Showing posts with label williwycombe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label williwycombe. Show all posts

Saturday, 11 June 2011

WilliWycombe's Willy Hill £10 challenge: Finns, fate and failure

It was all looking so promising a few days ago as my balance soared to an upwardly mobile £9.03. It appeared I was set to break even on my £10 deposit and possibly advance into a position where I could reclaim the £2.50 from my previous losses and make a hasty withdrawal.

Alas, the unhappy quirks of predominantly in-play betting have seen my total decimated as I cling on to the hope of reaching the £12.50 mark.

The breaking news surrounding Finnish football and its match-fixing scandal has added some colour to proceedings. I am beginning to wonder whether KooTeePee v KPV Kokkola (which saw a modest winning return of 14p as a bet on the number of goals scored in the match came through) had been affected.

The Scandinavian leagues, largely active throughout the summer months to avoid harsh winters, must be a mini goldmine for punters au fait with all things 'Norwegian 2. Division - Avdeling 3'.

For the rest of us playing catch-up, let's hope our burgeoning savvy can produce more than just a bus fare to the local Iceland store.

Current Balance-£1.82

Follow me on Twitter @williwycombe as I try to beat the bookie and reach my goal!

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

WilliWycombe's Willy Hill £10 challenge: Peaks and Troughs

I should have perhaps explained the nature of the challenge in a more lucid way in my previous blog. Just to recap, on the weekend of the Champions League final, I bet £25 of my own hard-earned money and recouped £22.50. In other words, I didn't break even.

I want that £2.50 back and fast. So, I've deposited another £10 in my account with the hope of winning at least £12.50 to cover my previous losses.

I am, however, a betting coward. My strategy thus far has seen very mixed results. I've played safe options, betting 20p here and there to win 6p back and it hasn't been getting me any nearer to my goal.

Last night, I did enjoy some creditable success. Rather than bet on match-winners, I've taken to gambling on the number of goals and whether there will be under or over a certain amount.

The dull Argentinian Primera Division served me well with my prediction that Argentinos Juniors and Estudiantes would conjure less than two goals at 2/1 pulling in £3. I'd also plumped for a goal-fest between Jamaica and Grenada and should have been less conservative than to say there may only be more a guaranteed two goals scored.

This morning, before today's bets were placed, I was edging back towards the original £10 outlay. Here's hoping there's at least one goal in the game between Japan and the Czech Republic and two between Australia and Serbia and the Faroe Islands and Estonia.

Current Balance-£6.53

Follow me on Twitter @williwycombe for live updates and send me your tips to help me reach my target!

Friday, 3 June 2011

WilliWycombe's Willy Hill £10 Challenge: The Beginning of the End

OK, I'll keep this as brief as possible. Last Saturday, to celebrate a rendevous with some old friends and the Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona, I opened an online betting account (the clue is in the title with regards to the company I've sold my soul to).

Over the course of the weekend I'd deposited £25 and through a series of bets involving the aforementioned game and the League One play-off final, I'd managed to recoup £22.50.

So I'm £2.50 down and anxious to claw it back. I must have mug tattooed on my forehead as they probably say in a Guy Ritchie film.

I don't need to elaborate at this point but I have pretty average luck as a punter. But I'm cheesed off. I want that £2.50. Bad.

I've deposited a further £10 with the aim of reaching an account balance of £12.50 to get back my second load and the remaining precious funds to 'break even'. I'm eager to beat the bookie.

My challenge started off yesterday (today?) with mixed results. The Miami Heat spunked a 15-point lead to hand the second game of their NBA Eastern Conference Finals series to their revitalised opponents, the Dallas Mavericks.

Thankfully, Argentina's Velez Sarsfield got me back on track with a narrow 2-1 win over Uruguayan side Penarol, who went through on away goals to the Copa Libertadores final.

Cue the Epsom Derby and Euro 2012 qualifying. I've plumped for Recital with an each-way bet at 5/1. The poor bugger doesn't even know who his rider will be as jockey Kieron Fallon awaits the outcome of an appeal hearing brought by owner Ibrahim Araci who claims the Irishman had already agreed to ride his horse, Native Khan, in the showpiece race. The decision is expected to be announced at around 9am tomorrow.

Anyhoo, this evening Italy, Germany (just!) and in-play bets on Liechtenstein (albeit at 2-0 up), and a Croatia turnaround conjoured valuable winnings. Alas, nervy in-play stabs at Lithuania, Georgia and Austria to snatch draws offset my success.

I've stuck 30p on LA Galaxy to do the business against DC United early tomorrow morning (UK time), Montenegro to beat Bulgaria and for both teams NOT to score in the England v Switzerland game. The latter has me slightly anxious as the Swiss may go all-out at Wembley to salvage something from their qualifying campaign.

Follow me in my quest to reach the magic £12.50 mark and feel free to leave any tips you think I might find helpful!

Twitter: @williwycombe

Current balance: £6.64

Saturday, 25 December 2010

Merry Christmas from Arm Chairs & Deck Chairs!

Another year has flown by and we are now preparing to usher in 2011! Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from Arm Chairs & Deck Chairs, the blog that covers news and opinion relating to the towns of High Wycombe and Bournemouth.

At the beginning of this year, I was busy with The Collected Thoughts of Nobody Special before the transition to the blog in its current form. By focussing on localised and specialist content, including issues relating to Wycombe Wanderers F.C and Bournemouth news, I have been able to concentrate on matters close to my heart. It has also enabled me to participate in active discussions, including those surrounding the tense developments in Wycombe Wanderers' proposals to build a new stadium in Booker.

I am delighted to have been able to contribute to the club fanzine, The Wanderer, and express my views on all things WWFC.

Throughout 2011, the remit of this blog will continue to be to provide news and opinion from the same locales with a strong emphasis on the travails of Wycombe Wanderers too.

If you have an opinion on any matter relating to High Wycombe or Bournemouth, whether it be the stadium plan, the High Speed Rail Link (HS2) through Buckinghamshire or Bournemouth's ever changing news landscape, then I'd love to publish your contributions to the debate. Please feel free to tweet me @williwycombe, email me at willgeldart@hotmail.co.uk or phone the newsdesk through Skype by searching for williwycombe.

Have a great Christmas and an even better New Year.

williwycombe

Sunday, 3 October 2010

Wycombe Enter the Dark Season Seeing the Light

As darkness falls and sometimes even the ball changes colour, Wycombe Wanderers enter the winter months illuminated by consecutive victories.

It has been the week manager Gary Waddock's players had been hoping for. The potential of the squad has finally shone through following an indifferent start to the season.

If the midweek 4-2 victory against a poor Barnet side served to reinvigorate the Wanderers camp, Saturday afternoon's 2-0 success at the newly named Stevenage FC represented an indicator of the team's tangible intentions. The short trip to Hertfordshire was a litmus test which could shape the future direction of both clubs, for this season at least.

Stevenage began the day two places above Wycombe however by the final whistle; it was the Chairboys who had usurped the hosts to climb into the final play-off position.

In truth, the Blues had made the game safe by half-time with a relatively comfortable margin. Kevin Betsy's header at the far post following a cross from Gareth Ainsworth opened the scoring with Stuart Beavon's converted rebound in reaction to the tireless Ainsworth's initial shot just before the break securing the three points.

The aforementioned 'Beaver', Stuart Beavon, received a standing ovation from the away contingent when replaced by Scott Rendell with six minutes remaining. He epitomised Wycombe's approach, defending from the front and displaying touches of class. The Blues were resolute in defence, swiftly switching to attack with a refreshing diversity of play.

Stevenage were mainly restricted to hopeful balls into the box, although the complexion of the game could have been changed had Jon Ashton converted and steered his header on target with Nikki Bull's goal gaping with around twenty minutes remaining. On the balance of play though, the home side displayed enough to be comfortable towards the upper echelons of League Two.

Wycombe striker Ben Strevens tried desperately hard to get on the scoresheet only to be thwarted by a smart reaction save down low from goalkeeper Chris Day.

Scott Davies, Wycombe's enfant terrible after a frustrating start to his second spell with the club and supposed online reaction (dissatisfaction) to being benched against Barnet was introduced late on.

Like Strevens, he was eager to impress. At times his attempted link-up play was overcooked and too intricate although a few smart switches of play aimed at the industrious Betsy re-affirmed his ability, even if there are unanswered questions about his temperament.

The Stevenage fans were silenced, partially by the travelling Wycombe faithful's mimicry of their 'ultra' style chanting and by their side's inability to penetrate their opposition. Wycombe fans were even treated to a fairly original rendition of 'Twist and Shout', perhaps a welcome addition to the terrace songbook.

The overarching cloud that encompasses the new stadium debate has not dissipated however on the pitch if this momentum can be sustained, there could be plenty more to twist and shout about come the end of the season.

Tuesday, 13 April 2010

March 2010 Podcast Now Online

To hear the best of the blog from March 2010, visit our Podbean hosting site at http://williwycombe.podbean.com. It's very Bournemouth-centric this time round but next month this will be evened out and will see the return of the Wycombe Wanderers review as we approach the end of the season.

Happy listening!

Tuesday, 16 March 2010

The 'Collected Thoughts' is No More. Welcome to a New Blog!

Hi everyone,

For those of you who used to read The Collected Thoughts of Nobody Special at www.williwycombe.blogspot.com, I'm afraid to say it is no more. Do not fear though, I'm changing the face of my own tiny piece of the blogosphere hence the change to Arm Chairs & Deck Chairs. Why? It may seem like search-engine optimisation suicide however whilst The Collected Thoughts had allowed me to share my thoughts on the rag-tag world of news and entertainment, I'm now narrowing my scope to encompass two places close to my heart and indeed my homes. So from Chair City (High Wycombe, not technically a city but once home to Britain's furniture trade) to Bournemouth, I'll be blogging my thoughts and opinions on what's going on in these two locales. I was born in High Wycombe and spent my years at secondary school in the town however three years ago I moved from Bucks to Bournemouth, England's own Miami with more pimps, whores, drugs and sex than you can shake the proverbial stick at. It won't all be glamorous. I'll be taking a look at the bigger issues affecting both towns and their residents. I hope you enjoy reading and welcome along to Arm Chairs & Deck Chairs, the new blog from WilliWycombe. Watch out for a new podcast too. For the time being, old podcasts will be hosted at www.williwycombe.podbean.com. Follow me on Twitter @ #williwycombe or drop me a line at willgeldart@hotmail.co.uk.

WilliWycombe

Saturday, 16 January 2010

Coming Soon-Monthly Podcast!

As some of you may have noticed, there is podcast player embedded on the left-hand side of the page. You can also access this podcast and its playlist at www.williwycombe.podbean.com.

Coming soon, there will be regular monthly podcasts from the Collected Thoughts, covering the best of the blog. I'll be discussing in more detail some of the stories that have hit the blog over the previous month including news, entertainment, arts and culture and of course, a comprehensive review of everything Wycombe Wanderers F.C. The idea of a montly podcast is still very much in its infancy however please bear with me as I get to the grips with the technology and discover what is feasible.

In the meantime, happy listening and reading and if you'd like to pass comment on the topics covered in this blog, whether vocally or in print, please get in touch and email me at willgeldart@hotmail.co.uk.

Monday, 28 December 2009

Focus on 2010: New Structure for the 'Collected Thoughts'

Hi everyone,

As mentioned in a previous post, there are going to be a few changes round here. The Collected Thoughts is to have a new structure which will be reviewed periodically to ensure I'm providing the content people wish to read. News, entertainment, arts and culture and of course, Wycombe Wanderers F.C are all to be 'sectioned' as it were, with regular publication guidelines rather than the random assortment of articles that have been in place so far. So here is a quick run-down on what you can expect to see from the new year onwards. You may detect a theme in the section titles...

Willi's Wycombe

Publication frequency: Every two-three weeks.

Similar to the existing Wycombe Wanderers blogs, there will be an updated blog every two-three weeks focusing on all things WWFC. I'll be giving the exile's perspective on the results, performances, transfers and goings on at the club throughout the season.

Willi's Guide to Glitz and Glamour

Publication frequency: Weekly.

Every week, I'll be providing a brief overview and commentary on what's caught my eye in the world of entertainment. Featuring insights into TV, film and radio, this is the alternative enterainment blog, not the musings of a reviewer or telly addict. I'll be following the shows, stories and people who shape contemporary entertainment.

Willi's News Review

Publication frequency: Weekly

A weekly condensed commentary on the news stories that have hit the headlines locally (to Bournemouth), nationally (UK) and globally. The main stories will be covered as well as some that you may have missed.

WilliWycombe; A Cultural Odyssey

Publication frequency: Monthly

Once a month, there will be an article focusing on a specific arts and culture theme, figure or story. Spanning the worlds of music, language, literature, travel etc, these feature pieces will aim to cover the whole cultural tapestry.

There we have it, the Collected Thoughts of Nobody Special will enjoy a structural overhaul in the comings weeks. I've very much enjoyed writing the blog in 2009 after a somewhat long hiatus in 2008 however it had become a disorganised mish-mash of various subjects and themes. Also, I'm hoping to get a monthly 'best of the blog' podcast up and running. I welcome any contributions, ideas, music that anyone may wish to provide. In the meantime, watch this space and happy reading.

WilliWycombe

Friday, 25 December 2009

Merry Christmas from the 'Collected Thoughts'

Dear readers,

Merry Christmas and a happy new year from the Collected Thoughts of Nobody Special! Look out for some exciting changes to the blog in 2010 with many articles being syndicated through ezines.com as well (TBC). In the coming weeks, I'll be reformatting the content so that it's in clearly defined sections such as ones for news opinion, entertainment and of course, the Wycombe Wanderers section too. Hopefully this will make content easier to find and maybe even a add a touch of professionalism rather than having just the random assortment of pieces I'd assembled whilst experimenting with the blog. Don't forget, you can follow me on twitter too, just look up 'williwycombe' and if you ever feel the need to get in touch by email, simply drop me a line to willgeldart@hotmail.co.uk. I hope you've enjoyed reading this blog in its embryonic form and if you have any hints or suggestions you'd like to make then as always, I'd love to hear from you.

WilliWycombe