The Mark Ellis Blog

Dismal is possibly the best way that you can describe it - yes, we're talking about the Derby result on a Saturday. But, does the defeat really mean much to the powers that be at St James Park ?  I suspect we all know the answers to that particular question.  For Newcastle, it was another self inflicted kick in the nuts - a heady combination of selling your best player in the days before the window shut, your loanee talisman forward getting sent off in the fixture before, every other striker being injured and then there's the abject lack of movement in the transfer market.  Despite having copious notice that Cabaye would be going at some point, it seems that no effort has been made to try and target or line up someone to replace him.  It's pretty basic stuff, but clearly too basic for NUFC. Was it a shock - not at all. Sunderland have had a resurgence in results in the past few weeks, but having said that, I watched them on New Years Day against Villa and they ...

As we approach some tragic scenes with Hayley's death on Coronation Street, I thought I'd have my two-penneth on the touchy subject of euthanasia/assisted suicide.  Now I know it's a bit deep and meaningful for me, but it does have some resinance and it is something that I feel quite strongly about. Between disease and old age, there's a multitude of reasons that can reduce people's quality of life and its how we deal with people once their health deteriorates that concerns me.  The Corrie story is horrific and it does show just how quickly diseases like cancer can strike and bring down someones quality of life.  In fairness to the soap's, they tend to handle these situations very well and get some excellent advice, with Macmillan Cancer Support working with Corrie on the story. All this helps to raise awareness of people's tragic situations with debillating disease and gets people talking.  Talking and then taking notice is something that our politician...

Social Media is still a great way for businesses to communicate with their customers.  I did blog some time ago about how frustrating it can be if the businesses don't communicate with you and its time to name and shame a few more as they aren't talking back or aren't thinking about what they write. One of the most frustrating recent web experience was with Primark - the Mrs wanted to have a look at their store in Sunderland when we where there for the match on New Years Day. So, I checked their website to make sure they were open and I was surprised that the website said the store was open from 9am until 5.30pm, with them even having a countdown timer as to how long they'd be open for. Champion we thought, until we got to Sunderland to find the store closed, all the other shops closed and it chucking down with rain.  Not a happy teddy and Cafe Nero scored for our discretionary spend.  I had a moan about Primark and hashtagged them and didn't get a response. I the...

For the regular readers of the blog, this one may seem a little bit off the beaten track, but I've been pondering this one for a while.  There's been a lot of stories and naval gazing on sports development, especially in football in recent times and from past experience, I do have a bit of a view on this, but not just in football. It goes back to when Dominic used to play football.  He played for a team in the village and the general ethos seemed to be about the kids enjoying themselves and keeping fit, but as they got older, it then became much more of a winning kind of thing.  Sadly, like me, Dominic will never be a great footballer, but he turned up for training (which many didn't), worked hard (which many didn't) and always turned up for matches.  As the game time got less and less with more kids from all over the area turning up and playing ahead of him, he sharp got cheesed off. I thought it was a shame, as a lot of the kids from the village felt the same a...

A week has passed since I completed the 2013 Great North Run, so it's time to reflect a little on what was another great weekend of athletics in the North East, plus a great advert on bringing people to visit the region and come back often. For us, the weekend always starts on the Saturday with the pasta party, Great City Games and the Junior Great North Run. The pasta party is your chance to mix with the celebs who take part, get your fill of pasta and find some great freebies, race tips and cheering boards.  It's a fun event and there's loads to keep the kids occupied before they do there bit.  Sandwiched between is the Great City Games, where we see some of the best athlete's do their stuff right in front of you and free ! If you've never seen athletics before, then this is your best chance to see some of the world's best. The junior events are great to watch as the kids love it and that's not just mine !  They all look full of determination when they...

Tomorrow is the first home game of another Premier League season for Newcastle United.  This year is my 25th year of being a season ticket holder at St James Park and I have to say that this is the least excited that I've ever been ahead of a new season. A heady mix of the tripe of last season, letting a number of players go, a lack of any signings and all amongst the laughable appointment of Joe Kinnear.  It's a mix of circumstances that has lead to me to feel totally dis-illusioned at the start of another campaign. The result and performance at Man City didn't exactly help the other night either as it sounds like we were rubbish. I'd love to think that it was just me that felt that way, but it appears I'm not alone as my almost as long standing season ticket holding mate is just as despondent as me.  The only positive is that we're still going for a pint tomorrow lunchtime !  It'll be good to see him and have a catch up on the summer and speculate on w...

Until the past few weeks, I've always had the feeling that Apple seem a really good company, especially when you go in the shops. But, that opinion has now changed.  A few weeks ago, the ipod that I'd had for about 6 years got the so called "white screen of death" and despite my bestest efforts on t'internet to try and fix it, none of the online help would help. So I looked on the support bit on the Apple website and found that I needed to log a call and they duly rang me at the allotted time and I thought that was really impressive, but there wasn't much advice and it ended up me needing to book to go to a store.  A process that you then have to book online and its not really a speedy process.  The appointment was booked for 3 days hence and I duly turned up at the Metrocentre.  Hilariously, despite explaining I was there for my appointment, the bloke said that you need to make an appointment for service - hang ten Spender, that's what I'm here fo...