Paella and Bovril

Balls n broomsticks

2020-02-17T08:02:00.000+01:00

Trying to bring different sports into scottish football match day programmes. Quidditch seemed like a good idea!

Paella and Bovril

Balls and broomsticks

A few years back a change in living location from near the beach to close to the mountain and river brought about some new and interesting run routes. The mountain has found me getting a little closer to some wild boar than I would have wanted. Running down the river route has offered up a variety of views, birds, butterflies and broomsticks. Of course seeing broomsticks makes one stop and look, and in this modern world, pull out the phone and fall down a google hole trying to find an answer to your puzzle.

Barcelona Eagles Quidditch team was the answer. Turns out they are one of hundreds of teams that train and play all over the world. Now to those who are not familiar with the wizarding game of quidditch made famous by J.K Rowling and the world of Harry Potter this needs some explaining. The game involves several types of balls, a few goals either side, oh and all this is played on broomsticks flying above the spectators in a stadium. It seems that for obvious reasons the training session that I was witnessing was not involving any aero acrobatics but was confusing to watch. With still a few kilometres to get under the running belt to get me home I thought this search would be better finished at home.

Turns out the Quidditch world is pretty massive, Catalan leagues, British premier leagues, national selections, cups.........so how do you play a “fantastical sport”

Let us start with some easy info. The pitch is rectangular 55 meters by 33 meters. Games can vary in length as catching the snitch can happen at anytime. Teams consist of seven players – a Keeper, two Beaters, three Chasers, and a Seeker. Without flying broomsticks the players have to stand on one and run with it between their legs.

As in the books, Chasers try to throw one of the balls used, called a Quaffle (a deflated volleyball), through one of the three hoops, goals of the opposing team, to score ten points, while the opposing Keeper does their best, like a “goalie”, to prevent any scoring.

Beaters throw any of the three bludgers, (dodgeballs in this case) at opposing players, who if hit, can’t continue to be involved in the game until they run back to their own hoops and touch in.

This leaves the final player to describe. This is the Seeker. Their only job is to catch the Golden Snitch. In the books this is a golden ball that zooms around with wings and catching this awards the team 150 points and ends the game. This Snitch here is a tennis ball within a sock attached to a person who has no affinity to either team, who runs onto the field and runs around to try and avoid both Seekers from either team. Catching the Golden Snitch here still ends the match, but it only awards 30 points to the team whose Seeker does catch it. Now this is where I got confused......well actually long before then but this took some time to get my head round.

The game starts with 6 of the 7 players on the pitch. The referee calls “brooms up” and they are off. Now the seekers must not interfere with other positions, and wait near the pitch until 18 minutes. Then the snitch appears on the field, usually at17 minutes, and the seekers are “released” to hunt it down. Confused, I am.

These rules surely create a game that is hectic, frantic and “interesting to play”

Maybe we will see The Balwearie Bludger Bashers play at Stark’s park in a local derby with The Pittencrieff Snitch Pinchers. I for one can’t wait.

The wee club of Barcelona

2020-02-07T06:32:00.000+01:00

Here is another wee tapas serving of Paella and Bovril

Part of my job is to teach the “art of international small talk”. One of my favourite topics that somehow always comes up is football. Time can fly by when the exchange of of opinions and loyalties is discussed between students. When this question was asked “Which club has drawn one of China’s largest audience’s for a player’s debut?” the immediate answer of many was FC Barcelona, a few mentioned “one of the Manchesters”. Only the author of the question seemed to know the answer RCD* Espanyol, the “other team” in Barcelona. 40 million had tuned in from China to watch Wu Lei's 12 minutes on the pitch. For a comparison in Spain the viewing figures didn’t even make the 180,000 mark. So it would seem that this Chinese following has made Espanyol the most watched team in China. With this little snippet of football trivia now on the table this opened up the conversation to questions about supporting “the wee team” of Barcelona, as for every 30 Barcelona fans you meet you might find one die-hard supporter of the “Periquitos”.

Recently being a fan of “the budgies” has been tough, it’s nearly down to the last games of the year in 2019 and the club’s still looking for the first season 19/20 home win. Plus, possible changes in Chinese investment legislation could see a lot less money being invested in the club, rumours are a 300 million euro investment will not happen. Despite being in Europe and having one of the most popular players in the league, the question for the Espanyol supporter was “why do you support them, why not Barcelona?”

It is a question I think all supporters of the smaller teams of league have had to answer, the big why. I certainly have had to explain on many an occasion about Kirkcaldy, Stark’s park and the wonder that is Scottish football. The perequitos fan told his story. RCD Espanyol had been his local team, they were based in the Sarria district of Barcelona. The fan was 7 years old when his uncle took him to a game in the 70s. He was then decked out in the full kit that following Christmas. From there came the season ticket and a lifetime commitment to supporting the second team of the Catalan capital. However now the club’s stadium is in two towns outside the city. (One goal is in Cornellà and the other in Hospitalet, is like having a goal in Pettycur and another in Kinghorn!) This purpose built stadium came after a 12 year stint at the Olympic stadium. Even though this period held some successful moments according to the fans the atmosphere was not the best. The running track getting “in the way” of the connection the fans felt to the game.

I have to admit I knew little about RCD Espanyol before this conversation and have really enjoyed finding out about the club from chatting to a fan whose supporter’s story is probably similar to many of us, indoctrinated into the life of highs and lows of football by a another who wants to pass on that sense of camaraderie that comes with following your “wee club”. So to those family members and friends who bring along the young, the new, the haven’t been in a while supporters, thanks for sharing. I am sure many of us have, and will pass it forward. Who is going to your next new Raith Rovers fan?

*(Reial Club Deportiu, Royal Sports Club)

Here we go again

2019-11-18T11:15:00.001+01:00

Well let us give this blogging thing ago again.

To those that don’t know I am a Raith Rovers Fan living, working, training, in Barcelona. For the last 13 years I have made the Catalan capital my home. But this hasn’t stopped my love of Raith Rovers and scottish football.

Occasionally I pen an article to appear in Raith’s match day programme and in the past I have posted the articles on this blog.

Here we go again.

Fresh from the paella dish to you metaphorical footballing plates. Here is paella and Bovril.

Paella and Bovril

Across the rooftops of the back of Barcelona a game kicks-off. Local residents can hear cheering, grumbling and the occasional naughty word. They know it is football but they say to themselves “però Barcelona no juga aquesta nit”. You are correct fellow Barcelonians, this is no midweek Champions’ League football, this is Scottish Championship play-off final football. This is a big game, this calls for “the works”. Projector, screen and Raith TV commentary coming loud and clear through the surround sound. This isn’t the first time they have heard the dulcet tones of Fife. Most Saturday afternoons they’ll be treated to a Raith game. And when we say most, we really do mean most!

Time seems to be flying by lately. One minute you’re drowning your sorrows in a wee lemonade at the end of another season and before you are even at the bottom of the glass it all kicks off again. At this rate my neighbours are going to be having weekly Fife/Scots/English lessons all year round. Maybe we’re all getting older but is the summer break getting shorter as we get wiser?

I am going to be honest here, Raith has caused a few tiffs in our household. We both love sport, doing and watching, but sometimes the other half does get a bit put out when the reply to “what are the weekend plans?” is constantly “Football Saturday”. He must look forward to the off season as much as the team do, their two minute off season that is. Even here in the land of the siesta, the legend of hot lazy Spanish summers are a thing of the past in football. Chatting with my football pals they were complaining about many things, cost of game, kick off times and, the length of the season. Gone are the long days in July and August filled with sangria and tapas, on July 23rd Barcelona will play Chelsea at the Saitama stadium, home to the Urawa Red Diamonds in a pre season tour of Japan that the London club have on their warm up games calendar. To many locals the summer hasn’t even begun, with many seeing July and August as holiday months and September being the true return to normality. Oh how surprised/pleased/confused they must be at the sweet sounds of Stark’s park and other Scottish grounds bringing some football to their summer already.

But do I want a long, lazy summer away from football?.........of course not, I’ll just take Raith TV to the beach with me. Here’s to the season ahead. C’mon get behind your team and enjoy.

Disappeared for a while to do something special............IRONMAN 70.3 Edinburgh

2017-07-11T17:04:00.001+02:00

My weekends have always a been filled with sport. But over the last few years it has been more about me doing the activities rather than watching.

A few weekends ago I took part in something truly amazing.

Brief race report

Finished but not perfect.

The race was always going to be hard and I was worried that it would defeat me. I had trained throughout the winter and was the strongest I had ever been.

Being a native Scot I should have known better and remembered that even the sea swims in Scotalnd have hills! Honestly, I probably should have pushed for more hill sessions from my trainer but I didn't. The goal was to finish. Even if I had to crawl across that one at 8hours 29mintues and 59seconds I was going to finish.

On the morning of the triathlon the goal was just to get the wetsuit on. If anyone had given me even a hint of an out I would have been back in the car and home in a shot. I was nervous. But I shouldn't have been. We, and when I say we I mean the amazing support crew I have, had put in the training, thought through every scenario and rehearsed any aspect we could. 5 years ago when I started on this mad triathlon path by doing a super sprint I never saw myself at a Ironman 70.3 start, but there I was.

After a freezing wait in the boxes before the swim, the Forth felt like a Jacuzzi, in hell. Hitting the water my aim was strong water polo stroke and sight every three strokes. The swim was rougher than anyone expected, I think, but I kept my suffering to a minimum. Had to keep as much as possible for the bike.

The previous day's drive round in the rain was as good a look as I was going to get at the course. The Facebook group had been a fountain of knowledge but next time I am going to physically cycle the course well before the race. There were no great surprises but as they say better the devil you know, and I wish I had know more about the bike. However the views were spectacular and I would advise anyone doing a long distance event to take a moment to appreciate where you are, what you are doing and just be proud.

After what felt like way too long on the bike, and finding out later that the timing chip I had had failed so no one knew where I was, I pulled into T2 to a lot of relieved familiar faces. The bike had taken more out of my legs than I had expected, and despite months of transition sessions in training, the jelly legs were there and they were going to stay for most of the first lap. Run/jog/march/walk/crawl was always the plan and was the plan I stuck to. I sang up and down that tunnel and said hello and thank you to every volunteer. It wasn't a pretty run, but one of the most enjoyable I have ever had.

On reflection, I finished, it wasn't perfect, but I couldn't be prouder.

The Barcelona Ironman is still the plan for 2019 and I think Edinbugh 70.3 will be done again as a "warm up" to that event.

Below you can find a longer reflective look on the day.

Longer reflection and thanks

Ironman 70.3 Edinburgh

Sitting on a plane flying home to Barcelona reflecting on an amazing weekend. Everyone involved was so friendly. I met people from all over the world and felt part of a massive family, the Edinburgh 70.3 family. I cannot thank all involved enough, the groups on Facebook, the race directors but the biggest thanks goes to the volunteers, you made the day.

When the rumours began to circulate that Edinburgh would be hosting the first Ironman event in Scotland in the city I had to make the decision to change the race plan for 2017. I had recently completed a half distance triathlon and there was video evidence of me saying “never again” so signing up for Edinburgh was going to be a massive change to the plans for the following year. But how could I miss coming home to TRI in my home city. I had never expected my triathlon journey to bring me home let alone to do an Ironman 70.3.

January saw me signed up, joining a running club, regularly going to swim sessions with a coach and cycling most weekends. I am not the greatest runner and still have a lot (a lot a lot a lot) learn on the bike but this was not going to stop me setting the goal of being on the start line on the 2nd July. 7 months seemed a long way a way.

The countdown timer was set and reality started to kick in. Edinburgh is hilly, cold and windy and the Firth of Forth takes no prisoners, what on Earth was I thinking? Swimming in the Med in winter is either 16° and flat calm or 16° and giant waves, not the 12° and choppy chaos that the Firth throws at you.

Race week came about in a flash, 12 weeks to go soon became 12 days, then it was 12 hours! As the clock struck 7pm on the 1st of July the stomach was full of butterflies having kittens! Nerves had kicked in big time, emotions were all over the place and food was not going to stay in the tummy. The inner Panic button had well and truly been pressed.

Race morning and the 4am alarm chimed through the house (not that I needed it sleep eluded me most of the night). The plan was to eat breakfast, have a cup of tea and continue with the hydration plan. The body had other ideas. Nothing was going in, everything was coming out. But I couldn’t panic, I had trained for this for months and I had to trust myself and my training (my stomach not so much.) thoughts in our house had been of this day for months. Every scenario had been played out over the breakfast table, tactics talked about over lunch and problems thrashed out at dinner. I just hoped I had the same faith in myself that others had in me.

The drive to Prestonpans was made in silence, the hubby knew I was nervous and just let me do what I needed to do. But what I really wanted to do was turn the car around and hide away. I had never had “stage fright” like this before, was it a sign that I wasn’t ready. The head started to let all the negativity in, I am not ready, not good enough, too fat, too slow, terrible swimmer, can’t ride a bike, will never be able to get round the run route, the bike will fail, my stomach will fail, I will fail all those who had supported to get to the start. But I am a stubborn bugger and after the head had run out of things to say I was ready………….

The plan had been to get a swim in the Forth before Sunday morning but Scottish weather and time had been against me. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been in the sea before, paddling at Burntisland beach when I was 14 counted, right? Looking out over the Firth of Forth the waves and wind made the water look like the inside of a washing machine. It was the correct decision to cut the swim in half as safety is, and always should be, the highest priority.

The wetsuit was on, the booties pulled over the feet and the cap snapped on the head, time to go. Or was it? If someone had said I could have walked away at that moment guilt free I would have gone. I had no intention of getting in that water cause I wasn't sure I was going to get out. But like I said I am a stubborn bugger so I joined the Q to enter the water and go into the “zone”, well into the Q at least not sure I knew about any zones at that point. As a swimmer who has spent the winter battling the cold (what I thought was a cold 16°) and the waves of the Mediterranean. Glad I did as it gave a me a tiny weeny insight into what was awaiting us in the Forth. The coldest part of the day was the waiting to get into the water. By the time I got into the chaos I found the water almost tropical, tropical storm-like maybe! This was not going to be a pretty swim and on several occasions I looked around to see kayaks swamped with wetsuits and a few folk looking worse for wear.” Just keep you eyes on the buoys and strong, hard strokes and you can do this” was what running though my head and I am sure at one point I actually enjoyed the swim. 6 months of once-a-week sea-swimming almost prepared me for that swim, almost.

The bike was going to be a massive test of character. The Facebook group had been a fountain of knowledge and I knew it was going to be a little hilly and a few leg burners to make you feel like you were really working for that finisher medal. Catalunya has hills, it has wind (usually in one direction at a time), it occasionally has rain. Even though I am a Scottish lass, living and training in Barcelona has made me a little soft when it comes to the weather. The bike course was not going to let me be even a little suave, the wind was everywhere, hills were everywhere, but the excitement was also everywhere. The goal for the bike was to get the nutrition right, hydration right and to enjoy it. Even though I was an ex-local, I had never swum in the Forth, cycled around Edinburgh or run up Arthur’s seat. I didn't want to miss this because my head was off wandering and not paying attention and taking it in. It was the hardest cycle I had done and I have learnt from this not to skip on hill session and even when you think you have done enough another one can't hurt (it might kill the legs but it can……..t hurt). It was hard but upon seeing the course photos I had a smile on my face in everyone. I loved it if the photos are to be believed. With the gels and isotonic staying in and feeling truly broken after the last climb round Arthur’s seat on the bike I knew what was to come. The dreaded run.

Running and I have love- hate relationship. It thinks I should love it but 4 times out of 5 I hate it. I joined a run club back in January and that has to have been the best decision I made on the triathlon journey. I might not run fast but I have learnt to run happy. Knowing that I am no runner and can suffer quiet badly on the run I always had the idea to march/run the up hills and enjoy the run on the downhills. The legs were jelly of the bike and took a long time to realise they were running. A brick session most weeks can prepare you for most things but Edinburgh 70.3 you are not like most things. I knew I had time to crawl round the 3 sadistic laps and I had said before this started “I will cross that bloomin line even if I have to crawl over it”. If it hadn't been for the uplifting volunteers I probably would have crawled up the first hill and stopped. This event would have been nothing without the volunteers, you guys deserve a part of everyone’s finisher medal. I tried to say thank you to you all on the way round because you guys rocked my race. I will never forget the sign “smile if you pee’d in your wetsuit”, no one ran past that with a frown.

The right hip started to remind me of a previous injury about km 10 and just wouldn't loosen up. This slowed me right down but didn't stop me as it had done on a previous running race. I had put in the hours, run the KMs and knew that I could get the legs round. It might not have been the graceful run round I dreamed of.

Being one of the last on the course you worry that no one will be there to see you finish but not in Edinburgh. Fellow triathletes cheering as they make their way home, family and friends who waited in the scottish weather to see me run down that carpet, volunteers who seemed to have never ending enthusiasm, the city did everyone proud. I am so inspired by the volunteers that I am volunteering at the upcoming Barcelona Ironman events.

There it was, that black and red carpet, your name be shouted by family, random people who just want to see you finish and the fantastic commentary provided by Joanne Murphy, and all I was thinking is just don't vomit until you cross the line. Always when I finish a race I need a wee seat and a plastic bag. This time was going to be no different. But it was. That thought left my head as soon as hit the first M dot. I had done what I set out to do, what I thought I could never do. I had in my hand a finisher’s medal from the first Edinburgh 70.3

I must go back through this race report and change all the I s to we s as this was a team effort. My trainer who adapts my training as my work throws its curve balls at the training schedule. Tfswim and Tfrun for accepting a shy immigrant and making swimming and running fun. The family for supporting this “nonsense” and of course the other half who cycles with me for hours on end, who runs along with me in all weathers and makes sure I am fuelled, who has even joined the triathlon gang. I should say a big thank you to all. Even more so as I discovered that my timing chip had failed and no one could follow me online. No wonder the boyfriend looked relieved as I ran into to T2.

A week later and the high is still keeping the few aches and pains at bay and hasn't stopped the preparing for the next triathlon. Of course lessons have been learnt from this experience. Hill sessions are a must, even when I think I am ok, I am not. Strength in the upper body to make the bike a more comfortable ride and a better bike position. And as always run run run. Positives to take away. Rehearsals are key, they make transitions, tyre changes, wetsuit removal stress free. If the nutrition works, stick with it, even if you have to ship 10 gels, tub of isotonic and breakfast cereal in your bike box. Trust your body. It might be nervous, it might be scared but it can do wonderful things. Thank you Ironman Edinburgh 70.3 for making me do a wonderful thing.

I BLOOMIN' WELL DID IT

2016-10-18T11:06:00.001+02:00

Hola

Well I did it. I faced the jelly fish, spent over 3 hours in the saddle and then sang Geordie Munro around 13kms of a very very very long running course. I did a half ironman.

I am sore but so proud of getting there and I did need that motivation from TRI-ing for The Rovers especially on the run. If I could have stopped I would have!

Still time to show your support at http://www.raithtrust.org.uk/?p=2182

Carol.

The final training days before the big one! Support TRIing 4 the Rovers

2016-10-12T12:26:00.001+02:00

Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh only a few days until I do this!

Support TRIing 4 the Rovers

Time to come clean and explain my absence from the blogosphere.

2016-10-07T10:36:00.001+02:00

Wow it has been a long time since I prepared a paella and bovril. Well I have been busy, busier than I thought I would be to be honest.

As some of you may know from previous servings of PnB I have been on a triathlon journey with Raith and this year I decided to go long, 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and a half marathon run to finish off. So 8 months ago I got back into the training routine and my word I don't think I was quite ready for the time commitment. 5 to 6 days a week either in the water, on the saddle or in my running shoes sometimes up to 5 hours a day. I just about had enough time to tune in to the Rovers during the season.

I hope this rather larger than normal dish of paella and bovril will explain a little.

TRIing for the Rovers.

Just like one Brownlee brother helped the other across the finish line I am gonna need
some help getting to mine, and thru the 7 hours it will take to get there! Please help a me on my 70.3 triathlon journey and help continue the great work of Raith Suppnorter’s trust.

We have all done it, had a fantastic idea that starts out small then grows and grows and before you know it your plan is just a little daunting. In 2012 the plan was just that, a wee idea to do something to change my not-so-healthy lifestyle. Four years on, and that “wee idea” is now a little bigger.

TRIing for the Rovers was that wee idea, triathlons were, are, the challenge. In 2012 Barcelona was once again hosting a triathlon event with multiple distances. I signed myself up for a Super Sprint; 450m swim, 10km bike and a 2.5km run. At this point I couldn't swim in the sea without freaking out about the possibility of Jaws, jelly fish and just about anything that floated past. I could ride a bike slowly and if it was a mountain bike and running was just there to make me cry. How badly could this go, could I finish this. I needed motivation and a substantial amount of it. Raith Rovers had helped me before, maybe they could maybe get me to the finish. TRIing for the Rovers was born.

Since 2012 every summer has been about doing a slightly longer challenge, but never one of those “silly length” like half ironman (know as a 70.3 or half) or the big boy Ironman. So of course this year I have decided to be silly and do a 70.3. I will swim for 1.9km (1.2 miles), cycle for 90km (56 miles) and run a half marathon (13.1 miles) to finish. No music, no distractions, just alone with my thoughts and sweat for a 113kms. The last triathlons have been completed with, of course with prep and training, but also encouragement from friends and family but at those points where you just want it to stop I remember why I am doing this.

But why Raith? How could a wee club from Kirkcaldy help a wee lassie in Barcelona………….?

Summer 2012 was a summer of sport, the Euros in Poland/Ukraine, Barcelona hosted the world junior athletics championship, the Olympics thrilled in London, the Paralympics left us all in awe; perfect, I though,t a few weeks of sofa, sangria and sport on the tv. Plus, in between all this, Raith Rover’s season would be underway. I had just been made redundant, and what more does a sports-fan want but endless hours of entertainment with all the time in the world to watch it. Happiness was afoot.

However it seems that happiness can't be found in a tv schedule and biscuit box. Redundancy was taking its toll and the only real high point of my week was to escape (virtually via Raith tv) to Fife
and support Raith in the ups and downs of Scottish football and chat to other fans. Time was the killer: too much of it on my hands, so in a moment of madness I dusted off the trainers and decided to run. Maybe it was the inspiring performances from all the sport I'd been watching, or the beer talking but someone suggested a triathlon as a challenge, what did I have to lose! A lot it seemed, 40kg in weight and a few fears.

Raith take sport into the community in many ways, not just playing a weekly football match. Volunteers at the Supporters’ Trust take the time to come up with ideas, organize events and drum up support within the Fife community. Burns’ suppers, family fun days and many more activities don’t organize themselves. The trust and its members volunteer their time and skills to help promote community empowerment. They also put a lot of time and work into making sure that the fans can have their voices heard during the decision making process at the club. Something many fans, and myself, want to see more of, in clubs far and wide.

I started watching Raith Rovers as a kid and this has always been the source of my love of sport. Fond memories of members of the team coming to the school trying to get us kids excited about coming to the game and connect with future lifelong fans. Not so fond memories of hard times and supporters having to come together to raise funds and save the club from some sticky financial situations. The Raith Supporters Trust unselfishly works for the good of the club and community that supports it. This is not an easy task and to me and so many involved with football, this is not just a sport, a club is a community. Raith Rovers have been at the heart of Kirkcaldy and beyond for a good few years now and I, and many others, want to see that grow and continue. I want to see future fans find that spark in sport. The best way, I think, to do this is to be part of a sporting community.

For the past 8 months it has been an interesting journey, and the boyfriend can testify to that as he has been supporting me by getting very much involved. From the hot cups of soup waiting for me after

cold February morning sea swims, to joining me on the grueling 90km cycles in 38°. He has sweated along side me, encouraged me on the run and put cream on the jelly fish stings. I like to think maybe he has been inspired a wee bit as he is doing his first solo triathlon these coming weeks also.

To show your support check out the work of the trust, maybe leave an encouraging comment on the TRIing for the Rovers page and if you can please make a donation on behalf of TRIing 4 the Rovers to the trust thru their donations page.

As the BIG triathlon draws closer this great quote is gonna keep me going “Don't count the days, make the days count” Muhammad Ali. During the race the thought of your support will get me over that line. Thank you so much for your support.

I am still here just been a bit uninspired but I will be back.

2016-08-26T08:40:00.001+02:00

Just a wee tapa sized dish today.
Wow I have been really crap at this blogging thing. Since my articles were no longer needed by the Raith Programme I have become terrible at blog updating. Also I have taken on the challenge of a 70.3 triathlon (half iron man distance) this has eaten a lot of my time and left me pretty shattered come Sunday nights.
Hope you enjoy the back catalogue of articles and feel free to comment and suggests writing topics.

Some second helpings of special portions. Get fans back to the game!

2016-03-18T12:35:00.001+01:00

A recent trip home was always going to have a trip to see a Raith Rovers, when checking out flights the second tab one the screen is the fixture list for the coming weeks, priorities. I wasn't exactly thrilled at the thought of seeing the Livingston game as they had been our opponents the past few times I had been back to Fife but hey ho beggars can't be n all that.

Now the Scottish game doesn't have the best, if any reputation, for quality and entertainment here in Barcelona and the only teams anyone can name are the obvious 2 (however I do have student who is a hearts fan and has a few strips he wears at our local gym) but, in my opinion, this season "his been nae bad like". After watching a recent Athletico Madrid champions league game and almost passing out with boredom comments were made that just because it says champions on the tin doesn't mean it is quality. So why are some stadium around Scotland experiencing a dip in numbers. If teams are playing well, getting results and prices are reasonable why aren't the seats being kept warm by generations of fans? Maybe the game needs something more than decent entrance fees and an exciting title challenge.

After a quick rustle through the archives I stumbled across these recipes from old Paella and Bovrils for something a bit different in the football kitchen.

Enjoy and debate.

Paella and Bovril

Hidden contracts, presidents leaving the country, and missing millions have been all over the front and back pages of the Spanish press. What exactly did a certain Brazilian starlet get and where did this cash go? The figures they talk about are beyond comprehension of a fan "diddy" team, several million here and few 100,000 there. These clubs are living and playing a style of fantasy football . But maybe we should play a different kind of in a different type of league?

The Scottish game has changed a lot over the past the decades, divisions and clubs have come and gone. Club's antics have not been confined only to the back pages: celebrity columns and financial papers are bulging with football stories and not "all publicity is good publicity". But times are tough and we all have to learn to live within our means, just that some people's "means" are a lot larger than others'. The wee teams get smaller and the big teams get humongous while we watch the samepredictable winners and champions drink champagne from their familiar trophies. But what if we saw someone new taking a wee swig from one of those cups?

Season 1984/85 was the last time we saw (well I didn't see I was only 3) a team outside Glasgow win the league. Aberdeen and their youthful manager Mr A Ferguson were in the process of creating Aberdeen's glory days and with that came a break from the usual winners and losers. 30 years later and we are waiting for anotherclub to have its 15 minutes of fame and to wear the champion's crown and let's face it we ain't gonna see a change anytime soon so if we want it we need to help bring it about. Ladies and gents, I give you the Topsy-turvey fixed-term league! Ok, yes the name is ridiculous and the idea may have a a few flaws but it is a start. Here are a few key points.

After 5 years of consecutive wins a team would move to bottom of thedivisions with a fixed budget and capped squad size, after 5 years of Champions League money survival in the bottom leagues is possible
Every year this takes place an extra play-off place would be available, making it an exciting season for a few more clubs.
The super-champs would carry a large support and bring good crowds to the clubs they travel to on their way back up through the leagues.
Other clubs would get a chance to make some money in Europe and take some TV Euros.
Fans would maybe see their club lift a little more silverware.

Now I can hear the grumblings and "this wid never work hen"s from over here but Rome wasn't built in a day and sometimes the crazy idea is the best one. I for one would like to see a few more Scottish clubs coming to take on the mighty Barça, I am sure the locals could master the pronunciation of Eeerrraet Errobberz

Paella and Bovril

When you are away from you homeland you do try sometimes to recreate a wee bit of home. I have been known to smuggle a haggis thru customs for a Burns Night supper and will spend a month trying to feed a whole bottle of brandy to a traditional Christmas cake. Of course I do not keep these delights for myself I share them with my multi-national friends. Within our group we have a few Americans and they decided to introduce us to Thanksgiving. So on the fourth Thursday in November we make a turkey with trimmings of mashed potato, macaroni cheese, pumpkin pies and gravy. After we have tucked into the food and tested the wine was ok it is time to say goodbye and toddle home, the Thanksgiving football games are on.

I have in the past few years watched some American football but never live on TV and very rarely see the build up. Now I was aware that the states did things BIG and that they loved their cars, sports and meat, but I never thought they would combine all these things into a super-sized social event. I could not believe what I was seeing, thousands of people, meeting up in the stadiums’ car park to have a BBQ. Now being the US of A some of these BBQs were humungous! Out of the boots of their cars these people were cooking, carving, consuming massive steaks, burgers and I have never seen so many sausages in one place. Some had even set up to spit-roasting turkeys whilst baking potatoes round the open flames. Beer kegs were stacked SUV high, tailgate party was in full swing. Not bad I thought for a wee bit traditional pre-match grub, and we all like a wee bite at the football some more than others. When I come back to visit Scotland it is always a coincidence that a Raith happening to be playing. In between the catching up with family and friends I drag the other half along to a game. As we walk up to the stadium the talk moves away from football talk to food talk, what we going to treat ourselves with? Camp Nou might have Messi, but it does not have a macaroni pie! After one of our trips home one Christmas upon being asked, “What was the best bit of your holiday” my boyfriend replied “the pie at the football”, we have traveled all this way and meat filled bit of pastry gets the glory.

Food has become a big part of our game and not just which club will win the title of best pie. While the professional players have swapped the pre match fry-up for a plate of whole-wheat pasta the fan in the stand still munches on their pies. Over the years football clubs have become healthier, players diets are now closely monitored and some clubs are spending big money on getting the right nutrition. Some clubs have tried to filter this down to the food on the terraces. Man City has taken the advice of several high-class chefs to help prepare a match day menu, not just fancy corporate meals for the big spenders in the boxes but the snacks in the stands. Some English lower division clubs who do not have the money of the Manchester clubs have removed burgers and chips and replaced it with pasta and salad. Is this the end for the football pie? Maybe next time I catch a Raith match I will be grabbing a pre-match hummus and carrot sticks and a half-time portion of paella!

Formulaic fun

The festive season is creeping up on us and there feels like no escape. We can only hope that the weather is kind to the Scottish football grounds.

A few weeks ago the topic came up "what would you change about the scottish game". This wee serving of Paella and Bovril gives you an idea of what I thought.

What do you think?

This was first seen in the Programme of the Scottish Cup tie with Deveronvale on Saturday 1st December. Raith went thru to the next round with a 2-1 win

Paella and Bovril

It seems that every 5 minutes somebody somewhere wants to sweeten the Scottish game it by changing it’s structure. Mix this division with that league, add a dash of grass roots, stir them about and voila! -the perfect cocktail of football. Well that is what they keep promising to serve up to us.

What would give Scottish football the perfect flavour? Regional divisions or fewer teams, maybe bigger leagues; but what about the actual 90 minutes? On a recent broadcast of Off The Ball the question was asked, "If you could change one thing about Scottish football what would it be?" The usual answers came in; bring back standing areas, Saturday 3 o'clock games as standard, but a recent comment from my boyfriend made me think about something a bit different.

In our house we watch more than a bit of sport- American football, cycling, athletics and of course football. I am the bigger football fan and will watch most games till the death, even those tedious nil-nils. As I sat recently watching one of those classic 0-0 a voice of Glaswegian wisdom came from the other side of the sofa "nae points fir 0-0". After a bit more thought and lots of hand gesture-fueled discussions the idea started to develop.

So in went the email to Off The Ball, expecting it to disappear into the ether, but whilst making a pre match cuppa on it came, “the one thing Carol in Barcelona would change in Scottish football is the points system.” The formula I gave to them is pretty simple in principle.

0-0 = 0 points

1-1 = 1 point

2-2 or more = 2 points

Win = 3 points

Lose = 0 points

Not your usual idea put forward to brighten up the game!

Under the current system, if we are honest, goals are a luxury! If both teams just pass the ball back and forth in the middle of the park they can leave the pitch with the one point they started the game with. No goals, no shots on target because if "we play it safe we get the point!" How many times have you as a fan heard from the journalist, or even thought yourselves that if we just hold on we will get the point. Or heard the manager excuse the umpteenth goalless draw by over-praising the clean sheet. But if you start the game with no goals, why can’t you begin with no points. As soon as the game starts the teams HAVE to score if they want just a point, maybe this could give us attacking football from the off, from both sides!

Or how would the last ten minutes be if it really is all or nothing to play for. Imagine 80 minutes to go, nothing each, the prospect of no points, someone has to score, no one likes to go home with nothing, a goal is the only way to get a point, but who wants to risk conceding a goal when trying to score, , move up, can’t concede, fall back, gotta score, attack, can’t concede, defend, gotta score……….. aaaaahhhhhhh can you feel the tensioned excitement!

But wouldn't that result in gentlemen’s agreements between teams to make sure they get a point, I hear some cry. Really, would you trust them to let you score after they had, every team would want to score first, and any way win is always better!

Fans love goals, I think, pure and simple. How many fans after a few wee half lemonades reminisce about that great goalless draw! Football's great memories nearly always involve a goal or two! Think about a half time score of one-all. Both teams have a point, but another goal each could be two points, another couple of goals each and we could have great game on our hands.

There is no denying our game needs stirred up in to the perfect sporting cocktail, but maybe we should listen to Mr Bond and have it shaken not stirred.

Weather is no excuse for laziness

2016-01-06T11:51:00.001+01:00

First of all, a bonny welcome to 2016 to all, second I have no excuse for my terrible posting laziness. It seems that half marathon and Christmas gave me the perfect unacceptable reason to neglect the posting. Also it has been weeks since I last watched Raith Rovers play, weeks! I suppose you could say I am fair weather blogger. As a Scot can you really be called a weather wimp growing up in Scotland's interesting and variable climes.

I started to write a post about the usual weather stricken fixture list. All seemed too familiar I remember a post from back in 2013. Mother Nature was again reeking havoc with the weekend's games and supporters were u-turning on their way to games left right and center.

A few years on and for as long as I have been a supporter of the Scottish game winter has been the main player during the months of November to March, that is a substantial chunk of the season. Wind, rain, snow and frost regular visitors to the pitches and grounds around the country. Sometimes spending a little longer than we would like and teams can go for weeks without playing a game, clubs going without gate money and the problem of rearranging fixtures to keep everyone happy. Not long after the grumbles about the Scottish winter climate comes the cries for summer football! But like your about to read, maybe a different concept would work.

Like I said this post comes from a few years back but I think the idea is still piping hot and this serving paella and bovril is just a wee side dish of an idea. Let me know what you think.

Paella and Bovril

The weather here in Barcelona over the past few days has been a little bit Scottish in its style. The locals are not used to the diagonal rain that accompanies the blustery winds. They try in vain to use the brolly that continues to flip inside out; they tiptoe round the ever increasing puddles and their faces are just miserable. I try to explain to them that a few days with colourless skies is nothing; Scotland can suffer months of this weather!

The weather has been playing havoc again with the football season, wind, rain, snow and fog have all attacked our pitches and taken our fixtures, but what to do? Scotland can have 4 seasons in one morning and without warning. It is not often you leave the house without having to think, “what will the weather do later”. It seems that every year we hear the phrases “winter shutdown” or “summer football.” But when is winter and does Scotland have a summer?

This past season kicked off with the Ramsden cup on the 28^th July with the first division following two weeks later. Pretty sure July and August are “summer” months and that those who cry out for summer football, in reality have what they want. Those who want the winter break can’t seem to decide when winter is, November to March seem to be pretty harsh months for football fixtures, but we can’t shut down for 5 months.. Maybe our league should become more adaptable to the conditions.

The 281 days between first and final whistle of the season might to some seem like a marathon rather than sprint, but what if it as a few days longer? The cancelled games usually end up being played on a drab Tuesday night with a vastly reduced audience to see the game. But what if we had a few extra Saturdays up our sleeve to use when we needed them, a flexi-league.

It is a simple idea that I am sure has its flaws and will not please all but hear me out. Scotland’s worst weather can usually, I say usually, is over by March. My proposal is that in March, April and may we have Division “rest” days. Each division takes a different Saturday off in these three months, probably about 4 max for each division. To make this possible it would mean extending the season to the end of May. These extra Saturdays would do a few things. As only 1 of the 4 divisions would be “dark” at a time, these fans would be free to go and up the numbers in the other leagues. Most football fans need a weekly fix of the white ball so if they could not get it at their own club they might go and check out another division’s game. It would allow managers and couching staff go and see how others are doing things and maybe let them enjoy a game on Saturday without the stress of being in the dug out. But I think the best one would be that cancelled Saturday games would no longer have to be moved to a mid-week night kick-off. Tuedays and Wednesdays nights are now filled with champions league matches and Classicos so it is hard for “Dumbarton versus Inverness Caley Thistle” to compete for bums on seats. Fans have work to wrestle with work and family life mid-week and what was an acceptable 4 hour drive in a Saturday to see the game is now not even an option.

With these flexi-Satudays fans, clubs and local areas would benefit. More fans would be coming to your town, eat in your cafes and shop in your centres before they head off to see the game. Clubs would have the time to prepare for games instead of cramming fixture on top of fixture. Maybe this simple idea would make a fans life a nicer experience.

Bring out your Good Manners

2015-11-01T14:09:00.002+01:00

Well it has been way toooooo long between posts. I must admit that not having the deadline of publishing in the programme has slowed the creative juices. So it seems I work better under pressure. With that in mind I have kicked myself up the butt and given myself the goal of a least one a month.

Hope the wait has been worth it......

Adios Please and Thank you

Many a time I have tried to explain the 4 seasons in one day (plus some seasons you can't quiet name) style Scottish weather to the friends and students here. Recently Barcelona has decided to provide me with some fantastic visual aids, the weather here has been interesting to say the least. With the rain comes the loon-icy, pavements becomes greasy play grounds for the breaking of bones, umbrellas get put up to eye poking height at the slightest dribble from the sky, and the roads become a cacophony horns, screeching brakes and rush hour goes from 60 to 180 minutes. Some of the verbal exchanges wouldn't be out of place in a kiddie’s play park. All politeness goes out the window, flippen ‘Eck I sound like my Grandmother.

I am the first to admit that my knowledge of naughty words is a little extensive and most were probably picked up in a sporting environment. We have all done it, stubbed our toe on the edge of the bed, stood on a piece of Lego, jammed a finger in a door and let it out a mighty sshhhh….UGAR and ffff……UDGE! Pain and frustration are not famous for bringing out the best in you and nothing seems to show that better than a game of football. But is this something to beam at with pride or should tongues be held and tantrums controlled? Has football become over dramatic?

Recently I have found myself watching the “big” teams less and less. Instead of twice or three times a week tuning into a Barcelona FC game I have only been taking in a few midweek games when friends get together. This partly is due to the usual reason, time, work, and other activities coming up, but honestly the desire to watch “top class” is waning. Now don't get me wrong I still love watching the beautiful game and that is it, I wanna watch watch football not a demonstration of an amateur dramatics guide to pratfalls. The slightest whiff of a free kick and certain stars go down no questions asked, well maybe some on their “acting” abilities. They contort their faces into grimaces of pain, roll around like they have firecracker jammed in their belly button! This performance will continue until they get what they want,a free kick or the opposition player receives a card for a non existent foul or dissent. Just what small clubs need more players side lined for games that could prove essential to their club’s season. But should players stop the dramatics or curb the cussing? Understandably frustrations get to some and tempers flare. Maybe we would all go down a little easy in the box to get a match winning penalty. But am also pretty sure we would all struggle to bite our tongues if we thought we had been cheated. Footballers and fans ain't know for their Ps and Qs!

But would a change in etiquette help the game? Call me old fashioned but I think it would! However politeness and respect is a two way affair and authoritative bodies have to take on some responsibility. The rugby World Cup 2015 final was a spectacular event. Two incredible teams playing surrounded by fans, celebrities and plenty of Pyro technics, all smoothly run by the referee and his indispensable band of assistants.
Ok, ok, ok I hear the cries of “you can't compare rugby to football, they have TV refs, we need tv technology” etc and I agree football needs to move with the times to stop the pointless sendings off and the undeserved penalties. However how about a simple change in the manners with the game? (Now I really sound like my grand mother.)

The referees working with the teams to make the game run safe, smoothly and with a degree of entertainment could make a big difference. Less cards, more fluidity to the match and players available. Team captains taking responsibility on the pitch to work with players to prevent over acting and explosive responses. Having the man with the arm band being the main voice between players and refs. Maybe not a yellow as the only punishment for dissent but 10 minutes on the naughty step watching your team struggle without you, 3 trips to the step and your out! Referees learning from errors, being given a voice to explain decision, support when they make mistakes. If a player goes down a the slightest contact and rolls all over the place in apparent agony and the opposition is swearing in his ear about how he is being framed muck ups will occur, patience will be lost. Technology is an answer but shouldn't we try the more mature approach first?

Star, stripes and a sponsored crab

2015-09-13T17:47:00.001+02:00

Born in the U (unbelievable) S (sums of) A (advertising)

Having never crossed the pond I was not going to miss the opportunity a family wedding gave me, an excuse to visit the U.S of A and “oh Canada”.

During my time here in Barcelona the accumulation of friends from different nationalities has been endless, Lichtensteinian, Panamanian, Australian and the occasional Brazilian. Being part of this group of “extranjeros” has seen a lot of people come and go. This holiday would give me the chance to catch up with some old amigos, and there was no way I wasn't going to a sporting event in America. “Take me out to the ball game,Take me out with the crowd”.

After an small lifetime on a plane across the Atlantic, a good few hours drive ( and including a pit stop at a gas station where they did sell Twinkies and leopard print revolvers at the same counter), destination one of six was reached. With my knowledge of America being drawn from ‘Friends’, movies and rather too much satirical political comedy, I expected coffee shops, superheroes and Trump for President posters to drape the windows. I was not disappointed. Middle of nowhere was the address of our quite literal cabin in the woods, so the chances of attending a sports game seemed slim, however our hosts had booked tickets and a hotel in Baltimore for a night at the baseball watching the home team Oriols host the A’s. After two packed days in the wilds of Virginia a night Baltimore seeing sport was going to be the icing on a very American cake.

The greeting as we came into the city was a giant football (the funny-shaped ball kind not “that soccer kind”) stadium. Maybe it is just growing up with standing terraces and stadiums looking as if they could have been older than the United States but I'm still blown away by massive sporting arenas. Some of my favorite places in Barcelona are the ’92 Olympic venues. Hotel found and car parked, the pre game rituals commenced. The local beer, blazing orange with a baseball player on it, and chicken wings were consumed before the walk down to the stadium to watch a game I knew nothing about, just that baseball was kinda like cricket but with fewer cucumber sandwiches. Of course being a Raith fan on tour, an old strip was being worn as we made our way thru the branded this and merchandised that, and just as we were about the hit the security check there’s a sign that tonight's game was gonna be good: this stadium was just off Pratt street, just like Stark’s Park!

Selfie taken and finally inside, wow, to me it was like a stairwell at Hogwarts. Escalators going up, round and down. Brightly coloured merchandise stands with balls, bats and bunnets. Food kiosks with beer, the famous peanuts, and pretzels the size of yer head. We're not in Fife anymore Toto! This was a far cry from a scalding hot bovril and a lukewarm macaroni pie. Before hands were to be occupied by beer n peanuts I decided to take a browse at the $10 programme. After a quick flick of the pages I chose not to buy it. Call me old fashioned but I want something to read not a catalogue. Like most magazines the first 10 pages are dedicated to advertising and articles cut up between publicity.

That was it, now that I had noticed the advertising there was no escaping. Even the digital crab cartoon race that played out on the big screens to kill time between innings “ was brought to you by” some product. That became the phrase of the night “brought to you by……….”. However this wasn't the first time I had witnessed this amount of advertising in sport. It does seem that in any game, pretty much any sport if something is still long enough it can be branded. But did I notice it in the way the advertisers want?

Advertising has been part of football for years, from the wooden billboards hung onside of terraces to fans buying replica strips branded with a variety of logos, if we are honest football probably wouldn't have survived without advertising but is it becoming too big a part of the game? Do we want our penalty kicks brought to us by Nando’s after seeing a player being sent of by the red card of Greggs?

Understandably smaller clubs have to, need to, be part of the ad game. Guaranteed income is nothing to sniffed at, and space to sell as advertising limited, web pages, billboards and programmes need to be utilised. Club magazines and programmes have to cover costs and nowadays smartphones provide most people's halftime entertainment, sales have to be dropping. But what do you do, take the money and provide a bare bones programme bulked up with ads, or do you try and provide something filled to the brim with entertaining reads for both sets of fans. The second option is going to be hard and with dwindling away support and dropping home gates everywhere, the many volunteers who run our clubs’ programmes are left with no choice. But is this the choice that fans, bloggers, writers and match reporters want?

You can take the girl out of Fife but she always finds home!

A little different from the "lager lovlies" we used to know

A wee tapas sized update

2015-07-24T14:08:00.001+02:00

We did it. #triing4therovers has completed it's 2015 challenge.

And I will walk (swim,cycle,run perhaps) 500miles (well not quite but not far off he he he)

2015-07-15T07:12:00.001+02:00

All smiles before the MARnaton

Still smiling 2000m down only 77,000 more

All smiles and sweat! We did I it we completed an Olympic triathlon

Hola from unbelievably hot Barcelona, no Scottish person can help but melt in 35°.

This portion of #PaellaandBovril is a wee side dish of something new with a massive serving of seconds on a previous edition. However it is all in a good cause the Raith Supporter's Trust.

I am almost there, the challenge of doing a #TRI of events to help raise funds and awareness of the great work of the Raith Supporter's Trust is almost at meta! ( for this year, who knows what next year will bring. Did someone say 70.3?) One more event then I can have that first mojito of the summer!

A few weeks back I completed a goal I set myself last year when I watched the first MARnaton. It was a 2000m swim in the Mediterranean. Having swam most of the winter in the sea

http://www.marnatonedreams.com/es/retos/barcelona-travesia-natacion-aguas-abiertas.html

Last month I completed for the first time ever an Olympic triathlon a swim of, 1500m, bike 40,000m, and run 10,000m http://www.garminbarcelonatriathlon.com/index.php?idiomaWeb=en

This Sunday July 19th I will do another Sprint Triathlon (750m, 20,000m, 5,000m)

So that is 79,250m. That seemed a little short of 80,000 so I decided an extra 5km and a bit in the sea would finish this close season off nicely. So a few weekends back with a about 30 others from a great swim group, #tfswim, we swam along the coast of Barcelona and back. An amazing experience swimming past the Olympic port, seeing the sagrada familia from the sea and eating watermelon from a paddle surf a few hundred meters of the coast.

As the pre season friendlies start to fill our football timetables I am almost at the end of my own season's challenge. On Sunday I will cross the finish line after my final event, the SKODA triathlon.

I thought I would share again the reason why I Tri!

Please show your support by follow the link to the trust page.

With one event under the wetsuit and the big one approaching I thought it was time to explain in a bit more detail why I do this, what motivates me and maybe even inspire others. Thanks for your support.

A few years back I found myself suddenly out of work and in desperate need of something to brighten my days. During this period I found myself looking forward to Saturdays more than normal. Raith Rovers aboard was providing their fantastic service, the trust and others were posting information about the club and projects on social networks. For more than 90 mins every week I could forget about my troubles and listen to the football, be with fellow fans and just enjoy a wee bit of sport. Even in Barcelona the wee community of Raith fans were keeping me going.

With these extra hours on my hands I decided to sort some photos on the computer. While flicking through ones from a recent trip to see some inspirational performances at the World Junior Athletics championships I saw snaps from a couple of nights out that had got mixed in. Long story short I was shocked by how I looked. To this day I'm still not sure why I did it but the next morning I put the trainers on and went for a (short, exhausting) run.

Not being able to run two days in a row meant I dusted off my old Burntisland Swimming Club skills and went to the pool instead. To save cash I had just given the old bike a good dose of WD40 and was cycling around the city.. . so the obvious next step was to sign myself up to the super sprint triathlon which went past my flat.. All I had to do was swim (in the sea!)400m, bike 10km (on my commuting mountain bike) and run (walk, crawl) 2.5km. One of the fantastic things about triathlon is there are events for the most amateur of novice triathletes.

The day of my first dip in the sea to do a few lengths training was nothing short of disaster. I couldn't put my head under the water, Jaws was coming to get us and the doggy-paddle would have been an improvement on what I was doing. Help was needed. Advice was sought and many said “do it for a reason, something close to your heart, it has to make you want to get to that finish line”.

The events was getting closer and I was struggling to see how this was possible. Running was not enjoyable and even though swimming in a pool was causing no problems at all, the open water swims were still the source of nightmares. I didn't have to do this, did I? What was I TRIing for?. . . and TRIing for the Rovers was born.

I started watching Raith Rovers as a kid and this has always been the source of my love of sport. Fond memories of members of the team coming to the school to promote the game and connect with future lifelong fans. Not so fond memories of hard times and supporters having to come together to raise funds and save the club from some sticky financial situations. The Raith Supporter's Trust unselfishly works for the good of the club and community that supports it. This is not an easy task and to me and so many involved with football, this is not just a sport, a club is a community. Raith Rovers have been a the heart of Kirkcaldy and beyond for a good few years now and I, and many others, want to see that grow and continue. I want to see future fans find that spark in sport. The best way, I think, to do this is to be part of a sporting community.

So why TRI?

Cause it is fun, no really it can be. When I started this journey I thought “just get to the finish line, that is all you have to do.” 3 years on and the journey hasn't stopped and so the 4th TRIing for the Rovers is upon me. I couldn't have got this far without motivation and inspiration. My life has been changed for the better, friends have been made and I have done things I never thought were possible. I'm almost half the woman I was and have gone from 17 stone to 11 stone, from someone who couldn't put their head under the sea to it becoming my second home and, yes it has been hard. I have needed that motivation from Fife to get me thru. Not sure my partner will ever forgive me though as he now has been signed up for several running events and has had to stand guard for jelly fish on many a swim session!

Let us admit it, we have all needed a little motivation to get us to going. On several occasions I have question the human (mainly my own) ability to run, but you know what, It’s been the best fun ever. TRI for Rovers is really just TRIing to have fun, maybe inspire a little and raise awareness of the great work of the Trust.

For those of you who are unaware of the great work of the supporters’ trust here is a wee run down of some of the great work they do.

Raith take sport into the community in many ways, not just playing a weekly football match. Volunteers at the supporters trust take the time to come up with ideas, organize events and drum up support within the Fife community. Burn’s suppers, family fun days and many more activities don't organize themselves. The trust and it’s members volunteer their time and skills to help promote community empowerment. They also put a lot of time and work into making sure that the fans can have their voices heard during the decision making process at the club. Something many fans, and myself, want to see more of in clubs far and wide.

At the heart of the Trust’s community policy is giving back to the community that provide the support for the club, working with local schools, groups, and business to promote sport, health and fitness. Usually with a little hand (or paw) from Roary the Rover and his helpers. The Roary club works hard to help increase the support at the club.

“Everyone needs a little extra motivation to get to that finish line, a wee club in Fife are mine.”

Please show your support by liking our Facebook page and follow to see how the training and events are going.

Details of how to sponsor will also be on the Facebook page. Or visit the trust's donate page.

http://www.raithtrust.org.uk/?page_id=281

Two down one to go. Olympic distance

2015-06-24T18:05:00.001+02:00

We did it! After a lot of training, sweat, tears and a few drops of blood I completed my first, and not my last, Olympic distance triathlon, the second event in this year's TRI of events for TRI-ing for the Rovers.

Details of how to sponsor me and the great work of the a Raith supporter's trust check out my swim bike and run post.

I saw the sign and it............

2015-06-06T17:52:00.001+02:00

Just a wee note to say that my local supermarket is not only preparing itself for the #champions #league tonight it is supporting it's local #Raith fan.

I just spotted this in my local.

A sign that #paellaandbovril should continue.

Please check out my #TRIing4theRovers post and support our efforts in sport.

I would walk (well, swim, bike, run) nearly 80,000m for the love of sport!

2015-05-27T10:37:00.000+02:00

All smiles before the MARnaton

Still smiling 2000m down only 77,000 more

Hola from a windy but sunny Barcelona. This portion of #PaellaandBovril is a massive one. It comes with a purpose. Regular readers, and new ones too, will know I love sport. To watch it, to discover it and more recently doing it.

This close season I am doing a #TRI of events to help raise funds and awareness of the great work of the Raith Supporter's Trust.

I recently completed 2000m taking part in the Marnaton.

http://www.marnatonedreams.com/es/retos/barcelona-travesia-natacion-aguas-abiertas.html
In less than a month I will swim, 1500m, bike 40,000m, and run 10,000m http://www.garminbarcelonatriathlon.com/index.php?idiomaWeb=en
On July 19th I will do another Sprint Triathlon (750m, 20,000m, 5,000m)

So that is 79,250m ( ok I will run that extra 750m at the end to get to an even 80,000m)

With all that added up here is the extra largo paellera that explains a little bit the reason for this challenge. Enjoy

Please show your support by follow the link to the trust page.

With one event under the wetsuit and the big one approaching I thought it was time to explain in a bit more detail why I do this, what motivates me and maybe even inspire others. Thanks for your support.

A few years back I found myself suddenly out of work and in desperate need of something to brighten my days. During this period I found myself looking forward to Saturdays more than normal. Raith Rovers aboard was providing their fantastic service, the trust and others were posting information about the club and projects on social networks. For more than 90 mins every week I could forget about my troubles and listen to the football, be with fellow fans and just enjoy a wee bit of sport. Even in Barcelona the wee community of Raith fans were keeping me going.

With these extra hours on my hands I decided to sort some photos on the computer. While flicking through ones from a recent trip to see some inspirational performances at the World Junior Athletics championships I saw snaps from a couple of nights out that had got mixed in. Long story short I was shocked by how I looked. To this day I'm still not sure why I did it but the next morning I put the trainers on and went for a (short, exhausting) run.

Not being able to run two days in a row meant I dusted off my old Burntisland Swimming Club skills and went to the pool instead. To save cash I had just given the old bike a good dose of WD40 and was cycling around the city.. . so the obvious next step was to sign myself up to the super sprint triathlon which went past my flat.. All I had to do was swim (in the sea!)400m, bike 10km (on my commuting mountain bike) and run (walk, crawl) 2.5km. One of the fantastic things about triathlon is there are events for the most amateur of novice triathletes.

The day of my first dip in the sea to do a few lengths training was nothing short of disaster. I couldn't put my head under the water, Jaws was coming to get us and the doggy-paddle would have been an improvement on what I was doing. Help was needed. Advice was sought and many said “do it for a reason, something close to your heart, it has to make you want to get to that finish line”.

The events was getting closer and I was struggling to see how this was possible. Running was not enjoyable and even though swimming in a pool was causing no problems at all, the open water swims were still the source of nightmares. I didn't have to do this, did I? What was I TRIing for?. . . and TRIing for the Rovers was born.

I started watching Raith Rovers as a kid and this has always been the source of my love of sport. Fond memories of members of the team coming to the school to promote the game and connect with future lifelong fans. Not so fond memories of hard times and supporters having to come together to raise funds and save the club from some sticky financial situations. The Raith Supporter's Trust unselfishly works for the good of the club and community that supports it. This is not an easy task and to me and so many involved with football, this is not just a sport, a club is a community. Raith Rovers have been a the heart of Kirkcaldy and beyond for a good few years now and I, and many others, want to see that grow and continue. I want to see future fans find that spark in sport. The best way, I think, to do this is to be part of a sporting community.

So why TRI?
Cause it is fun, no really it can be. When I started this journey I thought “just get to the finish line, that is all you have to do.” 3 years on and the journey hasn't stopped and so the 4th TRIing for the Rovers is upon me. I couldn't have got this far without motivation and inspiration. My life has been changed for the better, friends have been made and I have done things I never thought were possible. I'm almost half the woman I was and have gone from 17 stone to 11 stone, from someone who couldn't put their head under the sea to it becoming my second home and, yes it has been hard. I have needed that motivation from Fife to get me thru. Not sure my partner will ever forgive me though as he now has been signed up for several running events and has had to stand guard for jelly fish on many a swim session!

Let us admit it, we have all needed a little motivation to get us to going. On several occasions I have question the human (mainly my own) ability to run, but you know what, It’s been the best fun ever. TRI for Rovers is really just TRIing to have fun, maybe inspire a little and raise awareness of the great work of the Trust.

For those of you who are unaware of the great work of the supporters’ trust here is a wee run down of some of the great work they do.

Raith take sport into the community in many ways, not just playing a weekly football match. Volunteers at the supporters trust take the time to come up with ideas, organize events and drum up support within the Fife community. Burn’s suppers, family fun days and many more activities don't organize themselves. The trust and it’s members volunteer their time and skills to help promote community empowerment. They also put a lot of time and work into making sure that the fans can have their voices heard during the decision making process at the club. Something many fans, and myself, want to see more of in clubs far and wide.

At the heart of the Trust’s community policy is giving back to the community that provide the support for the club, working with local schools, groups, and business to promote sport, health and fitness. Usually with a little hand (or paw) from Roary the Rover and his helpers. The Roary club works hard to help increase the support at the club.

“Everyone needs a little extra motivation to get to that finish line, a wee club in Fife are mine.”

Please show your support by liking our Facebook page and follow to see how the training and events are going.

Details of how to sponsor will also be on the Facebook page. Or visit the trust's donate page.

http://www.raithtrust.org.uk/?page_id=281

Like a good whisky does age better a footballer?

2015-03-27T09:49:00.000+01:00

Well it had to happen. I suffered my first accident on my road bike and this week has been a bit bruised and sorry for its self. Rest has been the key and recovery will be swift! I hope to be back in the saddle this weekend! This knock to the noggin made a few things rattle and I asked myself the question "why is football a young man's game?"

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The story of Messi is well known. Signed at 13 by FC Barcelona, moved from Argentina to Spain to participate in the youth academy, debut for first team at 16, youngest player to do this, youngest to win that. Will he eventually be the oldest? When is it time to hang up the boots get out the pipe and slippers? Can you play into your 80s?

Football has changed a lot in the past 50 years. The stars of the 70s were running an average of 4km a match and ,some would say, experienced a less physical game. Today's player will run 10-11km per match and receiving a fair few knocks and nicks on the way. Sports medicine has advance greatly but have the physical demands on players also increased? Some weeks can see teams playing 3 times in 8 days with limited resources for the manager to choose from.

The professional game is bursting at the seams with guys under 30. But even at this age many of them have been playing hard nearly 15 years. Only a handful of players play past the veteran’s leagues’ minimum age of 35! Recent studies are quoted as saying “most players can expect to fall of the cliff at 32”. Ok, so they are talking about the multi multi million pound super stars but it is something to think about. When does a sportsman become a “veteran”? Mo Farah is 31 and doesn’t look like he is giving up soon. Martina Natratilova didn't retire for good until she was almost 50. Players in all sports who play past the “norm” have been described as “freaks”. Ryan Giggs at one point didn't look like he would ever stop playing. Within football a common factor amongst the majority of older players is rest. Playing for national sides who didn't spend summers at the Euros or World Cup. Some have even had their Italian mamma come and look after them while they rested up on the sofa for a few day before a big champions league clash. A luxury I am sure many an amateur player would love on the lead up to the big Sunday league match!

Many amateur players will play well on into their 50s in 5 aside game weekly. A recent news story in the Telegraph featured 73 year old Keith Carabine proving that the joy of the game is enough to drive you to continue playing. He plays 5-aside despite, as he said, surviving cancer, a knee operation and of course the usual football injuries.

So can you play till…………..? Mother Nature, luck, rest, injury-free and a good dose of mamma’s home cooking, you may still be able to lift that title trophy!

Cup n bust

2015-02-15T08:59:00.001+01:00

Hola from a sunny balconey in Barcelona. As I type, my cup of tea is steaming away and I am set up on my balcony ready to watch the "mitja-maraton" of Barcelona. Last year we watched Florence Kiplagat break the world record in 1:05:12 ! Just how how do you run that fast for that long!

Enjoy this serving of P n B.

As all the names are thrown into the cup hat at the start the competition anything is possible. Could this be the year when your team becomes the giant killer, lift the cup or could this be the season to get a new toilet block put in the stadium?

Years ago the start of the cup was about the chance of trip to some minnows or some Giants to play in a quaint wee park or fancy stadium and hopefully not be the victim of the “upset of the round”. Back pages of the press would talk about the performance on the pitch and TV cameras were sent to places where we have questioned the availability of electricity to capture “the glory of the cup”. But what is today’s cup glory, lifting that trophy or cashing that cheque?

In the summer of 2007 a club with 128 years under it’s belt was liquidated. It's stadium was left to be torched, vandalized and eventually it was bulldozed last year. Hard to believe that only a few years earlier Scarborough had overcome Southend for a cash-in clash with Chelsea. This tie was going to change the club's history and “could very nearly pay the wage bill for the next two years”. Chelsea left 1 nil winners and shirts were swapped. (However Scarborough’s goalie was less than pleased when his mum washed his signed Carlo Cudicini top). The season that followed the cup tie saw the team be unbeaten at home. Who knew that the high after the cup would be so short? Scarborough were losing £250,000 a season and should have invested the money in clearing debts and a smaller, cheaper squad but instead it suffered demotion, points deduction and directors disqualified.

In 2003 Exeter had a circus come to town. The club were relegated from the league, with a lot of debts, Uri Geller was on the board and Michael Jackson was an honorary director. Once the big top was packed up and moved on a supporter’s trust took over and found the cupboards had been left bare. In season 2004/5 the football fairy godmothers must have been watching as Exeter were drawn against the Manchester United of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. The club cleared its £1,000,000 debt. This year we have seen Cambridge take on Manchester United over two ties and the club should have made a small fortune from TV deals and 45% of Old Trafford’s gate. This is going to get few shiny new pie stands and a toilet or two. A priority, says the club chairman.

The cup, it seems, can change a club forever: some by having a piece of silverware adorn the mantle piece in the trophy room, others by disappearing, and some clubs just want to have a a few new porcelain thrones for the fans.

Stadiums that take the spotlight.

2015-01-30T08:25:00.003+01:00

A weather warning has been issued here in Catalunya about a wee bit o wind. Hurricane #bawbag has decided to take a holiday on the Costa Brava.

Here is another side dish of paella and Bovril for you to munch on. Hope you enjoy.

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Football stadiums have been a fixture in our skylines for a good while now. Of course those outlines have changed over the years. In the mid 90s many a Scottish football fan jumped a wall to collect turf, turnstiles and toilet chains from grounds before the town saw the bulldozers come in and the cranes go up as terraces and sheds made way for seats and stairwells. In Kirkcaldy, Stark's Park’s outline hadn't changed much. Things were added and changed, like in the 50s when the the floodlights where placed onto the recently added “covering” that had been put in for fans, or new terraces and crush barriers put in, but the shed skyline has stayed the same.

In Barcelona, Camp Nou has been part of the Les Corts neighbourhood since it's construction began in 1954. The partially covered “bowl” holds over 90,000 fans, and when it is full on a Champion’s League night the atmosphere can be spine-chilling. However, on a very wet (little or no cover in most seats means it can be a very long 90 minutes), cold midweek game with only a few fans in, the feeling in the stadium is flat to say the least.

In April 2014 members of FC Barcelona were asked to take part in a referendum about the future plans of “Espai Barça”, a €600,000,000 project to change/upgrade nearly every part of the club. €420,000,000 would be set aside for changes to the stadium. Over 72% of the fans who turned out (less than 32%) voted yes to a complete remodeling of Camp Nou. This includes increasing capacity to 105,000 spectators and placing a large roof over the terraces. The size of the ground at the moment is 40,000 m², but once the work has been completed, that figure will rise to projected 104,000 m². This is an ambitious project by anyone's standards with a lot of fans not sure if this is what they want for their club.

Change can go many ways. The success of Barcelona’s drastic seafront change is the envy of many an Olympic host city. However, find me football fan who hasn't complained that the change in the structure or even location has effected the atmosphere of games and for some changing the iconic imagery of a stadium can be a change too far.

Finding the balance between preserving the best and changing other parts is hard. But who wouldn't like to see the Olympics come to Fife! Burntisland (for example) isn't that different from Barcelona. Sea to the front; a hill to the back. Imagine seeing Beach volleyball next to the Forth and the Marathon taking in the route of the famous Black Rock race- but only if you could make the pitch‘n’putt an Olympic sport and host it on the Links.

Sports widow spider.............

2014-11-25T09:35:00.000+01:00

Winter is (almost) coming to Barcelona . The weather keeps threatening to turn cold but as you can see the sun still shines and I am still flinging myself in open water for a wee dook!

This serving up of Paella and Bovril is awe cheers to the guys and gals who help sports fans be who they are.

Enjoy.

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About to take a 2000m dip in the Olimpic Canal de Barcelona

Training starts early for next seasons TRI-ing 4 the Rovers.

Another Saturday interrupted by the oh-so-familiar cry “It's funny how our lives revolve around 3pm Scottish time!”
I think saying “life revolves round” is a bit strong. You’re only setting aside just a few hours on a Saturday afternoon and the occasional Tuesday night for some cold midweek cup action to see their beloved team battle it out to glory or defeat. In the grand scheme of things it is only a tiny amount of time a football fan dedicates to the sport, honest!
However that argument is wearing a bit thin since these days as fitbaw ain't the only sport that gets valuable time spent on it.

Barcelona is a city that is trying to jigsaw together a network of cycle paths making it a place that is almost totally commutable using the old pedal power. Spending a fair amount of time in the saddle here, commuting around, allows you to see a lot of the people who are in town and their bags. Ok, this does sound like an odd thing to notice but recently the must-see accessory on the street is the race pack bag. Amongst the questionable Gucci bags and ubiquitous FC Barcelona official store carrier bags you can see these cheap drawstring backpacks branded with the latest in extreme condition triathlons, 48-hour mountain races and the local marathons that people have proudly competed in. You think a football widow/er has it hard? take a moment to think about the friends and family of those who think flinging themselves in a fjord and running up a Munro or two is a bonny way to spend a weekend.

Pretty sure most of us have had a flask and snacks made up to keep us warm on the terraces or had to call on a lift to or from the stadium. The friends and family of an Iron Man competitor will lose them for minimum of 15 hours a week as they try and fit in training. Those that live with an extreme runner have to clear space in the cupboards and fridge for lotions’n’potions to aid recovery, build up this, and improve that. Sport is not a solo activity.

So this is a thank you to all those that make dinner while their other half is finishing another 2 hour training run, to those who are left holding the coats whilst darting around to see their loved ones cross that line, and the partners who sit in car to pick fans up after the football. These “widower/ers” are the unsung heroes of sport and are a essential part of any team.

Spend a penny for a bit of luck

2014-10-02T11:36:00.001+02:00

The nights are fair creeping in here in bonny Barcelona. This Sunday I will be finishing up another sprint triathlon and hope to enjoy it rather than be terrified for every minute.

This dish of paella and B comes from an evening of " researching " on the web.

Hope you enjoy.

PS still time to sponsor me or just see how I get on this Sunday at the Garmin Barcelona Triathlon.

Tri-ing 4 the 4 the Rovers

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There are some out there who see a ladder and stroll under it with batting an eyelid, others will scatter to the other side of the road to avoid the disaster that will ensue if they pass underneath. The odds of something happening to you directly linked to that ladder are pretty low but if we are honest we are all a little bit superstitious. However some of use are maybe a little crazier than most

To be a goalkeeper takes skill, practice and a dash of madness. We have seen them come out the tunnel in the same order every match, placing their towel in a particular place and I am sure those who can remember loved seeing the shiny, bald head of the French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez being kissed by Laurent Blanc before every game. It was "obviously" something that worked as that was of course the year that France became World Champions.

To be between the posts during a World Cup penalty shoot out you've gotta be calm, have a resilient personality, look the striker in the eye and stand strong. Knowing your enemy helps and above all be calm. However in 1990 a goalkeeper found something extra special to give him the edge in a penalty shoot out! Argentinian Sergio Goycochea found himself caught short during a World Cup quarter final against Yugoslavia. Due to the rules of the game he could not leave the pitch to use the facilities so had to find a wee spot on the pitch to spend a peso. After surviving the shoot out and earning a semi final place against Italy penalties loomed again. So seeing as the tinkle method has worked before there was no harm in trying again, and it worked! In an interview with the Guardian newspaper he said this went on to be his "lucky charm". That is quite a talisman to take to every game and we all know that if we stop doing it of course we are going to lose.

The Brazilian legend, Pele, once gave a shirt he had worn in a game to a fan
only to then suffer a dip in form. He instructed a friend to track down the old shirt and a week later it was returned to Pele, who immediately returned to his goalscoring style.

So next time you debate washing your scarf or think about relegating those lucky pants to the back of the drawer spend a minute thinking is it worth it?

No business like the football business

2014-09-23T14:21:00.002+02:00

Finally I am posting a actual PnB! Thanks for all the kind comments that I have been sent, nice to know people read and enjoy.

Well the reason there has been a LLLLLLOOOOONNNNGGG gap between servings of Paella and Bovril is mainly due to prepping for TRIing 4 The Rovers 2014 sprint triathlon. Just last week I was allowed to be part of a group,who got to have a session with Cesc Godoy, Barcelona's own pro triathlete!

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The person who coined the phrase "there is no business like show business" obviously had never been involved in football! But can you compare football to a division of the entertainment industry. A recent headline from a London-based newspaper read "Recent figures compare London's theatre land to the world of Premiership football". Which team got more bums on seats, theatre or football? Well, 13 million people went to see England's Premier League, however 22 million people went to visit one of the 241 professional theatres that are available in London. Live entertainment is on the up: over 33 million people can't be wrong.

Is "standing in the terrace" any different from sitting in the stalls? The stage is set, (well, the grass is mown and the lines painted) but as they say "all the world's a stage". Our 'goodies' are the players who don our teams colours and the 'baddies' are anyone in the opposition's costume of shirts and shorts. Songs are sung and audience participation is encouraged, interval refreshments of pies and Irn Bru are had and opinions on act one are given. After the whistle is blown numerous reviews are written, stars might even be awarded. Football is even becoming famous for its glitzy and glamorous award ceremonies with it's very own fashionistas critiquing the suits and boots of our favorite players. Of course, there are some who love all the glitz and glamour of a big West End number and others who are more at home in a Fringe venue.

The Theatre is not everyone's cup of tea and the idea of a night at the Opera conjures up images of posh frocks and foreign wailing but who couldn't enjoy shouting out "it's behind you" at the local panto! And let's be honest football at times is more Widow Twankey than Madame Butterfly. But that is what makes this sport fantastic anyone can come along and have a good time cheering the good guys and booing the baddies!
So the next time you find someone looking for a piece of live entertainment and they like comedy, tradegy or fantasy, football could be for them.
Because as we all know and love the fact that "There's no business like the fitbaw business"

2014-09-07T09:07:00.001+02:00

Wow it has been a while since a dusted of the palleador and rinsed out my mug and served up some paella and bovril!

Well the reason is simple...........I have been busy getting my body ready for another triathlon that I will be doing on the 5th October. This will be my third year doing the Garmin traithlon in Barcelona for the Raith Rovers supporters trust https://www.facebook.com/TRIing4theRovers

But do not fear folks I am just finishing up some articles to post over the next few weeks after they appear in the Raith Rovers match day magazine.

Thanks for your support!

Please have a read of some old PnBs , I promise they haven't gone mouldy yet!

Carol

Lost in Translation

2014-04-27T11:47:00.000+02:00

It has been a long time between post but a lot has been happening. After qualifying for a cup final yonks ago it seemed like my trip to Scotland was never going to come..........but it did, and it was aaa amazing! I even made the front page of The courier........

I have also been getting my head down and really pushing the triathlon training. My running has come on leaps and bounds and my latest 5km time 28,26 made this Raith fan very happy. I have even bought a wetsuit, however I did discover that changing rooms are not designed for neoprene as you need plenty of space to jump around and hop into that suit. I am going to fill the gap that football leaves in the close season with swim, cycle and swims...........just don't want jelly fish.

This week's P n B comes from the last home game of the season. We witnessed a derby defeat to Cowdenbeath. I hope to continue next season and will be using this space to keep you up with my traithlon antics and Barcelona life.

Enjoy!

Carol

Scotland is famous for many things, men in skirts with no underwear, cuisine that leaves your hearts gasping for no more and and a national team that can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Put all those with the fantastic scenery, friendly locals and a good dose of whisky and what could possibly be wrong.............oh yeah the accent!

Catalunya likes to keep a wee eye on Scotland and not a day goes past without a mention of Escocia on the radio or tv. The Catalans love a Scot and will bombard it with questions from all sides on all topics, "do you eat full cooked breakfast everyday?", "how often does it rain?", "what is haggis?" However understanding the answer can prove a bit difficult. Introducing yourself as an English teacher and then being told you can't be cause you're Scottish and you speak a different language has been known to happen, "wit dae yi mean yi dinnea undestan' me?" But then if you have ever tried communicating with a voice activated device maybe you can understand the frustration of being lost in translation. Sean Connery's famous "sshhhhhhakin but not ssttirred" is lost on them. In an attempt to spread the love and understand of the twang, lilt, glottle stop that makes the Scottish accent unique, a search for examples commenced.

Occasionally the Catalan commentators are asked to perform an English interview. Their style is simple, accent neutral as can be and their questions basic, "how was the goal?, do you like Barcelona?, what do you think about their goalkeeper?", nothing that will confuse either party. Scottish sports interviewers have in the past taken a somewhat different approach to the art of question making. Students of English are taught simple ways to ask and answer, what is your name, where are you from, do you like Scotland? This however is not what happened a few years ago. In 2007 a video became a web hit, a recently a hit in many a Catalan classroom, featuring BBC interviewer Jim Spence and new to the country Dusan Pernis who was playing for Dundee United at the time, see video here. The questions asked during this interview are far from simple, "could you tell oos a little bit aboot yirself?"Add to that a howling Dundee wind, seagulls and a few more convoluted question the poor guy had no hope. The confusion that develops from the very start makes even the strongest of toes curl.
Maybe Scottish football is not the best poster boy for the Scottish accent after all but any excuse to try and teach the locals to say Rrraith EeRrrovers.