Manager's notes

Whatever anyone wants to say about Rico, you can't argue that his programme notes were ever anything other than entertaining (if sometimes baffling). Here's a quote from his MNS column on RTE

"The great secret of life is to find out who you are. We are all well-versed in who we think we are and what we think we want to be, but to truly find the person that lies within is the simple reason that we exist - despite all the illusions and attractions of fame and fortune."

Read the full thing here...

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/mns/feature...mienrichardson/

Missed opportunities

When the excitement of winning on Sat. night has died down there may be some, well - me anyway, who'll rue the many opportunities that were missed to promote the game of football in this country...

First and foremost of course, was the failure to have the St. Anne's end open: what was a big occasion could have been a magnificent one if the place was full. The atmosphere was lacking something and that was the wall of sound not coming from one quarter of the stadium.

Secondly, there was no pre-match or half-time entertainment, could Setanta not afford even the Barrack St. band or ANYTHING. There were many there on Sat. night who I didn't recognise - after all our best gate all season was only 3,200 (am I right?) and for those newbies who did turn up (as opposed to many of the faithful who left it too late to go for tickets) it was a chance to gloss things up (with Johnstone's paint obviously).

Others have alluded to the programme which I haven't read yet...

For ourselves... will the club organise an open training day in the 'Cross so the kids can go and get autographs or maybe visit the schools and hand out a few freebies for the last couple of home games. Or the C.C.O.S.C. could throw their next meeting open to everyone and get some players along with the trophy's (we still have the FAI cup for another few weeks I presume) - be a good chance for some publicity for the CCOSC and FORAS and maybe recruit some new members for both

p.s. it's a long time since I got to use these...

It's my Father's 19th. anniversary...

Maybe feel it more this year than others because my Mother also passed away earlier this year so, as my brother said, "we're orphans now !"

My father was 67 when he died and they had been married for 41 years and, believe it or not, I never heard one cross word between them in all their time together. Whatever it was they had - this generation could do with some of it now !

My father was a collector for a finance company on the Northside; nowadays they'd be social pariahs and called loansharks, but this was back in the 60's when most people didn't have bank accounts and credit unions were only evolving - so there was more than one company loaning money and collectors going round getting a bob a week or 2' & 6" here and there. My father often paid for people out of his own pocket if they were caught short for one week and considering there were nine kids at home even two bob was a sacrifice.

It was on the Northside that my Father got most of his comic material; he was ahead of his time and years ahead of people like Billy Connolly in telling true stories but emphasising the absurd. His favourite was when a young girl came to the door and said "me Mam said to tell ye she can't pay ye this week 'cos she's in bed with the doctor" to which my father replied "does your Dad know about it?"

In honour of my Father, and for your own sense of 'being', call your father, give him a hug, tell him you love him, you'll be glad you did.

Miss you still.

Letter campaign

I've started with a letter to "de paper" but I would ask everyone to write just 2 letters to any form of the 'meedja' asking for people to support CCFC.

Be it 96fm or Joe Duffy or d'Echo or the "Douglas Post" we must do every thing we can to raise the profile and consciousness of CCFC NOW !

A word of caution... as Pat said at the meeting on Wed. night there may be investors out there who are looking and waiting so in your appeals don't be on about any previous occupants in a derogatory manner - it may put someone off, would you leave yourself open tp potential abuse? But be fervent and be committed and wear your heart on your sleeve and really show people how much this club does and CAN mean for the people of Cork City and County.

Stocks and shares

The analysts would tell you that now is a good time to buy stocks and shares, although the housing market still has a bit to go before it bottoms out.
In view of the news on the radio this morning about the mortgage people in the States ("Fannie Mae" and "Freddie Mac") would YOU invest in stocks/shares and if so - where would you put your hard earned dosh ???

10% of all profits if I become a millionaire before the end of the year !

The big question perhaps... would you invest any of it in a crowd called "Arkaga" ?