Kinder

We’ve had Ziggy for just over a year now. He’s the perfect family dog - loves everybody, affectionate and loads of fun. He comes to work with me 4 days a week and is my best mate and shadow.
This is what he does when he needs a fuss and I’m ignoring him:

And this is him when he’s won and I’ve given in!
 

We’ve had Ziggy for just over a year now. He’s the perfect family dog - loves everybody, affectionate and loads of fun. He comes to work with me 4 days a week and is my best mate and shadow.
This is what he does when he needs a fuss and I’m ignoring him:

And this is him when he’s won and I’ve given in!
 

We’ve had Ziggy for just over a year now. He’s the perfect family dog - loves everybody, affectionate and loads of fun. He comes to work with me 4 days a week and is my best mate and shadow.
This is what he does when he needs a fuss and I’m ignoring him:

And this is him when he’s won and I’ve given in!
 

Said to my friend, "I just watched that film about the Nazis."
He said, "Oh what, the one with Adolf in?"
I said, "No pal, you're thinking of 'Flipper', this was just about the Nazis."

Just discovered Mena Dhu stout in Cornwall. Bloody lovely. Not heavy at all for a stout, very tasty indeed. Had it on tap first but it’s also good from the bottle. I like most of the St Austell beers. 

My dad used to be an auditor and he was on audit at some company in Derby. The board of directors were all crusty old blokes and dad ended up standing next to one at the urinals. This old boy finishes, takes out his handkerchief, dabs his pecker dry, neatly folds up the hankie and puts it back in his top pocket! That’s a whole new level of grimness.
 

My dad used to be an auditor and he was on audit at some company in Derby. The board of directors were all crusty old blokes and dad ended up standing next to one at the urinals. This old boy finishes, takes out his handkerchief, dabs his pecker dry, neatly folds up the hankie and puts it back in his top pocket! That’s a whole new level of grimness.
 

Man goes to see his doctor complaining of a hearing problem.
Doctor - describe the symptoms
Man - Homer is fat and Marge has blue hair

My dad used to be an auditor and he was on audit at some company in Derby. The board of directors were all crusty old blokes and dad ended up standing next to one at the urinals. This old boy finishes, takes out his handkerchief, dabs his pecker dry, neatly folds up the hankie and puts it back in his top pocket! That’s a whole new level of grimness.
 

My dad used to be an auditor and he was on audit at some company in Derby. The board of directors were all crusty old blokes and dad ended up standing next to one at the urinals. This old boy finishes, takes out his handkerchief, dabs his pecker dry, neatly folds up the hankie and puts it back in his top pocket! That’s a whole new level of grimness.
 

Jim Walker the forgotten man
As many of you know I have been for the last 18 months meeting up with the old brigade, the proper DCFC legends, the ones that put us on the map in footballing terms, the ones that made us the best team in England and got us to the European Cup semi finals, the teams of 71/72 and 74/75.
It started off as way to spend time with my Dad who was a bit lost after the loss of my mum, he is a season ticket holder now and was back in the day so I started off out on a journey that has lead us to meet most of them, one of them remains elusive and one didn’t wish to participate.
All of them have been fantastic, eager to tell stories of the great Brian Clough and the amazing fortunes of Derby County who in those bleak years of three day weeks, power blackouts, strikes and Rolls Royce nearly going under taking thousands of local jobs with it gave the people of Derby something to be proud of.
Upon meeting one of those legends, Jim Walker I was particularly struck by how at peace he was with the world, very relaxed, very friendly and by far the best story teller of them all.
Jim had not long ago lost his wife to illness so immediately him and my dad had something in common other than the love of football, he made us very welcome and gave us an open invite to go round when ever to continue with the tales.
Now most people may remember Jim as the guy who was signed by Clough & Taylor from non league football to play for Derby County and was a major part of the team that won promotion from division two in 1968/69.
He lost his place in the team to John Mcgovern but captained the reserves and stepped in when required to cover injuries of suspensions, this meant that he played only a few games in the 1971/72 season but it was his goal in a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace in late march that gave Derby both points and if you remember we won the league and finished first above dirty Leeds who were just one point behind and had a greater goal difference, so in effect Jim scored the goal that won us the First Division Championship.
Aswell as a footballer Jim is probably better known as the Aston Villa physio, he was there for around twenty years and served under many managers including Graham Taylor, Ron Atkinson, Brian Little and John Gregory, he was also the man charged with looking after Paul McGrath for many years both on and off the pitch and is spoken of in very high regard in Pauls autobiography.
He had a private practice at the Belfry for the golfers and was also the go to man at the NEC when any pop stars suffered an injury or needed attention from a physio, he worked with George Michael, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Michael Hutchence and Kylie to name a few hence him having so many fantastic stories.
Jim has also had illnesses this however does not dampen his spirit or take a smile from his face.
One thing that I was amazed to hear that Jim did not receive a medal for winning the league title despite being only one of sixteen players in that 71/72 season to have donned the shirt and scoring such a valuable goal.
When ever you see the pictures of the team celebrating and holding up their medals jim does not have one.
I approached Andy Ellis the club historian and the writer of many Derby County books and the fount of all knowledge and he confirmed it.
So we the approached the club and asked if they would support an application to Gordon Taylor of the PFA to ask if he would inturn support an application to the football league to present Jim with the medal that he should have received 46 years ago.
The club agreed and they sent the letter to Gordon Taylor who gave it his blessing and the approach was then made to the football league, this was back in February this year after the ball was started rolling in June of 2017 so it took a while.
I am delighted to say that the agreement was given and Derby County approached the very same jewellers who had made the original ones to make one for Jim, to the exact specifications of the original medals and in the same box and made from 9ct gold with all of the hall marks.
For some reason the club at this time can not be seen to publicly present Jim with the medal which is a great sadness as I thought that he was going to be able to step out on the pitch at Pride Park on the opening home game against Leeds (quite fitting as he stopped them winning the league with his goal), it is a litigious matter so I will comment no further other than to say that they did everything that they could.
So to wrap up the story I had the great honour of going to Jims house today with my dad and my son and presenting him with his long overdue medal, he had no idea that it was coming and to say that he was over whelmed is an understatement.
It was great to see his face and to have the privilege to do something like that, I had the medal at my house for a while but obviously didn’t want to post any pictures until now as it was a secret.
Not very often that you get to present a league championship winning medal on behalf of Derby County and to one of the few from those great days and can be called the legends.
We are hoping that Jim will still be able to have amore public presentation at sometime in the season at Pride Park when what ever issues are resolved.
Up the Rams !!
 

@mozza it's no consolation but I am currently feeling the same pain as you.
The tumour was worse than feared, and I had no choice but to put her down.
Absolutely devastated and heartbroken.
Sleep well Maggie.
 

Absolutely mate, sinking in now, more so than this morning, times a great healer tho, and I appreciate all the sympathetic resonses i'm getting. Great forum this, with lots of genuinely caring people on board.
?

So sorry mate. Hope you’re ok. 

So sorry mate. Hope you’re ok. 

Said goodbye to my best mate this morning ..
 

 
R.I.P , Jake , owd lad..

A horse is in the pub having a few drinks when spots a donkey in the corner, so he nips over to have a natter. The donkey asks "What did you do for a living?”  Horse says " I ran on the flat in the summer and over the jumps in the winter". The donkey says "I worked with the kids on blackpool beach". Then he asks "Did you win anything?” The horse says "Yeah, on the flat I won the Oaks, St. Leger and the Derby and over the jumps I won the Grand National and the Gold Cup”.
They arrange to meet at the donkey's house a week later. The donkey thinks, "I need to impress this guy he's done everything" , so he buys a big picture of a zebra and hangs it above the fireplace. The horse arrives and says "Lovely place you have here and who's that in the picture on the wall?” The donkey replies " That’s me when I played for Juventus!”

Paddy and Murphy fancy a pint but only have a Euro between them. Paddy goes off and buys a sausage. 
Murphy says “Are you mad? Now we're skint!” “Come on” says Paddy, “follow me.”
They go into the pub, order two pints and drink them before they pay. Paddy shoves the sausage through the flies of his jeans and tells Murphy to get down on his knees and suck it. The barman goes berserk and throws them out. 
10 pubs and 10 pints later Murphy says..
 “I cant do this any more, my knees are sore and I'm pissed.”
“How do you think I feel?” says Paddy, “I can't even remember which pub I lost the sausage in?!”

I’m considering putting my testicles into a vice until they pop instead of watching it tonight.  Will give me much the same enjoyment!

A horse is in the pub having a few drinks when spots a donkey in the corner, so he nips over to have a natter. The donkey asks "What did you do for a living?”  Horse says " I ran on the flat in the summer and over the jumps in the winter". The donkey says "I worked with the kids on blackpool beach". Then he asks "Did you win anything?” The horse says "Yeah, on the flat I won the Oaks, St. Leger and the Derby and over the jumps I won the Grand National and the Gold Cup”.
They arrange to meet at the donkey's house a week later. The donkey thinks, "I need to impress this guy he's done everything" , so he buys a big picture of a zebra and hangs it above the fireplace. The horse arrives and says "Lovely place you have here and who's that in the picture on the wall?” The donkey replies " That’s me when I played for Juventus!”

Must be a Brummie thing mate - this one’s always lived in Sutton Coldfield! 

Paddy and Murphy fancy a pint but only have a Euro between them. Paddy goes off and buys a sausage. 
Murphy says “Are you mad? Now we're skint!” “Come on” says Paddy, “follow me.”
They go into the pub, order two pints and drink them before they pay. Paddy shoves the sausage through the flies of his jeans and tells Murphy to get down on his knees and suck it. The barman goes berserk and throws them out. 
10 pubs and 10 pints later Murphy says..
 “I cant do this any more, my knees are sore and I'm pissed.”
“How do you think I feel?” says Paddy, “I can't even remember which pub I lost the sausage in?!”

A horse is in the pub having a few drinks when spots a donkey in the corner, so he nips over to have a natter. The donkey asks "What did you do for a living?”  Horse says " I ran on the flat in the summer and over the jumps in the winter". The donkey says "I worked with the kids on blackpool beach". Then he asks "Did you win anything?” The horse says "Yeah, on the flat I won the Oaks, St. Leger and the Derby and over the jumps I won the Grand National and the Gold Cup”.
They arrange to meet at the donkey's house a week later. The donkey thinks, "I need to impress this guy he's done everything" , so he buys a big picture of a zebra and hangs it above the fireplace. The horse arrives and says "Lovely place you have here and who's that in the picture on the wall?” The donkey replies " That’s me when I played for Juventus!”

The Pope was making toast one morning when he noticed that one slice bore a perfect image of the face of Christ.
Overcome with emotion, he showed it to the Dalai Llama who said, I can’t believe it’s not Buddha.