Nice write up on Mike Newell's job as Grimsby Town manager.

Hope he does well, sound guy - brave to stand up for what he thought was right; honesty in football is clearly a rare commodity that he values.

I know it's not really a restaurant, but can't go far wrong with Nabs Head at Salmesbury Bottoms.

Great food, well presented, recently refurbished, lovely staff, with some good deals on. 3 course early bird, & Monday evenings everything is BOGOF - so tend to get packed, as no bookings on tables.

Good, and is it true that he wears a cardigan in this one?

Watched Thunderball last night, where they've upgraded the picture, you could see the make-up covering Connery's tattoos.

Obvious point about the new Bond film is the second unit director is Dan Bradley, stunt coordinator from the last two Bourne films, so there's clear parallels with all the action scenes. They've appointed a more character-driven director for this one and felt the film suffered a tad for it, it was like two films spliced into one at times (tended to overdo the parallel editing in the action scenes a bit also).

Despite being a massive Bond fan, I felt the film was good without being great, and just felt like there was something missing.

There were all the usual things one would expect, the style, the product placement, excellent cinematography, fab set pieces, stunning locations, but perhaps it suffered from Casino Royale being excellent in every aspect that QoS would always be somewhat of a let down? Also, when you look forward to films they often flatter to deceive.

It's not that it's not a great movie, it's just can't help feeling it could have done better - bit after the Lord Mayors Show/Mark Hughes thing. Plot was a touch confusing, haphazard and a few loops in it, although was good how brought the characters back and continued his underlying theme of revenge. All in all 7/10.

BTW - he does wear a cardigan - they changed all his wardrobe to Tom Ford for this movie - and very swish it is too. Then again, it retails at a cool Euro 1035

Interesting to see if Ainsworth will be given the QPR manager's job full-time. Or, according to the rumours, the guy who puts the teamsheet in & makes subs on behalf of the owner

Sitting watching Kevin Pezzoni play for Koln on Setanta against Leverkusen. Commentators are mentioning how mature he is for a 19 year old on the pitch. Why on earth did we let this guy go?

Offer a first-team contract to a player on a reserve contract, chance to return back to Germany at a time when's it's clear he wouldn't really progress any further at Rovers, would usually only end up one way. We were overloaded with better centre-backs, both above him in seniors, and below him in Academy IMO

Maybe he'd just had enough of Whalley, or just pined for them heated roofs in the German stadiums?

Interesting debate lads, keep it up. After all, it's still only two opinions... (the right one, and the wrong one JOKE ).

To throw something into the mix - JM was always going to have more options due to flexibility. Sadly in our game, strong, physical players will always be more favoured than more technical, slighter, weaker players. JM also had more flexibility tactically with being a converted centre half?

Think in this case it's the 'apples/pears' comparison ultimately, one would really only ever be a left back in a side that could carry him (due to lack of pace & comparative weakness) whereas JM could go into a scrappers side, possibly in one of 3 positions. I guess it's like comparing Alan Wright to Lucas Neill ('footedness' apart), one would only ever be a left full-back, another being more an out-and-out defender that could play at left-back.

I think you should do your homework R6.

Darracott was a highly respected member of Rovers backroom staff. He was reserve manager until 2001 when illness/injury forced him to take a none active role within the club. (None active, I mean direct coaching)

He was involved with the development of youth players such as Dunn, Duff, Martin Taylor and Damien Johnson amongst others.

You have blindedly lumped him in with the Souness gang. He was at Rovers previously. A certain K Dalgleish rated Darracott highly, as did Roy Hodgson.

There was a distinctive change in the quality of reserve football after Darracott was replaced by Murray. Darracott certainly got the young players to push themselves forward and try to play decent football. Which I don't believe was the case after.

A decent servant to Rovers wrongly maligned.

Well countered, sterling post. Once again clearly illustrating the point that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing in the wrong hands; especially when the emphasis is on 'little', when 'incorrect' would be more fitting

"Burn after reading" anyone?

Not really a big fans on the Coens TBH, they've made some great films - No Country, Big Lebwoski, Millers Crossing - but on the whole most were original, quirky, intermittently amusing or just average IMO.

Thought BAR was okay, say 6/10. Some good dialogue, funny scenes, well acted roles but as an overall film watchable, rather than enjoyable. Could do better.

Still can't wait for Quantum of Solace. Posters up in flicks for that REC remake, Quarantine - exact rip off of original cover too! Can't decide if want to watch the Bush film when it's out, bet it's a decent film about the doofus?

My girlfriend has a habbit of goin into pound shops and buying them crap low budget dvd's

Normally i wouldnt mention them, But after the latest one she brought home, i feel i need to.

It's called Creatures from the Abyss.

It's the best worst film i've seen, Makes no sense..at all!!, The acting is so bad it makes big Moe on eastenders look like a thesp,

And the special Effects are one of funniest things you'll ever see.

The reason i'm mentioning this film though is beacuse unless you've seen a weird, mutant, fishman, that looks like a sock on someones hand have sex with a topless big breasted blonde....then you aint seen anything!.

Is this one of the Troma films? They used to have so dross - return of the toxic avenger etc. Then again, some of the late 70s & early 80s served up some shockingly bad films that are quite amusing these days. I remember one called 'Laserblast' on at the cinema, then seeing it years later on video and wondering why it was an 'X' at the time. Trying to think of a similar one called 'Incredible melting man' or something, was supposed to be horrific but just recall it as a fella wandering round with a bad rubber mask on.

Best worst films, clearly ace :-) They're actually far more memorable than some of the tankers around today.

.....

I'd like, if I may, to name and shame 67 restaurants and takeaways across Blackburn and Darwen, who were all warned last year to take food hygiene more seriously.

Please avoid the following premises in Blackburn and Darwen - which have all been rated as "bad" for food hygiene.

....

Link: Blackburn premises named and shamed by environmental health inspectors

I thought that list was the pre-training eating itinerary for a certain Benedict Mcarthy.

Alarmingly, half of the list would be considered as 'established' takeaways/troff houses.

Always thought the guy at BCC was quite amusingly camp in a nice way; it doesn't seem much of a punishment to fine 3000 for the history they seem to have on non-compliance on environmental health though?

Well if we're doing butchers now (well meat suppliers) I can recommend Spout House Farm in Higher Wheelton. On the left as you drive from Blackburn. Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday 11.00 to 4.00pm. Superb home grown meat, nice cheeses, nice people and great cakes (made by a local lady). I think they are looking to expand if the refurbisment of a lrage barn is anything to go by. We no longer buy meat products in supermarkets, everything is at Spout House, ten times the quality and the same price if not cheaper than Tesco.

How far into HW is this? Past the shop/petrol station or is it on the outskirts? Working from memory here (very fallible!), is it the place near where the school was?

The point was that your archetypal "scrote", as defined by the "London Centric" media, isn't necessarily Northern, and is probably more likely to come from London as elsewhere.

Maybe so in real life perhaps, but not if you saw this film. I'm pretty certain if the 'scrotes' and the locals portrayed in this film were all one ethnic type, religious group, or any other demographic or stereotype, there'd be more of an outcry.

Hey, I could have watched it and thought they must have filmed it in Burnley, that make it more palatable? Every single person with a Northern accent (over a variety of scenes) in the film acts in a way that a reasonable person would probably consider anti-social at best. Never mind whether it's the case in real-life, or not - it just looks that way in this film.

It's like watching a Guy Ritchie film and thinking every male with an Estuary accent is an on-the-make geezer, but means well.

Not seen the film, but can I just say that that sentence is total and utter tosh.

The comment was based purely on an interpretation one could draw from the film, that's all. It's not an opinion I have of life in general. Perhaps if you'd seen the film, then you would at least be able to judge objectively?

So, a 'yuppie' couple with an ideal life in a leafy London borough, all happy & smiley, travel to two different locations with the locals all speaking in Northern accents. In both places every other cast member looks, talks and acts like Jeremy Kyle guests, whilst partaking in casual violence, sex, anti-social behaviour, wife beating, drinking & general chavvy lives.

Go & see Wrong Turn and then ask the tourism department of West Virginia if it had a positive effect.

Saw Eden Lake yesterday, be interesting to see folks opinions in comparison with Strangers for instance. Actually thought it was quite good, 'typical' Brit film we tend to do well. It's about a couple go away camping for a weekend and end up getting terrorised by a gang of chavs. Seems to be set in an area suggestive of the North/Mids as if it's a different country to the South, so probably plays up to the London Centric media that it's only Northerners that have anti-social scrotes?

New Bond trailer. This looks ace.

Nice Oliver Peoples aviators

See, product placement works!

I read in the paper that in the new Bond movie he is going to swap his dry martini shaken not stirred for a coke zero after a 5m sponsor from coke.

If this is true (remember, it was only read in a sunday paper) it really would be very sad to see them sell out bond in such a way.

Having said that I would be impressed if he got to the bar and asked for a pint of bitter and a bag of nutts

Oh c'mon, it's hardly the first time product placement has hit the series? I was more miffed when BMW crashed into the franchise. There's loads of money to be made in these films and as long as it's done with a degree of subtlety, or adds to the film, it's cool I think. There's worse films around that have done it terribly I'd suggest. Check out the last one, how many Jags in how many scenes, and which car does he cruise around in - a Mondeo.........

The critics were always going to pan Rocknrolla as it was a return to genre for Ritchie. You'll see it's the pretentious broadsheet brigade who have done as opposed to the dedicated film magazines who actually know what their audience like.

Saw it last night. Got pretty much what I expected so left a happy man. It hardly revolutionised British film making but is a slick, funny comedy ganster thriller which I managed to lose myself in for a couple of hours. Set itself up nicely for a sequel too. Just a shame it took him all these years to find some decent actors.

Think one of his biggest strengths is coaxing performances out of minor stars, and a few Hollywood types with their cameos. Ludacris was good in this again, I do think he's a better actor than you'd expect - as in Crash - and the all-round performances were worth it alone. Enjoyable film really, you always know what you're going get from GR and he has had a lot of imitators. He did well with Vinny Jones and it was all downhill afterwards for him - Midnight Meat Train anyone? It did seem to plod a little at times, probably would have been cropping some of it to keep the energy his first two films had.

He can set a scene well too, and milk it too, but like Tarantino for that I guess. Bet he could even get Nicolas Cage to put a good performance in. Enjoyed Bangkok Dangerous, good enough to sit through another doe-eyed performance from Cage. He always seems to play the same role in every film, doesn't he?

Agree with prev poster ref Strangers BTW, sat through it and one thing I took away from film was how big Liv Tylers feet are Okay film, the tense bits were done well but stretched the premise too long overall.

Still can't wait for Quantum of Solace tho.

Crikey you were quick off the mark!

I must say I sneaked in late on for a quick peek and a problem as with all these Thwaites bars (Mytton Hall and 3 Fishes etc) is that the brewery appears to be attempting to force the dreadful Warsteiner into the pumps that should /used to be occupied by Carlsberg Export, (Carling not really being an option). It's plain that Carlsberg Export costs the brewery a lot more and therefore less profitable but Warsteiner is poor and isn't even classed as lager it's a bloody beer. On the plus side they have Wainwrights on.

They have some good 'pop' though, like the old traditional type-ones

Agreed about the Warsteiner pesh tho.

The Strangers

I really don't know what to make of this... it's a horror movie which certainly gets you scared and on edge, but the ending and storyline seemed poor to me. It's supposedly based on true events in 2005. It lasted about 90 minutes but seemed to go on forever - perhaps an indication that I think it was a poor movie! I suspect it was on an extremely low budget, too.

Anyone else seen this?

I thought this was a remake of Ils/Them, seems the same sort of premise - that was based on 'true events' apparently. Not revealing the 'events' as it would be a spoiler for a great, original film. However, seems that line with any film seems to be completely irrelevant these days - ref. Blair Witch.

The 'true events' this film refers to - as admitted by the director - isn't anything like the film, it was ONE event when a band of strangers were calling on houses in his childhood neighbourhood to see if anyone was home, and then committing mischief/minor crime. Certainly no basis for a horror film I'd suggest. There IS a Brit film coming out soon - eden lake I think it's called - which has the lad Turgoose from 'This is England' with a similar premise - bored chavs terrorising a couple which I'd bet will be better done.

Anyways, going to see it soon, have a few others to watch first.

Priority went to RocknRolla yesterday, and don't know what to make of it; it's better than Revolver but no Snatch/Lock Stock. I think Ritchie can make a great film, but my two faults with it are it's overlong, with lulls in the pace, and it's clearly set up as a pilot for a sequel/series (if it performs well that is). Good things - the cast, some great performances including Archie/Mark Strong (always good), Toby Kebbel as the bombed out rocker and Gerard Butler (one two), some good scenes, funny too, and it's a 'typical' Ritchie film, with certain visuals, dialogue, humour, soundtrack etc.

Can't help feeling it could have been better though. Good cameo from Gary Neville as 'Cookie' Looks like he's trying to launch another Jason Statham with Tom Hardy, casting him as 'Handsome Bob', no doubt a nod to JS's character in the Italian Job. No doubt JS was burned after Revolver, or too busy on the upcoming 'Death Race' remake or Crank 2.

By all means try it out - my visit was just disappointing.

By the way, if anybody uses Sugarvine to look up restaurant reviews, don't - I wrote a negative review on Gio's last night and they emailed me to say they weren't going to post it because it was negative. I wrote pretty much what was in my previous post in a polite way.

What is the point of having a restaurant review site only for good reviews to be posted?

Agreed - did the same for a okay meal with bad service in Pappy Jacks (or whatever it's called) in Preston. The 'review' I wrote was quite balanced and fair without being overly negative in any aspect - but it wasn't in keeping with the tone of the site apparently.

As you say, makes the site pretty pants really - especially as it doesn't say it only posts positive reviews.

Hey, we could adopt that approach for this site, couldn't we? Guess there would only be two posts on obscure stuff then

Always have way too many books 'on the go' to list them all here, but one of my current ones deserves special mention I think.

R.J. Ellory - "A Quiet Belief in Angels" is a pleasure, one of them books you don't want to read to fast but savour the story, the characterisation, the messages & atmosphere it puts across etc. Written in wonderful prose and a sensitive, haunting book - a delight.

Other good recent reads - "The Book Thief", "An Interpretation of Murder", "The Testament of Gideon Mack", "One Wrong Turn".

On the shelf next up "The Resurrectionist","The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", "No Country for Old Men", "We Know".

Saw "Tell No One" a French film based off of an American novel. Well done and I thought it captured the tone of the novel very well.

Seconded - awesome film, excellent in every aspect IMO. I like films that make you think or discuss afterwards, and this film is certainly one. Terrific.

hellboy2 ...belting film!!!! oh and A.S. i had to pay.

Watched this today - btw anyone else noticed the Matt Derbs lookalike @ Vue, Blackburn, checking tickets?

Was an okay film, do like GdT's films if only for the visual look of them, but something seemed missing from this film, bit patchy? Often happens with sequels but this was good enough not to be a waste of time, some good points but also a bit of a plod at times. Selma Blair, there's something about her isn't her? Always find it amusing how your man Goss is now a 'serious' actor, yet only seems to have parts in makeup/monster movies. When will I be famous? Indeed.

Watchmen.

I dont know wehter most folks would read this due to it being a graphic novel(comic for big kids), But it's superb and a very new way of looking at "superhero's" and what drives a person to become one.

Also best to read it before the film comes out.

Watchmen - great shout, totally original book in an over-crowded genre.

I'd forgotten how much I loved comics as a kid, bought Watchmen & Preacher a while back, and it's worst thing could have done. Already spend way too much in Borders & Amazon, now have to get a couple of these things when we go now. Future Shocks, Killing Joke, DC Universe etc. Saddo I know.

Nick Hornby was speaking at a bookstore near our place tonight. While I was in the ice cream parlor and my wife was standing outside wating with the dog, he walked past. (She could tell it was him, as he was wearing a suit and it is 88 degrees F today!) She said, "Loved Fever Pitch, hate Arsenal!" So he stopped to say hi and asked what the dog's name was, to which she answered "Beckham." He rolled his eyes and went along his way.

(Yes, we named our dog Beckham, but it was after he went to Madrid! We wanted a unique name for a dog (at least around here) and it is actually a pretty cool name for a dog.)

hey, Beckham's got a cute name for a dog too - Victoria.