´óÏó´«Ã½

but surely the experience is just like watching Brazil, no?

(watching Crawley - or munching nut - take your pick)

HI Dan, hope you're not feeling to under the weather.
From the blog;
"I explained I wasn't really a hero. I had never saved anyone from a burning building and I once hit an old man in the leg with a golf ball - by accident".

If you'd hit him on purpose would that elevate you to hero status? ;p

Enjoyed FF last weekend and while watching I was thinking you could easily add Mr Southgate to your nice guy list. The more he spoke the more I came to the conclusion that his "niceness" was maybe his biggest weakness, this is of course just my opinion and I could be way off the mark, but he comes over as just too nice to be a top club manager. That said I wish him all the best for the future.

Not to sure about the maremite and honey on toast combo, although I also had my doubts about goat cheese and honey on toast untill a girlfriend *insisted that I tried it, and admitedly it was surprisingly delicious.

Get well soon.

(*read moaned her head off untill I finally gave in)

Dan,
Bad news about the cold, predictable news about Crawley Town.
As far as the cold is concerned, let me take you back to the good old Jelly beans, they will do far more for you than honey and Marmite; which are more likely to be the cause of your malady.
I hope you get better soon I vaguely recalled you pontificating about them back in the 90's but I thought that was because they had succumbed to a R. Maxwell scandal, like their recent opponents, but now you tell me it was third round of the cup I must have got something wrong there!

Several questions I am going to throw out there again (not trying to hijack your blog Dan the Man).
==========================
1. Who should Arsene (I have a problem with Manchester) Wenger buy in Jan to sit up front and bang in the goals?
2. Is it possible to win the premiership without a defensive midfielder? If so How?

Dan,
Apologies for errors in #3 I am having network issues.
Entry should have read:

Bad news about the cold, predictable news about Crawley Town.

As far as the cold is concerned, let me take you back to the good old Jelly beans, they will do far more for you than honey and Marmite; which are more likely to be the cause of your malady.
I hope you get better soon.

AS FAR AS CRAWLEY TOWN IS CONCERNED: I vaguely recall you pontificating about them back in the 90's but I thought that was because they had succumbed to a R. Maxwell scandal, like their recent opponents; but now you tell me it was third round of the cup I must have got something wrong there!

AS FAR AS THE CHRISTMAS NUTS ARE CONCERNED, WHY CHOOSE? Have them all.
Several questions I am going to throw out there again (not trying to hijack your blog Dan the Man).
==========================
1. Who should Arsene (I have a problem with Manchester) Wenger buy in Jan to sit up front and bang in the goals?
2. Is it possible to win the premiership without a defensive midfielder? If so How?

That chatty YOUNG bloke in the scarf sounds a right pain..!
He sends you this link as a momento of the evening, it features a picture of blokes from ´óÏó´«Ã½ & ITV.
And don't forget wags4aday... the gift that keeps on giving.

Dan a fantastic blog, an as especially as a Crawley fan even more better. Like you i have a passsion for Crawley and i'm hoping that Crawley will invite you down more often! I am delighted that someone famous has acutally mentioned little Crawley....so thanks dan and keep blogging!

Dan, it seems to me that you haven't a clue about the moral of this story. So i'm going to come out and say it: you can't the full three-sausage-deal and a win too! Greed my friend.

wooo!! crawley!!!

If someone is going to be banned from the touchline for 13 games why then are they allowed to shout instructions from the stand?? (where they arguably have a better view of the game anyway!)
Also I think your bias towards your team is evident! ;)
"Evans was successfully prosecuted for tax evasion at a former club". To me that makes it sound like it was expensive lawyers that won the day. He was found guilty, simple as that!

Nice blog again, Dan. It was good to read about a lower league team for once and it certainly made me think about the Blue Square Premier team near me and how it's been a while since I stood out on a freezing terrace with a hot cup of tea and a chocolate bar. If the idea of this blog was to create a feeling of nostalgia then it has certainly worked! Maybe I'll pop down and see my local boys sooner rather than later.

In terms of the Christmas nuts, I'm personally a big fan of cashews, but I posted last week (to a rather muted reaction) the very king of Christmas nuts so I think I'll throw it out there again - surely the ONLY nut that stands up at this festive time of year is the sugared almond? Who's with me?

Nice blog again, Dan.It was good to read about a lower league team for once and it certainly made me think about the Blue Square Premier team near me and how it's been a while since I stood out on a freezing terrace with a hot cup of tea and a chocolate bar.If the idea of this blog was to create a feeling of nostalgia then it has certainly worked!Maybe I'll pop down and see my local boys sooner rather than later.

In terms of the Christmas nuts, I'm personally a big fan of cashews, but I posted last week (to a rather muted reaction) the very king of Christmas nuts so I think I'll throw it out there again - surely the ONLY nut that stands up at this festive time of year is the sugared almond? Who's with me?

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

#11 you are wrong - it surely must be roasted chestnuts? I was in a pub today that had them on the menu, I ordered some but they were out. This proves they were popular, but I was obviously devastated and my full on turkey dinner did not taste as good as it might.

Not even a surprise victory at the Hawthorns has truly erased the disappointment.

Cashews are good, especially the spicy coated ones but I have to go with pistachio.

Pistachios are great and made better by the way you can't wolf them down by the handful. You're made to saviour each one after cracking each shell open.

Enjoyed the read Dan. Like others have said, very refreshing to read about football without it having to be the big 4 or Premier League. I always feel lower leagues or smaller teams have the proper, real supporters. It's all too easy to support a Premier League team, especially the top ones.

I'll be trying the marmite and honey combo. Sounds so odd you must either be pregnant or a genius.

Have you tried Marmite & Marmalade on your toast?

Nat
-x-

Is 'Coledog' a Rovers or Exeter fan. Exeter were the better team that night but just couldnt get the all important breakthrough their endeavours deserved. Thats football I suppose, and why I love it....

Hi Dan, that time of the week again, hope you are well!

I'm glad you have acknowledged the past giant killing success of your former home-town club. It is something that sadly is becoming rare in the modern game.

Combined with the dominance of the Cahmpions League, the fact that giant killings are now few and far between, the FA cup has lost a lot of it's magic in my eyes, sadly. Although had my team triumphed in May it would have been a giant killing in itself for an outside top 4 club to have beaten one of the said list in the final. Not since Everton in 1995 has this been achieved!

On the subject of grub, the cashew is fine, but you have to be suspicious with something that naturally breaks into two perfect halves!!??

Good work opting for three sausages rather than two and I do like the fact the women only get offered one or two, however, my gran would still find fault with that, I'll explain; You shouldn't be offering the women any sausages until it's absolutely clear the men have had enough.

For all they knew you might have wanted to go back for a fourth.

Decent blog again Dan.....

The Cashew can surely hold top spot over all other nuts, it is just a thing of beauty.

On the issue of your "Colourful" gaffer, it isn't much of a touchline ban when he is sat only a few rows behind the dug out and can clearly bark out orders in a fairly small stadium! It's really not a good look getting that angry after a loss though, you wouldn't see Arsene Wenger chewing off his own arm! Although he'd probably sooner chew it off than use it to shake hands with his "opposite number"......

Anyone who spends the first eighteen years of their life in Crawley is a hero to me. Rough town.

(First nineteen years in Billingshurst)

After discovering this blog only last week (don't know how I missed it) I have to salute the heady combination of football, food and frivolity.

As for todays effort I agree that highlighting the lower leagues is a good thing, though I take slight issue with it being easier to support a top 4 side. It's far easier to get tickets for my local team Walsall than it is to get tickets for Old Trafford. Though coincidentally I will be there for the visit of Villa on Saturday.
It is still easier to pick up news on or follow almost any football side than it is to get news on a rugby side, even when they're in the Guinness Premiership.

In the nuts debate; cashews all the way for the top spot, after that it's chilli peanuts. Lovely!

I'm with #14 Pistachio all the way.

Nice to see some lower league action in the blog Danny boy.

Re: the bestest nut I'd have to say peanut (so versatile - dry roasted, salted, flavoured or coated and made into the legendary "beernut").

As for festive it has to be chestnuts roasting on an open fire. You dont get a song singing about sugared almonds sitting in a bowl do you?

As for festive it has to be chestnuts roasting on an open fire. You dont get a song singing about sugared almonds sitting in a bowl do you?

--------------------------------------------------------------------

That song always reminds me of a chess tournament I once entered at a posh country hotel. Terribly arrogant affair it was, full of chess nuts boasting in an oper foyer...

*** tumbleweed ***

Hi Dan, great blog.
Very nostalgic and proving there is life outside of the Prem. I'm more of a Three Bridges man myself, ooh for more Sussex League One football!
The picture reminded me of my last physics lesson and got a piccie of young Gareth and me standing by a bunson burner!!
All the best.

does a honey roasted peanut make the top 5?

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I've lived in Crawley my whole life, well, moved to Surrey now but only just escaped. I always though Southgate wasn't a Crawley lad but just played for Three Bridges??


:)

Dan,
You missed the point on the nuts thing, since you grew up in Crawley I can excuse your limited appreciation of situations beyond the borders of west Sussea. And by the way, you are receiveing far too much adoration from West Sussex bloggers-

John Harrison #21: Crawley is an OK town with some real nice people, but there are REAL heros out there if you get out a bit.

My point regarding the Christmas nuts is that, starved of the usual Christmas 'tucker' I will take everything I can get that reminds me of good Christmas indulgence. Besides, you said next weeks blog was going to be the deciding blog on the nuts.

JELLY BEANS are the way forward, a Garibaldi or two would be nice though.....

By the way one thing I do love about Christmas over here, is the snow. So far 50% of the Xmas days spent in CT have been white. Why just this morning I was woken up by the sound of the municipal snow ploughs (big 7 ton trucks) we have four inches on the ground and it is still falling.

Now, back to the friend of all Mancurians A. Wenger: I canot see him buying R. Van Nistelroy. I cannot get that famous photo of Keown yelling in RVN's face after he missed a penalty back when the gooners and ManU were at each other. I have no idea what RVN's form is like or fitness right now either. I do not much liek the idea of James Beattie either. Shame Arshavin hasn't got a twin brother.

Hi Dan, glad to hear you enjoyed your Crawley experience apart from the result!

I only found out the other day that England ladies captain Faye White is a Crawley lass which means that Crawley is the place for big name people!

Are you going to come and watch anymore CTFC games Dan? I first started going in 1999 and have been hooked since!

Hope to see you at a few more games!

Give a shout out to Crawley on Football Focus and maybe to some kind of Blue Square Premier preview on Focus too!

So did you just have a plate with 3 sausages on it?? bit strange.

I would like to add in the Redskin Peanut.. they define what is good about a peanut because you feel sick if you eat too much of them.. which you always do.

My fav used to be Brannigans Beer Nuts.. but I cant get them anymore so does that rule them out?

"The toast is white." Try plugging in the toaster...

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Crawley? Billingshurst? Horsham is where it's at, ask your colleague Lewis Wiltshire, he is a man who knows...

Wow, how much I enjoyed reading that. I lived for 17 years no more than 200 metres from the green that became Broadfield Stadium. The kids learnt golf there, we all learnt to do wheelies and jumps in the nearby brook, I ran and cycled countless miles through Tigate Forest. And we would occasionally go with our Crawley mad neighbour to watch Crawley Town play at their old ground. I well remember the F A Cup trip to Brighton (didn't Crawley take 6000 fans, or is that a rosy memory?), and my tiny tot son asking after the 6th goal went in against Crawley, "Is our side winning Dad?" His face was a picture, and he raised many a laugh, because he had wildly cheered every goal thinking Crawley must surely be scoring!
I moved away from Crawley must be 13 years ago and have lived the last 8 years in Thailand. I returned for the first time this August gone, to visit my Mum who now lives in Crawley, close to the old ground. Changed a bit hasn't it. The whole area has altered so much. I could hardly believe my eyes.... and got lost several times round and about lol. Big new Leisure centre, and the old one turned into a housing estate that has more houses than the entire island I now live on. And how many houses can you build on one roundabout? Used to be the postmaster general.
So, thank you. Your blog brought back many happy memories. It educated me too. I had no idea Gareth Southgate was a Crawley lad. As for nuts, we have out here coconut flavoured peanuts and chocolate flavoured peanuts (both pretty vile to be honest). Nostalgia reminds me of those huge chocolate covered Brazils my father used to adore at Christmas.
My final thought... peanut butter and branston pickle sarnies, strangely delicious combination.

I like monkey nuts the most, I know they are just peanut's in shell suits (not the tracksuit), but not only do you get a nut to eat you also get the shell to throw at your brother.

On a side note, Footbal Focus was pretty good on Saturday

I especially liked the part where Clint Dempsey got a bit of a ribbing once the telephone interview had ended!

"Hope you lose...."

So many different guises for the humble peanut. Chilli, redskin, honey roasted... at this rate the list will be thoroughly undermined by all these flavours. I fear that by splitting the peanut into these many categories we may in fact be hampering its chances of making the final list in any of its various shapes and forms.

Incidentally this chat inspired me to buy some cashews on the way home, which on a student budget such as mine constitutes about half my bank account. Does the fact that they're so pricey count against them?

#39 David Haskins - Are you deliberately trying to depress me? You live on an island in Thailand? I'm stuck at my miserable desk having eaten too much at lunch and want to be anywhere but here...!!

Hi Dan. Smoked salted almonds at Christmas #1 all the way - my Dad got me into them a while back after enjoying them in Spain, very more-ish indeed. And as for interesting toast toppings, although not quite "out there" as marmite and honey, my South African fiancée got me into peanut butter & honey. Completely over-the-top from a calorie point of view, but when suffering from man flu nothing quite beats a sugary concoction....

Would also like to suggest Nobby's wasabi-coated Nuts which I invest in on trips to my local Jamie Oliver-endorsed food emporium - one hell of an eye-watering kick after a few, but jolly nice all the same.

#43 - You get what you pay for my friend.... I don't think we should knock the Cashew for being an "up-market" nut

I must admit, although predominantly a pub snack, Dry Roasted is my late offer of the perfect christmas nut. As it compliments the downage of fine ales and merriment, something we are all sure to indulge in over the festive period.

Perhaps you could imagine yourself in the old punchbowl dan with a bag of dry roasted and a bitter shandy, I've lived it...and would recommend it greatly

Jellywobble (45 & 46) have you ever tried jelly beans?

Anightatthechopra (43) if you are a CCFC Michael Chopra fan save your student coppers until he gets back on the goal scoring ways and then treat yourself> he is bound to bag another hatrick sooner or later.

Tomefccam, (48)
A bag of dry roasted peanuts and a shandy! That hardly counts as proper food or proper drink. That is comparable to American college girls calling Miller or Bud Light 'beer'. Are you on anightatthechopra's student budget?

Any suggestions for a good full tasting nut that goes with a real man drink?
On that note:
Dan who is your 'man cold' coming along?

is marmite and honey nice? when i was 12-14 i used to pile chocolate spead and peanut butter so thick the bread used to look like a wafer. good times. of course that combo is so nice, they started making jars with it already mixed together :)

Really enjoyable blog Dan, nice and light, which is just what is required on a busy Wednesday!

I was wondering if any Crawley fans could update me on how one of your lads is getting on, Lewis Killeen? I went to school with him (he was in the year above) and played in the same side as him on a couple of football tours overseas, where he always stood out as someone who could make it as a pro. He was highly regarded at Halifax before they went bust, how has he got on at your place?

Cheers!

Hopefully #49. I promised myself I wouldn't be fickle and I'd keep my username no matter how long he went without scoring, but he's making a bit of a mug of me now. Don't feel bad for me anyway, my nan came round yesterday and presented me with a rather majestic lemon drizzle cake and some almond slices. Back of the net.

Dan

Glad to see you haven't forgotten your roots. I remember about 20 years ago, going to a Crawley Town vs ??? in some pre-season with you and your dad (or was it your dad and brother - can't remember). While I can't remember their opponents, the score was 2-2. Two goals in the first ten minutes and two in the last, otherwise it was a boring match.

I do remember the marmite and honey though - never understood that one (I prefer a cheese and strawberry jam sandwich). Good blog. Keep it up. I'm about to leave these shores for a life in the USA, so ´óÏó´«Ã½ sport will prove even more important to me than it is now. Drop me a line if you get a moment.

Re: Killeen

Probably my favourite CTFC player. Gets goals from midfield and always gives 100%. Top bloke.

The king of nuts has to be the pecan.

Hi Dan, enjoying your style of blogging. My good friend Sam Birmingham from Bedford claims to know you in some capacity, can you verify this?

To be fair you can keep your laa-de-daa nuts over the festive period as I think you'll find the overall winner has to a big tub of nuts and raisons, served as they come with no added flavouring. Washed down with a Theakstons Old Peculiar.

That said, I'm a Stella and Pistachio man for the rest of the year.

Can I come across all Arsene for a minute and go a little bit continental and sophisticated? I've always been a massive fan of lightly-toasted pine nuts. Especially as a crunchy topping on a light pesto salad. That said, last night I demolished an entire packet of jumbo salted peanuts, which when combined with the cool, refreshing taste of a San Miguel truly must be the Emporor Of Nutdonia.

Good to see you returning to your roots, Dan - I for one spent eighteen years trying to get out of the small market town in which I was raised, only to end up back here when the time came to put down some roots and raise a family. That may have been more to do with the disgraceful habits of some of the goons that I lived with while experiencing 'big city living' at university, but even so, I don't remember any of them going for something as truly imbecilic as honey and marmite on a slice of toast. One of them ate cereal out of a dog bowl, mind. I think he was a bit 'special'.

Was listening to Jake Humphrey on Chris Moyles' radio show yesterday and he, too, named Sir Desmond of Lynam as his inspiration for wanting to become a sports broadcaster. Have you ever met The Jake, and if so, did you have a 'being ridiculously tall' contest that culminated in some form of wrestling match?

In other news, I finally got hold of Sky HD last week - is there any potential for FF to be shown in HD any time soon? I need to see whether your shirts look as hilarious in 1080i as they do in SD.

Anyway, must dash. I've got to interview a local badger farmer for my new website, NorthYorkshireJoyfulOccasions. Erm...dot-org.....dot.....me....dot....com.

Or 'impromptu', perhaps?

"You never studied" - Peter Venkman

Hoist by my own petard. It was Ray Stantz that said that.

"It was most tranquil. There were many steps and columns"

Matt Holst (#53 false start & #54)
When you get over here to the USA get a Sirius satelite radio for the car and / or cable TV for the house. (Hold out for a man room if you can). If you get the satellite car radio tune it to channel 125. You can get live and recorded commentary of all the premiership games + big cup games. You will get ´óÏó´«Ã½ radio 5 commentary from pundits who actually know what they are talking about. You will also have to put up with American commentators who played for Minnesota Minnows or Seattle Slackers for 2 years and feel qualified to comment on every footie game from Inverness to Istanbul.
Avoid channel 99 on the radio, it belongs to a Mr. H. Heffner

Thought i should join in the greatest nut debate and have to say that i think the pistachio tops the cashew!
By the way have you tried chocolate (preferably nutella) and cheese in a sandwich? and why not eat it with a bag of salt and vinegar crisps! It has to be tried to appreciate the taste sensation.

hey there as as a notts county fan , i must point out we are the oldest established club in the world 1862, not sheffield wednesday 1867, i nearly had kittens when i heard that whopper on football focus today. please, all us county fans near and far deserve an on air apology and correction to our crown - where do you think juventus got their colours?? - us! true ;-) thanks, martin kenny

Hi Dan, just wondering why Alan Shearer was sent to interview Dimitar Berbatov for today's FF?

As a student studying sports journalism, it always saddens me when ex-players are suddenly treated as professional journalists, taking away opportunities from those who may have better skills and haven't been fast-tracked into job due to their ability to kick a ball. Having watched through the whole interview, I find it hard to see how using Shearer as the interviewer gains an advantage - a chummy chat is probably less likely to attract people than a normal interview, and I doubt many people are interested about Berbatov being woken up in the night by his child!

I accept you don't pick who interviews whom, but any light you could shed on the issue would be great.

Thanks, Craig.

Right ho cheers dan, appreciate being told that about sheffield, any chance you could find out the real truth about notts county ... the present I mean!! :-) cheers, martin k