New beginnings...

Hello everybody! Just a quick message for those who are interested with what I've been up to of late. You may have noticed that I've been posting less regularly in the past few weeks, which is merely a result of being back at uni and unfortunately having actual work to do! But I will keep posting as and when I have things to say and time to write for the blog.

Since I've been back at university, I've taken up an exciting new opportunity. For the next term, and perhaps longer, I will be a sports editor at York Vision. Vision is one of two campus newspapers in York, and has won the Guardian Student Publication of the Year award five times in the last decade, including most recently in 2011. I'm really looking forward to working with the great team at Vision and helping the paper (an in particular the sports section) go from strength to strength. It has a reputation for top quality journalism, and I hope to be able to contribute to that over the coming months.

I have also recently taken on sub-editing duties for The Student Journals. This is a really important part of the journalism process and is a really useful skill to learn. Already in my first few days at Vision, I have benefited from what I have learnt sub-editing for TSJ. I've been doing this for about a month already and will continue to do so.

So in summary, I've been broadening my horizon's beyond this blog, which has been a great vehicle for my writing during the summer. I will keep updating it when I can. I would just like to finish by thanking everybody who has ever read the blog, for your support and kind words. It's been a great encouragement as I pursue a career in journalism!

Much love

Michael

“Maybe we couldn’t”: Are Americans about to elect Mitt Romney as their President?

Four years is a long time in politics. It must feel like a lifetime for Barack Obama. In 2008, he was the young, charismatic Senator from Illinois who wowed not only America, but the world. His powerful and emotive rhetoric, his convincing and reassuring tone, made him one of the most popular political figures in the world. Today, he is but a shadow of his former self. The message of hope as exemplified by those iconic posters and the slogan “Yes we can,” has been replaced by a sense of disappointment. Last week, in the first Presidential debate of the 2012 campaign, Obama was soundly beaten. In a political landscape where personality often takes precedence over policy, Obama has somehow let slip from his grasp the affections of the American electorate. What was at one stage unthinkable might, on 6 November, become a reality. Barack Obama might fail to be elected for a second term as President of the United States of America.

Fortunately for Obama, the 2012 crop of Republican candidates for the presidency left a lot to be desired. There was Newt Gingrich, whose policies included a vow to build a moon base. There was Rick Perry, the Texan governor whose hilarious inability to remember the third agency of government he intended to cut destroyed his chances. There was Herman Cain, former chairman of a pizza company (no joke), who stumbled on a question about Libya as though he had never heard of the country, and then ended his campaign after accusations of sexual harassment. There was Rick Santorum, who held rather antiquated views on same-sex marriage, abortion and contraception. Even more fortunate for Obama, some of the more charismatic Republican figures, such as former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin and New Jersey governor Christ Christie, chose not to run on this occasion, as did the businessman and television star Donald Trump.

So Barack Obama will compete with Mitt Romney for the chance to serve as President of the USA for the next four years. Romney is an enigmatic character. The platform for which he stood to become the Republican candidate was incredibly far removed from the platform he once used to be elected as Governor of the liberal state of Massachusetts. Even now, weeks before the election, it is difficult to get Romney to commit, one way or the other, on most issues. Romney is the archetypal “baddie”. He wouldn’t be out of place in Jim Henson’s Muppet Show, as a character intending to knock down the Muppets’ theatre to drill for oil. His announcement in last week’s debate that he would cut funding to PBS, home of another of Henson’s creations, Sesame Street, might just make that a reality.

The election campaign has been gaff-central. The advantage Obama has had, however, is the scale of his gaffs. The President has been found wanting on numerous occasions, but he hasn’t committed the cringeworthy offences of his opponent. A recently surfaced video, in which Romney writes off 47% of the population of the USA who will never vote for him, is remarkable. It is true that Romney is terminally unable to win over African American and Hispanic voters. But surely it is his job to try, rather than castigate them (or, as has been the case in some Republican governed states, change the voting regulations to try and make them ineligible). Obama has not yet faced such a disastrous gaff. Trust me, if he had, Fox News would be all over it and we would all know about it.

Obama’s problem, though, is the disappointment of his first term. It is human nature that, when given a choice between “likely to fail” and “proven failure,” people would chose the former. I am not suggesting that Obama’s term has been totally disastrous. But his opponents have been able, with relative ease, to portray his economic, foreign and in particular healthcare policies as having missed the target. Obama brought much of this on himself through his undoubtedly feel-good but perhaps too ambitious campaign in 2008. Expectations were high, and despite some bright moments, there have been far too many disappointments. Suffice to say, any other year, with a strong Republican candidate, and Obama would be packing his suitcases and moving his papers out of the Oval Office.

The American electorate, then, finds itself between a rock and a hard place. Neither candidate has instilled confidence that they can bring positive change in the next four years. To be brutally honest, neither has yet said much at all about what they would do in the next term, instead resorting to the personal attacks on their opponent and vague statements which have made the aftermath of elections so hard to predict. The fact that Mitt Romney is anywhere near Obama in the polls shows just how dissatisfied the American people have become with their President. That Romney currently leads is a damning indictment. And come 6 November, if the American people chose to elect a man like Mitt Romney, then Barack Obama can only have himself to blame.

Wonga, Newcastle United and football’s moral compass

On Tuesday, Newcastle united announced a brand new sponsorship deal with the infamous payday loan company, Wonga. This has led to heated debates about whether the deal is moral. In my latest contribution to Natter Football, I take a look at the club, the deal and why the criticism borders on hypocrisy.

http://natterfootball.co.uk/2012/10/wonga-newcastle-united-and-footballs-moral-compass/

Ruthless Cod Army put York in their Plaice

York City were left to rue not making the most of a brilliant spell early in their game with Fleetwood, as the visitors came out 2-0 victors. In a battle between the two sides who achieved promotion from the BlueSquareBet Conference Premier last season, high-flying Fleetwood continued their charge up the League Two table and sit 3^rd after ten games with six wins. York, however, look likely to have to settle for mid-table after a third defeat. The Minstermen sit 14^th and, whilst looking strong enough to stay clear of the relegation places, have a long way to go if they are to challenge for the play-offs.

The end result was in stark contrast to York’s bright start. The first 30 minutes saw York dominate in both possession and chances. In truth, it was probably the best spell of football I have seen in my year attending York City games. The pre-match rain continued to fall, making the surface skiddy which helped York’s quick, zippy passing. Within a minute, Matty Blair and Michael Coulson had worked Town keeper Scott Davies. As time passed Fleetwood got more in to the game, but York were the stronger team and continued to create chances. For half an hour, York were battering the Cod Army.

But the first goal changed all that. After it, City began to panic and lost the composure which had seen them threaten Fleetwood’s goal with effortless ease. Up to the goal, central midfield man Danny Parslow had barely seen the ball; York’s attacking was so fast and efficient, the ball was zipped from defence straight up the wings and into attack. But when York’s defence failed to close down on the edge of the box, Junior Brown was allowed the space to fire a shot just inside Michael Ingham’s right post from 25 yards. It wasn’t particularly deserved, and was the team’s first clear chance of the half. But it shell-shocked York, who were happy to hear the half-time whistle when it came.

But if the last ten minutes of the first half had been poor from the hosts, the second half was even more disappointing. Gone was the fluid attacking play that had defined the first 30 minutes, replaced by more frantic play. York were playing like a team who were a man down; Fleetwood’s players dominated midfield as though they were outnumbering their counterparts. Whereas York began resorting to the long ball as a sign of desperation, Fleetwood used it throughout to a more devastating effect. City centre backs Chris Doig and Chris Smith were terminally unable to deal with the high deliveries. This gave the visitors’ a couple of good chances before they added a second. The best saw David Ball round Ingham but fire his shot across goal, coming out off the far post; the rebound was blocked on the line. But finally the run of play told, and as Smith again did not deal with a long ball, Steven Gillespie was put through and slotted home.

York’s early display was so good that they may still have had a strong claim to have deserved a point. But in truth, Fleetwood looked comfortable after that opening spell and despite the odd chance, York didn’t look likely to pull the game back. And were it not for a couple of top class saves from Ingham, the reverse may have been greater. As it is, York have to move on to the weekend, as Rotherham United are the visitors. Back-to-back home games gives York their best chance to bounce back to winning ways.

Ingham, 7, another great goalkeeping display, though could work on kicking distribution

Fyfield, 7, lively on the overlap early on, and did little wrong defensively

Smith, 3, struggled with high balls all day, should have done better for second goal

Doig, 4, also had trouble with long ball and seemed on different page to Smith

Challinor, 6, solid defensively and going forward, throw ins always a threat

Parslow, 5, rare quiet game, was unable to control the middle of the park

(Bullock - 70'), 5, minimal impact after coming on

Blair, 6, was unable to sparkle in second half when called upon

McLaughlin, 6, in an overcrowded central midfield had only slight influence

(Taylor - 83'), 4, only major contribution was to set up a late chance for Town

Walker, 7, as usual, put himself about and worked incredibly hard for team cause

Chambers, 5, attacking runs came to no avail against stout defence

Coulson, 6, heavily involved early on, but dropped off as game wore on

(Johnson - 70'), 5, a couple of bright moments but also a couple of sloppy ones

Italics indicates Man of the Match

Europe wins it for Seve

Europe came from behind to record a record breaking victory in the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club. Late on day two, Europe trailed 10-4 and only pulled it back to 10-6 overnight thanks to some heroics from Ian Poulter. Nonetheless, it was still an uphill struggle, but Europe chipped away at the American lead throughout, before Martin Kaymer holed a clutch put on the 18^th green to confirm victory. The final score was 14.5-13.5, meaning Europe not only retained the Cup, but won it outright.

The final day singles went back and forth on a crazy afternoon. Every time Europe got a run together, the Americans would hit back. But the tone was set by Europe’s lead-out players, with the top 5 matches all ending in European victories. Luke Donald led by example, and was 4 up with 4 to play. A minor wobble was overcome, and he beat Bubba Watson 2&1. Rory McIlroy won by the same margin over Keegan Bradley, despite having overslept and having no practise time. The Northern Irishman never trailed at any point in his match. But the star was Paul Lawrie who, without fuss, annihilated the in-form Brandt Snedeker 5&3. Snedeker was level par in his round, but Lawrie collected four birdies and an eagle in a mistake-free round.

Saturday Six-Pointer: 29/09/2012

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Chelsea have well and truly established their title winning credentials. Undefeated, with five wins from six games, has shown this on paper. But it’s wins against rivals that really count at the end of the season. Arsenal had impressed so far, none more so than in a comfortable 2-0 win at Anfield earlier in the season. I was beginning to consider them title contenders. But where the Gunners often fall short is against the other teams likely to challenge at the top. So, for every hard-earned draw like that against Manchester City last week, there is an underwhelming defeat like the 2-1 reverse against Chelsea. For the Blues, the season is looking bright. Both Manchester clubs have looked short of their best so far. And while Fernando Torres remains a shadow of his former sense, he is certainly an improvement on the player who was more likely to get a yellow card than score a goal for Chelsea. If he can continue to contribute to the goal-scoring, that could be the difference between Chelsea fighting for a Champions’ League spot, or challenging for league title glory.

My Three Teams: York City FC and Sunderland AFC

In my latest contribution to Natter Football, I have taken a look at the fortunes of York City FC and Sunderland AFC. This is a follow-up to my season preview, found here  and comes after the first part, covering Darlington FC, to be found here.

Here's the link to my new article. Enjoy!
http://natterfootball.co.uk/2012/09/my-three-teams-part-two-york-city-fc-and-sunderland-afc/#comment-6635

Ryder Cup 2012: The Greatest Event in Golf

The Ryder Cup is the greatest event in golf. Sport is at its best when it is partisan; one team against another. In individual sports, spectators can support their favourite but rarely do so with the fervour with which they would support a team in a head-to-head battle. For this reason, the Ryder Cup is hotly anticipated.

The Europe-USA battle is always an intriguing one. Golf is a sport invented by the Scots and made popular by Europeans, but it was traditionally perfected by the Americans. The USA has won the fêted trophy on 25 occasions, and lost only 11 times. But in recent times, Europe has become the dominant competitor having won four of the last five events. It is ironic that the beginning of Europe’s domination of the Ryder Cup coincided with the continent’s struggles in major championships. From Paul Lawrie’s victory at the Open in 1999, no European won a major until Padraig Harrington in the Open in 2007. In that time, Europe won the Ryder Cup three times in succession, each time convincingly. Since then Europe’s fortunes in the majors as improved, but Ryder Cups performances have waned. Europe won the last event in 2010 which went down to the wire on a dramatic extra day forced by rain, after a comfortable US victory in 2008.

My Three Teams: Darlington FC

Before the start of the football season, I wrote a preview for the three teams I follow: Darlington FC, York City FC and Sunderland AFC. That blog post can be found here:
Football Season Preview: My Three Teams

Now, a month into the season, I have revisited this post and written a brand new pair of articles for Natter Football looking at how the teams have fared so far. The first article traces the fortunes of Darlington FC in their inaugural season in the Northern League Division One. It was written earlier this week, before the loss in the Durham Challenge Cup to Hebburn Town. It can be found here:
My Three Teams: Part One, Darlington FC

The second part will look at York City and Sunderland, and will be posted at the start of next week.

Champions League Game-Week 1 Round-Up

I've done a round up of the games from the first week of UEFA Champions' League fixtures for The Student Journals. Follow the link to find it!

http://www.studentjournals.co.uk/comment/sport/1867-champions-league-round-up-city-hart-break-as-real-snatch-late-winner

The Fastest Man on Three Wheels: Why David Weir should be BBC Sports Personality of the Year

I've written an article for The Student Journals about why David Weir, who won four gold medals at the London Paralympics, should be recognised as BBC Sports Personality of the Year. In what has been a vintage year of British sport, Weir's acheivements stand out. Add to that the public response to the Paralympics, which fulfilled the 'Inspire a Generation' slogan even more so than the Olympics, and it becomes apparent that our Paralympians deserve more recognition at the Sports Personality of the Year ceremony.

Click here to read The Fastest Man on Three Wheels: Why David Weir should be BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Saturday Six-Pointer: 15/09/2012

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Some might see it as a bit cliché to say that the Premier League is unpredictable. Inexplicably, many people insist on debating whether the Premier League is better or worse than La Liga. Of course, this is ultimately irrelevant. And the answer would depend on what exactly you are looking for. At the end of the day they are the best two leagues in the world, and that is what matters. One thing in common so far is unpredictability. Because, while Real Madrid have lost two of their first four games, the Premier League this weekend saw another array of startling results. Out-of-sorts Aston Villa comfortably beat in-form Swansea City, while undefeated West Brom were thrashed by Fulham. Meanwhile both Chelsea and Manchester City were unable to win away games against opponents who have not yet won a game between them. The Premier League is starting to become a graveyard for the accumulator. Predicting more than one or two correct results in any given week seems to be getting harder and harder. Yesterday, out of eight fixtures, I predicted only two correct results (and those were the more obvious home bankers of Manchester United and Arsenal).

Thrifty on TV: New Den, Old Dragons and same old format

Dragons’ Den returned for a tenth series on BBC2 last night, with the tried and tested formula of the show given no major changes. That said, I was worried as the opening titles came on. It seemed for a moment that the recession had finally hit for the Dragons, as their despair led them to be perched on the edge of tall buildings. But alas it was merely the introduction. I was immediately struck by the sheer height of Peter Jones. It has never been a secret on the show that he was tall, but when lined up next to the other Dragons (and not sat back comfortably in his chair) he towered above them.

The intro proceeded to give clips of the Dragons attacking faceless “budding entrepreneurs” with their characteristic relentlessness, plus the odd bit of discord within the group. Clearly the producers of the show know their audience. I would suspect that very few tune in to Dragon’s Den for the business ideas. It’s the Dragons’ entertaining ferocity, aimed at those pitching and at each other, which gives the show its unique angle. Next, after an exasperated cry from Duncan Bannatyne (we couldn’t see what was going on beneath the camera), we see Deborah Meaden (of all people) making an offer. Dragons’ Den in a nutshell, and we’re only one minute in. Need not bother watching any more then?

Walker’s crisp finish salvages point for York

Jason Walker scored a goal in the last minute of injury time as York’s unbeaten run continued with a 2-2 draw against Chesterfield at Bootham Crescent. Walker was in the right place at the right time as he placed his shot into the top corner from eight yards after four minutes had been added. City had been trailing by a goal when Ashley Chambers sent in a cross to the back post, which captain Chris Smith knocked down into the path of frontman Walker, who made no mistake. The full-time whistle came just seconds after the restart. It was no less than City deserved, in a game which was fairly even but in which York had the lion’s share of the play and the chances.

The first half was a very even affair, though York looked very composed, both in possession and when Chesterfield had the ball. There weren’t any clear-cut chances in the first half-hour, but when the first one came Chesterfield (eventually) converted it. A brilliant double save from City keeper Michael Ingham wasn’t enough as the Spireites converted at the third attempt from close range, Sam Hird the man on hand. City hit back straight away, Ashley Chambers' free kick forcing a diving save from Richard O’Donnell. But soon after Michael Coulson levelled the scores, finding himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and chipping the ball past the on-rushing O’Donnell.

Premier League 2012/3: Predictions 2.0

You could argue that making a new set of predictions after the first three games of the season is a bit of a cop-out. But I disagree. The first three games are far from indicative of how the season will go. Last year, Wolves took seven points from their first three games. They won only three more matches all season. Importantly, the transfer window has now closed. Although there is always the chance players will be added in January, the current squads will have to last for the first half of the season at least. So, I’ve decided that at this point in the season we know enough to make some more educated predictions, without knowing so much that it’s a cop-out.

The positions in brackets indicate the positions I predicted before the start of the season in “Premier League 2012/3: Predicitions”.

1st               Manchester City (2nd)

First time out, I genuinely agonised over whether to go for United or City to win the title. In their first three games, City have convinced me they should have been top. They haven’t actually played very well, but they have found a way to win games, or draw in the case of Liverpool. They maybe didn’t strengthen as much as hoped on deadline day, but the squad is still strong and deep and you would back them to add in January.

New system creates new problems for Liverpool

This is my latest contribution to the website Natter Football. In it, I take a look at Liverpool's start to the season. I question whether Brendan Rodgers may be taking a too radical approach, and whether he will be given the time to achieve his goals at Anfield.

It would be interesting to see what others think of Liverpool's start and prospects. So head over to Natter Football and join the debate.

Click here to read "New system creates new problems for Liverpool."

NFL Predictions: Texans to go all the way?

Right, so here is my division-by-division predictions for the 2012 NFL Season, including wild-card picks, followed by a mock post-season. Feel free to comment if you agree or disagree!

AFC East: New England Patriots

It’s difficult to bet against the Patriots wit Bill Belichick at the helm and Tom Brady under centre. Put them amongst a rebuilding but yet not competitive Buffalo Bills side, a declining New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins, who start with a rookie at QB, and the Patriots should stroll the regular season.

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens-Steelers rivalries is one of the best in the NFL. Their matches usually throe back to the good old days of the NFL, with defense and running games dominating. Expect the Bengals also to be in the mix, but they might struggle due to the tough division. Cleveland Browns, as is too often the case, only making up the numbers

NFL Preview: Open season in store for ‘Year of the rookie quarterback’

The National Football League season gets underway in the USA tomorrow night, as the defending champion New York Giants host their great rival Dallas Cowboys at the New Meadowlands. On Sunday, 26 of the 32 teams get their campaigns underway before the final four teams get underway on Monday night. The NFL is one of the best sports to watch as a neutral. Every year, the competition is wide open. True, there are a few teams like the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, who are competitive every year. But they are not dominant. Meanwhile, there are always a few dark horses, coming from nowhere to challenge for honours. This season will be no different.

Saturday Six-Pointer: 01/09/2012

This week's Saturday Six-Pointer, looking at Spurs' crazy transfer window, hope for West Brom and West Ham, and what QPR could learn from Manchester City.

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Tottenham Hotspur had one of the more interesting transfer windows. Andre Villas-Boas was sacked by Chelsea last season for trying to change too much too quickly, dropping established figures like Frank Lampard. Presumably, his new bosses at Spurs have given him the free reign to overhaul the squad which he did not have at Chelsea. Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart have left the North London club, with a host of players including Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey coming in. This year is likely to take on a transitional feel for Spurs, as the new players bed in. It might well have long term benefits. It was the drop-off in form that did for Harry Redknapp last year, rather than the final league placing. With the changes made in the squad this year, Spurs will surely be satisfied with any European qualification this season. To achieve that, they have to learn how to hold on to a lead. An underwhelming start against Newcastle United has been followed with back to back 1-1 draws in which Spurs relinquished the lead. Both were against opposition you would have expected them to beat. They languish on two points from three games. Looks like AVB’s job is far from simple, and far from over.

Thrifty on TV: Looking for an intellectual Challenge? Then Only Connect…

It is a long-held belief that the quality of programming on television in the UK has taken a significant downturn in the past few years. Reality shows, and even worse, faux-reality like The Only Way is Essex have contributed greatly to this perception. But if you look hard enough, there is intellectual programming to be found on TV. Spare an hour between 8pm and 9pm on a Monday evening, and you won’t be disappointed with the double header of University Challenge (BBC2) and Only Connect (BBC Four).

The joy of quiz shows like these isn’t that you can answer all the questions, but the immense pride you feel if you answer any of the questions. With University Challenge, the breadth of subjects which are covered every week means that the majority of viewers will find something that they know the answer to. The show is an entertaining watch. Admittedly it can get off to a slow start, with bonus questions (asked to the team who has correctly answered a starter for ten) taken at a leisurely pace. But as the half-hour show progresses, the pace grows more frantic. Jeremy Paxman takes on the role of condescending school teacher, growing more irate each time he has to implore a team to hurry up with their answer. He has perfected the angry “come on,” as well as the scoff at team members’ incorrect and ill-informed stabs in the dark. It would be easy to see Paxman as over-the-top, but in actual fact he augments the entertainment value of the show. As a man best known for giving an unparalleled grilling to the country’s most powerful men and women, there is no let-up from Paxman for these lowly students.

Summer of frustration bursts into life as Sunderland makes double signing

Sunderland fans have been through a lot in the past. Within my lifetime, and those of fans much older than myself, the club has been the definition of a ‘yo-yo’ team. But there is a strange emotion brewing on the banks of the Wear. That is one of optimism. After a quiet off-season, the Black Cats have burst into life with a hectic day of business. Adam Johnson, England international winger, has signed from Manchester City for £10million (plus performance related add-ons). Steven Fletcher, formerly of Wolverhampton Wanderers, has signed for £12million. The club is on the up.

Some people have said Sunderland overpaid for Fletcher. The outlay of £12million (and reliable reports suggest that there are no add-ons despite earlier claims that the deal was £14million) is more than Sunderland would have liked to have spent. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. Martin O’Neill has never spoken of a war chest given to him by Ellis Short, the Sunderland owner and chairman. No such cap on spending exists. O’Neill has been asked by Short to build a competitive team, knowing that he will have the funds to make it happen. O’Neill has now made this come to fruition. Short has backed O’Neill to the hilt. At times this summer there were concerns over Sunderland’s lack of business. But those thoughts are now well in the past. The signings of Fletcher and Johnson are the sign that Sunderland is ready to make the step up to the next level.

Buying the title? How else are you meant to win it?

I've recently written my first article for a football website known as Natter Football. The site is a great general interest football page with contributions from a number of different writers. They are also on twitter, @natterfootball, and while you're at it, those of you with twitter can add me @thrifty1992.

The article is called "Buying the title? How else are you meant to win it?" and takes a look at how all clubs who win the title, even Manchester United, can be labelled as having 'bought' the Premier League title.

No Olympic hangover as Premier League gets off to fast start

There is no doubting that the Olympics were a brilliant spectacle. The general (though not universal) spirit in which the sports were played made a lasting impression on those who watched. The quality of the competition was also impressive. London 2012 was billed as the pinnacle of sporting competition, and it lived up to that billing. The inevitable consequence, however, was unfavourable comparisons with football. Footballers have been depicted as over-paid prima-donnas, with no respect for one another and a misunderstanding of the meaning of sportsmanship. To some, the sense of entitlement held by some footballers ran in stark contrast to the more worthy, but more humble, Olympians.

I for one did not hold that view. Though the majority of Olympians were inspirational, footballers as a collective did not deserve the harsh criticism they have received. Some footballers, admittedly, fit the descriptions. The repeated off-field (and often on-field) indiscretions of players like John Terry, Wayne Rooney, Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, to name but a few, do not match up to the astronomical wages that they earn. Perhaps the worst culprit last year was Carlos Tevez, a man who continued to paid hundreds of thousands of pounds a week despite refusing to play, that is until his Manchester City side looked destined to win the league title at which point he magically returned. It is perhaps understandable, then, that a lot of people openly stated their disinterest in the start of the new Premier League season. Categorically, I was not one of them.

Saturday Six-Pointer

Here's the first in what will hopefully be a regular feature on the blog throughout the Premier League season. It's a weekly look at the six talking points which have caught my eye in the Premier League each Saturday.

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I’m not a big fan of Alan Pardew, though it has to be accepted that he has done an incredible job at Newcastle. It is easy to forget that when he came in, to replace the popular Chris Hughton, he was derided by most Newcastle supporters. Now they back him to the hilt, because his results have proven him worthy. But his act of petulance today, pushing the linesman after he didn’t flag for a Newcastle throw-in, has no place on a football field. Managers are meant to set an example, for their players and supporters. Pardew has apologised, but he has had other indiscretions in the past. He has to realise that he cannot act like that, hoping that an apology will make everybody forgive and forget. I would suspect a touchline ban may be in the pipeline.

Match Report: York City 1-3 Wycombe Wanderers

York City came back down to earth with a bump as Wycombe Wanderers came out 3-1 victors on the opening day of the League Two season. There were promising signs for York, however, as in spells they managed to get together the zippy, free-flowing football which made them a rare delight in the physical Conference Premier last season. York were unable to make this spells count, though, lacking the cutting edge that they will need to find to survive in the league this year.

Wycombe, on the other hand, were ruthless as they took their three best chances. It was the visitors who settled quickest, not surprising considering they were a League One side last year. York was a bit jittery at first. The hosts settled, and were dealing with Wanderers’ long-ball tactics well. In the lead up to the first goal City may even have had the upper hand, but then Matt Bloomfield made it 1-0. Bearing down on goal, Bloomfield tried to place a shot low to Michael Ingham’s right only for the shot to take a deflection and nestle into the opposite corner. 

The Last Week on Thrifty's Blog

Hi guys, hope you're all enjoying reading the blog. This is just an update as its been a busy week with Olympic review posts and football season previews. So I thought I would put links to everything from this week together in one place for your perusal.

THE OLYMPIC GAMES: London 2012 reviews

The Top 5 Non-Sporting Figures of London 2012 (Monday)

The Top 5 Obscure Sports We've Grown to Love at London 2012 (Wednesday)

The Top 5 Sporting Heroes of London 2012 (Friday)

THE FOOTBALL SEASON: League and team review

My Three Teams: A season preview for Darlington FC, York City FC and Sunderland AFC

Premier League 2012/3: Season Predictions

Premier League 2012/3: Season Predictions

At the end of the day, predictions are merely guesswork. Anybody who reads Mark Lawrenson’s ‘expert’ predictions on a weekly basis on the BBC Sport website will appreciate this. Lawrenson goes head-to-head with a different celebrity or famous figure each week, predicting that week’s Premier League scores, and invariably gets beaten. The unpredictability of Premier League football is even more pronounced when making predictions for the whole season, rather than just a week’s match-ups. Perhaps most significantly, pre-season predictions can’t take into account the remaining weeks of the transfer window which, guaranteed, will have s significant impact on end of season positions. Basically, I’m not expecting these predictions to be dead-on. Instead, it’s just a fun look at the prospects of the Premier League clubs, as we stand today.

Top 5 Sporting Heroes of London 2012

Here is the final Olympic top 5 of the week, and by far the most difficult to pick. Whittling down the hundreds of gold medal winning athletes to pick five who stood out is a thankless task, and I have tried to select people who had a significant impact on the Games, and whose achievements were the most impressive. Feel free to comment on who would make up your top five.

5 Jessica Ennis

                Ennis came into London 2012 as the much touted “face of the Games.” You could barely turn a corner without seeing her plastered up on a billboard, not only in London but across the country. There was incredible pressure on Jess to produce. Any doubts about her ability to live up to the hype were quickly expelled as she ran 12.54secs in the opening event, the 100m hurdles. That time would have been enough for gold in the hurdles in Beijing, and was a personal best and all-time heptathlon record. Ennis, like Michael Johnson at Atlanta 96 or Ian Thorpe at Sydney 2000, had come to the party. A series of stunning performances, including personal best efforts in the 200m and javelin, made Ennis a shoe-in for gold going into the final event, the 800m. Effectively Ennis only had to make sure she got round to take the victory, with the 800m being one of her stronger events and her lead in points translating to a 13 second advantage on the track. But, in front of an electric crowd in the Olympic Stadium on the middle Saturday of the Games (dubbed Super Saturday), Ennis won the race in style. Her performance was one of the highlights of the Games. She lived up to the much heightened expectations and exceeded them. In none of the seven events did she even slightly disappoint. A truly outstanding performance.

4 The cyclists

                It proved impossible to pick out the achievements of any one cyclist above the others at these Games. Across the board they were, for the second games running, dominant. One of the moments of the Games, without doubt, was the victory of Bradley Wiggins. Wiggins’ achievements over the past few months have been unprecedented. We also saw the changing of the guard of British track cycling. Both Sir Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny won two gold medals at London 2012. Hoy has now won six Olympic golds, more than any other Briton ever. This will be Hoy’s last Olympics, and he went out in style. Now Kenny, already with three golds in the bag, takes up the mantle. For the women, it is a similar story as Victoria Pendleton bows out, and Laura Trott who is also now a double gold medallist becomes British cycling’s new poster girl. It was a tremendous Games again for the cyclists, but special mention must also go to one who came away with nothing. Mark Cavendish, for the second Games running, was without a medal. But he didn’t shy away from the media glare, and even worked for the BBC as a pundit in the velodrome. Amongst all the track cyclists’ success, he added an expert eye and acted with dignity amongst the inevitable questions surrounding his disappointment.

3 Usain Bolt

                There are not enough superlatives in the world to describe this man. Both incredibly talented on the track, and oozing charisma off it, Bolt has now won six Olympic gold medals (giving him a hit rate of 100% in events he has entered). The Olympics has ignited debates over who is the best ever Olympian. From a British perspective, Sir Steve Redgrave is now challenged by Sir Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins. On a worldwide scale, the common answer is Michael Phelps. Phelps has indeed won 22 Olympic medals, including 18 gold. He also had a 100% success rate in 2008. But, particularly at these Games, he hasn’t been the dominant figure he once was. Bolt has now, across two Olympic Games, been unbeatable in everything he entered. Questions were asked before the Games started about whether compatriot Yohan Blake, or the Americans Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin, could beat him. They did not come close. And after his double triumph in the 100m and 200m, he was then the final leg of the world record breaking 4x100m relay team. Given the baton neck-and-neck with the Americans, Bolt strided away to win gold. He confirmed his place as one of the most dominant athletes of all time, and with it perhaps the greatest ever Olympian.

2 Brownlee brothers

                One of the most gruelling events of the Olympic Games is the triathlon. An unforgiving procession of swimming, cycling and running that takes not only an incredible level of fitness, but also the ability to master three different skills to a world-class standard. To complete a triathlon is commendable; to win a medal is very impressive. Remarkable, one family from North Yorkshire managed to contribute two medal winners in this event. Alistair Brownlee and his brother Jonathan finished first and third, respectively, to claim gold and bronze.Their collective performance in the race was remarkable, leading the whole way. Only Javier Gomez of Spain, and a 15-second penalty, prevented the brothers making it a Team GB 1-2. Such was the immense physical exertion of the race that the medal ceremony was delayed after Jonny collapsed shortly before it was meant to take place, and received medical treatment. The brothers’ performance was one of the more uplifting stories of the Games. They have always trained together, in the scenic Yorkshire Dales, and worked to eachother’s advantage during the race. The fairytale of them crossing the line together was always going to be unlikely to occur, but their amazing efforts were one of the most human storylines of the Games. Additionally, the Brownlee family on its own finished ahead of India, Belgium, Portugal and Greece in the medal table.

1 Mo Farah

                Mo became the undisputed star of London 2012. Just like Kelly Holmes in 2004, and Rebecca Adlington in 2008, he became the nation’s most admired athlete by winning two gold medals in one Olympics. He rounded off Super Saturday in style, winning Great Britain’s sixth gold medal of the day, and third at the track, with a commanding performance in the 10,000m. After almost thirty minutes of running, Farah was still able to kick better than any of his rivals and stayed at the front throughout the final lap. The 5,000m was a closer affair. But every time one of his competitors tried to make a move in the last kilometre, Mo was up for the challenge. Nobody was getting past, nobody would deny Mo a second gold. And so it was as he crossed the line, the look of delight unmistakable on his face. Britain has won more than its fair share of gold medals at London 2012, but none was as inspiring as Mo’s double. Born in Somalia and raised in Djibouti, he was brought to this country aged eight knowing barely a word of English; to hear him speak now, you would not know it. There is no question over Mo’s nationality. He is British through and through, and the nation has taken him to its heart. His celebration, the “Mobot,” which was created by Clare Balding and named by james Corden on Sky1’s “A League of their Own,” has become an instant cult classic. With London 2012’s motto being “Inspire a Generation,” there can be no more inspiring and far-reaching figure than Mo Farah.

Top 5 Obscure Sports We've Grown to Love at London 2012

The second Olympic themed Top 5 looks at the sports we never watched before the Olympic Games but have become hooked on. These are the sports we've never really understood in the past but now consider ourselves experts in. In many cases we just stumbled upon them, but somehow find ourselves searching them out as the Games progress.

5 Judo

                Two people wearing pyjamas trying to grab hold of each other and tackle them to the ground has never been so watchable. Great Britain had a disappointing start to the Games in the judo competition, with high profile names like Euan Barton failing to live up to expectations. But then that all changed as Gemma Gibbons claimed a silver medal in an enthralling day of grappling. One of the great aspects of sports like judo at the Olympics is that each weight category completes its tournament in one day, making it incredibly easy to follow the progress of stars like Gibbons. At first sight judo is a complicated sport, but after a day watching it is incredibly easy to pick up the rules. Two competitors try to bring the other to the ground to gain one of the three scores; from the yuko, when your opponent is brought down but not flat out, through the intermediary waz-ari, to the match-ending ippon, when you send your opponent flat out onto the mat. All of this goes on while players, known as judokas, try to avoid penalties, most commonly for passivity. The sport got off to a slow start in terms of interest, but it is impossible not to be hooked.

4 Canoe slalom

                When doing an Open University style description of the 400m hurdles during the athletics, Colin Jackson told us prophetically that 400m hurdles was “a 400m running race, with the added complication of hurdles.” How profound. Canoe slalom, then, is canoeing with the added complication of having to go through gates. But it’s not that simple. First, competitors contend with the artificially produced rapids. They are penalised for even touching any of the gates, and must pass through each one in their correct order or otherwise incur a devastating 50 second penalty (each run through the course takes about two minutes). Then there are the ever entertaining “upstream” gates, where the canoeists must pass the gate by, only to turn and go back through it. This, in particular, requires incredible technique and strength, and performance through these gates is usually the difference between contending for medals and making up the numbers. As with judo, Britain got off to a slow start in this sport but came good with both gold and silver in the men’s C2 or pairs event. It is impossible to watch canoe slalom without swaying and straining with the competitors, trying in vain to help them make the gate or get back upstream despite being on the comfort of one’s own sofa.

3 Handball

                Perhaps the exposure of handball would have benefited from there being a competitive Great British team. Unfortunately this was not the case. Of course, the name of the sport leads to inevitable jokes about football. One observer commented how the French handball team, which won the tournament, was so strong that Thierry Henry couldn’t get a place in the squad. But when you actually sit down to watch handball seriously, it is surprising at just how violent the sport is. But what is more surprising is that the violence is just accepted. Fouls are part of this game. Whereas footballers might roll around on the floor after a tackle, and get angry at the perpetrator, in handball everybody just gets up and starts again. Fouling even acts as a tactic, allowing the defence to reorganise and repel the opposition’s attack more effectively. Then there is the blatantly cruel way that penalties are taken. The penalty taker basically gets to throw the ball at the goal from about five yards, impeded only by a goalkeeper with minimal chance to stop it. That is not to say they never do; the Hungary goalkeeper, in their quarter-final with Iceland, save a penalty at head-height… with his foot. That save, with only seconds left, set up a Hungary equaliser, sending the game into extra-time after which Hungary were victorious. If I’m honest, I never really picked up the rules of handball. But it is such a fast sport and an entertainingly violent yet somehow amiable one, it became a must watch.

2 Taekwondo

                Any sport where the objective is to kick your opponent in the head is obviously going to be a winner. In taekwondo, not only is this the case, but you get even more credit for doing it with flare. A spinning kick to the head will garner far more points than a regular flat-footed one. Jade Jones was undisputedly the star of the sport for Great Britain, taking a gold medal with a series of entertaining encounters. One of the beauties of taekwondo was that it could move on so quickly. The point scoring system means various successful kicks get different points, meaning a match can to-and-fro between the two competitors. In one match involving bronze medallist Lutalo Muhammad, the score remained at 0-0 for five of the six minutes that the encounter takes, before bursting into life and seeing Muhammad win 7-1. Jade Jones won her opening match after she opened up such a large lead (14 points) that the match was stopped then and there. In contrast, her final opponent from China came through her first round encounter in sudden death after a cagey 0-0 in regulation. The classic exchanges in taekwondo were those when the participants exchanged kicks rapidly. Naturally, attempting a kick you also leave yourself open to attack which often led to quick-fire back and forth attacks with both players accruing points. A very fast-paced sport and an incredibly gripping one.

1 Equestrian

                Great Britain may have won 29 gold medals at London 2012. But the unsung heroes of the whole event were none of these gold medallists, nor even any human being. It was the impeccably trained horses of the equestrian events who stole the show at Greenwich Park. Great Britain had major success in equestrian, with team silver in the three-day eventing, team gold in both dressage and show-jumping, and individual gold in dressage. Dressage was the most unlikely sport that captivated the nation. Who would have thought a load of horses dancing around would be entertaining? Yet somehow it was. It was never better than in the final round, as Charlotte Dujardin confirmed her gold medal, when music was added to the spectacle. Britain’s Laura Bechtolsheimer and her horse Mistral Højris performed to a Lion King medley, while Dujardin and Valegro did their effort to a medley of Great British music, from orchestral tunes like Land of Hope and Glory, through crowd favourites like the Great Escape theme, to rock classics like Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney & Wings. This was another example where, after a short time watching, we felt like experts, picking out the minor errors like we had been watching it all our lives. But for me the highlight was three-day eventing, the true test of a horse’s adaptability and all-round skill. Dressage, cross country and show-jumping, with incredibly designed London-themed fences, with penalties for knocking them over or taking too long to complete the course. It was enthralling from start to finish.

Football Season Preview: My Three Teams

With the Olympics now over, the football season is upon us. The Community Shield went ahead on Sunday with Manchester City defeating Chelsea 3-2 in an entertaining game, and the first round of the Capital One Cup (or the League Cup to you and me) has begun. Both the Premier League and the Football League begin this coming weekend. Fans around the country are looking forward to it all getting underway. Maybe this year might be “our year.” For most, it won’t be long until they realise, once again, that that is not going to be the case.

It would be impossible to do an extensive review of the football season. But I have the pleasure of following three clubs in vastly different situations, with different expectations for the season and in very different places in the English football pyramid. Sunderland A.F.C. is in its sixth consecutive season in the Premier League, their longest spell in the top flight since first being relegated from Division One in 1957-8. York City F.C. will be playing in Football League Two, after promotion last season through the play-offs in the Conference Premier, their first season in the Football League since 2003-04 when 75 years of membership came to an end. Darlington 1883 is the continuation of the traditions of Darlington F.C. and will play in the Northern League, the ninth step on the English football ladder. Darlington was demoted four divisions after the last campaign because it was considered to be a ‘new’ club by the Football Association (for a similar, more high-profile case, see Glasgow Rangers). In this article I will preview these three clubs with their different hopes and prospects for the season.

Darlington F.C. 

With Darlington’s financial problems last season, football itself took a backseat. The club almost went out of business, with the administrator having announced to the players that it was to be liquidated when at the last minute extra money became available. The club has survived thanks to efforts of a dedicated few, such as administrator Harvey Madden, former manager Craig Liddle and chairman of DFC1883 Denis Pinnegar. This year is the club’s chance to start from scratch. They are no longer tied down to the white elephant that is the Darlington Arena, built by former chairman and former safe-cracker George Reynolds as nothing more than a status symbol for his own ego. Instead they will ground-share with Bishop Auckland at Heritage Park. It will be a long and hard road back to where the club belongs, in the Football League. That target is five promotions away. But if it can be achieved it will be one of the greatest fairy-tales in English football.

Darlington is my home town team and I have followed them closely since 1998. My greatest memories of the Quakers were the teams of the late 90s when Marco Gabbiadini was banging in goals for fun and, but for a late season slump, Darlo would have won automatic promotion into what was then Division Two. As it was, the team fell to a play-off final defeat to Peterborough united. That Peterborough now plies its trade in the Championship shows just how pivotal a day that may have been for both clubs.

It must still be taken one season at a time. The Northern League is one of the strongest at that level of football in the country. Its clubs have had significant and consistent success in the FA Vase, a competition (to rub salt in the wound of a four-league demotion) Darlington has been excluded from this season. But Darlington has gone about assembling a strong team of established northern League players. The team has performed exceptionally well in pre-season, with goals aplenty from across the team, Sean Reay being particularly prolific. Darlington immediately becomes the big name of the Northern League. The club has struggled with fluctuating support over the years but it will certainly be the best supported club in the division by far. These do not guarantee success, but they do help. Under the guidance of new manager Martin Gray, Darlington 1883 is ready to take the first step back towards what the club once took for granted: its place in the Football League.

York City F.C.

While Darlington are rebuilding, York City will look to re-establish themselves as a Football League club. Last season was my first following York, having begun studying at the city’s university two years ago. I attended many of the games and I am a season-ticket holder for the coming year. It was a great year to become a York supporter as the club had significant success in league and cup. A consistent league season saw the club end up 4^th in the Conference Premier, good enough to earn a play-off spot. The team booked two trips to Wembley in consecutive weekends. The first saw them triumph 2-0 over Newport County in the FA Trophy. However they will not defend that crown this season after they won once again to earn promotion eight days later, 2-1 in the play-off final against Luton Town. It is difficult to know what to expect from York this year. Many teams promoted from the Conference go on to finish highly in their first League Two campaign, and promotion is not unprecedented. City’s best chance is to try and recreate the free flowing football which saw them challenge at the very top of the table earlier in the season, before they receded into a more direct approach as the season went on.

Importantly for City, they have made a number of good signings whilst keeping together the majority of the team which won promotion. Jason Walker is a proven goal-scorer, who should be back to his best after an injury last season, after which he struggled to recreate his early season form. Matty Blair and Scott Kerr looked a class apart in the Conference at times last year. Blair is a lively winger who can be found on either side of the pitch, with a knack for scoring important goals, notably the winner in the FA Trophy final, and the winners in both the semi-final second leg and final of the play-offs. Kerr was absent in those games after a season-ending injury, but prior to that was a quality central midfield player blessed with an eye for a pass and a creative spark. With the core of the team back for another year, City will be happy to consolidate this time around. Anything more would be a bonus, but it’s not out of reach for York City to challenge for a high finish this year.

Sunderland A.F.C.

The third club I will be following this season will be Sunderland. I have been a Sunderland fan since I was introduced to the club by my father in 1999. That was an historic season for the club as it won promotion to the Premier League with a then record amount of points. In my years, I have seen more than my fair share of triumph and disappointment. But Sunderland fans enter this season with a rare mix of emotions. The replacement of the frankly hapless Steve Bruce with Martin O’Neill, who transformed the club into one of the most formidable in the league last season almost overnight, has created both hope and expectation. O’Neill has a proved track record and is the kind of man manager that has benefited youngsters like the excellent Jack Colback, and loose cannons like Lee Cattermole.

But with the season beginning this week, there is still a lot to be determined about Sunderland’s team for 2012/3. There have been no major additions to the squad, and the team is two strikers short of where it would hope to be. The pursuit of Steven Fletcher from Wolves has been a long and, as yet, unresolved one. His arrival at Sunderland has seemed inevitable all summer but as the start of the season closes in, neither Fletcher nor any other forward has been signed. Sunderland has a strong and experienced defence and a lot of good options in midfield, but at least one new striker is needed. Football is a game about scoring goals and at the moment it’s not certain where Sunderland’s goals will come from. Stephane Sessegnon is a class apart in the side, one of the better creative players in the league, but not a prolific goal-scorer. If O’Neill can successfully address this deficit then Sunderland should be able to make the step up and challenge for Europe. Should it go unresolved, and it will be a case of looking down instead of up. This is something every Sunderland fan has experienced many times before, but not one they would like to encounter. The weeks before 1 September, when the transfer window closes, will be the most important for the Black Cats this season.

The football season is always a stressful experience, but it is not one any fan would trade in for anything else. This year I have the pleasure of following three great football clubs in very different situations. No doubt all three will have their ups and downs, but here’s hoping it will be one to remember (for the right reasons) for them all.

Top 5 Non-Sporting Figures of London 2012

This is the first of three Olympic Top 5 lists. Later in the week will be the Top 5 sporting heroes and the Top 5 obscure sports we've grown to love. But today's list looks at the Top 5 non-sporting figures of the Games.

5 The army

                One of the major pre-Games controversies was the G4S security debacle. It could have spiralled into a logistical nightmare if handled incorrectly. But once the Games had begun, little was heard of security problems. There were a few teething problems during football matches in the week leading up to the Opening Ceremony, but after that everything ran apparently smoothly. This was not a case of issues sorting themselves out. The army stepped in to fill the gaps left by G4S and, by all accounts, handled the situation with aplomb. It is easy to forget that these men could just as easily be fighting a war in Afghanistan, instead of acting as security personnel at the Games. Defending the country is their job, but doing so in these circumstances is not something they have been trained to do. They were called in last minute, but took to it like a duck to water. Importantly, the Games passed without a major security incident, and that is mainly down to the hard work, adaptability and vigilance of our Armed Forces, and for this they should be saluted.

4 Boris Johnson

                Everywhere you turned at the Olympic Games, there were recognisable faces. The Royal Family seemed to be in attendance at every event, with Seb Coe, David Cameron and David Beckham also making more than their fair share appearances. But there was only one man who brought entertainment wherever he went, and that was Mayor of London Boris Johnson. That Boris can make a fool of himself like nobody else was not in dispute before the Games, but London 2012 has just confirmed it. He was in top form before the Olympics even began, taunting Mitt Romney when the American Presidential candidate questioned London’s Olympic preparations. His dancing to the Spice Girls at the closing ceremony will become an instant YouTube classic. His unique way with words, such as the coining of the word “Olympomania,” brought colour to otherwise dull moments. But without doubt Boris’ finest hour was that zip-wire incident. For many a politician, such an incident could be a PR disaster. But Boris did not shout and wail at his security and other hangers-on to get him down. He cracked jokes to the bystanders and laughed the incident off. Without Boris, the world, and the London Olympic Games, would be a duller place.

3 Danny Boyle

                The Beijing Opening Ceremony was spectacular. The fireworks, the performances, the choreography and direction, were all magnificent. Nobody thought it could be topped. In the days leading up to the Games, much of the population was still wondering how we were going to mess the whole thing up. It would be appropriately British to make a pig’s ear of the greatest show on earth. But Boyle stepped up to the mark. His Opening Ceremony was unique. It did not try to match the sheer audacity and scale of Beijing. Boyle knew his ceremony would not be able to compete. But he made it his own. It was quintessentially British, and after all that was what it needed. The Opening Ceremony is organised by the host, and should reflect that. Boyle got it spot on. But perhaps his most impressive achievement was that the whole thing was memorable, from the touching tribute to the victims of 7/7, to the musical medley, or the transformation from pastoral scene to Industrial Revolution complete with Sir Kenneth Branagh as Isambard Kingdom Brunel. But the two cherries on top of the cake, the appearance of Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean and the coup of the Queen alongside Daniel Craig as James Bond, made Boyle’s show peerless.

2 Clare Balding

                Balding has really set herself apart as the star of the BBC broadcasting team at the Olympics. Like many of the presenters, she was tirelessly employed every day of the Games. But she was not given a cushy job in the main studio, providing links to each event, but was ferried around the venues, appearing at swimming, equestrian and boxing to name but three. At each she offered impressive professionalism, clearly well researched but also ceding to her more expert colleagues as appropriate. Importantly, the viewer could really appreciate her passion for sport, which came across on the television and was infectious. Her genuine joy at the success of the equestrians, a sport close to her, was heart-warming. Though Balding invited criticism for raising that questions would be asked about Ye Shiwen’s rapid improvement, I in fact found this even more commendable. She did not shy away from the big issues for fear of the critics. She asked the questions that the viewers were thinking, and wanted answered. For this, she must be praised. Finally, her interview with Bert, the father of South African Chad le Clos, who beat Michael Phelps by the smallest of margins to win a gold medal, was an instant classic.

1 The volunteers

                During the Closing Ceremony, Seb Coe’s speech was interrupted by rapturous applause and cheers. This was when he mentioned the volunteers, known as “Gamesmakers.” The contribution of those who gave up their time, in many cases taking holidays from work to help out, cannot be underestimated. For some, they got to see the inner workings of the Games and the state-of-the-art stadia used for competition. Many will have seen the best action first hand. But for the majority, they stood day after day out in the open, whatever the weather, answering queries and pointing people in the right direction. They did not see any action at all. But they always had smiles on their faces. They were always happy to help. They were doing it for free, but they exemplified the Olympic spirit of helpfulness. Without them, the Olympics could not have run as smoothly as they did.

The Olympic Report: Days 15 & 16

British medal watch

Mo Farah won a sensational second gold medal of London 2012 as he came home first in the men’s 5,000m. Farah ran a strong race, and in the final two laps he led throughout. Those behind him mounted a series of challenges but each time Mo upped his own pace. Nobody else could match his kick, and in the home straight the crowd went wild as they realised he was going to complete a remarkable double.

Anthony Joshua put in a great final round to claim the gold medal in the men’s super-heavyweight division boxing. Joshua was trailing his Italian opponent Roberto Cammarelle after two rounds but pulled it back in third, levelling the bout and winning on count back. The Italians appealed the decision, but this was rejected. After review, Joshua actually won by a wider margin than the original score suggested. Yesterday, Hull’s Luke Campbell also took the gold medal with a victory over Ireland’s John Joe Nevin in the bantamweight category. He knocked over the Irishman in the third round, and went clear after the first two rounds were close. Fred Evans missed out on gold as Kazakhstan’s Serik Sapiyev won a comfortable victory in the welterweight final.

Ed McKeever took gold for Team GB in canoe sprint, crossing the line first in the men’s 200m K1 event. McKeever got off to a fast start and dominated the race, finishing 0.3secs ahead of his nearest rival. It was a successful day at Eton Dorney for the Brits, as the men’s 200m K2 bronze also went the way of Team GB. Liam Heat and Jon Schofield, reigning European champions, could not match the Russian pair who took gold but were in with a chance of silver, until they were pipped to the post by Belarus. The pair ended up settling for bronze.

Tom Daley put the disappointment of the synchronised event by taking bronze in a hotly contested men’s 10m individual platform diving contest. Daley led going into the final dive after a consistent display. He put an early controversy behind him, after he was allowed to retake his first dive having been initially distracted by flash photography, which is banned during diving events. Daley’s final dive was another strong one, which gave him a chance of gold. But his rival also upped their Games, as David Boudia of the USA took gold and Bo Qui of China claimed silver. Nonetheless, Daley was delighted with the medal and celebrated by diving into the pool with his watching team-mates.

Top news

The USA held off a spirited fight from Spain to take men’s basketball gold. The American team, containing NBA all-stars, led for most of the match but Spain kept it close, even leading on a few occasions. But the Spaniards could not quite pull off a remarkable upset as their team of both NBA and European players came up six points short of their more esteemed opponents.

France has retained its handball title after beating Sweden 22-21 in the final. The French claimed the gold in a very tight and hard fought match.

Stephen Kiprotich secured Uganda’s first gold medal since 1972 as he raced clear in the men’s marathon this morning. Kiprotich was an outside bet coming into the event but he ran a textbook race, staying in contention early on and then carving out a lead in the latter stages, crossing the line well ahead of the second placed runner from Kenya.

Mexico completed an unlikely victory in the men’s football final, taking gold over the favourites from Brazil. Mexico took a two goal lead before Brazil pulled one back, but their efforts weren’t enough.

Other news

Tom Daley has dedicated his bronze medal in the men’s 10m platform to his dad, who died last year after a battle with cancer.

Two Egyptian wrestelers have been disqualified from their events after arriving late.

British swimming has announced it will hold a review of the team’s disappointing performance at the Games. Great Britain won only three swimming medals at London 2012, a silver for Michael Jamieson and two bronze medals for Rebecca Adlington.

Lord Sebastian Coe has been appointed as ambassador for the London 2012 Olympic legacy.

David Cameron has announced that funding for sport in the UK, which had only been confirmed up to 2014, has been extended as far as the Rio Games of 2016.

Charles van Commenee, the director of UK Athletics, is undecided on his future after Great Britain only won six medals in track and field. Van Commenee said he would have to consider his position if the target of eight medals was not achieved.

Your final medal table Top 10

Rank      Country                  G            S            B           Total

1              United States      46           29           29           104

2              China                 38           27           22           87

3              Great Britain       29           17           19           65

4              Russia                 24           25           33           82

5              South Korea        13            8             7            28

6              Germany             11           19           14           44

7              France                11           11           12           34

8              Italy                    8             9            11           28

9              Hungary               8             4             5            17

10           Australia               7             16           12           35

The Olympic Report: Day 14

British medal watch

The 470 class sailors won double silver today as Great Britain’s men’s and women’s pairs both confirmed second place in the overall classification. Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark went into the medal race tied with New Zealand, but finished well down the field as the Kiwis claimed the gold medal. Earlier on, Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell also had to settle for silver after failing to beat the Australian boat by one clear place, which would have seen them win gold. The pair were in contention for achieving their goal early on in the race, but a penalty towards the end put to the sword and remaining hopes of sneaking above the Aussies.

Great Britain’s women’s hockey team ended their campaign on a high by winning the bronze medal through a 3-1 victory over New Zealand in the third-place play-off. Team GB took a 3-0 lead, thanks to some splendid work on penalty corners, before New Zealand pulled back a consolation goal late on.

Anthony Ogogo’s defeat to Brazil’s Esquiva Falcao has confirmed that he will take home the bronze medal. By reaching the semi-final of the middleweight competition, Ogogo had been guaranteed at least a bronze but, had he won this bout, he would have been guaranteed a silver. In boxing there is no third-place play-off, so Ogogo is confirmed as a bronze medallist. Ogogo found himself trailing after two rounds and fell further behind as he took risks to cut the deficit, even being knocked over on two occasions. Luke Campbell will fight Ireland’s John Joe Nevin for bantamweight gold after both won their semi-final fights today. Campbell will win at least a silver medal, whatever the outcome of the bout. Fred Evans is also in the final of the welterweight category after a close victory over Taras Shelestyuk of Ukraine.

Lutalo Muhammed has won a bronze medal for Great Britain in taekwondo’s under 80kg category. Muhammad, who was a controversial selection for the Games, won his opening fight but was defeated in his quarter-final encounter. This meant he could not win the gold or silver, but he was given a chance in the repechage which he took with aplomb. He still needed two victories after the reprieve was confirmed, but he managed to do just that and claim the medal.

Top news

The USA’s men’s 4x400m relay team has won the gold as sixteen consecutive Olympic Games coming into London 2012, but a strong performance from the Bahamas saw that run come to an abrupt end. It was a two horse race as America and the Bahamas split apart from the rest of the field, with the Americans leading for most. But on the final leg, the Bahamians overtook their rivals can claimed the gold medal. It was not all doom and gloom for the Americans at the track, though, as the women’s 4x100m relay team won the gold in that event, and broke a 27-year old East German world record in the process. Their run was textbook, with quick legs and efficient changes, as they ran away with the win. Tirunesh Dibaba, looking to complete a double-double by winning the women’s 5,000m to go with her gold in the 10,000m and her two golds in those events in Beijing, had to settle for bronze as team-mate Meseret Defar took gold. It was a great day for Turkey as they took a 1-2 in the women’s 1500m. Asli Cakir finished with the gold medal, while Gamze Bulut took silver. And an Olympic record was set in the women’s hammer as Tatyana Lysenko took gold. The bronze went to Germany’s Betty Heidler after a controversial mishap almost cost her the medal. Heidler’s longest throw was incorrectly measured at first, but the mistake was later cleared up and she was confirmed in third place.

The Netherlands has won gold in the women’s hockey after defeating Argentina 2-0 in the final. Both goals came as the result of well worked penalty corners, as the Netherlands kept up their 100% record in the competition. South Korea has taken the bronze medal for men’s football after a victory over Japan. A goal in each half saw them take a 2-0 victory in the all-Far East clash.

Unsung Hero

Oussama Mellouli became the first person to win medals at both the pool and open water swimming at one Olympics after triumphing in this morning’s 10km swim in the Serpentine. The Tunisian took bronze earlier in the Games in the men’s 1500m freestyle, and added a gold in the marathon swim. He swam an aggressive race, responsible for a breakaway from the group and held his own amongst the open water specialists. He beat Thomas Lurz of Germany, the silver medal winner, by more than three seconds.

Disappointment

Great Britain managed to get round in the 4x100m relay without dropping the baton, but they were disqualified anyway despite finishing second in the heat. The third and final changeover was a comedy of errors and, though the baton did not hit the ground, it was not exchanged within the allowed zone.

Shanaze Reade and Liam Phillips missed out on the medals despite reaching their respective BMX finals. Reade got off to a poor start in the women’s final, finding herself in sixth place early on. She was unable to close down the leaders and finished in the same sixth position she held all race. Phillips, on the other hand, got off to a great start and looked in with a medal chance early in the race, but he then crashed out to leave his hopes in tatters.

Sarah Stevenson had a disappointing day at the ExCel as she failed to live up to expectations in her events. Stevenson was defeated in her opening match-up this morning. In taekwondo, participants who are beaten by the finalists are given a chance to win bronze through the repechage, but Stevenson’s conqueror, Paige McPherson of the USA, lost in the next round.

Other news

Aaron Cook, the taekwondo world number one who was left out of the Olympics after the selectors chose Lutalo Muhammad, has said he is unable to watch the competition in which he expected to compete. Cook attended the first day of competition, but had to stay away today, the day he would have competed, as he could not bear being there.

American runner Manteo Mitchell, who broke his leg during yesterday’s 4x400m relay but still completed the last 200m of his leg in spite of the injury, has revealed he heard his leg as it broke. Mitchell, Team USA’s lead-off man, ensured his team’s progression by completing his lap.

Photos have been unveiled of the Spice Girls in rehearsals. The group have been widely touted to be performing in the Closing Ceremony, but their participation has not been confirmed.

Sweden has launched an appeal against the result of the women’s triathlon after their athlete, Lisa Norden, was awarded silver in a photo finish. Norden was officially beaten by Switzerland’s Nicola Spirig, but photos have since suggested that the race may have been a dead heat. Sweden hopes that Norden will be awarded a second gold medal for the event.

For the first time, Usain Bolt has said he sees himself as a legend of Athletics, the greatest athlete ever. Bolt had refused to be led by interviewers asking him before the 200m final, but after becoming the first man to win a double-sprint-double Bolt has finally accepted his place as the number one of all time.

Jade Jones has vowed to defend her taekwondo title at Rio 2016.

And finally…

Usain Bolt borrowed a photographer’s camera after his 200m triumph yesterday to take a series of celebratory pictures.