Connor's Blog

Good afternoon and welcome back to this afternoon's blog. Every single moment in life can have ups and downs and throw up curve balls when we least expect them. This has been even more apparent over the past twelve months with the coronavirus pandemic causing havoc with everyone's lives on a daily basis. During these challenges and emotionally difficult times, we need our support system. The obvious answer here is your family; we have seen them more in the last year than we probably ever have or ever will again. But this family are the ones that you are connected to by love, blood or marriage. While I am not doubting for a second the importance of these special people, there are moments where we need to break away from this 'security net' as some might say. We need an alternative way of being ourselves and regulating our emotions to bring ourselves back to a state of stability and happiness. This is where our chosen family come into play. Not our parents or grandparents...

Good afternoon and welcome back to this afternoon's blog. With an International window upon us, it gives me an opportunity to post some full length articles before the congestion returns to finish the current football season in the next couple of months. Anyway, I thought it would be fitting to stick to the sporting theme; firstly because that is what you usually get on a Friday and secondly because this topic is very close to my heart. GOLF IS BACK! Well, it will be in three days time (hopefully I have not just cursed it)? It is not just golf that will be returning next week, but also organised amateur sports such as football, as well as fishing and meeting someone in a public space for a picnic. While it may seem too exciting to resist, there is still plenty to be cautious about. Unfortunately, coronavirus is still very much a part of our daily lives, and it will remain that way for quite some time yet. The prospect of being in the outdoors (legally) again will tempt out a lot of...

Good afternoon and welcome back to this afternoon's blog. I am sure we can all take comfort in the fact that vaccinations are hitting record numbers and deaths and hospitalisations are dropping at a steady rate. Although there is talk about a third spike happening in Europe, we are still on track to follow the roadmap set out by the Government. While all the chaos of coronavirus has been going on, the one thing that has seen a massive increase has been comfort eating, often through the means of a takeaway. While they might be convenient, cheap and tasty, are we really ordering the most healthy menu options or do we go for what we like or the biggest items? It got me thinking when I ordered a pizza last week and I noticed the new vegan range on the menu - can we still enjoy our favourite take outs while maintaining a diet at the same time. In this article, I look at my four favourite takeaway options: Chinese, Domino's, Indian and Kebab, and assess the different options that we ...

Premier League Fixtures Fulham v Leeds After a few weekends where every result seemed to go Fulham's way, last weekend everything went against them. With the two teams directly above them facing each other in this game week, it is vital they capitalise on that. The goals seemed to have dried up for Leeds which has been unusual this season. This should, however, be an open game because Fulham have to attack and Leeds always attack. If it is a high scoring game (the reverse fixture was 4-3) then I expect Leeds to edge it. Prediction 1-3 Brighton v Newcastle I personally do not like the phrase 'relegation six pointer' but this fixture certainly falls into that category. A win for either side here would be a massive boost towards safety, while a defeat would leave them in dire trouble at the wrong end of the league. Neither team are free scoring this season which is why they find themselves where they are, however, Brighton have been performing better of late and I fancy them t...

Good afternoon and welcome back to this afternoon's blog. Schools have now been back fully functioning for a week and we can meet one person outside who is not part of our household or social bubble. We are edging closer to the return of outdoor sports, as well as personal care and non-essential retail next month (and trust me I am in desperate need of a hair cut). Pubs and restaurants are due to reopen in the next couple of months too. This is great and will be a relief to millions of people up and down the country, however, I want to focus on an industry that has been very much left to hang and dry during this pandemic. That is the nightclub industry. Be honest, who doesn't love a good club session now and again? All we know is that nightclubs will be among the last things to return to normal. So based on that, I have three questions which I am going to answer today; Why can nightclubs not open with restaurants and other hospitality, What is being done to support the nightclu...

Newcastle v Aston Villa Newcastle are now only above the relegation zone on goal difference, but all that matters to them is to win games. They are clearly struggling without Miguel Almiron or Callum Wilson available. Villa might have Jack Grealish back available for selection which will be a huge boost for them, however, I think Newcastle will get something here. Prediction 1-1 Leeds v Chelsea This is al set up to be a typical Leeds game - they score lots but concede more. Already this season, they have conceded at least 4 against Manchester United, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Leicester and Liverpool because of the way they play. I would expect them to be tighter at home, but Chelsea are still undefeated under Thomas Tuchel and I can't see that changing here. Prediction 1-3 Crystal Palace v West Brom Palace are stuttering towards the end of the season but should have enough already to see them enjoy another season in the top flight. West Brom, however, got a decent draw last weekend ...

Good afternoon and welcome back to this afternoon's blog. With the ever-increasing congestion within this manic Premier League season, having the opportunity to write something non-football related is becoming a rarity. However, today (8th March), marks the first step on the Government's roadmap back to normality. As of 9am this morning, classrooms were once again full with students returning after yet another disrupted period of time. While there are rightly many concerns about this, it is an obstacle that needs to be tackled sooner or later; this was always likely to be the beginning of the end in regards to social distancing and lockdown restrictions. In this article, I explore the ins and outs of children returning to school, including the suggestion that the education they have missed might be caught up during the 'summer holidays'.  For the past few months, young people up and down the country have been attending lessons using virtual platforms such as Zoom and Go...

Burnley v Arsenal Burnley's result against Leicester in the week was another point and they continue to creep towards the safety mark this season. It's the same issue for them though - they do not score many goals. Arsenal also played Leicester last time out, and after going behind early, played them off the park and fully deserved the win. This will be interesting but I expect the Gunners to come out on top. Prediction 1-2 Sheffield United v Southampton Sheffield United's win over Aston Villa last time out was nothing more than a consolation for them, but at least they are still trying and are clearly not going to roll over against anyone. They could win this one too - Southampton should be safe but if their poor run goes on much longer then they could face an uncomfortable end to the season. Prediction 2-1 Aston Villa v Wolves Both of these sides have had really good seasons so far, but Villa have suffered lately without Jack Grealish  -he is a massive player for them. Wo...