Erithacus

Alright, it's a friendly and not a game to make many judgements about but the England squad seems to have a lot of talent and depth at the business end of the field. That does look promising for the real matches coming soon. Home advantage will be another help and so I reckon this might be the platform to be winners - something the men came so close to last year. Maybe the Lionesses will bring football home.

Good to see the show is on again. Well worth the slog and effort to get there and see some top displays - for free! Tickets for other airshows are not exactly cheap. Pity the weather is not looking ideal, but one problem having the display line over the sea means that you're often looking into the sun when it shines. Can't be there on Sunday but might just slip along tomorrow.

That's a bit of a shocker. Played for 12 years in the trenches and a familiar face at many games, both on the field and the sidelines.

Can't say I am surprised, even before the Cost of Living Crisis. It's good that the stadium is being made available for a bigger variety of other attractions, but this one seems to have fallen on stony ground.

Went there for a walk on Thursday, prompted by the stuff in the papers. It's a nice enough place but almost all newish housing; the old visitor attractions are all but gone, save for a few heritage signs. No dodgems, funfair or that, the pool has been grassed over; just a seafront walk and a view of the Prince of Wales Bridge. Pity, as I had hoped to see if 'Big Julie' was still doing a turn at the strip club. No such luck.

Can't help thinking that the club (or the Women's part at least) is becoming an attractive one to prospective players if this carries on. Maybe the foundations are proving to work.

A comparison of then and now: no roaring traffic, no concrete columns, a gentler way of life on the Portway. Didn't last too long. I did visit it a few years ago on DOD, but not sure if the present organisers include it still. The charity that runs the site may have their own days, although the website is not too clear. If you can go in it's worth it. Hopes are that it can be properly presented as a museum, and the stuff that's there is interesting as it stands. Some parts are (were) a little home-made, but the history is there.

Liverpool had plenty of possession but were poor in the final third - so many of their passes were wayward. If we could see a map of where possession was lost it would largely be confined in Real's back yard. Although they had some good chances, Liverpool did not have as many as they should have. Result, Real pinch one when they need it.

Fortunately, that date is during the Euros when Switzerland play Holland and not and England game.

Devastated that Vangelis has gone. He was an amazing composer and creator of such distinctive soundscapes. Having worked with French movie-maker Frédéric Rossif in the 1970s he went to London and then had perhaps his best-known work in the film Chariots of Fire in the early 1980s. Another piece was 'Heaven and Hell', used as the title theme for Professor Carl Sagan's epic TV series Cosmos. He also enjoyed UK chart success in partnership with Jon Anderson of Yes. His music is often far from conventional, orchestral and embraced synths greatly, which I love. Personally I have spent many hours listening to his work and will be giving Mask a play tonight.

Whilst I accept that Wells has not produced what we hoped for, he is still a good player and will be just the job at some other club. What really made me notice was the club's readiness to release an expensive player with a year's contract left for nothing. Are we in such financial worry that Wells might the first of several? Might seem like we are bailing out as the waters rise.

Feel free to shoot me... I can remember when the ESC was presented by Katie Boyle, in black and white. Back then it was a minor miracle for the telly to work without the picture jumping about, but the contest brought together several nations - each of whom had their own system of broadcasting. The real spectacle was the show's ability to bring those different systems and rebroadcast them in a form that everyone could see. Quite often the results from the nations' juries were given over the telephone, because they couldn't achieve it. Moving on to later years, the ESC actually had some decent music in it and was, arguably, what it said on the tin. It became something to watch and enjoy. We even had a winner or two in amongst it all. Recent years have somehow changed everything. Music seems to be a minor detail - it's all about the spectacle. Strange sounds are upstaged by even stranger costumes and performances. Popularity is based on extremism. And I am still bewildered by a European competition that includes Israel and Australia. But the real intent of the ESC was never really about a simple song in the first place. Even in the dim and distant past the shadow of politics always had a presence. Certain juries were certainties to vote sympathetically; outcast nations were roundly ignored and handed Nil Points at every turn. We know that. What was once an evening feature has now grown to be a week-long festival, with semi-finals and all. How soon before the ESC outguns the Champions League? Anyway, you can be assured that my telly will be tuned to something completely different this weekend.

At least their CV will impress many clubs now. Maybe an ownership will follow? I also wonder if Wayne or Jamie is watching the pension pot vanish as we speak.

I wonder if the hightlights of this match will be on MOTDx. Might need to go to extra time.

Best thing ever to come out of Swindon (apart from any train I have been on). Some people think Punk was an art school thing, others have deeply opposite views. XTC was the face of, arguably, New Wave that was more intelligent than was given credit in a time where talent was frowned upon. Their music was both contemporary and individual at the same time, and stands the test of time better than many of their peers.

That would be a huge loss if she is off. A solid and capable centreback who reads the game so well, it will be difficult to replace her. Another worry I have over replacing is Fran Bentley (she is a Man U loanee and has been passed around several clubs before arriving at the HPC). Thankfully we appear to have the services of Abi Harrison again. I dare say we will be given the word in due time as I suspect the women's side of the club moves in different ways in the close season. In a completely topic, I note that Newcastle Utd women played their first game at St James's Park recently. Although still a couple of tiers below City, they had 22,000 turn up.

Looking at the final table in the cold light of day and it's not been a bad season back in the second tier. Factor in the fallout of the previous relegation, with the turnover of players and coaches then it's better still. I think a lot of credit must be taken by the players and staff at the club for their efforts this time. Looking further, we need to see how many players are not going to return for next season (a few loanees and retirements), plus hoping that the club will acquire some more talent (ideally from the academy) and we may plan for an improvement. All in all it's been good to watch this team grow and I hope that success will soon be within our grasp - especially with Abi H on the books!

Bit of a replay of the last game against Coventry: struggled to really get on top of the game and fared badly versus a side that looked sharper and more positive. Again the midfield looked over-run and without the attacking edge that we saw earlier in the season. Linking play from the back to the front was poor. Abi H was a wandering lost soul up the top end of the park and didn't really get a look-in for much of the game. Mel Johnson was too deep to support her and was lost in action at times, playing out of her best position. Give the visitors credit for a solid and well-organised performance, but it was City's game to lose. Too many players were off their game. Good to see the awards after and perhaps it will shine a light on the coaches, backroom staff and others who put the season in order. All in all it's been a good and encouraging season at the HPC.

I think it will be in everyone's interest to look at the average attendances over a season to get a proper appreciation of the women's game. Important one-offs and internationals are obviously a big draw (with ticket prices set at reasonable levels - the women's game seems to attract more family groups). I am happy to see that attendances are growing overall but we should make sure we have a good perspective on that. And yes, I'll be at the HPC on Sunday. COYR!

I went for a look round last month, as it was a long while since I was there last. Check the website for booking - popular times (school holidays and such) are more expensive and may need pre-booking. Other than that it should be a good day out, as there are lots of things to look at, both animals and play areas for little ones. Feeding times for some of the animals are announced so you can plan to be at the meerkats or penguins, say, at the best time. Personally I can see some of the old parts and buildings from my youth that are now a shadow of the past - perhaps a good thing as welfare is more important thesse days. But there are lots of interesting things to see and the place has lots of ice cream vending machines! Get it whilst you can.

No doubt that lots of people had other plans for a family Easter Sunday and the transport issues may have stopped more but most of the fans at the Gate do not seem bothered about coming to the HPC. There is only one more game left this season, so we'll find out if the desire is really there.

Hmmm, not the game many would have expected, I suspect. Given the turmoil Coventry have been through this season, it might have given the players a little more steel. I know some of the City girls would have been on other duties recently but there seemed to be a bit of a weariness about the side today, especially in the second half when the sparkle disappeared. Have to say, Coventry looked a decent side: organised, compact and quite physical. They certainly didn't come here to lie down, and I think they would be happy with their performance. City had lots more possession and vigour at first, but missed a finish at the business end. Only Harrison's drive registered and that was after a short period of pressure from the visitors - a quick counter with 2v2 is just what City thrive on. But throughout the game I kept seeing an Aimee Palmer shaped hole in the midfield. So often the defenders would snuff out an attack and then had to improvise a way forward. They were crying out for a link player like Palmer or Ava Kuyken. With the game ending in a draw, Abi was letting rip in the huddle. Can't really blame her. Also back to normal was the attendance, a good 400; not the 5,000 at the Gate.

Good game today but a disappointing result. The better side won today, with a crisper pace, better passing and more of a purpose about them. We missed Palms in the middle and in the first half especially we were chasing the game. Abi Harrison was having to go wider to get more supply and the midfield was struggling to impose their mark for stretches. Defensively we looked a little rattled when the crosses came in and weren't cleared quickly. I thought the City girls gave a good account of themselves overall but there is a discernable gap between the WSL standard. It's clear that Liverpool are worthy champions and have what is needed to stay in the top flight next season. Great to see 5,700 at the Gate but I wonder how many came down - it seemed Liverpool brought quite a few bus loads. Roll on Coventry in a fortnight, and we'll see how many more fans will turn up at the HPC.

It has crossed my mind more than once that Lauren Smith is due for some genuine appreciation of what she has achieved at the club. Maybe even coach of the season award? One season almost complete and the team has really transformed from a dismal relegation, massive change of the roster and now has real talent and flair. Her stock has risen high and hopefully she will continue next season.

Good result at the finish. The girls had by far the greater share of possession and attacking play, but were unable to convert that into more goals at first. Always a thought that, despite the stranglehold on the game, a one goal lead is always vulnerable. Chloe Bull's second was really well taken at the back stick, and Abi H squeezed a header from an even narrower angle right at the death. I though Watford were a gritty team that could defend well, but were really not in with much of a chance of a result today. Felt it was a slightly strange decision to sub off both our centre-halves in the second half, unless they were injury-related.