FAQ

How do you manage to write so many articles?

I just sit down at my laptop and tap away on the keyboard. I usually do my research first and then formulate my articles from my written notes.

Can anyone type articles?

I don't see why not. Most people have got at least one tale to tell just waiting to burst forth. If you've got a computer or even pen and paper, just sit down somewhere quiet and let your creative juices flow!

As a carer, how do you get the time to sit down and write stuff and now run this site?

I have little 'pockets' or 'windows' during the day when my wife has been fed and watered and my chores for that time frame have been done. My 'freedom' lasts for about half an hour on average. That's plenty of time for me to crack out a couple of articles. The research takes the most time, though, so at those times no articles get written. It's a fine balancing act between caring, researching and writing.

Why don't you get somebody to sit in with your missus while you come to football?

If only it was that simple. We've tried along those lines but, the sort of lifting I am expected to do on my own and for free, the 'respite' nurses will not do without payment and it would apparently take two of them with a hoist — but those 'in charge' won't supply two nurses and we don't have a hoist. Asking friends, family or neighbours for assistance doesn't work, either. They pretend to care and even offer help, but just you try finding them to take them up on their offer when they've vanished into thin air. Being a carer can get very political at times.

Why are you not on social media?

Because I like to do my own thing and not follow what everyone else thinks they and the world's population must do. I spent the first half-century of my life without such a thing as 'social media', so why do I need it during my second half-century? I was given this sound advice when I was growing up "Don't be a sheep, follow your own path". Sooner or later news filters through without the need to be tied to the likes of Facebook or TwitteX.

Why are you no longer writing articles for the matchday programmes?

Your best bet is to ask the club's directors or the new people they've brought in to make such decisions. Last season, I was asked to return to writing articles for the matchday programmes, to provide some variety. Now it appears, my work is not good enough for them, so go figure. In the meantime, any articles that I have already written that were intended for inclusion in this season's matchday programmes will now appear on this site instead, along with any new ones I write. Please enjoy reading them!

You changed your mind about including your older articles on this blog site. Why was that?

It was pointed out to me that, readers like to revisit informative articles every now and then, just to remind themselves of what they maybe learnt or even to refresh their memory. Adopting the theory that 'more is more', people seemingly can't have enough to read, so I am filling that gap and, if visitors want to re-read my work or even read it for the first time, I am quite happy to satisfy that yearning.

Are any of your older articles being rewritten for this blog site?

It depends on what an article is about. If there's been changes about what I wrote in an article since I originally penned it then, yes, such an article will have the changed part rewritten. Otherwise, it'll be "as per matchday programme", to coin a phrase.

Do you collect personal data on anyone who visits this blog site?

No, is the short answer. "Why would I need to collect personal data?" would be my longer answer, simply because I do not sell anything from this blog site. Not only that but, anything I choose to give away on this site (like the 'My Grassmeade Days' .pdf file) is not through email or name capture methods. And book sales are dealt with by direct links to my publications on Amazon and they deal with customers without my involvement. However, please see the question a bit further down the page about cookie warning notices.

Is there a reason why you haven't got a Contact Form on your site?

Yes. I haven't found a suitable form option yet. YouTube is full of conflicting information and it needs an outside application and fiddling around with the html coding. But I will add one in due course. I have, however, now added an email address on the 'Get In Touch' link in the main menu in case visitors to this site feel the need to get in touch. Please be aware, though, that the email address needs to be properly formatted before you use it; the email address has been published in its present format to avoid my inbox being spammed senseless by spambots.

Some of your pages don't display properly on my mobile phone, so what do I do?

Turn the phone sideways so that it is in landscape mode. You'll find the pages will display better on your phone that way. With the Fixtures/Results page, the best experience for viewing is via desktop, laptop or tablet computer.

Why don't you allow comments to be made after each of your posts?

For the very same reason I include an unformatted email address. It's to stop 'trolls' from leaving all manner of abusive comments for my genuine visitors to read. Marshalling and removing such comments takes considerable time so it is simpler and more time-efficient to not have a comments option in the first place.

How can I get rid of those annoying cookie warning pop-ups that appear on your site?

Those cookie notices aren’t something I control — they’re added automatically by Blogger/Google, who may use cookies for analytics and performance monitoring. The notices are required by an EU directive (retained in UK law), so they’re shown to visitors in the UK and EU whether you or I like it or not. If you find them annoying, most major browsers support an extension called “I don’t care about cookies” (you can Google it). Once installed, it suppresses many cookie pop-ups automatically, though you might occasionally need to flag sites to the extension for them to be handled.

Are you or this blog site currently associated with Cray Wanderers FC?

It all depends on what you consider to be 'associated with'. I am a supporter of the club and have been for nearly 60 years. Yes, I am now considered to be old but, I can claim to have been 'associated' with the club as 'man and boy'. However, I am not an official of Cray Wanderers, if that is what you mean. I did my bit on the club committee in the 1970s as well as non-committee voluntary work since. This blog site is my own project, borne out of my enthusiasm to continue writing articles about the club and things in general following the club's decision to stop publishing my articles in its matchday programmes. This site has nothing to do with Cray Wanderers FC apart from being this supporter's initiative.