It sure liked the guys would give up the ghost. The guys came back scoring three-second half goals to beat Wigan 4-1. The loss sends the Wig guys to the final voce vai zone. The Latics are the first topflight club to win the FA Cup and get sent down the same season.  Podolski scored the first goal of his daily double off a header in the eleventh minute. Wigan came back to level this puppy at one all. Shaun Maloney dialed up a long-range bomb in the 45^th minute.

We came out smoking in the second half to put this sucker away. Walcott 63^rd minute, Podolski 68^th minute, and Aaron Ramsey 71^st minute put this baby to bed for my Gunners.

We are now in fourth place with 69 points. Spurs are fifth with 68 points.

So it all comes down to the final match of the season to see who gets the final Champions League spot.

Arsenal has the superior goal difference so its win and you’re in. Lose and you go to the Europa League.

Sunday is the final match of the season. Spurs are at White Hart Lane against Sunderland. My Gunners are at St. James Park to take on Newcastle. Both Sunderland and Toons are safe but they will want to go out with a bang. These matches are not gimmies by any stretch of the imagination.

This is called nut cutting time.

Man City defeated Reading 2-0 to insure the Citizens second place finish. Goals by Sergio Aquero 40^th minute and Edin Dzeko 88^th minute gave City the win after a disappointing loss to Wigan in The FA Cup final.

Man U is the top dog with 88 points City is second with 78 points. Chelsea is third with 72 points. My Gunners are fourth with 70. Spurs are fifth with 69 points.

If the Blues lose and we win the guys will get third place. Chelsea has guaranteed a Champions League spot on superior goal difference over Spurs.

Chelsea has a hot date with Everton. The Toffees will be a tough out.

Wigan, Reading, and Queens Park Rangers are history.

The Guardian-“ Are you watching Tottenham? The Arsenal support could afford to gloat in the closing stages of this firecracker of a fixture which ended withWigan Athletic being burnt, and they surely knew the answer. Everybody was watching, it was utterly compelling theatre and now Arsenal and, indeed, Tottenham Hotspur, know the drill for the final round of Premier League fixtures on Sunday.

Arsenal are back in the box seat for the final Champions League place, the only thing left to fight for in England’s top division after this result finally ended Wigan’s eight-year association with the Premier League, and Arsène Wenger will demand one last push. Win at Newcastle, and Tottenham’s result at home to Sunderland will be rendered academic. Arsenal can almost touch a 16th consecutive qualification

This scoreline suggested a rout but it was nothing of the sort, with Wigan recovering from a slow start to equalise and go close to taking the lead in the second-half, which would have raised Arsenal nerves to fever pitch. But inspired by Santi Cazorla, Wenger’s players drew the sting and took Wigan apart with a flurry of three goals in eight minutes.

At full-time, Wigan’s FA Cup winners stared into the distance and the tears flowed, while Arsenal prepared for a lap of appreciation. They will only be truly feted with the right result at Newcastle.

It was an occasion on which the weight of what was at stake had seemed onerous and there was little doubt that within the suffocatingly tight margins lay a simple truth: both teams had to win. Wigan have played with fire so regularly at this stage of the season that their fingers ought to be insulated, but as the tumbling rain added to the slickness and vibrancy of the spectacle, the visitors allowed their backs to be pressed further to the wall.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/14/arsenal-wigan-athletic-premier-league

The Telegraph- Wigan Athletic made history at Wembley at the weekend, winning the first major trophy in their 81 years, and then sadly, painfully, tearfully made more history here, becoming the first FA Cup winners to suffer relegation in the same season. Wigan now face a Europa League adventure and the Community Shield squeezed in amidst the serial skirmishes of the Championship calendar.

Relegation will inevitably increase speculation about whether they can keep their widely-admired manager Roberto Martinez and some of their Wembley stars like Callum McManaman, Shaun Maloney, James McArthur and James McCarthy, who were applauded off by the sporting Arsenal fans at the end. Basically, anybody at the DW whose surname begins with M could be a target.

For all the enterprising nature of their football, the brutal reality for Wigan is that they forgot the basics defensively, being caught out of position, although due allowance needs making for injury’s cruel hand. They were level at the break, following Maloney’s wonderful free-kick answer to Lukas Podolski’s headed opener, but fell apart after the hour. McManaman’s injury knocked them collectively and they seemed distracted. Arsenal countered time and again, scoring through Theo Walcott, Podolski and Aaron Ramsey. Walcott in particular was excellent as the England manager Roy Hodgson looked on.

A result that sunk Wigan ended the nerves jangling at Southampton, Fulham, Aston Villa and Sunderland. The result also carried immense significance for the Champions League positions. Arsenal rose above Tottenham Hospur into fourth place and victory over Newcastle United next Sunday guarantees them a 16th successive season in the Champions League under Arsene Wenger. AS a smile crossed Arsenal’s face, only tears flowed down the face of the Wigan keeper, Joel Robles.

Wigan looked drained from their marvellous exertions across town on Saturday. They started slowly, rallied and then faded, ripped to pieces by Arsenal counter-attacking. Wigan had some support, almost 500 fans having made the journey south again, some of them getting soaked in the rain. Their team were caught cold early on.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10057148/Arsenal-4-Wigan-Athletic-1-match-report.html

Gunner for life.

This is from Bobby Gee in The De Futebol Zone.

Crystal Palace was left for dead after the Eagles tied Brighton Hove nil-nil at the Seagulls house. Crystal Palace got up off the mat and beat the Seagulls 2-0 and 2-0 on aggregate. The daily double by Wilfred Zaha propelled the Eagles to the English Championship final where they will battle Watford. The winner gets the final promotion spot to the EPL.

Zaha will play for Man U next season so his gift to the Eagles a shot at the EPL next season.

Crystal Palace last played in the EPL 2004-05.

Watford last played in the EPL-2006-07.

The Telegraph-“Even as fans in blue and white scarves were streaming ashen-faced out of the exits, Brighton’s public announcer was trying to put a positive spin on things. “It’s still been an amazing season,” he said, with all the resignation of a man trying to convince a crowd of something he does not believe himself. Brighton’s season, so promising at its outset, has ended in disappointment. Crystal Palace, their fiercest rivals, arrived at their pristine new stadium and trampled on their dreams.

If you are a Palace fan, then this was a night you will remember until the day you die. For 160 minutes, this tie lay in an impossibly delicate balance. Extra time and penalties loomed with a grim inevitability. That was the moment that 20-year-old Wilfried Zaha chose to score the most important goals of his career.

At the end of a season that has seen him capped by England and bound for Old Trafford, Zaha’s star continues to rise. Before he finally joins Manchester United in the summer, the winger will make one final appearance in red and blue, against Watford at Wembley Stadium. Already Palace have reaped £10  million from Zaha’s sale. These two goals may yet prove to be even more valuable still.

“They say the good players stand up on big occasions,” said Brighton manager Gus Poyet. “Well, here we go.” There was a bitterness to Poyet’s voice. Promotion would have brought a financial windfall estimated at £120 million; enough, at least, to fund the investment in the squad that he so badly desires. Instead, he sounded like a man looking for the exit.

“I always said that as long as we keep improving, I’m going to be at the football club,” he said. “But the day we hit the roof, I’m not. This team is much better than last year’s team. Now, can we get better? I don’t think so. As a manager, I want to get better. I don’t go to places just to have a job, but to do things right and make the place better. I think I’ve done my job here.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/championship/10055221/Brighton-and-Hove-Albion-0-Crystal-Palace-2-agg-0-2-match-report.html

Sky Sports- Wilfried Zaha’s double was enough to send Crystal Palace to Wembley after they defeated arch-rivals Brighton 2-0 in the Championship play-off semi-final second leg at the Amex Stadium.

Zaha grabbed the opening goal in the 69th minute when he powerfully headed home sub Yannick Bolasie’s pin-point left wing cross to line-up a Wembley date with Watford on May 27 for a place in the Premier League.

The second leg looked to be heading for extra-time with a repeat of the first-leg 0-0 scoreline on the cards, before Bolasie’s fine ball in was converted by the diving Manchester United-bound Zaha.

And with two minutes remaining Zaha turned Gordon Greer in the box and crashed home a shot in off the crossbar to secure their date at Wembley.

It means Ian Holloway’s Palace, who only secured their place in the top six on the final day of the season following a dismal run of form, will play Gianfranco Zola’s Watford in the final in a fortnight.

It was a different story in the first half for Zaha, who struggled to make an impact and became frustrated at some of the close attention he was receiving from Brighton’s defenders.

Instead the Seagulls bossed the early stages with Julian Speroni having to keep out Will Buckley’s drive before David Lopez’s shot was deflected narrowly over.

Former England defender Matt Upson headed Andrea Orlandi’s corner wide, Dean Hammond was also off target with a fierce, low drive and Orlandi’s volley was straight at Speroni.

But Palace were a different proposition after the break and Jonny Williams missed a gilt-edged chance to put them ahead when he was sent clean through by Zaha.

The young Wales midfielder’s low shot beat the dive of Seagulls goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak but rolled just wide of the far post.

Brighton striker Ashley Barnes twice came even closer to breaking the deadlock just a minute after climbing off the bench.

He latched onto Leonardo Ulloa’s flick-on, only for Speroni to tip his shot onto the crossbar and from the resulting corner saw his header cleared off the line by Dean Moxey.

And the fine margins which decide these play-off encounters were brought home to Brighton moments later.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_8711786,00.html

BBC- “Wilfried Zaha scored both goals as Crystal Palace beat arch-rivals Brighton to set up a Championship play-off final date with Watford.

Ashley Barnes had Brighton’s best two chances moments after coming on, having one effort saved onto the bar and another cleared off the line.

Manchester United-bound Zaha struck with 21 minutes left with a stooping header from Yannick Bolasie’s cross.

And he sealed it with a late strike into the roof of the net.

The final against Watford is at Wembley on Monday, 27 May.

England international Zaha, 20, was Sir Alex Ferguson’s final signing as Manchester United boss in January but was allowed to end the season on loan at Palace, a decision which could prove the difference between another season in the second tier and a return to the Premier League after eight years away.

The teams drew the first leg 0-0 at Selhurst Park, making the second leg a winner-takes-all showdown at the Amex Stadium.

Brighton came into the game with all the form – they were unbeaten in 10, while Palace’s late collapse, which saw them go nine games without a win until the final day, almost saw them miss out on the play-offs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22424087

The big news is that Man City main guy Roberto Mancini was given the heave-hoe. Last year he led the Citizens to their first title in forty-four years. This year was a different story. Man City lost to clubs they should have beaten. City was in told disarray. The players were sniping at each other as well as the manager. The Citizens are not the old Bronx with George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin, and Reggie Jackson. The Yankees won title after title while these clowns from City stunk the joint out. Is this a good move? Yes!

ESPN Soccer net-The Italian coach, who had four years remaining on his contract, was ditched just as players from rival Manchester United were being cheered through the streets as they paraded the Premier League trophy that they re-captured from their neighbors.

City said its end-of-season review was brought forward “out of respect for Roberto” after it was reported that Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has been lined up to replace him. Mancini’s final days in charge were marked by his attacks on City for failing to deny those reports.

For his part, Pellegrini is only denying that a deal is in place, leaving open the possibility that he could be headed to the Premier League.

Mancini has paid the price for City’s failure to build on its position of strength, with the club set to end the season without a trophy after losing the FA Cup final on Saturday and exiting the group stage of the Champions League for the second straight campaign.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1446725/manchester-city-fires-manager-roberto-mancini?cc=5901

The Guardian- “Stephen Aziz, the former kit man at Manchester City, has criticized Roberto Mancini following his sacking as manager, describing him as “arrogant, vain and self-centred” in one of a series of tweets that were later deleted from his Twitter account on Tuesday morning.

Mancini finally lost his job on Monday evening with one reason being his divisive management style that had upset some members of staff. Aziz, who left for Sunderland last summer, tweeted: “Arrogant, vain, self-centred no manners ignorant just some of the daily traits really made going into work a daily grind!! #karma”.

Another read: “Not my style to come in here and start to bad mouth someone but this guy was really a piece of work!!!”. He added: “Fans don’t get to see what really goes on and day 2 day running 2 years there seeing him every day was hard work getting a ‘good morning’”.

But he praised the club itself, saying: “Mcfc on the other hand what a great club to work for some great players and staff nice down to earth ppl loved working there!!! #MCFC”.

Mancini’s camp declined to comment.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/14/roberto-mancini-manchester-city-sacked

The Guardian added this story-Manchester City‘s hierarchy did not want to be ending this season sacking Roberto Mancini, the absolute proof of that is in the five-year contract they gave him last summer, which now looks unwise or over-optimistic, depending on your perspective.

Their late-night statement, clinical as it seems, with that characteristic, lethal line that “targets” were missed this season, did tell the truth. They were intending to review Mancini’s performance at the end of the season, but given the shape it was taking, the public meeting with Manuel Pellegrini’s agent sounding out the potential successor, then the FA Cup final washout, it became impossible to keep Mancini for two more games.

That would have repeated the “dead man walking” humiliation of Mark Hughes, sent out to manage City at home to Sunderland in December 2009 with the decision already taken to sack him after the match and Mancini lined up as his replacement.

Although City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, has talked to Pellegrini in detail, there were still shades of grey before the weekend. Had City torn into Wigan Athletic, the players observably giving everything for the manager, Mancini might have been salvaged. If City had beaten Wigan, one of the targets, to win a domestic trophy, would have been fulfilled. Instead, for the chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, the pallid Wembley performance and defeat by Wigan’s skill and greater desire sealed a season that fell below expectation.

“Despite everyone’s best efforts, the club has failed to achieve any of its stated targets this year,” went the statement’s killer line, “with the exception of qualification for next season’s Uefa Champions League.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/13/roberto-mancini-manchester-city

Bellatrix Female Warriors have announced nine match for their next show, ‘Bellatrix 6′ on June 23rd at EPIC Studios, Norwich.

The nine matches are listed below in the updated match card:

Match Card

RQW European Championship

Liberty (c) vs Shanna

WAW British Championship

Rhia O’Reilly (c) vs Erin Angel

Queen Maya vs Kay Lee Ray

Skarlett vs X-Cute Sweet

Viper & Bette Noir vs Chanel & Violet O’Hara

Aurora vs Destiny

Alpha Female vs Penelope

Carmel Jacobs vs Saraya Knight

Miss Mina vs Nikki Storm

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here & by telephoning the Box Office on 0800 046 8164.

Source: Bellatrix Female Warriors

However, it seems that “Sacred Harp Singing” is about something else. Or perhaps “Sacred Harp Singing” goes beyond identities of belief systems or nationality. Proof of that was the “2nd All-Day Singing” last Saturday in Delmenhorst, put on by the Sacred Harp enthusiasts who are based in Bremen, Northern Germany. Singers attended from Poland, from Lithuania, from the UK, from the Netherlands and from Germany. The chairman of that meeting is a professed Atheist. The venue was an old factory hall and not a church.

From here on I could continue to discuss what “Sacred Harp” is, but words would be silly. Language usually puts a distance between the observer and the observed but Sacred Harp Singing wants something else. It rather tends to eliminate that distance. Sacred Harp is about being in the experience (and not only to observe it), it’s about participation and about connecting to your voice and your body again (strangely even if you sing a lot about that time when death will free your soul from your body so that you can share eternal bliss with your God). See? Words don’t work here.

It was great meeting new friends and to make plans how to continue singing together. Also some choristers from the Anglican Church Hamburg where brave enough to come along. I wasn’t hoping they would, after having forced them to try to sing shapes two or three times before (which got me my first rebellion experience as choir director). Here they are, being interviewed about their first time attending an All-Day Singing (picture taken by Magdalena):

My new friends:

• Sacred Harp Bremen
• London Sacred Harp
• Norwich Sacred Harp

I wasn’t fully awakened up and rubbed my eyes hard with unwashed hands. I went to the kitchen to drink a cup of water. Before I poured water into the cup, I saw something moving at the table. It was Nuchy. She was reading a thick children’s book and having a bowl of soup. It was still dark and she didn’t turn on the lights.
‘Hey!, Morning!’ I said.
‘Shhh~ Noot is still sleeping.’ Nuchy replied with placing her index finger in the middle of her swollen lips.

Brief chat was exchanged and we shared the space while did individual tasks. Nuchy was reading and I was organising the agenda. The morning was nice.

2 more hours passed.

We heard the sound of rustling from the bedroom. It was Noot who stretched her arms and legs while rolling her body slightly on the bed linen. She opened the door. She presented her morning face with the messy hair while picking her nose.
“Why did you wake up early? (yawning) I didn’t sleep well.” Noot complained.
“Noot, you snored.” Nuchy said.

Then Noot waved her right arm up and down quickly as a sign of snarling and dashed to the bathroom.

By 9:00, three of us dressed up and were ready to go out. I had to ‘provide’ bitter awakening coffee taste to my tough. Caffeine was the essential item to wake me up and start a day with refreshing feeling. I asked them to have morning coffee at the Source Café, one of my favourite cafes I often visited in Soho. Now it is no longer there. The coffee there wasn’t outstanding but I just liked the darken atmosphere and two French accent coffee makers serving in the café. The low and cosy wooden tables and long wooden chairs were set there to add the cosy atmosphere I was attracted to. The sound of espresso machine was the morning tune to be heard. I enjoyed the coffee. I was slowly waking up. While had a quality coffee break, Nuchy told us, “I feel cold, so let’s go back to the flat to put more clothes.”

But we didn’t hurry. We never hurried. We stayed in the café for more than an hour. Probably we were the guests who stayed the longest in that early morning. I was the last person who put down the coffee cup on the coaster. We eye contacted each other and left the café to the flat, ‘Bye’.

We walked back to the flat. Nuchy put some more clothes. We discussed how we were going to spend the day.

It started from Candy Cakes on 36 Monmouth Street, the cupcake shop they recently found and where they really wanted to bring me to try. We walked along from Greek street to there. Not a long walk. Passed a cosy small cafes while soaked my body and hair into the scent of coffees and freshly baked breads, we arrived the colourful cake shop, Voila! Candy Cakes. I like sweets but am not a big fan of icing sugar though. I didn’t want to try. I rather enjoyed looking at them displayed beautifully on the shop window.
The eyes glued to the colourful cake shop window were taken off and we started moving, heading towards Covent Garden. The Apple Market was the place where we always passed and looked around as if it was the customised ritual. A number of stalls were aligned inside of the market. Most of the shops were yet opened. While looked around the shops, sweet and buttery scent flew from somewhere unknown to fill our nose holes and it shifted the walking direction towards there where the smell was come from. A very small stall with a man whose actions seemed busy with taking the just baked cookies out of the oven behind him and placing them in order on the prepared tray, prepared under the glass cover. Noot seemed to know the shop and exclaimed, “Ben’s Cookie! I know that. That is really nice. Let’s try. I didn’t know it was here.”

I really wanted to try them all but it was expensive. The price also varied depending on the cookie’s weight. Since we were students who lived on the limited budget, we weren’t dared to order more than 1 cookie. We chose one to share. I was given ‘an honour’ to make a choice. Oatmeal Raisin cookie. We divided a round circle cookie evenly into three pieces and chewed the given piece slowly. The warmth and sweetness of the just baked cookie were just amazing. Sweetness fuelled me. As soon as we finished the cookie, we headed to the East London. I asked them to have a long walk across the central London from London Bridge.

Started from London Bridge, we passed by Borough Market and Park Street. Borough market was always busy with having a number of people. Travellers, office workers, shopkeepers and locals were mingled in the market spot. We barely moved forward but the lively atmosphere under the green roof was impressive. We kept pushing ourselves to penetrate the crowd in the market. We finally reached at another exit where Monmouth coffee shop was seen on the opposite side. We passed the Shakespeare’s Globe and kept walking until we reached Waterloo station. It was such a long walk.

The legs were tired as they were forced to move and support the upper body. But with legs’ sacrificing supports, the eyes was busy to capture the scenes of London in each different district we passed through and the brain followed up to memorise what the eyes captured on the day I had a long walk with Noot and Nuchy.

Soho to Monmouth Street, to Covent Garden, to London Bridge, passed through the Borough market, to Park Street, Fleet Street, all the way down to the Southern Waterloo station, to Chelsea. We got at Victoria and Albert museum.

Exhausted. Stomach groaned. But there weren’t cheap and hearty food shops or cafes which we could try without considering too much about the price.

Upon the agreement, we went to the nearest café around V&A, Patisserie Valerie.
For heaven’s sake! A pot of English Breakfast tea was ₤2.50! It was disgustingly pricy. Oh! We forgot the fact that we entered the cafe in the posh Chelsea district. There was no use of complaints. Although the price brought us down, we enjoyed the cakes. Especially French Vanilla Pie was so yummy. Artificial sweetness always brings me a full of energy. After we fed ourselves with full of sweets, we continued our walking journey. Passed Harrods and Hyde Park, we finally terminated our exhausted feet at Piccadilly Circus tube station.

I eyed on the watch to learn how many hours we spent on the streets. 4 hours from London Bridge to Piccadilly ‘via’ Waterloo station. Yes very exhausted. But none of us complained and whined. No regret but the achievement was what we felt at the end of the day.

I don’t like companies but I enjoyed having them while walked. We didn’t talk much. The words weren’t exchanged. Words weren’t wasted among us. We didn’t allow words or verbal sounds to intervene each other while attached our feet to the London streets. We did the same activity, walking, but each of us was mentally independent. Three of us were together in the same space, but each of us made it different by thinking different things and having different moods. We didn’t feel awkward at all without saying words to each other. No talks. Unnecessary superficial chit chat to break the beauty of silence wasn’t allowed during our walking journey.

I still memorise every step, my feet kissed on the London streets and the paths. Randomly, we spread the map in the middle of ‘walking session’ and looked for the pretty street names to go.

Even after Noot and Nuchy returned to Thailand, I often visited London by myself and walked all the way from London Bridge to Trafalgar Square. The route we walked all the way from the East to the centre was memorised by heart. I didn’t need to look on the map to learn where I was spotting. This long walk always made me forget what I worried and concerned.

London, do you remember the time my feet touched and kissed your paved roads? I do.

Oulton Broad, my new home

There were those who questioned my sanity when I told them I was moving to a suburb of Lowestoft to live in a caravan. Especially those who knew me as a cocktail-sipping, red-shoe-wearing London-centric culture vulture. Well, I have news for them. I’ve survived a wet weekend in Suffolk and Norfolk – and it was a blast.

Firstly, people are super-friendly. Boat-builder Phil, aka the Gentleman Caller, has spent six months getting to know the locals in Oulton Broad, so we had a head start. Saturday began with a barbecue at the house of his former landlady, thrown in honour of another lodger’s birthday. The garden was full of blossom from the lovely apple and cherry trees, and soon also full of relaxed people knocking back the Pimms, chatting, and eating a great pile of burgers from the local butchers’ shop (no horsemeat here).

There were boat-builders, retired farmers, teachers, gardeners, dogs, children and a few escaped Londoners. There was no discussion about mortgage rates, careers, UKIP or the difficulty of getting ones children into a decent state school. We did learn that the nearest Waitrose is believed to be in Bury St Edmunds, some 50 miles away, and the closest motorway is apparently in Holland. Happily the weather played nicely until after we’d eaten (and the few drops of rain that did fall just brought out the stoic British spirit).

When we tore ourselves away, it was because we had tickets for a concert at Snape Maltings, the wonderful concert hall set on the reed-lined banks of the river Alde. This year marks the centenary of the birth of the concert hall’s founder, composer Benjamin Britten, and there are a host of Britten-related events taking place. We missed out on tickets for Britten’s Lowestoft-inspired opera Peter Grimes, but I was thrilled to book for Britten’s less-performed Canticles, a series of five short pieces, sung by tenor Ian Bostridge and counter-tenor Iestyn Davies. It was a magnificent evening, with dance and film enhancing the passionate, ethereal music. And in answer to one barbecue guest, no, canticles are not body parts.

Sunday was a slower day, although we enjoyed a swim first thing in Broadlands’ lovely bright swimming pool. A quick stroll to the Broad gave me prime viewing for a full-on yacht race, as half a dozen yachts tore up and down the lake, goose-winging before the breeze and jibing round buoys on a sixpence. Hair-raising stuff.

But the real fun came in the evening, when we headed over to Norwich for The Soul Rebels, performing as part of the Norwich and Norfolk Festival. Goodness only knows what these eight young black men from New Orleans thought when they looked down at the theatre full of seated, middle-aged, middle-class white folk. To give them full credit, they gave it their all. And N0rfolk loved them back. Three songs into their storming, funky, brass-driven set and we were getting up to get down in the aisles. By the end of the night, Norfolk was whooping, hands in the air, having the time of its life.

I honestly can’t imagine a more fun-packed, culturally-diverse weekend of entertainment. If this is typical for East Anglia, I’m not sure I’ll  handle the pace. Another thing I’ve just noticed. We’ve been here more than a week, and we haven’t turned the TV on yet.

“The standard of these games  have improved dramatically and the new format allows players to showcase their  ability to a wider audience.”

The revolutionary three-tiered elite competition is ranked on academy status,  which has seen Palace pitted against the best in the Premier League.

“The trip to St James’ Park where we were up against the likes of Gabriel  Obertan has been a brilliant learning curve,” said Issott.

“In recent weeks we’ve beaten table-topping Reading and our 4-3 away victory  against Manchester City was a particular highlight.”

Despite losing 1-0 against Bolton in their final home game of the season,  Issott was keen to draw attention to a number of promising performances.

Ian Holloway is backing Aaron Wilbraham to shine tonight, as the former Norwich player steps in for the injured Glenn Murray.

The 33-year-old has found opportunities limited at Selhurst Park since joining from Norwich last summer but did well after replacing Murray as the first leg ended 0-0.

“He has been the most unlucky man in the world this season because Glenn has made that position his own,” said Palace manager Ian Holloway. “But he has an opportunity now and I have got no doubts that he is ready to lead the line. He has been waiting a long time for this opportunity and I am sure he will take it.”

Wilbraham (above) managed only one goal for Norwich in the Premier League last season and his lack of goals is not Holloway’s only concern.

Palace have managed just one goal in their last five away games and have won one of their previous 11, including a 3-0 defeat at The Amex in March. The Eagles were the third-lowest scorers on the road in the Championship this season, while Brighton had the second best defensive home record.

Holloway said: “Aaron is big, he is brave, he is strong, he has got a great touch and we will have to get crosses in for him to get on the end of them. I thought he linked things really well when he came off the bench on Friday. Glenn’s injury gives someone else a chance.”

Gus Poyet is sympathetic towards Glenn, and has said that he’s hoping the striker returns to action sooner rather than later.

Poyet said: “I feel bad.

“It reminds me of my injury when I turned and I couldn’t move my foot from the floor and my crucial ligament went.

“I hope he’s not too long out of the game, particuarly when you have a player who gives so much to football, who scores so many goals. You want them to be playing.

“After 47 games in a season, sometimes the body doesn’t react in the right way. It’s a bad one but an injury you recover perfectly from – so there’s nothing to worry about.”

Sean Scannell will be watching tonight, he’s still a Palace boy at heart.

Location: Norwich, East Anglia

Start: ASAP

Duration: Perm

Salary: £25k-£30k + Good Benefits

Agency:LATCOM

Contact:Steve Spevack

Telephone:01442 291 800

Fax:01442 291 801

Email: steve.spevack@latcom.co.uk

Location: Norwich, East Anglia

Start: ASAP

Duration: Perm

Salary: £40k-£45k + Good Benefits

Agency:LATCOM

Contact:Steve Spevack

Telephone:01442 291 800

Fax:01442 291 801

Email: steve.spevack@latcom.co.uk

It was a really good evening! Go and see the exhibition to buy my prints, Journals and recycled greeting Cards

I really loved Port Isla’s debut single ‘Sinking Ship’, a bouncy folk-rock track that was a promising for this up and coming four-some. But what really got me excited was single number two, titled ‘Adventurers’, a more delicate and precise track, nonetheless filled the same beautiful vocal harmonies and catchy melodies that graced ‘Sinking Ship’. Port Isla are a four-piece Folk band from Norwich, England. Started in late 2010 by  two university friends, Will Bloomfield and Stanley Spilman. Adventures is one of the most incredibly infectious folk-pop songs I’ve heard in ages.

I could’t help but realize immediately that they sound a lot like Mumford and Sons. And I like Munford and Sons. A lot. After a few more listens though, I realized that these guys were more that just another M&S or Fleet Foxes, but rather a great addition to the Folk-pop genre. But more importantly, a great addition to my music library!

Highly recommend!

The band are currently working on their debut EP, but regularly release new material which is free to download from their Facebook page

Man U closed out Sir Alex’s last home match on a winning note beating Swansea City 2-1. Goals- Chicharito 39^th minute and the match winner by Rio Ferdinand in the 87^th sent the faithful home with the “W.”

Michu nailed the equalizers for the Swans in the 49^th minute.

This was Rio Ferdinand’s first goal since 2008.

Everton shut out West Ham 2-0. Liverpool defeated Fulham 3-1.

Newcastle may have saved their season with a 2-1 win over QPR.

Norwich can breath easier with a 4-0 win over West Brom.

Sunderland and Southampton tied one all.

Man U was crowned Champions. Sir Alex and the Boys have 88 points. City is in second place with 75 points. The Citizens will play their match with Reading on Tuesday. Chelsea is third with 72 points. Spurs sits in fourth place with 69 points. Arsenal is fifth with 67 points. My Gunners will battle Wigan on Tuesday.

The race for the final voce vai zone looks like this Wigan is in 18^th place with 35 points. The Latics have to beat my Gunners if they want to escape the you’re outta here zone.

Sunderland falls to 17^th place with 39 points.

Aston Villa drops to 16^th place with 40 points. Fulham drops to 15^th place with 40 points. 14^th place has Southampton.  Only Villa has the worst goal difference among the clubs with forty points a minus twenty-two.

The Telegraph- “ Rio Ferdinand crashed home the winning goal three minutes from time to ensure Sir Alex Ferguson left Old Trafford a winner as Manchester United beat Swansea City before being presented with the Premier League trophy.

Twenty years ago another central defender, Gary Pallister, scored his first of the season in the same goal in the penultimate match of Ferguson’s first title-winning season.

Now Ferdinand has done the same in Ferguson’s 13th and last championship of a staggering career that will end for good at West Brom next Sunday.

Indeed, it was the first time Ferdinand had found the net since 2008, although on such a grand occasion as this, it was fitting United should get a late – if not quite ‘Fergie Time’ – winner from someone who has worked with the Scot since his arrival from Leeds in 2002.

In addition he was United’s 20th different scorer in this 20th championship season.

It was the perfect way for Ferguson to leave the stage he has occupied for so long, having already delivered one pretty bold statement.

Whilst you could tell what was unfolding in front of him did not matter quite so much given he merely opened his arms in questioning disbelief at Shinji Kagawa’s failure to secure a penalty when he was flattened in the box, Ferguson had already made his mark.

One of the hallmarks of his entire reign has been the Scot’s refusal to back away from the big decisions.

Today, in his final team selection at the ground where he has presided over an incredible 405 Premier League fixtures, Ferguson’s did not change the habit of a lifetime and opt for the easy route.

So Wayne Rooney, whose relationship with his manager has been uneasy at best over the past few weeks and who had a transfer request rejected a fortnight ago, was dumped, left to watch from one of the corporate boxes as the rest of his team-mates got to experience at first hand the sizzling atmosphere that had been created.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10052026/Manchester-United-2-Swansea-City-1-match-report.html

The Guardian- Sir Alex Ferguson and Paul Scholes had appeared to be denied the victorious Old Trafford send-off they craved in their final home game before retirement due to a Swansea City side who came to the party and proved awkward guests.

That was until the 87th-minute when a Robin van Persie corner from the right bounced once in the area and the lurking Rio Ferdinand smashed home a volley that electrified the defender, his team-mates and all United fans.

This was the grandstand finish of the stereotypical Ferguson United, and one that Scholes, watching from the bench, would have recognised as all too familiar during his 19 years of service. Scholes had departed a pitch that has been his Palladium on 66 minutes: there was a quick turn and applause for the adoring crowd, a half-grin to his incoming replacement, Anderson, and he was gone.

Scholes had produced a vignette of probing balls, sprayed passes and occasional sprints into the area that provided a snapshot of the 38-year-old’s qualities.

This had been Scholes’s 498th Premier League appearance, during which time he has helped win 11 titles in a glittering career that began for the Salford-born boy in a League Cup tie against Port Vale in 1994. He – and Ferguson – would have wanted a more comfortable win but there was no denying that, after the break at least, United lost their mojo and until Ferdinand’s intervention would probably have felt relieved not to have lost on a memorable afternoon for all concerned.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/12/manchester-united-swansea-city-premier-league

This is it from Bobby Gee in The De Futebol Zone.