my TBR list) in Waterstones' 'buy one get one half price' section. If my action prevents just one sale of Delaney's book, it will count as a small victory.

'16 May 1991 Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow (cancelled due to sore throat)' Amazing stat. We were victims of this one. Up from Manchester & having spent the day in the city, we entered the pub nearest the venue in high spirits. Suspicions were first aroused by the distinct lack of quiffs. Never again

Unfortunate clash, but the ever reliable Filofax on hand to avoid a potential double-booking.

The embarrassing Your Party shitshow over the past couple of days will have, at least, inadvertently helped to make up the minds of many disillusioned Labour voters uncertain whether to pivot towards them or Zack Polanski's revitalised Greens.

'Love You More', 'Strange Town' & 'Panic' for my 20p, please.

While staying here a few yrs ago, Erika & I made the acquaintance of - and ended up getting drunk with - 70s NME journalist Steve Clarke and his lovely wife. The following year, they were here again, this time with wider family. We've just arrived and are half-expecting them to make it a hat-trick.

An erstwhile lefty mate of mine in his 60s, who used to reserve his ire for 'red Tories', has become utterly obsessed with trans-bashing. As his new allies are (naturally) right-leaning, he's now started banging on about 'woke ideology'. To the extent Charlie Kirk 'shone a light'. I fucking give up.

It's kind of tough to tell a scruff the big mistake he's making

Nigella ❤️

Pre-derby ritual completed. What could possibly go wrong now?

We all need to be having these conversations.

As if we all hadn't heard 'Sit Down' once too often as it is, it's now somehow an unlikely Tommeh anthem, seemingly. Fair fucks to Tim though, obviously.

An extraordinary innings by Salt. And a reminder - it's impossible to not love the bloke regardless.

Off to watch @wdcfc.bsky.social at Prestwich Heys tomorrow night, scene of Mark E. Smith's 'arrest' by his part-time policeman neighbour. As if.

This monstrosity has suddenly appeared in the plot next to ours. Priestnall Allotment & Garden Society has fallen.

Due to issues with City's new access system, I, along with hundreds of others, missed the first 30 mins of the Spurs match. The club have emailed me today to confirm it WILL count towards my 10-match attendance requirements as a ST holder. Which is mightily big of them, I'm sure you'll agree.

We've heard so little from the asylum seekers themselves, and this is an exemplary piece. My wife, as a paediatrician, has treated kids from Eritrea, who've taken 3 years to get here, walking across deserts and being beaten & imprisoned along the way. The hostility they're now facing is sickening.

John Torode deserved to be thrown off MasterChef for continually pronouncing 'turmeric' as 'tumour-ic', never mind the racism.

Hugely underappreciated set of 1980 singles. The glorious 'I Look Alone' was slated to be Part 4, but sadly, the band announced their split first, and it ended up finding a home on the NME C81 cassette instead. #WeekendSingles

I've never been fully convinced by Rayner. You'd hardly find Zarah Sultana, for example, happily posing for photos with these type of people.

Play the #HMHB lyrics game. It's addictive, but not easy. I've just scored 19/25 & 20/25, and am just about to have another crack. craigfots.shinyapps.io/hmhb_lyrics_...

They came for Graham Linehan and I think I’m right in saying I applauded.

I thought Jonathan Liew was taking the piss, but already, I think we'd settle for sixth.

Today's performance was similar to last season's home derby. Comfortable at 1-0 but showing no desire to score a second, while we watch through our fingers, waiting for the inevitable. A Nunes error leads to 1-1, cue disintegration. It's the '2 bald men fighting over a comb' derby next. Can't wait.

It was strange listening to the Fulham fans trying to be edgy yesterday. Giving Delap a load of abuse for seemingly no reason, and then cheering when he had to depart injured. Lost any sympathy I may have had for them at that point.

Halifax, West Yorkshire. Yes, this revolting old couple have a combined IQ in single figures, but their behaviour is a direct result of the endless airtime given to Farage and other right-wing extremists. Beyond depressing.

For accuracy, five M.E.N reporters spoke to Sandra, 67; Shirley, 76; Sue, 72; Jacqui ('in her 80s'), Norma, 79, and Rodney, 81, from places such as Shaw and Rochdale. You can guess the rest.

Come on, Andy, horrific as it was, that does seem rather knee-jerk. A good night's sleep, and you'll feel better in the morning.

All together now: "But I can put a tennis racket up against my face/And pretend that I am Kendo Nagasaki" Jasmine Paolini performs unexpected HMHB tribute at the US Open.

"Now I've got a bovine called Kevin..."

Periodic reminder that this is among the finest football writing you'll ever come across. Given the season involved, it's absolutely essential for City fans of course, but so much more happened in that amazing season (e.g. the Suarez/Evra and Fabrice Muamba dramas). I simply can't recommend enough.

In a just world, Chris Sievey would also be celebrating his 70th. www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-cv...

Was in touch with an old drummer pal from the holidays camps last night. Haven't seen him since he was touring with a Grease musical in the early 90s, and learned yesterday he's been in The Korgis since 2017. He's a lovely guy, but I'm genuinely hoping I don't get a gig invite!

Finally got in the ground just in time to see Spurs score. I guess it must be national shite day.

Absolute chaos at City with the new entry system. Stuck in a queue with hundreds of others for a paper replacement ticket from a fucking portacabin box office. It's giving me Gillingham '99 vibes.

From the Mark Radcliffe Q & A in today's Guardian. I think he can rest easy for a while yet.

Just home after a sortie into Liverpool to watch local hero and my old ping pong mucker Peter Coyle at the Arts Bar. A fabulous, intimate gig, with some of the spoken word stuff raw and emotional. Most of all though, what a set of pipes he truly has. Fantastic night.

"We may have murdered more than 62,000 Palestinians including 19,000 children in the last two years, but I think you'll find your attitude to whale hunting is decidedly outdated."

Today’s poem is called ‘How Much I Dislike the Daily Mail’.

#OTD 50 yrs ago I was at Old Trafford to watch Lancs defeat Glos by 3 wkts in the final over of a thrilling Gillette Cup semi-final, before a dash to Maine Road to see City grab a last-gasp 1-1 draw with Leicester. And still 2 more weeks before school. The joyful, uncomplicated life of a 12-yr-old.

James suddenly not quite as keen on free speech as it initially appeared.

Call it glorified exhibition tennis if you will, but this newfangled US Open mixed dubs is excellent. Really enjoying it.

It's been delayed by a year, but we're now finally destined to witness Oscar Bobb's 'breakout season'. He's a wonderful footballer with a name to match.

Happy birthday to Tracy Tracy. Which is a more than good enough reason to post my favourite second wave Prims track among a very strong field. Lovely stuff. www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0FR...

Cryarsing Palace fans chanting "it's not football anymore". Presumably, this is still fine.

Mark Bosnich on talkSHITE this morning, identifying City's "green sprouts" of recovery.

Play the worst shot in cricket history and hey presto, next thing you know you're England captain.

While it's generally accepted that Jonathan Liew is a knob, in today's Guardian piece he's correctly identified 4 things that while fascinating to the individual involved, are of no interest to anyone else: 1. Fantasy football team exploits 2. Dreams 3. Wordle stats 4. Contents of one's belly button

Absolutely this thread.