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Always look on the bright side: Five things that made me smile in May.

Another month and another attempt at finding the odd little things that bring an unexpected sliver of happiness into my life. And of course happiness is always a good thing to keep topped up! So here’s what I found last month. I hope it makes you smile too!

Welsh nans befriend wrestler. No, you read that right. This is the story of a group of Welsh grandmas who ended up becoming friends with a wrestler after sharing a flight with him. The group were heading to Las Vegas to scatter the ashes of one of their husbands and were initially fuming with the wrestler who was sat in what they believed to be one of their seats on the plane. But after discovering that this was their mistake one of the nans struck up a conversation with the wrestler, DeReiss Gordon. This in turn led to an invite to his bout at Wrestlemania in Vegas and a continuation of the friendship once they returned to Wales as DeReiss has now invited the group to a show in London. In a month where I was approaching the end of another gruelling half term, the unlikely nature of this friendship just really stood out for me!

Mani’s Mural. For anyone who doesn’t know, Mani – Gary Mountfield – was the bass player in The Stone Roses, a band who changed my life. Mani died last November and it was a real shock. Another one of my musical heroes gone, but this one being someone who it felt like I grew up with. However, when news of the completion of a mural for him broke last month, it just really made me smile. I’m a big fan of this kind of thing anyway, but seeing Mani’s beaming smile on the side of one of his favourite Manchester pubs just felt really fitting and a really happy thing to happen.

Year 7 and Year 10 speeches. I’ve always felt lucky to be a teacher. And not just for the holidays. I work with a lot of vulnerable children and sometimes just to help them through a tough day is enough to raise a smile eventually. However, in May two of my groups had to do speeches in class, which I think is a tough gig for anyone, really. My Year 10 group are the nurture group so the name might give a hint about their vulnerability. And my Year 7 group has some really quiet kids in there too. So, I was concerned for them having to perform speeches. Year 7 were defending Shakespearean villains, while Year 10 had to speak about something issue based, like whether AI is a good thing for instance. Across both groups some shook, some stuttered, some giggled, some were barely audible, some looked on the verge of tears, while others appeared full of confidence and performed really well. Two particularly shy boys in my Year 7s made me smile; one got up and spoke eloquently for over 3 minutes about Richard III, belying his fear, while the other struggled to read his own writing and needed me to stand up at the front with him just to get through. But their pride and relief was palpable and a joy to see. Meanwhile in Year 10, where their efforts were filmed for the exam board, it was a similar story, but at the same time an absolute triumph. Some of them only managed 30 odd seconds, but others gave it a real go and having taught them for two years now, I was just really, really proud of them.

Unofficial Landmarks. This was the story about stuff in certain cities that had become almost unofficial landmarks because the residents had just fallen in love with them over the years. So there were purple wheelie bins in Liverpool, a cone on the head of the Duke of Wellington’s statue in Glasgow, the Headington Shark in Oxford, a vampire rabbit gargoyle in my home city of Newcastle, a Big Fish in Belfast and the Big Apple (kiosk) near Mumbles Pier in Swansea. I loved them. You can judge for yourself below.

The sun! In one of the most unpredictable turn of events ever, the sun came out just as we were breaking up for half term! This meant that we had 7 days of lovely warm weather. A veritable heat wave and in a half term where all I really wanted to do was rest and relax, that’s what we did. Sometimes, you simply can’t beat lazing about in the garden, reading in the heat!

So, another month with another few reasons to crack a smile. Those little moments of joy are always there; you just have to look!

The Leeds 10k 2026

I’m experiencing a rare feeling of quiet optimism as I get to the start line of this year’s Leeds 10k. For once, training has gone surprisingly well and I’ve not been plagued with colds or illness of any kind. No aches or pains of any consequence and no injuries. I am however still fully aware of my age, my heart and my body, so while I’m relaxed as we wait to get going, I’m not kidding myself about my capabilities!

Once we get going, having practically crawled our way through the start, it doesn’t take me long to realise that I feel really relaxed. I’m keeping an eye on my pace and fully aware that I’m probably caught up in the atmosphere and running a little bit too quick, but it doesn’t feel bad at all. Sure enough, my first mile is done in a decent time. I’m not quite in James Brown form at this stage, but I feel good!

Our next stage is a little more uphill and I know I’ve slowed down, but it’s not significantly so. I still feel relaxed and continue to do so for the next couple of miles too.

Up to this point there has been plenty of support out on the course, which is always the case. Leeds is a big, friendly run and people make an effort to come out and offer lots of encouragement. So while for miles 2-3 there’s someone running with a speaker playing Maroon 5 amongst other abominations, there are plenty of spectators out calling out names, offering us high fives and just generally being lovely.

There’s also a bloke running near me at this point who seems to think it’s his job to motivate us – shouting stuff like ‘Get your breathing back, NOW!’ and warning us when there’s a photographer near for some reason. I stay relaxed but can genuinely say that I find this kind of thing really off-putting. Mate, my breathing’s ok, cheers and I genuinely don’t care if someone takes my photo and I look like I’m putting a bit of effort into running. Stop shouting!

Before you turn for ‘home’, so to speak, there’s a big hill to run up. Living where I live, I’m used to hills but usually still find them hard in a race. Today feels different though and while I don’t charge up it, it’s only in the last 20 yards or so where I’m really slowing down. And the bonus is, we get to run back down it on the other side of the road.

At this point I notice that the 55 minute pacers are climbing the hill while I’m descending, but for the first time in the run I’m aware of them and know that I have to keep going to stay ahead of them.

The last three miles or so are spent mainly on Meanwood Road, which is largely just a straight run. It’s pretty much a steady downhill as well; something I didn’t really realise until afterwards when I saw the elevation of the route on a map! I’m content just to keep going at the same pace while keeping an eye on my watch knowing that I there are two hills to come on the way into Leeds and that these would definitely slow me down. I still feel fairly relaxed and strong though.

It’s the final hill that gets me though! It comes more or less straight after the first one on the approach to Leeds and by that point my legs are struggling. Having got to the top I then get a little confused as to exactly what’s left, thinking that the finish is round one corner when in fact it’s the next one. At this point someone shouts out, ‘Don’t let those pacers catch you’ and I know that those 55 minute pacers can’t be far behind. It’s definitely time to kick on!

My kids are waiting just above the finish and it’s fantastic to see them, but by this point I’m fighting, knowing that the seconds are ticking down and that it would be touch and go to get in under 55 minutes. And in the end, despite as much of a sprint finish as I could muster, I missed out by 15 seconds, finishing in 55 minutes and 14 seconds. Damn those last couple of hills!

As will happen at the end of a race, I cramp up quite quickly in my calves and hamstrings so it’s just a case of finding some space for a bit of a stretch before keeping moving in order to collect a well earned goody bag, medal and t-shirt. Whatever age I get to and however many runs I manage to complete, I’ll never tire of a medal and a t-shirt!

After that it’s just a case of heading up to Millennium Square to meet my kids where, despite now being 19, my daughter charges across the square screaming and gives me a huge hug, followed by more muted congratulations from my son. Both knock the medal and t-shirt down into 2nd and 3rd place respectively in my list of rewards.

A few days later and I still can’t get those rogue 15 seconds out of my head. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pleased with my time. But the competitive side of me still wants to be running faster! Luckily, there’s always a next time. So for now it’s a case of keeping on training until my next race in October.

NUFC: That was the week that was.

Sometimes it feels like only the likes of Shakespeare and Scorsese do drama like Newcastle United. And the last seven days or so has encapsulated that perfectly…or imperfectly if you’re a Newcastle fan.

When news broke of the Munoz deal being hijacked on Wednesday night it wasn’t even that much of a shock, really. We’d already lost out on Zadok Zohana little over a week ago. He of course chose Brighton instead of Newcastle United. You can add that to almost the entirety of last pre-season when it felt like anyone we approached went elsewhere and the only quick deal was signing Nick Woltemade, done in the latter stages of the window.

Now, I don’t know much about Munoz apart from YouTube clips, so I’m not overly bothered that he’ll be in red, not black and white next season. But it’s not really the point. Once again we seem to have dithered and somewhat inevitably, lost out. Reports said that the player was keen to come, the price agreed etc. It was also said that he was the top target. And yet still we couldn’t get the deal done!

Earlier in the week we were greeted with the news that Head of Recruitment, Steve Nickson was off to West Ham. I won’t pretend to know exactly which players he signed, targeted or recommended, but whichever way you look at it losing such an important figure within the club doesn’t look good and just adds to the disruption. And it also means that when we should be actively recruiting players were also trying to recruit yet another replacement for someone who should be doing the recruiting. In theatre terms more a farce than anything Shakespearean.

There was also the news that Tino Livramento had picked up another injury and was out of the World Cup. While I feel for the lad, it just made me wonder if he’s ever going to be consistently available for Newcastle.

In the past week or so we’ve also had news about Sandro Tonali, Marco Pallestra and James Trafford. The Tonali to Spurs news just feels bizarre and yet so, so suited to us. Without going into any real detail though, why on Earth would he want to join Spurs? Seemingly, he does though. And the sight of their fans on social media explaining what it will take to get the deal done is galling to say the least. Then there’s Pallestra who our old friend Fabrizio Romano seems determined to tell us is DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO NEWCASTLE! Alright pal, calm down.

The Trafford news just left me cold. Two days of people pointing out that we’re interested once again. No concrete news about any actual transfer, but he’s our top goalkeeping target again. Forgive me if I feel like I know how this one ends already.

For me it’s crucial that we start hearing positive news. I appreciate that the window has only been open a matter of days, but other clubs aren’t waiting around. Brighton and Spurs have both made notable signings. I mean even previously skint Barcelona have made a major signing…

It’s important that we get things right. For weeks now we’ve heard rumours about the list of possible Gordon replacements and now we’ve lost out on the first one we’ve gone for. Already there are worrying echoes of last pre-season and much more of this could prove catastrophic for the upcoming season and the so called ‘project’. Again.

On the flip side, there are positives from the last week. New boy Ewen Jaouen looks to be a player with real potential and with any luck we’ve found our eventual number 1 for years to come. We have several players at the World Cup (ok, it’s not all incredibly positive, but there’s a barrel to be scraped here) and Yoane Wissa has actually scored.

It feels like the next couple of weeks have to be positive though. Players need to be coming in and coming in early. As I write the fixtures are out tomorrow and if you’re anything like me you’ll start looking at runs of games where we might start losing points! Forgive me for preaching positivity and then being so negative, but I’ve supported the club through thin and thinner and this is how I approach every season!

Clearly, we could all just do with some good news!

Middle Age Gigging: Embrace at The Piece Hall, June 2026.

My memory is a little hazy these days, in keeping with my 50 something status. Some things just stick though, however long ago they happened.

Around 28 years ago I was living in a flat above a cobblers in Pudsey, West Yorkshire. I was unemployed and missing Newcastle. Late one night though, not long after we’d moved there, my heart was lifted as out on the street underneath our window a young lad sang loudly on his way home from the pub next door. The song? ‘All You Good Good People’. I was fully on board with Embrace at this point, having written about them for a work magazine some months previously. Needless to say, I joined in with his singing.

Embrace have been a constant for almost all of my adult years; from my early twenties all the way through. That’ll be the same for a lot of people. So today’s Piece Hall gig feels like a big deal, celebrating what feels a little bit like 30 years together.

First up are local band The Hazy Janes, a bluesy rock trio who seem to be having a whale of a time. Their energy gets the crowd going and more to the point helps to warm us all up as it’s bloody freezing! They’re certainly not overawed by the setting and serve up a cracking set. Singer Ellis is an excellent front man and it’s a bit of a treat to have them opening up.

We’re running late though and so after a shorter than expected break it’s time for Idlewild. They’re a band that, I must admit, I wasn’t particularly into in their pomp but tonight I definitely warm to them.

Opener ‘You Held the World in your Arms’ gets us off to a great start and songs like ‘Little Discourage’ and ‘American English’ help to raise the bar. Idlewild are quite the spectacle with both guitarists rocking out and singer Roddy proving quite an addictive watch for me. There’s an awkwardness that I can’t take my eyes off, but his voice is superb throughout and all in all they deliver a quite brilliant set.

In truth though, today is about one band and one band only; the legendary Embrace and before too long the stage is set and we’re treated to a little backstage video that allows us to watch their approach. And then, they’re there and it’s time to celebrate a quite magnificent 30 years.

Opener ‘All You Good Good People’ is just wonderful – as ever – and it’s clear from the off that the band are thoroughly enjoying themselves. It sounds like everyone is belting out the lyrics at the top of their voices and it might be a good time to apologise to anyone near me for possibly drowning out Danny and also singing the wrong words with a well chosen selection of the right ones for the whole night. Soz, I’m just terrible at remembering lyrics even if I’ve been singing them everywhere for 30 years!

New song ‘Road to Nowhere’ comes next and keeps up the pace before there’s an absolutely paint stripping version of ‘One Big Family’, a song which I’ll never, ever tire of.

A quick mention for bassist Steve at this point, who I don’t think I’ve ever seen so animated. There was a smile and acknowledgement of the crowd at the start that just said, ‘I’ve got the best job in the world’ and it was an absolute joy to behold from where I was, right in front of him.

‘Someday’ and ‘Looking As You Are’ come next with the latter featuring the background wall of old photos of the band as well as ones sent in by the fans, which means that I find myself singing along and simultaneously kicking myself after we forgot to send ours in. It doesn’t matter; it sounds and looks great.

‘We Are It’ follows and again, it’s a great version which helps to ramp up the atmosphere a tiny bit more, but I have to say I’m running out of patience with Danny for not including me in his pointing bit in the chorus. I’m right here! I can be ‘it’ too!

Thankfully, all is forgiven with the reappearance of old live favourite ‘Save Me’ as the next song in the set. I’m getting far too old to be jumping up and down to the chorus, particularly for a bloke with a pacemaker (rock and indeed roll, huh kids?) but tonight it can’t be avoided. Danny certainly seems to be enjoying the spectacle of a few thousand oldies pogoing! It’s such a treat to hear this being played live again though! Mind you, if they’d followed it with ‘New Adam, New Eve’ I think I’d have had to have called for breathing apparatus, so I’m thankful that new song ‘Pure O’ allows me a breather simply because…you guessed it, I don’t know the words properly!

Next comes new one ‘Stop’ which I think might prove to be a bit of a classic and it certainly sounds good tonight. ‘A Glorious Day’ then brings the memories of Millennium Square all those years ago in Leeds flooding back. Two similar evenings to tonight as I recall and it really brings it home to me that some of us are lucky enough to have had nights like that and are then still enjoying the band all these years later.

‘Coming Home’ brings the first quiet tears of the night. It’s a superb song and an absolutely brilliant version on the night, but Richard’s line ‘I’d have picked you all up and never put you down’ gets me every time. Another one that’s going to be a classic, I reckon.

‘Refugees’ is then another incredible performance from Richard and it seems this is a song that simply never fails live. It doesn’t matter about the venue, I feel like I’m always witnessing something spectacular when we ‘lift off this metropolis’.

It’s getting late and we’re well aware that at least the first part of tonight’s gig is closing. First there’s a heart felt rendition of ‘Get Out of My Own Way’ which is followed by another new one in ‘Up In Your Feelings’. Then it’s time for another little tear with a stunning ‘Gravity’ – first dance at our wedding, yet I still don’t quite know whether gravity’s turning or pulling – followed by the perfect end to this part of the set, in ‘Ashes’. More jumping, more screaming of lyrics and more keeping an eye on my heartbeat. It doesn’t matter. It’s all well worth it.

I’ve all but given up hope of hearing ‘Wonder’ or ‘Dry Kids’ or ‘Hooligan’ but when Embrace return to the stage it’s great to hear ‘Exploding Machines’ as the encore opener. Then it’s ‘Emily’, ‘The Love it Takes’ and ‘Come Back To What You Know’, before it’s just a massive joyous singalong of ‘The Good Will Out’. And that’s been the thing with Embrace for however long they’ve been in your life…it’s always just been a massive joyous singalong. Everyone smiling, everyone singing, everyone dancing to a band and their songs that simply mean the world; one big family. Danny, Richard, Mike, Mickey, Steve – here’s to the next 30 years!

Middle Age Gigging: Embrace at Birdwell.

Like many others I’m sure, for a long time now the gospel sound of ‘Down in the River to Pray’ followed by Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World’ has sent a shiver down my spine, being as it is the first sign that Embrace are imminent. Tonight, at a new venue for me, things are no different.

So when the lads take to the Birdwell stage, it’s as much a thrill as ever to see them. And with much of new album Avalanche about to be played for us this feels just a little bit special.

Of course, this being the age of social media – and even oldies like me can just about navigate our way round it – the majority of the crowd will have a fair idea about a lot of the songs already. So as the band launch into ‘Stop’, it feels like this is almost as much of a singalong as usual. And this carries on through the first few tracks with ‘Road to Nowhere’ and ‘Up in Your Feelings’. The new songs seem to be hitting just the right note with both ‘Stop’ and ‘Road to Nowhere’ following in what you might call the great Embrace anthemic tradition, while ‘Up in Your Feelings’ has a little bit of an infectious groove. All in all, three songs in and the atmosphere is fantastic.

Danny seems to be on great form and he’s clearly very proud of the new stuff and keen for us to hear the songs. It’s an optimism and confidence that gets more and more borne out as the gig progresses and we hear more of Avalanche.

‘Get Out of My Own Way’, a song about Danny’s wife – or as the man himself puts it, ‘Well it’s about me…I mean, I’m a singer!’ – is soulful and brooding while ‘Emily’ is a quite beautiful and slower number full of heartfelt emotion about a loved one.

The new songs are then wrapped up with the Richard penned ‘Coming Home’ which he tells us is about losing your purpose when your kids leave home. I nod along earnestly at this sentiment, while secretly willing my two out the door, yet knowing that I’ll probably have at least a few minutes where I think I know how he feels! Whether I agree or not, I love the song and am pretty sure that after a few more listens it’s going to one that stays with me for a long time.

The last of the new songs is definitely the one that has intrigued me the most – and I’ve only heard a short clip of it. ‘Pure O’ is what the kids would almost certainly refer to as a banger with Mike and Steve’s drums and bass driving the track on. For me, there’s very much a feel of Ace of Spades to it and so it rounds off this part of the set absolutely perfectly!

The set closes with four more known tracks in ‘Refugees’, ‘Gravity’, ‘Ashes’ and ‘All You Good Good People’ and as you’d expect, it’s truly exhilarating. Richard’s voice on ‘Refugees’ is superb and ‘Gravity’ (being the first dance at our wedding) is always welcome (no tears tonight though!). ‘Ashes’ provides its usual supersonic highway amid a genuine test to my left knee and a second jump cramp for the wife’s calf, before Good Good People closes the night as amazingly as ever.

It’s been a great night, but it’s not over yet, as we all get to pop over to the merch stand to meet the lads and buy stuff that our kids won’t understand, like a lanyard and a Rubik’s cube! Richard even helps us get a photo, hugging us both in close while I struggle with my angles and getting us all in shot! Surprisingly strong that lad! Cheers Rick!

On the drive home we decide that Birdwell might just be the perfect middle age gig. Firstly we get to see Embrace in a small venue. It’s only about a half an hour from our house, there’s free on site parking, we met the band, only had to test the knees and back for Ashes and were home for just after 10pm. I’m in my fifties, you know; life doesn’t get any better than Embrace at the Birdwell on a Tuesday night! What a wonderful world, indeed!

Comedy Review: Mr Swallow: ‘Show Pony’.

Never did I imagine that I’d laugh quite so much at someone doing an impression of their English teacher repeatedly shouting the name “Carly” and yet it’s at that moment of Show Pony that I realise I’ve lost control somewhat. Every time he says it I laugh louder and harder and the longer it goes on the more my face contorts and the more the tears flow. Welcome to the quite wonderful world of Mr. Swallow.

For the uninitiated, Mr. Swallow is the creation of Nick Mohammed, he of Intelligence, Ted Lasso and The Traitors fame. More importantly though, tonight he’s like nothing you’ll have ever witnessed before, making the night an absolute treat!

While there are belly laughs from minute one, tonight’s show starts in a very different fashion as Mr. Swallow takes to the stage wearing rather subdued knitwear and introducing a section on Lego and the sets he’s discovered that have an 18 age rating. Every day’s a school day, eh? Well here’s another lesson; don’t dare attempt to buy a Lego Coliseum if you’re 17 or under!

What follows is a kind of potted history of his career so far from his drama training in Leeds…at Asda, right through to his short lived take on ‘A Christmas Carol’ in the West End, along with the reference to his media awarded and totally false South East Asian status, all of which draws much laughter from the Leeds crowd. And then, unexpectedly it’s time for the support act, followed by an interval. But you know what, if Mr. Swallow wants to go on before and after his support, who are we to argue?

Support tonight is provided by French-Algerian stand up Celya AB who while undoubtedly funny, is a real change of pace and a contrast to Mr. Swallow. Still, there are notable moments here; some observations about Australia that are really clever and some interaction with the audience which seems to spark an ‘I’m Spartacus’ style outbreak of blokes purporting to be called Tim in the audience, which turns out to be very funny. In all, a solid half hour of something very different, which on reflection might just be the perfect way to split up two helpings of what we’re all here to see.

After a short interval Mr. Swallow returns, resplendent in a gold sparkly blazer and an added soupcon of style provided by, as he points out, “shoes with tassles on”. And now the stage is set out kind of like a classroom and we’re regaled with the tale of the character’s origins; his old English teacher who it seems can reduce hundreds in the audience to mush just by repeatedly shouting “Carly”!

What follows is part magic show, part cabaret and some brilliantly observed stories from how not to start a GCSE English exam to a particularly painful casting meeting that definitely wasn’t with the BBC! It’s all gloriously deranged and chaotic.

One of those stylish tassly slip ons is dispatched twice as Swallow shows us his perfectly white feet and then, later on, tells us how his English teacher would hog the limelight and bag herself all the parts while the class read Romeo and Juliet (or Romeo and Janine as it’s dubbed tonight).

There’s also some audience participation, firstly with a subtly brilliant Rubik’s Cube trick, then a similarly excellent card trick and finally a little bit of lie detectoring, which I’m sure isn’t the correct technical term for what happens, but involves five eager members of tonight’s audience trying to fool our host.

There’s also a little bit of subtle social commentary thanks to a broadcaster – that again, is definitely not the BBC – and its diversity policy. And although it’s very funny, there are times when it almost feels like it might not quite be ok to laugh…but they turn out to be absolutely hilarious anyway! If only Mr. Swallow was in possession of two vastly different coloured feet things could be oh so different and he might well be working on a sitcom. As it is, it turns out he’s not quite diverse enough!

The final section of the show is dedicated to Mr. Swallow’s part in the 2024 BAFTAs. The whole thing didn’t quite work on the night and yet it’s turned into just another brilliantly funny section tonight complete with stills from the broadcast on the big screen. It makes for a superb climax to the show and as it’s finished with there’s only one thing for it; Mr. Swallow dismisses us in typical quirky English teacher fashion.

He leaves the stage to a thoroughly well deserved standing ovation. Clearly, it’s Mr. Swallow’s world and we’re all just privileged to have a a bloody good view!

I give Mr. Swallow an almost too predictable…

And if you’re interested, tonight’s show was being filmed, so you’ll all get the chance to see exactly what I mean when I say that it was easily the funniest thing I’ve seen in years and understand why I left the theatre with a face that ached from laughing.

Theatre Review: The Shawshank Redemption at Leeds Grand Theatre

It’s a widely held belief that ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ is one of the greatest, if not the greatest film of all time. And of course, the film was borne out of the brilliant Stephen King’s novella, ‘Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption’. So, when I was given tickets for a theatre adaptation for my birthday I was both intrigued and excited.

Andy Dufresne’s story is well known. Wrongly imprisoned in one of America’s worst jails for the double murder of his wife and her lover, he gradually adapts to life inside, gaining friends and respect along the way. And while he’s there he fights the bullying and injustice that he finds, using kindness and common sense wherever possible and all the while slowly forming a plan to escape.

Given the performances of Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in the lead roles in the film, the actors here on stage are firmly in focus and obviously have a tough act to follow. However, Dufresne is portrayed brilliantly by Scottish actor Joe McFadden who captures Andy’s steely determination really well. And Ben Onwukwe is superb as Red, carrying the whole thing along with the narration that involves us, the audience, while tempering the sometimes traumatic events with a subtle humour.

Alongside McFadden and Onwukwe, Bill Ward is superbly menacing as the corrupt Warden Stammas while Sean Kingsley and Ashley D Gayle are excellent as bad guys The Sisters, both determined to make Andy’s life in jail even more of a hell. A special mention too for Kenneth Jay who at times steals the show as Brooksie, the library man.

The staging here is excellent relying on a basic portrayal of the inside of the jail and with subtle transitions and lighting changes bringing us to Andy’s cell, the Warden’s office or even the library that Andy has such a part in building up in his mission to get the prisoners an education.

Director David Esbjornson’s stage version manages to retain the sheer drama of the film, albeit in a much subtler form. And you can’t help but be dragged into Andy and Red’s world of simple humanity amongst the treachery that they are often subjected to within the prison system.

I was thoroughly engaged throughout this performance. Not difficult with such a brilliant story you might think, but it was very much the performances in front of me that made the whole thing so enjoyable. You’ll laugh at the dark humour and then within minutes find yourself raging at the injustice of Andy’s world. But of course, you’ll be smiling by the end. And what an ending! I’d wondered how this would be portrayed on stage and all I can say is that the subtlety and simplicity is where the beauty lies here.

‘Shawshank’ made for a fantastic afternoon’s entertainment and I’d thoroughly endorse a look if and when the play heads your way.

I give ‘The Shawshank Redemption’

Farewell and good luck, AG.

At around 9.30 on the evening of 18th March, you’d have been forgiven for thinking that we’d struggle to even give any of our players away come the summer transfer window. With Barcelona 7-2 up on the night of our Champions League Round of 16 second leg, I’d have laughed you out of town had you told me that anyone in black and white would fit in on the other team. And yet, some 72 days later Anthony Gordon has just signed a 5 year contract at the Camp Nou in return for Barca throwing £69m our way.

Some will say good riddance, reasoning that the player has let us down this season with a number of lacklustre performances and a perceived reluctance to feature in the last 4 games of the season. Others, myself included, will remember the many positives and wish the lad the very best of luck.

At the time we signed Gordon – in January 2023 – I was thrilled. For me, we’d signed a player who was raw, hungry, ultra quick and skilful and who had so much promise that his future in black and white looked truly exciting. Although he played in a very different position, there was something about this deal that reminded me of signing Andy Cole. And for me, Anthony Gordon has very much fulfilled that promise. With 152 appearances and 39 goals, I think it’s hard to argue against the fact that he’s done just the kind of job that he was brought in to do.

On the negative side of things, you could point out numerous performances this year when he didn’t look as interested as we’d have liked. There’s no doubt that there have been times when he’s let us down. But, he’s not been alone in that.

Remember though, players aren’t infallible. Anthony Gordon certainly wasn’t. I think he let us down badly against Liverpool in August of last year when he was sent off in first half injury time for a reckless challenge on Virgil Van Dijk. Without that I think most of us would say that we were on for a memorable victory. But wherever you look in terms of the Toon, players will have let us down. Nobody’s perfect. It’s the same with life in general. I mean, I begged for a BMX aged 12 and my parents got me a Grifter. Try doing wheelies on that! Talk about a let down!

But for any lows there have been many more highs. Whether it was hustling PSG defenders into mistakes on that memorable Champions League night in October 2023 when he was absolutely electric or fabulous goals at home against Spurs or versus Man City in 23/24. Whether it was one of many penalties won in our favour or the four goals and 33 minute hat-trick he scored this season against Qarabag. Whether it was the performance against the mackems in the cup win at the stadium of shite or his goal against them at home this season. Anthony Gordon was dynamic, exciting and frankly a menace, typifying the qualities that we would probably all ask for first and foremost in anyone wearing those black and white stripes.

Personally, I’ll remember the player that fell in love with the club, the area and the people and who at times looked like he’d die for that badge. A lad who arrived with potential and left a much better player, but still with some potential to fulfil.

On leaving he talked about how much he owed the club after arriving and feeling “quite lost”. He went on to say “I loved every single minute of being a part of Newcastle United” calling us “an incredible club” and ending with “I’ll be a fan for the rest of my life.” A classy way to end his time here, I thought. He leaves having become an England regular during that time and having been instrumental in the run to winning our first trophy in well over 50 years. Gordon has easily been one of my favourite players of the last few years and I have no doubt that whoever takes his shirt will have to work damned hard to replace that pace, hard work, guile and sheer impact on the team. Yamal’s new mate will be a tough act to follow!

Adiós y buena suerte, Anthony. And all the best, bonny lad!

Always Look on The Bright Side – Five things that made me smile in April.

Another month, another shot at finding those lighter moments that might make you smile or could even be so good that they make your heart sing. So, what did April do to make me put on a happy face?

Art at Oakwell Hall. I’ll keep this short and sweet because I’ve written a piece about it elsewhere. However, a local country park – and also the place where I volunteer as a Parkrun marshall – is hosting something called ‘Art on your doorstep’, meaning that 12 notable works from the National Gallery can now be found in the grounds of the park. They’re larger versions and copies, obviously, but I must say, they brighten every Saturday at the moment!

Blossom! That’s right folks, it’s that fantastic time of year when some of us are lucky enough to have blossom on trees all around us. I was reminded of this when I read an article on ‘Sakura’ or cherry blossom season in Japan. But while I have been out running locally, I couldn’t help but notice the sheer amount of blossom trees around where I live and some of them are spectacular. And talking of blossom, or indeed just noticing it, never fails to remind me of arriving in Washington DC for a trip a few years and our lovely taxi driver cheerily informing us that it was a shame we hadn’t been there a week earlier as the whole place was covered in blossom. Well meaning I’m sure, but maybe not something to tell your new arrivals about in a kind of ‘here’s what you could’ve won’ way! I don’t think he got the job with the Tourist Information office…

Saltaire. Saltaire, just outside of Bradford in West Yorkshire is a place I have a little bit of knowledge about due to frequently driving through it on my way to visit in laws. Built by mill owner Titus Salt in the 19th century, it was a place where his workers could live a happy life. But an article I read last month revealed a lot more to smile about with Saltaire. The article told how Titus Salt was ‘meeting every possible human need’ a century before the welfare state by providing education, improved hygiene and even pensions for his workers. Salt’s workers were known for their long service and within the village infant mortality improved along with lifespans extending. Saltaire is still a very picturesque place today, but dig a little deeper and we find that from its inception it vastly improved lives. Now isn’t that something to smile about?

An axolotl in Wales. I must admit that while I knew the name, I would have struggled to actually tell you what an axolotl was. So I was fascinated reading an article about a girl finding one in a stream in Wales. It was found near some rocks under a bridge as 10-year-old Evie Hill played in the water. When she noticed that it had damage to its tail and stomach she quickly caught it and took it to safety. Apparently, estimates reckon there are at most 1000 left globally, so while I wasn’t sure about the family keeping it as a pet, it does feel like a good news story.

The Boston Marathon. This was the story of the two runners who sacrificed their chance at personal bests in order to stop and help a stricken runner in the latest Boston Marathon. I understand the feeling of wanting to run faster only too well, so it was brilliant to see two runners sacrifice themselves in order to help someone who was obviously in so much trouble. The runner in question had collapsed just after the 26 mile mark and literally couldn’t get back to his feet. As more and more runners streamed past, kicking for the finish, two thought better of it and stopped to help. The three then finished together. Sometimes, people are just fantastic.

A day in Roundhay Park. With our school Easter holidays being in April it meant some much needed time off. It also meant the chance to do the type of things I don’t often have time for in term time. As she’s now living in York for her studies I don’t get to see my daughter that much, but as she was home for two weeks we decided we’d find a gap in her busy social life and have a day out together, like we used to when she was much younger. This time though there’d be less wellies, ball games and running around in the hope of tiring her out. So, off we went, just a dad and his grown up daughter, for a day out at Roundhay Park in Leeds. Roundhay Park was designed and built by the Nicholson family in the 1800s and now covers over 700 acres of land in north Leeds. In short, it’s beautiful and quite a popular place with our family. While we’d normally take a picnic, on the day in question we went on the hunt for somewhere to eat locally. However, after a wander around Roundhay itself, we decided it was a bit too posh and just doubled back to get something at the café at the Mansion restaurant in the park. It’s amazing what a sausage roll and a portion of chips in the sun will do for your mood! After lunch we went for a walk in the park, but unfortunately lost our bearings and took a wrong turn. It actually led to a lovely walk through a beautiful part of the park that we’d never discovered, but it also meant that we ended up a little bit lost and having to have a brisk walk across the local golf course while a bunch of people waited on the tee! All in all, a lovely day out in beautiful, sunny surroundings and in the company of someone who’s absolutely precious to me. Plenty of reasons to smile!

And there we have it once more! Another instance of ‘Five Reasons…’ where in fact, there was so much to smile about that I couldn’t just leave it at five. I hope you enjoyed reading!

A Tribute to Tripps.

Kieran Trippier arrived at Newcastle United without a cape that I know of, but clearly prepared to give superhuman levels of effort in order to keep the club in the Premier League. We weren’t quite on our knees, courtesy of the recent takeover and the appointment of Eddie Howe, but without Tripps you wonder if things would have turned out a lot worse.

There was something a bit thrilling about signing an established England international back in January 2022, especially as we were bottom of the league at the time. Add to that the honours – he’d won La Liga with Atletico Madrid in 20/21 and scored for England in the 2018 World Cup Semi Final – and for me this was a signing that was a bit reminiscent of signing Keegan in 1982.

Before he signed many of us had probably resigned ourselves to watching Championship football in season ’22/’23. It was hard to feel any hope or optimism, particularly as for many of us this wasn’t the first time that we’d been struck by that particular Toon depression. After he signed though, it felt like everything might just be alright after all.

Tripps would go on to captain the side, embodying the determination and work rate of his manager, helping us get to safety in that first season and then leading us on an unforgettable journey in subsequent seasons. He galvanised what was pretty much a broken club, influencing other quality players to take the plunge too and set the standard for every last one of the squad to follow. While Eddie is often credited with improving players, it’d be remiss of us to underestimate Trippier’s influence on the likes of Gordon, Miley and Hall.

Trippier’s laser-like focus has remained largely unaltered during his time on Tyneside and even when others have been preferred to him, like Livramento and Miley, he’s always been a positive influence on others. No sulking and pouting, no ‘do you know who I am’ type behaviour, just sheer professionalism and a desire to see the club progress.

One thing I really liked about Tripps was his on field behaviour. Always calm and composed. If he made a mistake, the hand went up in apology. If others made a mistake he was the first to give encouragement. A proper professional, an inspirational captain and a superb team mate.

There won’t be many among us without a positive memory of Tripps. For me, his performance in the vital away win at Leeds in January 2022 stands out. He was immense that day against Bielsa’s team and helped secure a rare clean sheet and three points at a time when we desperately needed things to start going our way.

He’s scored vital goals too with my personal favourite being the curling, dipping free-kick in the win at home to Everton in February 2022. This was only our third win of the season and a goal that would help us get out of the bottom three. He made ‘tiny arms’ Pickford look stupid as well at the same time! Such was the beauty of that free-kick that I was inspired to write a poem about it as well! It’s on the link below if anyone fancies a look.

https://middleagefanclub.co.uk/2022/02/13/poetry-blog-kieran-trippier-over-the-wall/

And of course, Tripps was superb in the Carabao Cup final win drawing on his big game experience to get us through the match. Firstly, he delivered the corner for Dan Burn’s towering header for the opener and then he was immense in those last 10 minutes when Liverpool were piling on the pressure.

That’s been the story of Trippier’s 4+ years in Toon. When the pressure’s been on, he’s invariably been there with the big game experience to calm it all down and push people to greater heights. In leaving, he’ll leave a huge hole in the squad and it’s to be hoped that he’s passed enough of his experience on so that things don’t suffer to much.

In the future, it’d be great to see him return in some capacity. For now though, it’s goodbye. Go well, Tripps and thank you.