Paul Holland

I've got to say he's a top bloke. It was the day after his club lost league status and I guess he could have probably done without two students pitching up and basically asking why his team were crap. But he took the time out to speak to us even though we were not from a proper paper (though we did say we were from the Post to get access to him) and to be honest I think that is damm good of him. I wish Mansfield the best of luck in the Conference next season, unless they meet Basingstoke in one of the tinpot non-league trophies.

Pictures of annoyed Mansfield Fans

Mansfield FC, Local Impact

Traders who operate close to Mansfield’s Field Mill ground are worried about the effect the club’s relegation will have on their business.

Pub Manager Suzanne Hemsley, from the John Barras, on Nottingham Road said: “We were absolutely rammed on Saturday and it is a worry that there won’t be as many people in next season.

“Takings may well be down as some of the visiting teams may not bring as many fans either.”

John’s Fish Bar lies next door to the pub and staff were also pessimistic.

Owner Bambos Constantinou said: “We definitely expect to see a drop in trade on Saturday afternoons.

“It’s a shame that one of the biggest towns in England won’t have a Football League club.”

Mansfield Fans Vox Pops

Cliff Hinks, Sutton-in-Ashfield: It is always good to have a football league club in the town. Playing in the Conference is bound to have a negative effect on the economy. They have built a nice stadium, which will now host a bad standard of play. I don’t think we will bounce back unless there are some major changes.

Geoff Mellors, Kirkby-in-Ashfield: It is a shame for the football team and its fans. Hopefully some decent players will be brought in over the summer and we’ll regain our league status at the first attempt.

Ian Fowles, Mansfield – It’s a shambles. The outside of the ground looks shoddy, its no wonder the players perform badly when they turn up and look at that. They must be demoralised even before they take to the field. No wonder the team got relegated. I have been coming for 25 years but I’m not sure I'll bother next year.

Elaine Seagrave, Mansfield – It is shameful that we’ve lost our league status. We need a new manager and a few new players – then we can get back to league football. Either that or they’ll be playing against my young lad soon!

Megan Jackson, Pingston – The players just weren’t good enough throughout the season. I’m not confident we’ll be back in the league with this team. We need new players.

Paull Holland Interview for Newsweek

By Dan Palmer & Peter Fearn

MANSFIELD TOWN boss Paul Holland could not hide his disappointment after the Stags’ 77 year stay in the Football League came to an end.

Chester City’s goalless draw with Stockport last night confirmed the club’s relegation to the Conference, as they now lie four points adrift of third bottom Dagenham & Redbridge with just one game remaining.

Holland’s own playing career was cut short when he damaged his cruciate ligament and the 34-year-old says that seeing his side go down is on a par with that.

“I’m very disappointed after we’d given ourselves every chance of going into the Rotherham game with something to play for,” he said.

“Over the course of the season we got what we deserved.

“Life in the Conference will be hard but we’ve got to be positive and say we are going to bounce straight back, following the example of other teams like Doncaster, Chester and Hereford.”

The club may also have to deal with a drop in attendances next year, with some supporters choosing not to watch non-league football.

“The real Mansfield Town fans will keep coming. We’ve got to stick together and I’m sure the real fans will be behind us,” said Holland.

“As a team we need to be 100 per cent better on the field and 100 per cent better off the field.

“I hope that things are sorted out on and off the pitch. We’ve got to stop feeling sorry for ourselves,” he added.

Holland also conceded that some of the playing squad would probably leave the club over the summer.

“There are big decisions to be made regarding players and staff. I’m sure some players will move on to football league clubs.

“I’ll have to decide if some deserve another chance here or if I should send them elsewhere.

“At the moment the dressing room is not a nice place to be.”
Holland took over at Mansfield from sacked manager Billy Dearden and is keen to remain in the job.

“I only took over eight games ago and it was just too big an ask to save the club from relegation.

“Hopefully I’ll be manager of Mansfield next season and win promotion back to the football league.”

Coldplay: Violet Hill, Review for Newsweek & NG

When a huge band releases a comeback single, the day of the first play is always hyped up as a massive event. The music press and radio stations count down the days like they are using some sort of advent calendar, constantly reminding us when we can hear the precious track for the first time.

Examples of this madness include D'You Know What I Mean, the first release from Be Here Now, the much anticipated but godawful third album by Oasis and Beetlebum by Blur, the rather downbeat single which followed the glory days of Parklife and The Great Escape.

The problem is, these comeback singles rarely live up to the pandemonium surrounding them. As the track fizzles out to an end, people are usually left feeling underwhelmed and unsure why they were so excited in the first place. The sense of an anti-climax is also heightened if the band in question have decided on a change of style and a major direction shift from the previously heard stuff.

This is the case with Coldplay's Violet Hill, the first single from the pretentiously-titled new album Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends, which is more edgier and experimental than the songs we’ve have heard from them before.

Released as a free download on the band's website on Monday, the demand for the song caused the site to grind to a halt shortly after its 12.15pm release. It is a darker tune with pounding, heavy guitars and there's even a hint of electronic music in there. It seems far less radio friendly, in the sense that if moves away from a poppy like sound towards something a bit more prog like Radiohead.

It is one of those songs that Coldplay fans will have to learn to love, just like followers of Blur would have had to do with Beetlebum. The differences are apparent, but after a few listens it could be one of those songs described as a 'grower'. Give it enough time and Violet Hill could perhaps stand alongside other Coldplay anthems. For now though, the jury is probably still out.

The free download is available for another week if you wish to judge for yourself. Otherwise it is released as a conventional paid-for download on May 6th.

Review: Dan Palmer

http://www.ng-magazine.com/Diary/Music/Coldplay:_Violet_Hill/

Plane Crash-landing, for Newsweek

A STRING of errors which led to the crash-landing of a cargo plane could have resulted in catastrophe, according to a new report.

The TNT Airways Boeing 737 performed the procedure at East Midlands Airport at 4.40am before taking off again and making an emergency landing at Birmingham.

Part of the Belgian plane’s undercarriage was missing after the incident and the right main landing gear detached from the wing during the accident on June 15th, 2006.

Up to 200 domestic flights had to be cancelled or diverted, although neither of the two crew members were injured.

The report released today by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch states: “The circumstances of this event could easily have led to a catastrophic accident.

“Actions by individuals which contributed to the accident were either inappropriate or were not in compliance with existing procedures.

“Non-compliance with procedures, whether inadvertent or deliberate, can be difficult to prevent and can only be addressed by effective training,” it added.

The drama started when air traffic control conveyed an incorrect message to the plane during its descent.

This confused the pilot who disconnected the autopilot system while attempting to reply, causing the plane to lose speed and height.

The crew did not make a decision to perform a ‘go-around’ – where a plane aborts a landing and returns to circuit height – until it was too late and the jet came down on a grassed area.

Other factors included a faulty weather report which made no indication of the mist and fog which occurred, and the training of the co-pilot was also said to be ineffective in regards to his knowledge of the go-around manoeuvre.

Both pilots may have also been affected by tiredness, and a series of ‘unusual incidents’ during the flight may have added to workload and caused a loss of situational awareness.

The plane was on route from Liege Airport in Belgium to London Stanstead, but it was diverted to East Midlands due to the bad weather.

Belgian based TNT sacked the pilots after the incident, saying it was down to human error.
The report recommends that the Belgian Aviation Authority require the airline to review their operation procedures to ensure that it is clear to all pilots when a go-around is required.

Half Man Half Biscuit @ Rock City for NG

If you've never heard of Half Man Half Biscuit then track titles like Bad Losers On Yahoo Chess, Lord Hereford's Knob and National Sh**e Day should give you an inkling about their style.

This manic Birkenhead four piece don't take themselves too seriously, writing songs about anything and everything that happens to pop into their heads. The end result is extremely fulfilling, a beautiful concoction of brilliant lyrics and wacky performances that you can't help but enjoy.

I doubt that there is a more likeable band than HMHB; they slap a smile on your face which is difficult to erase and the utter randomness of their stuff makes you wish that you hadn't abandoned your own fledgling music career quite so early.

There was a song my band created about fighting with shoes which was unfortunately axed for being well....too stupid. But HMHB are living proof that we should have stuck at it, as more than twenty years after forming they are still playing to adoring masses at established venues like Nottingham Rock City.

A bizarre motley crew of people from many generations await the band, proof enough of their wide-ranging appeal. Seasoned gig goers mingle with grey haired souls who have probably never been to a place like this before, but one and all are left thoroughly entertained.

HMHB are hardly the world's best musicians, but it doesn't matter as their quintessentially British style produces numerous singalongs and general merriment. Lead singer Nigel Blackwell happily engaged with the crowd and took part in all the banter which was flying about the place. He gets several laughs, meaning that this is not just a gig, but a comedy performance as well.

Highlights include F**kin Hell It’s Fred Titmus, Blue Badge Abuser, S**t Arm, Bad Tattoo, and Twenty-Four Hour Garage People which is probably the best song about a petrol station that I’ve ever heard. Another number which goes down tremendously is Vatican Broadside, a short sharp ditty with the classic lyrics: “The lead singer of Slipknot went to Rome to see The Pope/and The Pope said to his aide/who the f*****g hell are Slipknot?”

Credit is also due for the length of the set, a bumper affair lasting the best part of two hours. Veterans they may be, but this band can still last the distance on stage, an example other acts would do well to follow.

So all hail Half Man Half Biscuit, a wonderfully eccentric band who show that if you spend your money on guitars, you don’t have to write songs about your broken heart. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a music career to resurrect. Just how did that shoe fighting song go……

Review: Dan Palmer

Images: Richard Battye

http://www.ng-magazine.com/Diary/Music/Half_Man_Half_Biscuit:_Live_Review/

The Ting Tings @ Social for NG

The Bodega Social is stupidly busy tonight, and why the hell not? Hot Mancunian double-act The Ting Tings have arrived in Nottingham and the masses have turned out in force to see what all the fuss is about. Quite a buzz has been generated about these guys after a third place finish on the BBCs Sounds for 2008 poll, a chart which annually predicts household names of the future with a great deal of success.

The Ting Tings describe their music as garage pop but to be honest it is very difficult to classify their sound. The stuff tonight varies dramatically with a mix of different genres thrown together, each a contributing factor in making their performance extremely original.

Elements of funk, indie, electronica and waltz are thrown into a musical cooking pot with the end product being extremely satisfying indeed. It is as though the Ting Tings have ripped up the rulebook and started again from scratch in a determined effort not to conform to more recognisable musical styles. And somehow this unorthodox approach to music seems to work beautifully. It really shouldn't, but it does.

You never quite know what to expect and the Ting Tings take us on a journey which is exciting, infectious and utterly absorbing. At some gigs songs can often sound the same and blend into one, but there is absolutely no chance of that here and the crowd seem to love every minute of it.

Popular track That’s Not My Name is a perfect example of this and is a real stand-out moment. Starting off with brash, in your face rap style lyrics from singer Katie White, the song develops and White's vocals become softer and more harmonic. There is almost a sense of surprise as both parts gel together perfectly, producing a damn fine song with the most unlikely of components.

With only two members on stage, electronic wizardry is relied upon to ensure that all parts of the songs are heard. White is enthusiastic on stage, leaping around energetically while colleague Jules De Martino is like a man possessed behind the drum kit. Fears that only two people on stage will leave things feeling a bit light are quickly dispelled and White's contributions on cowbell and bass drum add to the delightful randomness of the performance.

Other highlights include Traffic Light, which sounded like it could be played in a dance hall, and the futuristic sounds of Great DJ which were so catchy that you couldn't help but dance. The only criticism was that the gig lasted a disappointing forty five minutes, but this is a purely selfish gripe as I could have done with hearing a bit more of the quality stuff the Salford duo were producing.

As I drift out, I hear a disgruntled Arsenal fan complaining about his sides' Champions League exit tonight. However, he says that the Ting Tings performance makes everything a little bit better. And if that isn't a ringing endorsement, then I don't know what is.

Review: Dan Palmer

Images: Tara Vickers

http://www.ng-magazine.com/Diary/Music/The_Ting_Tings:_Live_Review/

Back On It

Third term starts tomorrow, all too soon. Over the Easter Hols I found out that I passed the NCTJ newswriting exam with merit which is another good thing to add to the CV.