To Coyne A Phrase

Final straw

IN the spirit of what goes on tour stays on tour I shan’t be naming names or telling tales regarding the exploits of Birmingham’s business community celebrating Aston Villa’s FA Cup semi-final win last Sunday.

Suffice it to say that the service stations on the M40 on Sunday night were full of people ‘celebrating wildly’ and I recognised quite a few financial and property types in their midst.

I’m able to comment of course because I didn’t touch a drop all day. And if you believe that then email me your number because I’ve got a timeshare offer that you might be interested in.

Anyway, I will recount one tale of a chap who works in the investment management sector in Birmingham who couldn’t get a ticket for the match and watched it in a local pub.

His celebrations after the game were intensified by the fact he had been promised a ticket for the final on May 30 and he was easily persuaded by friends to carry on partying into the wee small hours even though it was a school night.

Eventually arriving home, the reception he received from his wife was somewhat frosty (as in iceberg).

But she had thawed a little bit by the following morning and felt calm enough to pass on her big news.

“I’ve booked a weekend away at Legoland for us and the kids,” she said.

The date? You’ve guessed it – May 30 and 31.

His hesitant suggestion that he might be able to sneak off on the Saturday to watch the match because Windsor (where Legoland is based) is fairly close to Wembley received, shall we say, an unenthusiastic response.

Negotiations are continuing.

A word from our sponsor

I WAS interested to read that Citroën is to become the official automotive partner of the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham.

That’s one sponsor announcing another as far as I can tell.

But never mind that, the Barclaycard Arena – formerly the NIA – now has a commercial partnership with Citroën we learn.

The partnership will enable the international vehicle manufacturer to showcase its latest vehicles to an annual audience in excess of one million people, we are told.

Phil Mead, managing director of arenas at the NEC Group, said; “We are extremely proud to announce our partnership with Citroën, which is not only an exciting and iconic global brand, but one that has a strong association with the West Midlands.”

Does it?  Perhaps he meant to say France.

Or perhaps he means that because Citroen is part of the same group as Peugeot it has a link by association as Peugeot had a factory in Coventry.

But given that Peugeot announced the closure of the Ryton plant in 2006 with the loss of 2,300 jobs I wouldn’t have thought it an association anyone would want to crow about.

On your marks

I WAS pleased to hear that the annual West Midlands Mascot Derby will soon be upon us.

It will take place at Edgbaston Stadium on Friday 22 May when Birmingham Bears start their home defence of the NatWest T20 Blast against local rivals Worcestershire Rapids (that’s Bears versus the Pears to most fans).
 
This year’s race will be the third in West Midlands Mascot Derby history with Edgbaston’s resident Hugh and Carmen Bear, Aston Villa’s Hercules and Bella, Birmingham City’s Beau & Belle Brummie, Walsall’s Swifty, Wolves’ Wolfie & Wendy, Sting from Wasps RFC and Worcestershire Rapids’ Nile the Crocodile all confirmed runners.
 
Carmen Bear and Hercules from Villa have taken bragging rights over the last two seasons but Sting from Wasps (presumably not the old Police front man down on his luck) is something of an unknown quantity in this area and the often volatile Wolfie from Wolves is capable of throwing a spanner in the works.

And Nile the Crocodile (presumably a nod to the fact that the Pears’ ground is often under water) will be hoping to cause an upset on enemy territory.

Let’s hope it’s a good clean race and that the best mascot wins (as long as it’s Carmen or Hercules).

Have a great weekend.