When we're not supporting Rovers

[The Red Baron]

Watch a lot of cricket. Don't play now but when I did my best bowling figures were 6-16.

Wrote two chapters of a book on Rugby League in Wales.

Know a lot about the history and development of the Football League.

Have always nursed an ambition to open a wine bar in Wath-on-Dearne called "Steinbeck's" (you do the math)

Once worked in Nice as a part-time lion tamer and gigolo. I'm not sure which job was more dangerous...

[idler]

They think that grapes are piles in Wath RB.😉

[BobG]

Part time gigolo John??!!! Vraiment? Jesus. My mind is utterly boggled....

And BB: nice one!

Bob

[ballysbackin]

I spend all my time being a miserable "B" I finds that it helps me express my feelings to others, especially the people I do not like.

[Dutch Uncle]

This reminds me of the time a few years ago when I was part of a group of colleagues who were sent on a training course. At the beginning, as an introduction, we were all told to come up with 5 facts about ourselves - 4 true and one false - and everyone had to guess the false one.

Mine were:

I have played in an official international squash match for Wales
I speak fluent Welsh
I have played in an official international squash match for The Netherlands
I speak fluent Dutch
I have never had any sense of smell

Not one person correctly picked out the wrong fact.

[RedJ]

I'll take a punt on sense of smell?

[Dutch Uncle]

I'll take a punt on sense of smell?

Nope - most popular guess. I have congenital anosmia - I don't even know what a smell is. Some say I am lucky. 

It turns out to be a great fact to use in games like this 

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Drink excessively and kick a ball around most Sunday mornings. Nothing too spectacular, really.

[GazLaz]

Speak fluent Welsh.

[Dutch Uncle]

Speak fluent Welsh.

Correct. You been reading the other thread Gaz?

Being Welsh born of a Welsh speaking mother, this has been an embarrasment to me for decades now. So is my poor decision to take up the Dutch Squash Association's offer of playing in an international friendly against Belgium as a sop to getting me to accept a non-paid position on the Association which involved huge amounts of work (organising tournaments, leagues, referrees etc). In my defence I was well past my best and wasn't going to make the Welsh team again, was married to a Dutch woman at the time, had a Dutch stepson and expected to be there forever. She left (best thing that ever happened to me) and suddenly I didn't feel at all Dutch any more, just a traitor.

But I would never desert DRFC   

[GazLaz]

Speak fluent Welsh.

Correct. You been reading the other thread Gaz?

Being Welsh born of a Welsh speaking mother, this has been an embarrasment to me for decades now. So is my poor decision to take up the Dutch Squash Association's offer of playing in an international friendly against Belgium as a sop to getting me to accept a non-paid position on the Association which involved huge amounts of work (organising tournaments, leagues, referrees etc). In my defence I was well past my best and wasn't going to make the Welsh team again, was married to a Dutch woman at the time, had a Dutch stepson and expected to be there forever. She left (best thing that ever happened to me) and suddenly I didn't feel at all Dutch any more, just a traitor.

But I would never desert DRFC   

My thinking-

One of the squash ones has to be true.

Likely to have been in your prime years before moving to Holland so representing Wales far more likely. Using an educated guess that if good enough to play for Wales once you qualified you would be easily good enough to get in the Dutch squad that wouldn't be as strong as the Welsh one. It's not a sport I associate with Holland.

You've lived in Holland for a very long time so speaking the language would be a certainty for someone of your ability!

That only left one!!

[Dutch Uncle]

That is excellent Gaz! I think Sherlock would have been proud 

[Bentley Bullet]

Heres the Bentley Bullet again back in the studio. What do you reckon to this? Who knows there might be a Rovers song coming along!


https://youtu.be/g4FBgXyASQ0

[hoolahoop]

That brilliant, really touching and produced to a high standard. Thankyou for posting it.

 

My father fought in Burma and my Grandfather in the Somme. Both survived but were never prepared to talk about their experiences.

In a tiny way I had a small part in the Cold War, but at least I can tell my children. It is difficult, nay impossible, to imagine the horrors of front line war action, and our Armed Forces to this day, and their loved ones, deserve much more admiration and support than they get.

Thank you BB

My grand- father was a P.O.W. of the Japanese in Burma too and like your father took the horrors of the place with him. The only thing I ever noticed , when living with them in my teens, were the scars he carried on his abdomen from those days and the constant shouting in his nightmares....?  I can hear them still now whilst writing this.

As for me I have lived a pretty normal life in comparison however I was lucky enough to live in Malaysia ( Ipoh) as a child as well as short stays in Singapore, Hong Kong, Macao and Aden ( Yemen) as well as 7 years in Germany .
Being a child of a military bandsman certainly had it's perks being invited to huge funerals of Rajahs, Polo matches played in jungle clearing etc . Yes I truly got and experienced the last days of our Empire.

[hoolahoop]

" Once worked in Nice as a part-time lion tamer ." - The Red Baron

How come you could only find lazy lions ........boom boom 

[hoolahoop]

Interesting that A14475 I spent 15 years in a Army Staff Band, Double Bass Bass guitar and Tuba player studied at Kneller Hall under some of the finest orchestral players in the RPO LPO etc and did some occasional depping with the big boys and pit orchestras also played with a cover band for a fair old time

Daggers my Dad also trained at Kneller Hall met my mum who was from Richmond whilst there . Unlike you he was a percussionist ( as well as trumpeter and violinist ) and played mainly with 13/18 th Hussars QMO for 18 years that's how I managed to travel the world with him and my mum . My dad never left work though he was always tapping out some beat or another with whatever was available - mealtimes were the worst !

I guess that's why I have never ever felt settled anywhere in my life , we were always travelling and experiencing new things - I have kept that up since the 1950s.

[hoolahoop]

Speak fluent Welsh.

Correct. You been reading the other thread Gaz?

Being Welsh born of a Welsh speaking mother, this has been an embarrasment to me for decades now. So is my poor decision to take up the Dutch Squash Association's offer of playing in an international friendly against Belgium as a sop to getting me to accept a non-paid position on the Association which involved huge amounts of work (organising tournaments, leagues, referrees etc). In my defence I was well past my best and wasn't going to make the Welsh team again, was married to a Dutch woman at the time, had a Dutch stepson and expected to be there forever. She left (best thing that ever happened to me) and suddenly I didn't feel at all Dutch any more, just a traitor.

But I would never desert DRFC   

So what have you done with your language skills , I guess you don't get much if am opportunity to use it much in if I recall correctly Ireland (?). Are you able to get EU status I.e. did you get Dutch citizenship ? If so can you adopt our family formally to ease our Eurupean travel in future ?

[glosterred]

" Once worked in Nice as a part-time lion tamer ." - The Red Baron

How come you could only find lazy lions ........boom boom 

If the lions were part time lions, what were they for the rest of the time?

COYR

[Filo]

I got a first at a world championships and was also Yorkshire Champion both at 14 years of age

[Ldr]

General Manager for the GB Australian Rules Football Teams as well as running a local side up here in Newcastle

[Dutch Uncle]

Speak fluent Welsh.

Correct. You been reading the other thread Gaz?

Being Welsh born of a Welsh speaking mother, this has been an embarrasment to me for decades now. So is my poor decision to take up the Dutch Squash Association's offer of playing in an international friendly against Belgium as a sop to getting me to accept a non-paid position on the Association which involved huge amounts of work (organising tournaments, leagues, referrees etc). In my defence I was well past my best and wasn't going to make the Welsh team again, was married to a Dutch woman at the time, had a Dutch stepson and expected to be there forever. She left (best thing that ever happened to me) and suddenly I didn't feel at all Dutch any more, just a traitor.

But I would never desert DRFC   

So what have you done with your language skills , I guess you don't get much if am opportunity to use it much in if I recall correctly Ireland (?). Are you able to get EU status I.e. did you get Dutch citizenship ? If so can you adopt our family formally to ease our Eurupean travel in future ?

I have been teaching some voluntary classes in German for a couple of years Hoola (I lived in Germany for 3 years before living in NL), and I really enjoyed that. However our elder daughter and husband have recently moved back from NL to about a mile from us in Northern Ireland, so I see our grandchildren (aged 4 and 2) pretty well every day, which is great but I have stopped the German classes. I have thought about learning Gaelic Irish, but my heart wants to learn Welsh instead. I might do that via books, CD and the Welsh TV Channel!

With regards to EU travel, as a resident of Northern Ireland  (and btw married to a local) I have the automatic right to an Irish passport (dual citizenship). Unsurprisingly since the Referendum there has been a huge rush on them, but somehow, much as I love the Irish, North and South, I don't actually see myself as being Irish and don't really want to apply. My tagline on this site is 'probably the only Dutch speaking Plaid Cymru voting Doncaster Rovers supporter living in Bangor, County Down'. I am Welsh and proud of it. And I never really felt Dutch, certainly not enough to apply for a Dutch passport.

[hoolahoop]

Speak fluent Welsh.

Correct. You been reading the other thread Gaz?

Being Welsh born of a Welsh speaking mother, this has been an embarrasment to me for decades now. So is my poor decision to take up the Dutch Squash Association's offer of playing in an international friendly against Belgium as a sop to getting me to accept a non-paid position on the Association which involved huge amounts of work (organising tournaments, leagues, referrees etc). In my defence I was well past my best and wasn't going to make the Welsh team again, was married to a Dutch woman at the time, had a Dutch stepson and expected to be there forever. She left (best thing that ever happened to me) and suddenly I didn't feel at all Dutch any more, just a traitor.

But I would never desert DRFC   

So what have you done with your language skills , I guess you don't get much if am opportunity to use it much in if I recall correctly Ireland (?). Are you able to get EU status I.e. did you get Dutch citizenship ? If so can you adopt our family formally to ease our Eurupean travel in future ?

I have been teaching some voluntary classes in German for a couple of years Hoola (I lived in Germany for 3 years before living in NL), and I really enjoyed that. However our elder daughter and husband have recently moved back from NL to about a mile from us in Northern Ireland, so I see our grandchildren (aged 4 and 2) pretty well every day, which is great but I have stopped the German classes. I have thought about learning Gaelic Irish, but my heart wants to learn Welsh instead. I might do that via books, CD and the Welsh TV Channel!

With regards to EU travel, as a resident of Northern Ireland  (and btw married to a local) I have the automatic right to an Irish passport (dual citizenship). Unsurprisingly since the Referendum there has been a huge rush on them, but somehow, much as I love the Irish, North and South, I don't actually see myself as being Irish and don't really want to apply. My tagline on this site is 'probably the only Dutch speaking Plaid Cymru voting Doncaster Rovers supporter living in Bangor, County Down'. I am Welsh and proud of it. And I never really felt Dutch, certainly not enough to apply for a Dutch passport.

You have led an interesting life Dutch , shame you can't keep up the   German classes and keep your brain ticking over and I darn sight easier than either Irish Gaelic or Welsh . No doubt you will end up still doing all of them - I just hope you stay as happy as you seem and keep those stats coming.

I'm hoping to see a book about the Rovers from you in the near future.........no pressure eh.

[The Red Baron]

" Once worked in Nice as a part-time lion tamer ." - The Red Baron

How come you could only find lazy lions ........boom boom 

If the lions were part time lions, what were they for the rest of the time?

COYR

The lions were full time, although they did sleep a lot. I found I could fit in lion-taming with my  "other work." That was infinitely more dangerous... 😉

[Donnywolf]

They had a talking Lion at that time I believe

I remember because I rang him up and the Keeper (maybe even you) said "sorry he's on another Lion"

[Filo]

They had a talking Lion at that time I believe

I remember because I rang him up and the Keeper (maybe even you) said "sorry he's on another Lion"

Now you might be old enough to remember if this is true, I was once told, by an ex work mate (from Thorne) that a pub in Donny had a dancing bear

[Donnywolf]

They had a talking Lion at that time I believe

I remember because I rang him up and the Keeper (maybe even you) said "sorry he's on another Lion"

Now you might be old enough to remember if this is true, I was once told, by an ex work mate (from Thorne) that a pub in Donny had a dancing bear

There was a real Bear in Donny behind what became the Girls High School but was at the time a Zoological Gardens / Museum (searching for thread)

I dont remember a dancing bear though

Got it - Free Press. https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/billy-the-bear-was-a-star-draw-at-the-museum-1-3312475

[The Red Baron]

The dancing bear was owned by Simon Smith. 

[drfchound]

The dancing bear was owned by Simon Smith. 

Amazing.

[Donnywolf]

Wow .... I may go out tomorrow (if I can find borrow a coat to wear) !

[drfchound]

You will be stepping out in style then Wolfe.