Jimmy's Day Out

Hello everyone,
I haven't blogged since last year.
Quick summary:
Jimmy arrived at Christmas, DNA confirmed monkey my brother is his dad., mother unknown!
Burnley sack Brian Laws, and appoint Eddie Howe. we have only lost 1 league game in 8 and are 4 points of the playoffs with 2 games in hand.

Monkey wanted some time out so I took Jimmy to the zoo for the day.
Click to watch what happens!  Jimmy's Day Out

Here he is in the monkey house!





In the Aquarium, watching the fishes.

Trying to blend in with the chimps. Check the chimp out to the right, he looks worried!

I found monkey at the meeting point, who knew?

Top day out, glad I found him! We are now barred from Chester Zoo!

















I was asked to write an article for the Spring/Summer edition for Fauxgue magazine by my friend Snuffy Norton about my love of golf.  Will let you know the link soon.

I was lucky enough to get a ticket for the Derby at Deepdale today. Preston v Burnley. We beat them 4-3 at The Turf last year, so they want revenge! They also sacked their manager and appointed Phil Brown or tango man as he is sometimes referred. They are bottom of the league and badly need a home win and haven't won a game since Brown took over in January, just saying.

The sun was shining and the atmosphere festive. Lots of singing and banter from 5500 Burnley fans.


Nicholson scored for Preston in the 23rd minute, Rodriguez equalised for Burnley in the 32nd minute. Jack Cork scored in the 84 minute from a Wade Elliott cross my Man of the match.

Final score Preston 1 - Burnley 2
Thanks for reading my blog.
This is Arthur Brandon reporting from Deepdale, back to you in the studio!
;o)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for 2011 to you all.
It's been a mixture of ups and downs this Christmas.
On Christmas Eve my mum took ill with a virus and I thought we had to cancel Christmas all together.
By Christmas Day she recovered enough to cook dinner for the relatives, with my help and she put a smile on her face.
Well done mum, who knew?
Monkeys son arrived and apparently is staying with us now, he didn't even know he had a son? A DNA test will reveal his true paternity.  He does look like him!

On Boxing Day, I needed some fresh air and me time so I headed off to Barnsley to watch Burnley play. They hadn't won at Oakwell for 79 years!

I met up with a celebrity Barnsley fan
Steve. We had a few pints before the game.

Steve writes his own column in the Barnsley match day programme, so he featured me! Thanks, cheque is in the post.

 

It must have brought us luck because we beat them 1-2 coming from behind!
Full Time Score
Barnsley 1 -  Burnley 2
Maybe I am the new lucky mascot.
After beating them and winning on a Boxing Day we finally have that monkey off our back, pardon the pun!








My luck however ran out when Scunthorpe came to The Turf on Tuesday 28th December.
I wore my new BFC shirt, it's a bit tight! I must have put on weight over Christmas!

Scunthorpe looked a better side and scored in the 15th minute of the first half.

Second half we looked beaten and lacked imagination. Eagles coming on created 4 corners but we just couldn't score.

 Full Time Score Burnley 0  Scunthorpe 2

The Burnley fans shouted 'Laws Out. Laws Out", as Brain Laws walked across the pitch to the tunnel.

Lets hope Burnley start winning more games next year!

Maybe I can be the new manager?  Just Saying...

 Happy New Year and all the best for 2011.

Thanks for reading my blog.

N.B. will post result of paternity test soon.

Arthur Brandon

Barcelona Trip

Off to Barcelona!

My own seat!     
Arrived in Sitges, has the sun gone on holiday?

Open top bus in Barcelona, hope it doesn't rain?

Thought they would have finished it by now... just sayingArrived at Camp Nou home of Barca FC,  its started to rain!...

Do you do this in my size?   just asking....

Soggy doggie...
The next day the sun came out we we hired a bike to tour round on. That's not gonna work!

  

Thirsty work cycling, we stopped off at a beach bar for a beer cheers!

Back at the hotel feeling hot I decided to head down to the pool.

                                                         

Hot Doggie, heads for the pool.

Hiding my modesty...

      

      Okay going in...
 Cocktail please?   just asking...

How do I get off... helllooooooo..

They wouldn't let my mom in the museum!          

                                                Church in Sitges.

Dragons from the festival.       Ok enough already...

My last day in Sitges, behind me is the port and my hotel.

My mom with fireworks behind her in Sitges old town.

I had a great time in Sitges. Looking forward to going home and seeing monkey.

Thanks for reading my blog.  Other photos available on request, wink wink...

Swansea Weekend

Burnley v Swansea


The Clarets were playing away at The Liberty Stadium, Swansea on the 28th August.
It was a bank holiday weekend so we decided to make the long trip to Swansea and stay over night and have a long weekend in Wales.
We booked in at The Marriott Hotel, next to the beach.  
When we checked in the receptionist told us that the Burnley team were staying at the hotel and they would be arriving soon.
I was so excited I might get a glimpse of them and even a photo or two!
Me and monkey sat in the window waiting for the coach to pull up.
I made my way down to the lobby and tried to look casual.


We had a drink in the bar after our dinner and Brian Laws and his staff were watching football and having a drink, not the players though some were in the lobby playing on there ipads and others tucked away in their rooms!
The next day me and monkey were sitting looking out of our window and saw all the team walking to the beach for a run, in front Brian Laws leading the way.

I found out they were leaving at 1.00 pm for the stadium so I waited in the lobby, I saw Clarke Carlise walking past on his way to the pre-match team meeting.

He is a top guy, "I hope you bring us some luck Arthur", he said, and my mom said, "no pressure!"





Next Graham Alexander player/coach, an iconic figure at Turf Moor, best penalty taker ever, has a 100% strike rate.Jack Cork is really tall! He lent me his headphones, he said he was on the bench today but hoped he would play. He wasn't strangling me, just holding!

They all made there way to the coach and headed off for the game. We had to catch the bus! Hello, can we have a lift? just saying....


We arrived at The Liberty Stadium about 15 minutes later and met some Swansea supporters on the way, they were all really friendly and seemed excited to play Burnley.
I was asked to write a match day report for Nonaynevernet
fansite for twitterclarets. If you want to read click on the link at the top.

The attendance was 15,135 around 1100 Burnley fans singing "We are Burnley from the north"

An early goal from Scott Sinclair in the 8th minute was enough to end The Clarets unbeaten start to the season. Both sides were down to ten men after Darren Pratley and Tyrone Mears were given red cards within a space of two minutes!
Brain Laws brought on Jack Cork, Steven Thompson and Chris Eagles in a bid to score it was a little too late.


FT Score Swansea  1 -  Burnley  0


I had a brilliant weekend despite the result!


This is Arthur Brandon
Reporting from The Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Burnley Football Club - One Day Away From Kick Off

One day away from the first game of the season!

Burnley play Nottingham Forest
 ko 3.00 pm Saturday 7th August 2010



I am so excited to sit in my new seat in the James Hargreaves Stand.



I am lucky enough to have my own season ticket!


This is me and my mom, I take her with me to most games.

I met Brian Laws in June,  he was very likeable and I am sure he can do great things this season, no pressure Brian...just saying.

Laws Relishing 'A Huge Season' And after a summer of implementing his own plans for the squad, Laws is now keen to lay down a marker for the season, starting with Saturday's visit of Nottingham Forest for the big Championship opener. "It's a big season for me personally and it's one I'm relishing, it was a tough year last year no doubt about that," said Laws. "The first day of the season is something that every player loves to be part of." This is me outside Turf Moor Clarets Store, just got my season ticket! Keeping paws crosses this season will be the start of better things to come and we will go back up to the Premiership next year. Up The Clarets Thanks for reading my blog This is Arthur Brandon aka monkeysbrother reporting from Turf Moor

Scottish Trip

We stayed at Duchally Manor Estate, Gleneagles, Perthshire, Scotland

This is me and my brother monkey having a beer before the England game, don't ask!

We visited Stirling Castle, wearing my Tartan hat to blend in!

Trying not to fall off!

Nearly lost my hat, its windy up north!

This is me at Loch Tummel at Queens View. The reason I look a bit nervous there is a 100ft drop behind me! Hoping the wind doesn't blow!

I have always wanted to play Gleneagles, its a Ryder Cup venue. Here's me at the entrance trying to blend in!

Take a look at the Club house, well posh!

This is me sneaking on to play a round of golf, hope I don't get spotted!

In the rough at the 18th, check out my tartan pants, I got away with it!

   Edinburgh Castle behind me. Had a great time here even had a Scottish dance in the park on BBC Scotland Take The Floor!

Och Aye The Noo!
Thanks for reading my blog
Arthur McBrandon