Why bother?

On Sunday, Manchester City, aka Citeh, beat Liverpool 3-0 in the much anticipated "Super Sunday" game live on TV and radio.

Citeh are no top of the table having won all of their league games so far, and indeed the team performance was really strong, making the most of a man advantage almost straight away.

Citeh could go all the way and win the Premier League title again.

Or they might suffer a massive points deduction, or even expulsion from the PL into League 2.

Listening to the so-called pundits on TV and radio these last few days, not to mention Citeh fans, you would think that its all a bit too much, and due process is just annoying.

Without proper due process in the original hearing and consideration, as well as any appeals and the sanctioning, would leave Citeh room to appeal once again. The process will take as long as it takes.

Sadly.

The PL and other clubs would like this to be over by the end of the season, so to know who has won the league, and who will be relegated. Therefore it is in Citeh's interest to frustrate this.

And for clarification, let me restate that the appeal by Citeh cannot include any new evidence, and will be on matters of law or points of procedure. A cahallenge to either of those requires a very high bar to overtun one or more of the guilty charges.

I heard a Citeh fan state on the radio last night that the challenge to the High Court stands more chance of Citeh winning. This shows how little is understood, in that a challenge to the High Court on matters of law and/or procedure, requires an even higher bar to be cleared.

Not only that, in the High Court, statements made by witnesses for Citeh could be read out and the person(s) making those statement(s) be asked if they spoke truthfully, as the were at the orignal hearing. The difference here would be that they would be on oath, and making false statements to the court would be perjury, and likely to result in those making such false statements in prison. Very quickly.

These are very serious verdicts, and because the appendices are redacted thus far, we don't know the evidence or who said what, or who has been accused of making false statements.

For now until the process ends, the results and PL table are uncertain, and so whether this will affect the integrity of the competition, and worry commercial and broadcasting partners. What is certain, an unpunished Citeh, or a punishment that does not meet the seriousness of the findings, would cause more severe damage to the League's interity.

Wonko speaks

I am also Wonko. Wonko the Sane, as well as Jelltex.

I look out from inside the asylum to the outside and see the madness out there, and glad I am safe inside.

For some reason, views on this blog have increased ten-fold this week, and I have no idea why. But if you're a new reader, let me welcome you, and remind one and all that it always amazes me that anyone bar myself reads my prose.

It was good for the President of the USA to reveal this week what the J in his name is. It's Judas.

Having sold out Ukraine and Western Europe for two weeks deisel from Russia, now demanding there be elections in Ukrains as Russain drone rain down fire and brimstone.

Trump said some kind of truce had been agreed, where neither side would attack each other's energy installations. Neither Ukraine of Russia had been aware of this.

So Unkraine attacked several data centres, and the MAGA supporting bots on the hellsite that was Twitter fell 90%.

Anyway, welcome to the Asylum, head lunatic signing off.

Sunday 11th October 2026

Sunday.

And a lay in to six wouldn't happen. My brain waking me at twenty past five, so I lay awake until I hear the kettle on downstairs, as Jools makes coffee after sorting the cats out.

Another clear morning, with sunrise coming just after six once we were in the gym and pedalling, so that the newly risen sol cast stark shadows of us wearing our headphones against the white wall.

After working out, we drove into town to have breakfast. As is the way with family run places, and even though we don't go too often now, the waitress / co-owner remembers what we have wit us saying.

So that's good.

As was breakfast.

Not much to do this day, other than to have lunch and watch football. Though on the way home from the gym we went to see Jen, have a brew and a chat.

We should have done something outside, rather than sit and drink tea. But the morning was getting on, so other than have another shower and get changed, all ready for the Southampton v Portsmouth game.

After that there was preparing dinner, so that we could be all done for four and the start of the Liverpool v Citeh game.

The corn I bought Thursday had already gone off and mouldy, another one of those brexit benefits we were promised, I'm sure.

The game, when it started, was a disappointing one, with little happening in the first half, but in the second, once 'Pool had had a player sent off, Citeh took control and rattled in three goals to win easily.

In the evening I tried the rumtopf, which has been fermenting for four months, and will be great for Christmas. If I can resist having another swifter....

Saturday 10th October 2026

It am the weekend. Again.

Once upon a time, when dinosaurs ruled the earth, I used to be able to sleep in until ten in the morning. Sometimes into the afternoon.

But not any more.

Fifteen years in the Air Force, then almost weekly travel for work, having to catch the train to London at six in the mornings, means I am used to waking up early.

It was half five this morning. The alarm would have gone off at six anyway, but this gives me an extra half hour to wake up and prepare for phys.

No need for Tesco as I went on Thursday, so we could just go for phys, and come home and relax, drink a brew.

Which is what we did.

And also, this day saw the return of the kickyball, with the "joys" of Norwich on the tellybox at half twelve.

So during the morning, after a shower I made a huge pot of pasta salad, as I had bought yogurt instead of cottage cheese for Jools, so it needed using up.

So we have to eat early, so I could watch the game, I cooked breaded aubergine, taking half hour to prepare and ten minutes to fry. This is a recipe my first wide taught me, and is cheap, and full of flavour. And a single 69p aubergine can along with the pasta can provide a full meal.

In fact the pasta will do us for at least four meals, or as many until we get fed up with it.

And to the football:

I had high hopes for this season, after the fantastic second half of last season. But with another injury crisis, and those playing making basic mistakes, means this has been disappointing so far.

And even after going in at half time one up, City were so poor that half, with Swansea spurning a good half dozen golden chances, so it wasn't a surprise when Swansea came out turbo-charged after the break, and quickly scored two goals.

City had no answer.

But then the main games, with me listening to Radio 5 and watching the videoprinter on the BBC, for me it was a perfect afternoon. Scully lay beside me, sleeping happily.

The warmth of the day faded in the afternoon, so windows and doors closed, before the heating put on.

For the evening there was Manchester Utd v Tottenham, two clubs which have not had good starts, and a 1-1 draw pleases neither one, though Spurs scoring in injury time, means they'll be the more pleased of the two teams.

Thursday 8th October 2026

Thursday.

And later a return to summer, with warm temperatures and wall to wall sunshine.

Before then there was the early morning alarm, then to the gym at ten to six.

There is no light in the sky at five now, not until the end of the month when the clocks go back, but there is a chorus of cats, welcoming us back to the land of the living.

We get the tasks done, make coffee, so are ready for the phys.

We arrived at a minute past six, the queues had gone in, mostly to the pool, so we walked in and up, took position on the bikes and began to peddle.

I had an episode of The Bugle (Hello, Buglers) to listen to, and one that lasted 30 seconds under 50 minutes, so no excuse not to go all the way.

Which I do.

When we come out, the sun is just about to rise again, and its light illuminates the edges of clouds towering over northern France.

I take a shot.

Then back home before the rush, getting back and putting the kettle on.

Too cold for a moment to sit outside, so with supplies low, I volunteer to go to Tesco for the weekly shop.

There are lots of people of a certain age there, and others who seem to have no thought for the movement of others.

Halfway round I lose the shopping list, but I think I remembered all items. Then when loading the bags into the car, there was the list where I am sure I had looked.

No matter that I had forgotten kiwi fruit, as I was to call in at Lidl for their box of German beers, so bought the fruit and lunch, and was back home by ten.

I have a shower and shave, and happy with the thought no more early mornings until Tuesday, as weekend phys begins an hour later.

Sweet.

We have lunch, then sit in the garden until about half two, quarter to three, when the warmth suddenly leaves the sunlight on us on the bottom patio. So we make tracks back to the house, close the doors and windows, as it was going to be a chilly night.

Smoked haddock, mashed potatoes softened with the leftover milk and butter from the fish, fresh corn and creamed spinach for supper.

Was very good, as was the first bottle of German beer.

Then was the last football-free evening for four weeks, so read and was in bed by nine.

Phew.

Wednesday 7th October 2026

Wednesday.

And rain.

Though, once I had woken up by half six, and got up, the rain had not arrived.

In fact it was quite bright, or was by seven once the sun actually rose.

Jools didn't go to her early class once again, so we could have a very chilled start to the day.

Once she left to pick up Jill, so I was alone, I dashed round the garden taking snaps, so to have something for shot of the day, the 3,567th shot of the day, since the beginning of January 2017.

And I thought that the first yard was hard, this is the tenth year!

The garden is still a riot of colour, marigolds are back in flower, as is both the lavender and passion fruit. The latter a thug that no matter how hard we try, can't be killed.

By mid-morning the rain arrived, and on Chez Jelltex it did fall.

Not much to say about what else we did for the rest of the day. Listened to pods, drank coffee and watched the raindrops run down the windows.

In fact it got so chilly, be broke and put the heating on, just to pump the heating round, and make the house warmer.

The cats will just have to get used to having the windows closed, so all four will have to use the single cat flap.

I'm sure they'll work it out just fine.

Supper was doritos with fresh salsa verde and sour cream, which was pretty darn good. Jen keeps giving us the green tomatoes a neighbour of hers leaves on her door handle.

But it is now two whole days before club football returns, two whole evenings without it, and no internationals either, just the debate about Citeh to pass the long, dull hours.

Heck, I even go to bed at eight, try to read but get tied. I'm sound by nine.

Tuesday 6th October 2026

It is the end of the first week of October, and to be honest, it's like the first week of September.

We have had our windows open since we returned from France, and only in the last week has it be what you might call cool at nights.

More interestingly, is that we have had no autumnal storms, or blows, as yet. And looking forward to the two week long range forecast to the 20th, there's none expected.

Neither has there been any Atlantic hurricanes, the remains of which we get here and cause chaos, but are just deep depressions by the time they get here to the UK.

Saying that, after the 7th, temperatures are expected to drop, and as I write this we have closed the windows and put the heating on.

Tuesday.

As Jools has a painful foot, so didn't go to her classes, instead came with me to the gym, so after getting up at five, we double tag so that we are all done and ready to leave at ten to six.

We do fifty minutes, and when I come out, a slight mist had risen over the farmland to the south, the sky golden, and in a few minutes the sun rose.

What a glorious morning.

So, back home for breakfast and brews, and to ponder what to do with the day.

Not much was the answer.

It was warm enough to sit outside, reading the rest of WSC with Scully snoozing beside me.

The afternoon slips by, I have no idea once again what I did, but took all afternoon to do it, before it was time for supper.

Chicken with lots of veggies, as we had been a little lacking in fibre for a couple of days.

And then, there was football.

England's 4th and final game of the international break, and ended up an easy with against the Czechs at Wembley, with Kane scoring is 90th and 91st goals for his country in a record-equalling 125th appearance.

Not bad for a former Norwich striker.