What are you on way today? You're all.
Drunk and rubbish or whatever What man we today?
Well, we're going to save this for recording because it's
slightly amusing. I'm absolutely shite DIY What?
What I. Think we are recording, aren't
we guys? Yeah, it's recording do.
You know the corrugated sheets on your on your shed roof, you
corrugated plastic sheets. I've lost, I've lost one of
them. So I'm going to have to go and
replace that immediately after this call.
How? Big is it?
How big is it? Do you think I've measured it?
How do you lose a six foot piece of plastic?
Well, when I say lost, I mean it's come off in the weather.
All right, OK. And.
He's misplaced it. Anyway I've I've just been
searching ranked to why the video is not working.
Go on. The little thing with the the
slot was across on top. Nikki and Charlie thanks for
standing up, cooking up for the loo Charlie pops one in the air.
Anyway, everyone welcome to the house cast.
I'm not sure how much of the introduction we'll leave in, but
correctly that was challenging. We haven't been on for a while,
so we've decided that we've got to do the lower house draw.
So we're doing that. It's a Saturday morning, believe
it or not, and we've got some volunteers to come on.
So Gary and Duke, you're coming on to assist me with this
recording open. It does record.
So thanks very much. You too, for giving up a few
hours maybe a Saturday morning. And I know Duke, Duke, you will
probably want it to go on all day because of your job you've
got. So just talk us to know what
you're doing after this. I've got to go to B&Q and buy
one of those corrugated plastic sheets.
I've got to fit said corrugated plastic sheet to be shed roof.
All of which will be an ordeal because I'm shy to all that
stuff. So have you done any YouTube
videos? You ever checked anything out
or? No, I'm just going to go and buy
it and then I'm going to drill some holes in it and then I'm
going to eat some nails into it. Is that is that good enough
jazz? Not really, no.
We record it good. Idea closing it.
Water's going to get through those holes.
No, you can see This is why I'm one step ahead of your chairs.
You can buy like these nails that have got like plastic caps
on them that fit Snoke to the the shield.
You never done that, Joe. Say again, Gracie.
You never said that. Did I not?
Sorry. Anyway, get Rachel to be just
record, just 5 or 10 minutes. Have it for us, please.
I'll be good that I. Mean a clear sealant as well
sealant. Oh fucking I haven't got any of
that. I'll send you a picture of the
finished job. Yeah, do that, do that.
But really good to see you again, dude.
Obviously end of January now. Hope you've all had a good
Christmas and New Year and the listeners and and Garrett,
thanks very much for dialling guys.
How's things going? Yeah, we're all right.
Nice Christmas and New Year and all that.
Yeah, we're good. Yeah, we're going to mix a
pretty busy and then and I mean enough quiet time just to sort
of relax and chill and stuff. So looking forward to another
new year. So get this weather out away and
crack on, I think. Yeah, good, good.
So today, as I've said, we're going to look at the 100 Club.
They were not the 100 Club, which it's called the lower
house draw. We'll play the legendary game.
Guess the winner. But before we do that, we've
got, I feel, a real special guest who's who's I've persuaded
to come on. We've had a few discussions late
at night about in Cricket Club, about the podcast and about the
the ruling of the Cricket Club. And this lad is quite an
integral part, I feel for the last few years of getting the
club into the place and it's happening.
So we welcome Paul Grace. How are you doing, Gracie?
I'm all right, so thanks. Yeah.
Good. She's sticky, Boo.
Yeah, good. You got on the Zoom call really
easy, didn't seem any issues for you.
Well, I did it wouldn't work with laptop our daughter out.
Oh. Grace, it's all part of just a
smoke and mirrors. You were trying to you're trying
to make you make you seem a lot more sort of savvy than you
actually were. There you just, you just poo
pooed it. Yeah, I'm not a techno person.
No, no, I can't speak Grace. I think we've done about 160 of
these podcasts and I've missed recording about 20.
They've. Just disappeared.
But but it's really good to have you on Paul, Paul Grace.
I think we've known about each other for donkeys years, you
know, bumping into each other in town or having a pint.
A massive Burley Football Club fan and now down at the Cricket
Club, I think it's fair to say, you know, I'm not I don't want
to embarrass you with it, but the work you do down there is,
is really invaluable. And the part of a very good
management team stroke committee that I've got things going in a
fantastic, you know, the, the, the, the bar sales, the
entertainment, everything is just thriving.
It really is good. But we'll go into that grace and
just talk us through, you know, your background around watching
Burnley Football Club, around watching Lower House, how far
you go back and just a little bit of background about
yourself. Well, regarding lower house,
back in the day, me and my mate Stephen Moss, who I think he is,
to play with my talk down there briefly, we used alternate on
weekends between lower house and Burnley, but that's when lower
house was on its backside. So that's right.
So yeah. And we, we would invariably end
up down at Burnley and then into town afterwards.
But yeah, the draw to come back to lower house eventually.
I've made that decision a few years ago.
I've been coming on, coming down on and off and then I think it
was around COVID time, just after I was just before I've
made that decision to come down lower house and it was the
second game, 2nd 11 game and I bumped into Paul Stanley and to
say it were a second eleven game.
I think that day I bet there were about 400 only.
We're an absolute red up there. And I've, I've since then,
basically I just go to whoever's playing at home, beat for
seconds, thirds and fourths and just support who's, you know, on
the pitch really. And, you know, last season there
was some cracking games, you know, thirds and fourths,
elevens. So yeah, just, yeah, it's really
enjoyable and it's a relaxed atmosphere.
It's I just think it's brilliant for your mental health.
Do you know what I mean? There's no pressure like I go
with with Clarets home and away, but there's a pressure
associated with that and there's no pressure with cricket.
It's nice and chilled and yeah, it's it's just great.
And a couple of my mates, they've ended up coming down and
they say the same thing. Initially they've come down with
me. Now they just rock up on their
own and they don't bat an hour because everybody's friendly and
they just get on with everybody. So I.
Think going back to the start of that, it's your conversation
there, Grace, you know, COVID was horrendous, you know,
horrendous for all of us. But when you look at what's
going like, you know, certainly the Cricket Club thriving that
became, that was the true time of being a community club.
When the restrictions were lifted, we got a lot of people
coming down. Obviously we were being daft on
the podcast and it seemed to just develop from there.
So you've you've come down as you've described, there's a lot
of welcoming people there. There's no hassles off anyone.
Anyone will chat to anyone and certainly over a few times and
you're a character in yourself. When did it become apparent to
you that you wanted to help out with the organisational side of
things and and how did that work?
Like the usual thing, people sit there, they sit there now, don't
they? And everyone has their own
ideas. And Frank asked.
Frank asked me and Sam Smith to if would be interested in it in
basically coming on the committee and helping with
things as in at that time this were typical.
Mark White said this he threw a little an grenade.
We've been going to quizzes up at the ice and me, Mark, Mick
and Sam and Mark kept saying, oh, you should do a quiz down at
our house, Grace. Anyhow, next thing Sam had put
me up and lo and behold, between us, both, me and Sam, we started
doing the quizzes and overall they've been a very good
success. So yeah.
But yeah, it was. Frank just approached me and
said would you be interested? I think Stan had give me the
heads up as well. So yeah, just happy to help in
any shape, way or form. I think one of the things Frank
said was you've got contacts all over, so do you know what I
mean? They're coming, Andy.
Well, when you work for yourself, you do, you get to
know people, you know, all over town and beyond town.
So yeah. But yeah, yeah, I enjoy it.
It's, it's a bit hard at times. It's it's frustrating.
I won't say hard in that when I want to do something, I get it
done and I do it there and then. And it's, it's infuriating,
frustrating. Call it what you want.
When you think of something down at the Cricket Club and it's met
like with caution, I'd say caution more than anything.
And it has to be, you know, thoroughly thought out and
basically they have to watch the pennies still, don't they?
We might be a thriving club, but we can't just start throwing
money around Willy nilly, can we?
We've got to prioritise certain things.
Of course we do. Of course we do.
Any and I know you'll know all this Grace, you vote for
yourself and for other listeners.
You know, certainly me and Gary remember the days where we
didn't have anything and it was hardly anyone doing any of the
jobs and it was very, very difficult and you know, probably
put quite a few players and spectators off.
Yeah. But now it has started thriving
and now we have, I'll start to get a few quid through because
of the, you know, the gate receipts and the, the, the
membership and the bar takings. We can't, we can't do those
extra things. But it's important you have the
right people in place to do it and make those right decisions.
And I think Matt Stanley runs it, you know, quite regimental
and, and he's, he's good at the way that he manages everyone
else. Have you, you know, is there any
examples of, you know, some of the projects you've undertaken
that maybe you've, you've had some objection to or some, some
funny stories about? Well, there's the one.
This is the one where I gained all the credence.
We all the credit in the bank was Stan for months and months
and months. There was a smell in the bar
area and Stan, Sir. And it's dishwasher gracer Stan.
It's not dishwasher. It was a horrible smell.
Gracer. Yeah.
Yeah, there was a horrible smell culminating in one of the Ivy
EUR of World Cup games. And there's loads of builders in
the room. There were me and Sony,
Woodworth and a few others and some builders there, and they're
all saying that's not the dishwasher, these are builders.
Stan being Stan, I love throwing angry heads at him.
By the way, Stan being Stan just carried on saying it's the
dishwasher. So one day I just took it upon
me. So I went down.
I've do gold drains out right back.
First one I did, cleared it out. Stan said yeah, that'll be
right. I said no, I'll do them all,
Stan. Oh, you don't have to bother.
Anyhow, dug them all out and I said it's still there that
smells. No I didn't.
It's not. It's not.
Anyhow it transpired it was the outlet in the gents toilet.
So we got somebody in, did a temporary repair, it cured it
overnight anyhow, hence we ended up getting a new toilet base.
And so that's how I ended up getting credit with Stan because
I sorted out the smell in the toilet tissue but it was
unbearable at the time. Don't sound anywhere near it
really was on was an issue? Has he accepted that he was
wrong? That it wasn't the dishwasher.
Oh yeah, come. Through the dishwasher.
He actually said, I'll show me backside on that one, Grace.
He will. Right.
So that that was rare in itself, wasn't it, it?
Was it should? Have come down in 90s?
No, we're there then. Well.
Yeah, and. With no dishwasher.
To work on it. Until until Maureen Stansfield
came in on Monday morning to tidy up.
Going back to what you said earlier, edges about volunteers,
people don't realise, I don't think how many volunteers
actually do things behind the scenes down there, you know,
from like streaming between the benches and doing the flower
beds and you know, people just was good art.
So just come down and pass the time of day and I'm sure there's
other clubs don't have anywhere near the amount of out that way
you get down there. I'm going to come up to Duke in
a minute, just around because, you know, if you wrote a list of
the various jobs that are done and a lot of the people, they
don't want any credit for it. They don't want even to be
acknowledged that they're doing it.
You know, like you said with the gardening and everything.
And you know, again, you know, Gary's done it.
Been there, I've done it, been there.
But Dutchie's now spent a lot of time with the cricket side of it
and, and I think, you know, looking at the outside, it
looked, it works really well. We have the cricket section, the
junior section, the committee, we have the, the, the
organisational of the, the events and then the, the bar
staff and everything. Have you?
You do. You are obviously considerably
younger than me and Gary. Have you seen it over the last
10 years or so? Not just because Grace is
coming, but you know the change for you Rugrats.
Are you 7 or 8 of you who? Well, I think we are very
fortunate and I don't, I don't really look, but, but we do like
Grace said, we do have a, we do have a large roster of
volunteers and I know clubs like ours sort of live and die by the
volunteers, don't they? Because because they haven't got
money to pay people to do stuff. But I do think when I go to the
clubs, I don't see the same level as as sort of the army of
volunteers that the lower house have.
And I don't, I don't quite know how, how we've sort of
engineered that. But but it's, it's great to see.
And you know, all you have to do is come down at any time.
But there are a few standouts and we've mentioned it before,
like the bonfire, when you go down on on the bonfire, either
on the event itself or in the week leading up.
And there's literally, you know, loads of people who are just
giving up the time for free just just just so the club can host
this event. And it really, you know, I don't
want to stop it, but it really is heartwarming to see.
Just going on to the committee point, you know, we were before
Gracie and Sam came on on board, we were lacking in diversity
quite, quite a lot. And I don't mean that in terms
of, you know, the usual meaning of that word.
What I mean is we're all ex players.
Everybody on the committee, except for what or before Simon
Grace came on, have all been at the club for donkeys years.
We all used to play. We all look at it through the
same lens. And I think that's probably
where Paul, some of Paul's frustrations come in because,
you know, we're all setting our ways on that committee and we
all think that we know that the the best way to do stuff because
we're all look like they were all looking at it through the
same lens. So to get 2 fresh pair of eyes
who, you know, haven't played for the club for donkeys years
and haven't been around and do ask questions that that perhaps
we won't think to ask has sort of brought a real freshness to
the committee and taking it in a new direction.
Gracie Wynes stand no end in committee meetings and it's
great to watch. But it but it's all positive.
It's all all very, very positive and it's and it's great that
it's sort of happened. Now that it's a, it's a good
description of it, Dutch and yeah, and you know, it might not
carry on forever. Things do go in in circles,
whether it's because of the standard, the cricket on the
field reflects the people who want to come and watch.
You need organising and then we can get events on.
You know, I do believe that things go around in circles and
and Gary, I mean just a couple of examples.
If you Remember Me and you going back, you know, we'd be, we'd be
sorting out, you know, putting the Nets up as captains or
rolling the pitch or, you know, having to literally work behind
the bar. Now, I know you've been up over
the last couple of years, Gary, a few times.
How do you, you know, you look at the club now and was he ever
imaginable? Do you think back in our day
that we could see the way it is? A bit of a pipe dream jazz,
wasn't it? I think you need a few things to
fall into place. Success on the pitch gets you
that profile and everything else and you get the odd big games,
finals and you see those packed out and people might think,
yeah, I'm going to come down a bit more regular 1.
So if you can get people, if you can get lower eyes with a bit
more awareness around the town, etcetera, then that that's
that's the the talking point. That's the way into some extent,
I think just that next wave of resource, if you like, from when
players do retire and and and stay loyal to the club and go on
the committees and and help round the ground.
You know, obviously we like we lose we lose the last instantex
over the the the ground works and you know, Dave Ren sadly and
and and the committee then evolves into a different shape
with different people and and not different ideas or or energy
or anything like that. Just just another wave and, and,
and, and that's I think organically how a lot of it's
happened. I think the success and the
expansion of the teams brings more parents down and the
success then they want to get involved and they don't see it
as a waste of time. It's something to be pride to be
associated with. I think if you could do what
we've done over the last 10-15 years, I think all clubs would
be doing it. So I think some of it is
naturally a happy accident, dare I say some of it.
Obviously that doesn't diminish the effort people are putting in
because you know our club would be on its house again if we
didn't have those volunteers and the like.
So I think it needs a few things to come together and it doesn't
happen quickly, but I think all credit, you know, the few times
I've been up in the last year or two and you know, a couple of
times message Matt, Matt Stanley something afterwards and just,
you know, you can see a difference.
You know, I guess when you may be down there every week in
week. I but if I, if I come up two or
three times a year, you can still see that difference of
maybe it's the tea room or maybe it's just like the, the, the,
the, the bar area or, or the ground or the surroundings, you
know, just people, you hear conversations going on.
And I don't know some of these people now, but they're
obviously involved with the club and you can, you can hear
conversations in the bar about them talking about doing this or
organising that. And, and it's great.
It's fantastic to see. It's, you know, wish I wish I
was a bit closer and, you know, so you see it a bit more often
than getting involved a bit more.
But yeah, fantastic. Yeah, it it, it.
Isn't, you know, the socials that we can Gracie through the
winter. You know, you've, you've
mentioned, you know yourself about keeping active.
You know, winters. It gets worse as you get older,
certainly when you're not playing sports and you can't
look forward to your football or to play, you know, or your
cricket. So the socials, what, what were
they about? How did that come about during
the winter? I think it, it, it started, I
think Sam's initially said can we try opening on a Sunday, you
know, for the football that we're on?
And she'd actually do the bar. And so so she worked behind bar
for for. Few first few months and and
then they became really successful.
So it got to the point where some didn't need to work behind
the bar. They were able to put, you know,
the normal bar stuff on. And did you seem to be growing
strength from strength, going from strength from strength to
strength? And I mean Wagga down even.
Do you know what I mean? Even if I just want Guinness 0,
which stands taking credit for for getting him, by the way,
even though I told him to get it.
But yeah, if and you're going in and you're seeing different
people coming in every Sunday and that's good.
Do you know what I mean? So that's growing.
So I don't know. It's we've got the Gold Cup
coming up, aren't we? The Gold Cup Friday that me and
Tony have sorted out. So.
You've talked us through what's
happening on that day for listeners if they want to come
down. So on Gold Cup Friday, I think
it's March 13th, basically the club's opening and we're still
not 100% decided how it's going to work, whether we're going to
have a there's going to be two options.
I think you can either pay a fixed fee and you'd be a
potential, it could be free, well not free, you're paying
upfront with food as well, or you can just come down as
normal. So for them not like a drink,
they might opt for the all in. 13th of March champions races
that week and that's the Gold Cup day.
So anyone who bit of a loose end and fancies an afternoon watch
the racing and and obviously there won't be, we can't take
any bets there, but we will have some form of a tilt or some form
of a raffle play spot type things going.
So we'll check it till then. Yeah, and Chris will be open and
Chris and Becky put the food, so there'll be food on as well and
I think it'll be a very successful day quietly away.
I once went to on at Burnley and I bet there were 150 people
there. Yeah, yeah.
It is a busy day, you know, and a lot of pubs, but if we can
attract them there and yeah. And so going on to Chris and
Becky, how they're doing. They're the new caterers at the
Cricket Club. Yeah, and they're quietly aware
going about a refurb up at the tea, up at the tea room.
They're refurb in it inside after the basically now just
waiting for the remainder of, you know, the cricket stuff that
was in and the chairs for all that to be removed.
And then they can really go for it, Elfa Leather and get it up
and running. It should be ready for the
season Bolts. They're doing a nice, lovely
menu. You know, I got, I took home a
Sunday roast the other way that were very nice.
So yeah. And it's affordable.
It's the food. It's not silly prices.
So yeah, they're they've got that enthusiasm, you know that.
Yeah. New business enthusiasm, I call
it good. So yeah, it's Boundary Bikes,
it's called. Boundary bikes, yeah.
So get yourself down there and and try out the delights takes
us back, Gary. I don't think we need to mention
any names or anything when we're playing against quite a
successful side. And the chairman and his wife
went in the tea room for the tea and cakes and saw a mouse run
across the floor And he reported it.
He reported it to Jackie and he said there's there, I've just
been in your tea room and a rat just run right across the floor.
And Jack said, I think you might find it's a mouse.
We have a nest of them. Yeah.
Anyway, you'll, you'll remain, remain nameless.
And we're going to go on to the draw shortly.
But I'll ask Gary and Dutch if there's anything else they want
to speak to Gracie about. But first of all, Gracie, I just
want to touch on a point you mentioned earlier around, you
know, people feeling down and people, you know, not leaving
the house. You know, we've all been there.
We've all had, whether it's, you know, major turmoil in our lives
or sometimes it can be something and nothing.
You know, we've had conversations on a few occasions
about going down to the club in the summer, you know, even just
have a couple of pints and see some smiling faces.
You know, you've a bit of experience of that and you can
you just describe, you know, how we help you and you know, any
messages for people who might feel fed up and you know, and
the club could help them. Well, I went on that course that
the club put me forward for the six connections with Dave
Schools at the Landmark in Burnley.
It was very eye opening, interesting.
But basically it's all about talking, just talk to talk to
somebody. And basically it's, how can I
describe it? It's like if you talk to six
people, you know, 6 people you can talk to about various
things. And the idea is them six people
then talk to other 6 people. And basically it's just to get
people talking. And I, I can talk, it doesn't
bother me. If somebody asks me, I'm OK,
I'll say no, I feel like crap. Do you know what I mean?
I'm down it. But there's other people that
won't. And I think it's a case of do
you know, if you, if you ask somebody or you're OK and they
say, yeah, they're OK and you know damn well they're not, it's
up to you then to try and, you know, just try and push them a
bit and, you know, get them to talk.
And it is a, it is a weight off your shoulders when you do talk.
And yeah, I don't, you've just got to speak, talk to people,
simple as that. And, but in relation to me
starting going back down to regularly, I just thought I'm
not having a summer sat at home, you know, just doing nothing.
And you know what I mean. I'll take myself down to the
Cricket Club. And like I say, I met Paul
Stanley there and we had a cracking afternoon that led into
the night. And I've never been away since.
It's as simple as that. And, and basically it's just on
the back of there's always a friendly face there.
Do you know what I mean? It's, it is such a welcoming
club and like people always say are going on about a pint, have
a pint together. And unfortunately sometimes that
can be the catalyst for people to go the other way.
So, you know, you don't have to have a pint.
You can just sit there and chat with other people.
There's always somebody there to talk to, and it's just about
talking. It is an important message,
Gracie. And you know, I've got a few
little points myself. You know, it's a subject that we
don't like, Gary, us, you know, those males, we don't like
talking, you know, is, is it something you've seen?
Is it something that that you know, you could you can endorse?
Fortunately, not personally in that, in that sense, I mean, you
know, like say we all have as challenges and we've had some
tough times and, and, you know, thankfully you sometimes you
only realise after the event you've had good people around
you that maybe have prevented you from getting into a, into a
particular state. So, yeah, you know, sort of from
that point of view, I, I, I can associate with that.
I think the talking thing is it's a it's a funny 1, isn't it?
Because if think if you, I mean, not me, but I guess if, if
you've got the world on your shoulders, sometimes talking is
the last thing you want to do. So like you said, that the point
of other people talking, you don't know what they're going
through. So trying to just, you know,
have that conversation and eek something out and, and, and get
it and encourage them to, to, to open up, maybe get involved in
something to like, say, get out and about hobby, some other
interests, whatever it might be. I think he's so important that
you hear you do is sometimes a lot of people saying or soon as
I started talking, I had that weight off my shoulder, but they
probably weren't going to be the first ones to to to start that
conversation or or open up necessarily.
So it does sound like it really, you know, the other people who
who who are OK in inverted commas.
You know, we have that onus on us to to to try and instigate
that sometimes. But no, I always feel I and and
again, look, you got you don't know it at that time, but going
back when I did a lot of football, cricket, golf, and you
sort of out four or five times a week doing all the sort of sport
and stuff. And you've got that social group
around you when you step away from that, I think that's a, you
know, if we're relating it to sort of sporting and loris and
that sort of activity, then then I guess that sort of friendship
group. You know, we all miss the
dressing room and we all miss those times.
And we we sit on here talking about those stories until we
blew in the face because they were great, great memories,
great moments and we're all happy and we're all, you know,
with like minded people or just having a great time, etcetera.
So yeah, those changes in circumstances, it might be a
job, you might that lose a job or move away or whatever it is.
So I think, you know, probably what Paul's saying about the
conversational element of it is super important and to look out
for it happening. Don't wait necessarily think
I'll be OK, it won't happen to me is be self aware and just
look out for those things and try and take steps to prevent it
happening. Not just the reactive element of
shit I am down, what do I do now?
So yeah. Common subject it is and as you
said, Gary, you know, you've been through so much and and
you're strong and you managed it, but people don't realise
what could be going on behind that And and long term.
I mean, you're quite a bit younger than us do Chair.
I think the younger ones are a little bit more open to chat to
each other, I think, but there's still an issue in there.
It's certainly in changing rooms in sports clubs of this, you
know, you've got to be, you know, each week to speak what's
your thoughts on it and from, you know, from your generational
side. I had a lot of it intakes all
all related to, you know, not wanting to show weakness, which
is nonsense really when you think about it.
But like Gary said, you said sometimes a change in
circumstances can sort of spark that.
And, you know, I think about myself when I packed in playing
cricket, then I was desperate to do something else at the club.
I didn't want to, I didn't want to go away from the club even
though I wasn't going to play anymore.
And that's how I ended up, you know, doing doing what I'm
doing. But there are obviously lots of
ways of sort of tackling it. And yeah, I think shouting up is
is that is the right way to go if you've got that, if you've
got the mechanism to be able to do that.
Yeah, it is. You know, just to reiterate it,
you know, there is other organisations if anyone is
struggling to give a shout out to and, and please just just
talk or as Gracie said, you know, I keep saying, oh, come
down for a pint, come down for a pint.
As friendly faces on a nice summer's day, There's nothing
wrong. We're just walking right around
the ground two or three times, smiling at people and going
home. You know, if that's, if that
helps helps people, it is important that that that
facility is there for them. Oh, Gracie, I really agree.
Sorry, Jeff, just before you go off, if you want to come down,
you don't have to dig the drains out.
I just wanted to, I just want to point that out.
You know, you can come that, that Gracie mentioned that you
don't have to do any, any hard layer, but you can come down and
just enjoy yourself. And if you want to do some small
tasks, you can, but you don't actually have to dig the drains
out. That's not compulsory.
Big shake out to Stubbsy and Roger, by the way.
I've missed them out on volunteers.
Probably missed lots and lots of volunteers out, but yeah.
And Stubbs here, there we stand every day helping him out.
So The thing is, they're doing that for their mental health and
all of a sudden stands better for it.
So they're like 3 Musketeers together, but they all bounce
off one another. But they're good for each other
in a mental capacity. Yeah, they do.
They have some, you know, they graft and graft and the end
product is fantastic as the as the ground and the pitch and the
wiki, sure, but they have good fun doing it.
You know, you're listening to those those character.
It's like it's like somewhat off a off a sitcom.
So we will we will round up at the angry SE and and and Gary
and Dukes know this. If there's any other thing,
anything else we want to discuss, but I think we need to
look at the the draw and join the the January numbers so.
Before you do the January numbers, yes, I've got a couple
of bits of correspondence to that we need to address from the
from the December, November. Draw right?
OK then first of all. Chris Astin Chris Astin has been
in touch. Who won a prize in the last row?
When you were describing him to George to try and get him to
guess, he said this lad's well into his 50s.
He's not happy with you at all. He's 45, he said.
If I'm willing to be 50s, how old is that silly old duffer?
That's why he said that would. That's his quote, not mine.
Well, Chris, because I know what sticks up, merchants, you all
are. I'm going to have to go back to
the episode and re listen to it because I don't think I would
have said you're in your 50s. I clearly know.
Well into his 50s, he said. But.
You're not, you know, you're looking, you look in your early
30s. You know, when, when we see you,
your proper dapper lad. So I will have a look.
But if I did say 50s, I apologise profusely, you know,
because obviously I'm, I'm in the mid 50s and I know that you
are considerably younger. The next correspondence, Joe.
The other bit is a bit more serious.
It's from the Gambling Commission and they want an
investigation into the guest. The winner feature from last
time around, Joe Martin's performance apparently, and this
is all all documented, but apparently he struggled like mad
to guess a very, very obvious answer early on.
Dave Gardner and you had to spoon feed him clue after clue
after clue. But when it came to some of the
more obscure ones towards the back end of the drawer and
perhaps you were running out of time, Jean, hey, he got before
you even offered him a clue. He managed to get that right.
So there's some suggestions that the draw that the get the winner
feature is not as transparent as what it should be.
I don't know if have you got any comments around that, Jess?
You think there's some spot fixed betting going on here?
The investigation will reveal all Gary but but certainly the
the George performance in the last draw is under severe
scrutiny. Jess Fantino All I.
Can. Do all I can really do is is to
go off the facts and figures. So we've had, we've done guess
the guess the winner for 11 of the draws, which means there has
been, but so 10 of that nine. So there's been 46 winners, you
know, some of the same, but we've guessed them.
And Joe Martin has got 31 right and Joe Beneducci's got 22.
So I'm just wondering if there's a little bit of sour grapes here
and a little bit of let me, let me throw this an grenade in
because Joe's beaten there. But, you know, bring it on if
the Commission wants to cover in questioners and bring it on.
One of his evidence, I think as returned King's evidence.
Yeah, possibly. They wanted to make it clear
that the draw itself is not under scrutiny.
The draw itself is is ring fenced.
Yes, purely the guess the winner feature that they're not happy
with. Right, let's let's see if we can
get any more correspondence off them.
Have we had anything this this month from Drew Peacock?
Dude, she seems to be the one that sends you everything.
No, he's gone very quiet. I heard a whisper that he's that
he's got some legal troubles, but I don't.
I don't know any any more on that.
Right. Well, better not.
We can't get in, We can't get involved in any any legal
matters. So as you will all the
listeners, you will obviously know by now because he would
have been laughing his head off. Joe Martin's not on this call.
So we've had to have an emergency regroup about the
random number generator and I've, I've asked Dutch if you
can sort it. Has it been sorted, Dutch?
Yeah, that's a brilliant. Numbers between 1:00 and Guess
it right. Don't be a quitter, it's time to
play. Yes, the winner.
One and 177 There are still a few 3 numbers in here and I do
want to give a couple of shout outs.
First of all, before we do it to it's Phil Haggerty.
Phil's contacted us and it's 2 lads have now joined the the
draw, Joshua and Jacob. So their number is 109 I believe
Joshua's just gone 18 and Jacob just gone 19.
So they can they can gamble. And again Sharon Stansfield,
she's been in a in a while, but she's we're desperate for Sharon
to win before Paul does. Lynette Waddington's joined.
That's Dave Waddington's misses, so thanks very much.
Lynette is number 87. Tom Walker keeps threatening to
join, but he's he's yet to set up his standing order.
Your numbers really, Tom, when you want to join, we should.
Target all them young and strongly, not many.
Players in, not many players in it now, Grey said.
But it's not mandatory, but I'm sure you can get on the case.
Yeah, we'll push it. Yeah, OK.
We have obviously Chip is joined #22 Chris Ashworth.
Thanks very much, Chris, for joining last year.
And Natalie Grieves is number 1 and Chris Ashworth is 20.
Another job for you, Gracie. Mark Stewart, the London King's
Council, he only pays by cash. He refuses to pay by standing
order. And he's, and he holds, he's
behind, he holds. If you can call him next time,
we will still keep his number in for now.
That's a job for you, Gracie. It's sometimes outside Chippy on
Pendle St. Yeah, we'll get £60 off him for
the year. Let's go through the with four
wins, 4 prizes this month. First prize 102nd, prize 8 says
third prize 70 and fourth prize 50.
So spin your balls right. Please do.
First number there I'm sure it's the camera is 176 I'm.
Not sure that's taken. No, that's a free number, so we
need to draw that again, please. John and number 123. 3123 the
top was really, really nice. Lad comes down to the cricket on
odd occasions. I'm quite sure that all of you
will know him. You can join in grace if you get
if you get an inkling who it is. All right, player.
Ex Player. No footballer, An ex footballer
who played locally. Like I said, he's a really
lovely lad. Really.
It's probably Gary's age, maybe a bit younger.
Jump stop. No, no, he I think it's fair to
say and it's no criticism of him and his Craig.
He comes down with quite a few people, but it's generally for
big games. Well, you know the words.
The cup finals, semi finals, last games of the season.
Likes the pint, likes to wander around.
I'm led to believe only because of what I see on social media is
quite a big cycler. They like cycling.
No, no, no. A bit older than Dirk.
See, I'll throw out a good clue here.
Played in the same football team at the same club at Belvedere.
Yes. Dave Bennett, No, same era.
It was a right back. We're going to get out Gaz
Evans, right? Gary's on it, Gary's on it.
I can tell Paul Corcoran quite big mates of old Risky Lisa
shouted on me. But that's not right.
Other Paul Stansfield. No lives, the Paul site goes in
the pub or Paul psych a lot. Not Dad Smith.
Yes, Darren's race. Well done, Duke, Well done.
How? Did you turn there, Duke?
Do you? Want to make it look too obvious
for JC? So well done Gary, £100 on its
way to you that was #123 next one for £80 please Joe.
Number 146. These are big guns.
Is that a clue? Right, so you're all going to go
mental who this winner is. It's a member of the Hope
family. Correct Max.
No, she's a lovely lass. Lisa.
No, no. Da.
Yes, well done Diane, you've got 80 pound 80 LB coming to die
Hope number 146. Next one for £70 please Joe.
Number there we are 32. 30 better national law all the
original members. Extraction going on.
Yeah, he's he's been coming down for a few years.
He's not an ex player. There's a couple of really good
clues I could give, but you get it quite quickly.
Character a real character is is his family.
His family play there his sons. Even SIM.
Correct. Well done, Duke.
Well done. What is that?
Three nil now? Three nil, nil.
Well done, Steve. That's number 3280 LB.
Sorry, 70 LB. Sorry. 70 LB.
And the 4th and final price of £50.
Please, Duke. #28 number. 28 That's right.
I'm. I don't know about you, Gracie.
Knowing this this lad, you will have heard of him, do I don't
are you possibly played when he used to come and watch he used
to watch us all over the place. The real character.
Really lovely fella. Believe it or not, I think he's
a touch older than me. He doesn't come down at all now
he. Doesn't come down at all now.
No, I ain't seen him for years down there.
Get a little bit of interaction on social media.
Yeah, He's a Duke. Yeah, I can give you some good
clues. So clues where you get him.
He he's the the story that Matt tells around a sportsman's
dinner and he left a phone, an answer machine message on his
mobile because he couldn't make it.
Richard, describe. Yeah.
Well done. Richard Hartley.
Yeah. Describe it as Matthew.
I've dropped him on your mental bollock.
Yeah. Richard Hartley #28.
I'm double booked. I'm double what?
Yeah. What are the clues were you
going to, were you going to give us for Richard Jess?
I think I could probably get one.
Ted Whittle brought him down. Yeah, yeah, there's there's
quite a lot any of a real character.
He's a pity these people. But I suppose times change,
etcetera. So thanks to everyone.
Thanks very much, Duke for sorting those numbers out.
Thanks everyone for we're continuing to support the
raffle, the draw. We are getting more and more
people coming in. So keep that going because we do
have 70% of the the money is paid out in prizes and then the
rest of us to the club for the junior section and it really
does help. So if you want to join, then get
in touch with me or have a look online and you can join before I
come round to to you all for your final comments and points.
Before we finish, I'd just like to to give a shout out to to
Jean Hay, who, who was very kindly donated her winnings for
the last month. I got a message off her son this
week saying that, you know, ask asking about the winnings and,
and Jean, I've only got a landline number for her.
And what I generally do is when she wins, I'll ring a long line
and say I'm coming round and and drop a check off.
And it was only when for some contract that I realised I'm
paid £100 winnings to her earlier this earlier last year.
So she's actually 200 LB old. And when this when John has some
spoke to Jean, she wants her to donate both of the prizes to the
junior section. In particular, she mentioned
Patty Martin and the All Stars. So thanks ever so much Jean, and
thanks to your son John for sorting it out.
That check has been sent to the junior session and will be used
thoroughly for the the old stars that are running the old star.
So that's a fantastic. Brilliant, Jean.
Thanks very much. For that, Gracie, I'll come to
you last before we finish. Gary, any observations, anything
you want to you want to comment on?
I mean, you got the last one right?
So it's three one in that in that game.
Yeah, no, nothing more really on that judge, but it would just
comment. Before this I was just catching
up with stuff online and on the website.
And so those couple of points around news items on there with
the corporate membership stuff, we burn the leisure and also the
the sponsorship logo, I think looking to sort of get that out
and about news of that. So if people know people who
know people who are looking for a bit of sponsorship logos on
the kit, training kit, match day kit, I guess things like that,
then it's a quite cheap option looking at it.
So looks to be. I don't do a great deal of
social media so obviously a lot of things things often get
pushed out to you. But the website is also a good
source of info if you don't do heavy socials.
Yeah, brilliant there. Yeah, it is important that and
just think, you know, we are literally getting hundreds and
hundreds of spectators now, sometimes thousands on big
games. So you're right, it is, it is a
good way to promote your your businesses, etcetera.
So yeah, be in touch dude. Do anything from yourself.
No, not really. Obviously the end of January
now. So we're we're almost in the
home stretch in terms of towards the season.
So yeah, just looking forward to getting back down there and
watching some cricket. Yeah, yeah.
Good. It's probably worth me
mentioning at this point the the turmoil or the little bit of
turmoil between the MD and the cricket manager Matt Stein and
Stan Eaton. This last week was the the rule
change meeting from the Lancashire League exec which all
the clubs attend. It went really well, very
smoothly. There's only there was only 15
proposals. I think Paul got knocked back,
so there's only 11, but apparently MD can't get his head
around them at all and Stan's not helping him.
So maybe a bit of mediation there from you Gracie, to get
them to to understand the simple rules that that have been
circulated Gracie. I must stop me, I said.
It's not really clear, is it that Stan?
He said. Well, that's right.
That's all. When I see Stan, I'll say to
him, like I said, just love throwing an grenade at Stan just
to get him wound up. But can I just go back to what
Gary was saying earlier on about over the last 10-15 years?
I think Adam's been a massive, massive part of that with the
social media. We're everywhere, aren't we?
I mean, these podcasts for one, but we're everywhere now.
You can't open a social media post night without Laura House
being, you know, one of the first things that you see.
You know, I mean, we're out there aren't we're.
So anyone actually wanting to sponsor us, we are actually out
there. Yeah.
We've also got in a couple of weeks, 3 Coach Wards and
Mansfield fans coming, you know, for the cups are all right.
Yeah. So I've sorted that out and
they're looking forward to coming.
Just a shame they're not here for an hour earlier.
An hour extra. That another one of your ideas
that was initially struggled to get agreed, wasn't it Paul?
Yes, well then the next one was plastic glasses and now I'm so I
rings Matthew next day. I said the plastic glasses that
you're all coming out way is flawed.
What do you mean? I said, well, you're saying if
they're good enough for our members, they're good enough for
some Mansfield fans. I said, well, there's 600 fans
on here for a T20 and they stood outside, so plastic glasses are
appropriate. And you mentioned Burnley
Cricket Club, they've got a thousand, 1500 people drinking.
So the bounce off plastic glasses, these are coming to a
funk to a room inside in winter. Anyhow, Stan was still against
it and then I said, Stan, it's not right.
I said why not start on glasses? He went, oh, that's a good idea,
I'll just have a look. So we're starting on glasses.
So which? Is important.
Keep pushing that dress. You keep pushing it.
I think sometimes we've got to think of the environment,
throwing all these plastic and bins.
Yeah, you know, when there's only 40 of us and we'll we'll
volunteer to wash them up if that's an issue.
Yeah. So it's yeah.
You've got to make everything feel, make Sam think.
It's his idea. Yeah, that's, that's the way to
do it. Yeah.
That really is so great. You really appreciate you coming
on. No, I've enjoyed it.
Thank you. Yeah, we've enjoyed going
through things with you. And again, let's just reiterate,
people just come down. If you're just wanting a good
day out or just want to get out of the house in the summer, you
really will be welcome. So Gracie, final point from you
before we conclude. You can get fed and watered down
at the house and talk and if you think somebody's not at the
best, just try and encourage that conversation.
Brilliant. Try and encourage a conversation
out of them. Brilliant.
That's a good way to end it. Thanks very much, Gracie.
Let's. And roll on.
April exactly. Roll on April.
I'm sure we'll be having two or three podcasts before then to,
to discuss the start of the season, etcetera and and any
updates. So we now have to finish this
without me turning it off and losing the recording.
Are you on it, Gary? Am I?
What am I on it? Are you on it?
Am I going to be doing this right?
Are you doing it? You you started it, Jess.
So you you've got to stop the recording I.
Don't think I didn't press anything at start.
It was already recording. Oh my God.
It's saying recording at the top.
Yeah, you must have recorded it. It's saying start recording at
the bottom of mine. Don't do that.
I think the key last time jazz was everybody bombed off the the
meeting before it stopped recording.
I think that's why it probably ended up getting lost.
So I'll make sure you just stop it and it and it says we get
told and it that recording is stopped or whatever before
before you close the meeting off before we end the Zoom session.
Do it quickly because I've got to go to B&Q.
We're open till 9:00. You leave if you want Jones as
long as Gary stops, see. I'm still logged in here at tea
time. I'm hovering over the recording
and it's not letting. It's not coming up with
anything. I've stopped recording.
Well, who started it? I didn't.
It was recording when I came on. You two were already on it.
Yeah, as soon as I joined it said meeting, meeting.
Being Jordan Jordan IT remotely maybe.
Possible, it says. Oh man.
It does say recording, man. In top right, it says recording.
I think we'll be all right, yes. And I've clicked down at the
bottom where it says record and it says please ask the host to
give you permission to record. So obviously Joe is the host.
Unless so you've not logged in as Joe.
I I just opened the link on the WhatsApp and it came up like
this. Already recording but.
I thought the horse had to be had to at least start the
meeting, didn't it? So did Joe.
Do you think Joe did it? Unless you can do it
automatically when you set the meeting up now, but where would
it be called to do? We know what he's doing, Jazz.
Do you know why I couldn't make it?
No. I think about giving him a ring.
He's got to meet him with his lawyer.
I think it's going to be. Hi, Joe.
Hi. Joe.
We're we've finished the podcast.
Did you set it recording at the start from remotely?
Yeah, you did. So that's good.
It's same recording in the top right, but none of us know how
to turn it off or we don't. We don't leave in case it's not
safe. Are you running?
Just got back. You're a star.
We're all panicking like Maddie. And don't leave.
Joe's got a roof to fix. Yeah, you're going to do.
I can't believe it either. It's going to carry on leaking
just for safety. No.
Isn't this property? My brother was the original Dick
Fingers, and he's Dick Fingers too.
I'm not doing anything. Can you hear that dude?
Joe Martin coming out well. Whenever you ready, Joe.
You didn't sound right. Enthusiastic draw later.
That's Joe Beneducci. Yeah, massively helpful,
massively grateful for his help, even though he'll be next to
useless like me. It'll be slight though, he'll be
able to get along that. That's right, yeah.
He could probably tiptoe across the across the roof and do the
far side right is. It this roof.
You're only around the corner from me.
You should have. You should have volunteered to
help me. Really.
I'm going rotten stall, I've bitten Bent gym and I'm going
rotten stall night with lads this afternoon.
What's gracing it on? Yeah, yeah.
Disappointed you owner here. Joseph, help me through.
Well, they didn't tell me you were coming on.
You'd pick and choose, would you?
I didn't want to to go overboard, really.
I didn't want Matt Stanley to car wash it.
Oh, you're coming on. We're finished now, Joe.
We're after going I'll. Turn you off the phone.
He just wants a credit. What's?
A credit. Gordon Gordon, send more house
to save the house.