In my continuing attempt to look for sponsorship for the tour, I was graciously turned down by Mobilefun.co.uk. However, having heard about Tim’s constant texting during the Spain Tour 2010 (click here to have a laugh), they kindly offered to a couple of phone chargers which works for most phones overseas, just to ensure that we keep in communication with Tiger Tim.

Thanks to them and much appreciated. Click here to go directly to the relevant page.

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Same old, same old with Sassco.

A more than decent line up ended in a farcical performance and swathes of in-fighting including “you’re shitter than me” competitions amongst individual players; namely Nelly and Titch. The only bright spark was a brilliant performance by Nicky Smith resulting in two late goals, despite him being centre-half.

A fair few players were missing again, including Dave Smith, who’s lack of presence was keenly felt as Simma was attempting his best Iain Hesford impersonation. Langan returned for the first time in a while after dropping me in it for the last few weeks and started whinging that he was on the bench.

Me and Macca nearly had another falling out and I suggested we have a virtual fight on Facebook (there’s only going to be one winner there). In the end it was all hunky-dory as Tyson, Cambridge’s scout at the game, revealed that his team don’t want him. Macca re-pledged his loyalty to Sassco (again) by announcing he’s going to change his middle name to Sassco, even though I told him he’d probably spell it wrong.

Massive incriminations after the game. We lost a ball mainly because I was dying for a leak and had to return to the changing rooms, due to being forced to play at the horrible Thompson Park area full of charvers. A lot of people failed to help with nets after the game and generally it was a typical bad mid-week game.

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Sassco.co.uk are linking up with a basketball team / organisation called the Northumberland Knightflyers who will now be known as Sassco.co.uk Knightflyers. Email contact is: info@aspire2achieve.org.uk

The Northumberland Knightflyers Basketball Club is open to people of all ages, our junior team has an age range of 5 – 15 years old, while our senior team has no upper age limit. We also welcome casual players who just wish to improve their game.

Training details : Both the senior and junior clubs train each Friday, 7pm till 9pm at Coquet High School in Amble (Acklington Road, Amble, NE65 0NG), each session costs £5.

Our club operates an ‘open door’ policy and always accepts new members to both our senior and junior clubs.

Aspire 2 Achieve and the Northumberland Knightflyers are a relatively new company and sporting club. They run basketball around Northumberland in a number of schools, community centres and disabled forums.

They currently have two basketball teams (senior and junior) who are in the Tyne Met League Division 3 (Senior team) and the CVL League (Juniors), whilst are working towards setting up a team for disabled people which will compete in a number of friendly games.

The teams were set up on September 20th 2009, mere weeks before the start of the new season. While the Senior team has struggled in their first 5 games, the Junior team has won 5 out of 7 games, including a 30 point victory.

Aspire 2 Achieve is a Northumberland based organisation whose prime purpose is to raise the awareness, confidence and productivity of youths in the area via the medium of sport.

All their staff have experience with coaching basketball in Northumberland and other areas in the UK. The head coach Alan Hoyle has over 9 years coaching experience and has received training from the six time World Champions, the Chicago Bulls. The unique experience allows the Knightflyers to offer an unmatched training programme to people of all abilities.

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Alan Hoyle
Alan Hoyle is one of only two players in the United Kingdom to score over 100 points in a game, a feat he has achieved three times scoring 113, 107 and a UK and Europe high 121 points, each in a single game.

Alan grew up in Northumberland and is an inspiration to young people in the area. Aspire 2 Achieve is a local organisation which gives young people the opportunity to participate in activities and learn new skills which they thought were ‘out of reach’ to them. Whether it is through coaching or mentoring, Alan is a positive role model to everyone he comes into contact with.

Isobelle Gibson
Isobelle Gibson grew up in Northumberland and has first hand experience of both playing and coaching in the region. Isobelle plays for the Northumberland Knightflyers senior team while coaching the junior club. She has achieved personal success this year by being named Northumberland’s Student of the Year.

Michael Fittes

Michael Fittes went through school with Alan Hoyle and shares his dream of giving back to the community. He has worked with young people in other projects around Northumberland and has experience of working with children of all ages.

All our staff have experience with coaching basketball in Northumberland and other areas in the UK. Our head coach Alan Hoyle has over 9 years coaching experience and has received training from the six time World Champions, the Chicago Bulls. Our unique experience allows us to offer an unmatched training programme to people of all abilities.

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Undefeated in four games with a comfortable win.

The players decided to bring a Nike match ball to play with today, much to my disagreement, so much that I threatened to ram a screwdriver into it. Nevertheless, I Photoshopped it out of all the match photos.

Against The Cove, it was an expected win for Sassco as the team are now unbeaten in four games. Greenwell’s dilemma was increased when there were returns for Mulvaney and Stoker, however Scott Smith forgot his gear (but was still there). Nevertheless, the team was strong enough.

Muers poked in the opening goal before Anth Pearson nodded in Langan’s blast off the cross bar. We had around 10 corners in the first half and probably 25 during the whole game which demonstrated our dominance.

Early in the second half, Langan scored and the game was settled. Two further goals from Gourlay (including an excellent dribble from the half way line, beating the majority of the opponents) and a final one from Langan, gave Sassco a decent 6-0 win. Teams have been hammering The Cove and the main reason we probably didn’t add to the scoreline was the poor state of the pitch and our lack of any decent, clinical centre forward.

Muers took a hissy fit when I (with Greenwell’s approval) subbed him instead of Dixon in the second half. Greenwell didn’t want to make the decisions as no doubt, Emu would release the pictures on Facebook he’s been storing. He must have something as there’s no conceivable way in which any idiot would play that useless tank up front.

Still. Can’t complain too much. A good win.

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Vastly superior to anyone within the League*.

* According to David Murton.

It all began on a rare, warm summer evening – the 28th June 2005, to be precise. The League Secretary, Davinder Sangha was being pestered by some young upstart on MSN claiming that he was going give the incumbent Champions, Sporting Redhouse, a good seeing to. “Heard it all before” was Sangha’s response, but the mighty David “Bunta” Murton delivered on his promise and the Hylton Castle team, which up until then was floundering, sprung alive in a 2-2 draw.

In his own words, he claimed that he “set the league on fire with my amazing vision and lethal finishing and quickly becoming the star of the team.”

As a young pup, he was clearly eager to impress and establish himself as the best player ever seen in the Sassco League. After growing restless at Hylton Castle, he decided to head into management, which was a true disaster, much to everyone’s amusement. As Murton continues, “A team of testosterone filled steroid abusers, including Gav Murton, Chris Ord, Kyle Robinson and Davey Taylor.” The team, known as Marine House, just about won their first game, but then lost the second one. The team imploded and Murton was left with egg on his face.

He was then made aware of a new venture of Gash Braziers with AFC Redhouse and finally gained something to show for his talents. After a few successful campaigns, which included silverware, Murton was once again getting the itch (not a medical condition). He was poached by his previously sworn enemies, the Youth’s, and it all started well as he along with another shock signing, Hembrough, was banging in the the goals, including a memorable strike against the then Champions, Southwick, on his debut. Things did turn sour and according to Murton, “The Youth’s friendly alliances got in the way of success, as they insisted on playing their mates who are of a less quality then we had in the squad.” He then cancelled his contract with them and supposedly took a substantial pay off to keep silent over the Youth’s shenanigans.

His 11-a-side career was all hit and miss as well. Debuting for Sassco in 2005, he fired in a goal on his debut and began to tot up a number of strikes, before vanishing and returning sporadically. Sassco 11-a-side seems to be his spiritual home, but General Manager, Sangha, doesn’t seem to trust his reliability. Only time will tell if he ever dons the Sassco jersey again in the 11-a-side field.

Back in the 6-a-side, he did return briefly to play a solitary game for Sassco in a 2-0 defeat to the Youth’s, but is at the moment waiting in the wings for Gash Brazier to fire up AFC Redhouse again and move forward as one, as he doesn’t seem to rate his successor, Thomas Bell, as genuine management material (Bell took over the embers after Brazier quit the League in disgust).

Since then, Murton has all but disappeared into obscurity, very similar to George Best playing for the Los Angeles Aztecs in the late 70’s. A vast talent, which is rapidly fading due to age and alcohol. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if in around fifteen or twenty years time, Murton will track down all his illegitimate children and form the genuine Murton FC, as David knows that the only good players around him should be clones of the Murton himself.

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A panoramic view of Sassco’s venue for the tour. The Victor Tedesco Stadium (Capacity: 2,000) was inaugurated in 1996 and is the training ground for Hamrun Spartans. This football ground is used for the Premier League (including some of Hamrun’s league home matches), Division 1 and the FA Trophy. It is occasionally used by the National Team’s Under 21 side

Website. http://www.hamrunspartansfc.com

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