The Pessimism and Occasional Optimism of Juvenile Adulthood

A Smith and Jones reference there , not that anyone my age would know who Smith and Jones were. It is clear that the world is currently not in a good place and the government's decisions this week are part of a far broader aim of tackling Covid-19 as effectively as possible.  In critiquing events and governments decisions, I note that there is no easy solution to what is an immensely complex issue.  But I want to talk about school closures, in a far broader context of education as a whole, perhaps offering a perspective that better relates to the experience of students whose lives and entire sense of purpose appear to have been casually disregarded by so many. Some self-inserts may also be referenced.  I am in the cohort which saw the introduction of new harder SATs in Year 6 before being slapped in the face with the new harder GCSEs - gone was Coursework, in was rigour designed to promote the highest level of early academia. In with that came stress, panic, str...

The Bulls seem to be back in the realms of mediocrity, steering clear of relegation, albeit on an ever dwindling budget. However, 2 tiers lower than ‘usual’, fans are turning away from the Street, making the team’s play-off push all the more difficult. How can we end this vicious cycle of lower attendances, smaller budgets, worse players, worse football, lower attendances, smaller budg.... ah even I got stuck in the cycle. It’s a difficult rut to break out of. Josh Gowling clearly appears to be a good man-manager, getting players previously demotivated under Slade to chase more balls, track back quicker, and make runs for each other. The appointment of Steve Burr appears to be an excellent move, with his contacts and experience being a suitable balance to the team’s management. Whichever one of them persuaded Lenell John Lewis and Partners to sign for the club deserves credit for it appears to be an excellent signing compared to the underwhelming striker from The Rock (Gibraltar ...

I never thought my cousin would make it into the pages of literature as prestigious as this, but stranger things have happened. This by virtue of my cousin’s generational support of Leyton Orient, a team which for a slightly glorious few years, was managed by a certain Russell Slade. ‘Hark!’ I thought to myself, ‘What can we deduce from his prior management work at Brisbane Road? Will it indicate any sort of upturn in The Whites’ fortunes?’ The conclusion: meh! Slade did have great success at Orient. He took over a team set to be relegated to League Two and brought them on the verge of the play-offs the following season. A cup run which took them all the way to Arsenal also followed. Whilst the following season represented a disappointment, the team rebounded to finish 3 rd , narrowly missing out on promotion in the play-off final. Slade was also awarded Manager of the Year for that season and later went off to Cardiff on the back of such successes. Most remarkable through ...