Penned in for the 20th July 2011

 

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1677793&highlight=bolton

There's a certain irony there when you get to that f?cking tee shirt

 

Before you reach for your six shooter, pal - I am pro American. Had many happy times over there.

 

 

I'm pro American too - was born in the UK, been here for years.

 

Brit by birth - American by choice

Have you got a railway station by any chance?

 

 

Eeerr sort of. But if you're coming over, don't expect it to be anything like the UK, about the only place commuter rail works is on the east coast. Passenger rail in these parts of the US is dead and there's perhaps one passenger train a day headed either West of East. Your best bet is to rent a car and pollute the atmosphere like the rest of us.

Brit by birth - American by choice

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGZJg4uo3-k

I look special in everything I wear old son.

 

By the way - this is not a done deal yet, the Dynamo sent the contract over to Bolton last week. If it does get arranged, you'll just love our July and August weather.

 

Take a big woolly jumper to survive the ice cold air-conditioning.

Take a big woolly jumper to survive the ice cold air-conditioning.

 

Not at Robinson Stadium you won't, its got no cover what-so-ever, so it will be a little toaste to say the least at the end of July

Is the stadium named after a bottle of squash? Or the host of Ask The Family?

Tom Robinson. Sing if you're glad to be gay. 2-4-6-8 ain't never too late.

Is there a large Swiss extended family located in Houston?

Is there a large Swiss extended family located in Houston?

Sorry got the name wrong

 

Full name John O'Quinn Field at Corbin J. Robertson Stadium, named after Corbin J. Robertson, former UH Board of Regents member and Athletics Committee Chairman

John O'Quinn?

 

Was he a native American or the owner of the local Irish bar?

So many odd questions. No, no trains. Not many busses or taxis. Rent a car. And dress for the heat. And leave your fear of rats and cockroaches at home, Robertson was built in 1941 and looks like it. It's pretty much a dump in a ghetto. It does hold 32,000 people and it has excellent views from every seat, and we love the palm trees in the corners. We are starting to build a new stadium that will be state of the art and amazing, but it won't be ready till next year.

 

This will be the first time the Dynamo have played a friendly with anyone besides a Latin American team, so people are excited. The turnout for the prior Charities Cup games has been ok, but there have always been a large number of supporters of the visiting team. This time I think there will be a lot of Dynamo fans come out, partly to see Bolton and mostly for Stuie. Bolton has become more well known around here, and there are quite a few Houston fans that have been to Reebok recently to catch a game. Hopefully many of yall will make the trip to Houston.

 

This is the official Dynamo website, you probably could have guessed it: http://www.houstondynamo.com/ Check out the links to the new stadium.

 

Sure we only have a 5 year history, but we won titles our first two years and have had lots of memorable events in our short Dynamo life. Hope to see yall here this summer. I have two excellent Stuie stories to tell you. Stay tuned....

 

Oh, and that PSBU guy is our local British guy. He can be your translator and guide when you come to town. He has lots of free time on his hands.

 

Edited March 15, 201115 yr by brahmafutbol

Not a bad looking ground.

 

The sun helps I imagine.

Not a bad looking ground.

 

The sun helps I imagine.

 

It looks great, and like I said the sight lines are excellent. Most of the seating though is bleachers with no backs to them, the rich seats down low (where PSBU sits) are real seats. Just don't go in the bathrooms, they look like something from a horror movie... vast cavernous cement, bare bulbs that hang from long cords, 40's style urinals and sinks that drip and leak, water flowing across the floor. All it needs is a chain saw somewhere. And the concession stands are similar.

Just don't go in the bathrooms, they look like something from a horror movie... vast cavernous cement, bare bulbs that hang from long cords, 40's style urinals and sinks that drip and leak, water flowing across the floor. All it needs is a chain saw somewhere. And the concession stands are similar.

Just like Burnden! It'll be deja vu all over again

It looks great, and like I said the sight lines are excellent. Most of the seating though is bleachers with no backs to them, the rich seats down low (where PSBU sits) are real seats. Just don't go in the bathrooms, they look like something from a horror movie... vast cavernous cement, bare bulbs that hang from long cords, 40's style urinals and sinks that drip and leak, water flowing across the floor. All it needs is a chain saw somewhere. And the concession stands are similar.

 

 

Luxury.

 

 

We used to be at Burnden Park. That was 40 years old when your current ground was still a drawing. The bogs (as we call them over here) contained original features when it was demolished a few years back.

By the way, did you know, we have a pub in Bolton that is older than your country?

Luxury.

 

 

We used to be at Burnden Park. That was 40 years old when your current ground was still a drawing. The bogs (as we call them over here) contained original features when it was demolished a few years back.

By the way, did you know, we have a pub in Bolton that is older than your country?

 

 

Yea, actually I had seen that somewhere. I've been checking out Bolton a lot recently. They've had some games on ESPN lately, and besides I've listened to some Bolton radio on my ipad (at first to listen for updates while games were going on, but then to listen to the girls with the cool accents) and I've gone to the street view on google maps and checked out some scenes around town. The stadium is cool.

 

 

Oh, and that PSBU guy is our local British guy. He can be your translator and guide when you come to town. He has lots of free time on his hands.

 

I dunno about translation I'm from Kent. I don't understand those Lancashire accents.

I dunno about translation I'm from Kent. I don't understand those Lancashire accents.

Dont worry PSBU, i cant understand those Bolton ruffians seven miles down the road.

That's just because you're thick though

That's just because you're thick though

Thicker than that scots mad man thick Mc Thicket from the thickest family what lives on Thicket Grove in Westleigh.

Ok, it's time for Stuie Story Number 1.....

 

Let me preface this by saying that Holden made a name for himself off the field as well as on by being a gentleman and a really great guy, he spent a lot of time visiting sick and dying kids in local hospitals, and not just visiting with them, he often became their friends. He would exchange emails with them and keep up with them through their illnesses. And he did this with no cameras rolling or press following along. This story from The Houston Chronicle in 2008 will bring tears to your eyes.http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5770505.html In addition, the entire Dynamo organization, from its President to its staff is exceptional for their attention to the fans and their openness and availability. The previous president of the Dynamo, Oliver Luck, would stroll through the parking lot before and after games and chat with fans for hours. He would personally return emails to fans within a few hours of receiving them. Really amazing. So with that background, on with Stuie Story Number 1....

 

The summer of 2008, just after Hurricane Ike devastated the Houston area, one of the boys that sits in our section came down with a fairly serious illness and was in the hospital for a couple of weeks. My friends and I decided that since his favorite player was Stuart Holden, it would be cool to see if Stuart would drop by and pay him a visit. I emailed Oliver Luck, the club president, and asked if it would be possible for Stuie to go by his hospital room and say hi. Oliver, typically, replied immediately and said he would see what he could do, but it was a bad time since the team was preparing for an important tournament. But Oliver sent the boy, let's call him Kevin (since that's his name) a Dynamo basket that Kevin was excited about. That same night Stu emailed me and asked for information about Kevin, his room number, etc, and said he would go by the next day. We were all excited and impressed by how quickly it happened. But ironically the doctors decided to release Kevin ahead of schedule the very morning that Stu was going to go by. Kevin really wanted to stick around, but the doctors did give him permission to go to the game that night. Stu emailed Kevin that day telling him he was sorry he missed him and wished him luck.

 

Ok, that would be a nice story. What happened next is hard to believe, but I swear it's true. The game that night was packed, and as is the custom at Dynamo games the players kicked personally autographed balls into the stands before taking the field. We weren't really paying much attention, but suddenly a ball came flying up into our section, Kevin's father reached out and grabbed it for his son. When Kevin took it, he checked to see who had signed it, and sure enough it was Stuart. Holden had no idea where in the stadium Kevin sat, and being fairly high in the stands and very crowded, there is no way he could have kicked it to him had he tried. It sent shivers up our spines it was so cool.

 

That night Stuart scored a game winning goal. I sent him an email to tell him what had happened before the game. He wrote back saying that he was excited to get his goal, and Kevin's story was the icing on the cake. He called it surreal.

 

I have no pictures of that night, but here are some pretty cool pictures that PSBU took (he's an excellent amateur photographer, by the way) of Stuart scoring a goal.... I think it was his birthday, maybe, and after scoring the goal he jumped up and kissed his mom in the stands. This was not long after his father passed away after a long fight with cancer. It was another one of those "awww, how nice" moments we got a lot with Stu and a reason that we miss him so much.

 

Stay tuned for Stuie Story Number 2, or as I like to call it, "Why the Bolton Wanderers Can Thank Brahmafutbol for Having Stuart Holden on their Team." Prepare your cards of thanks. And your checks of appreciation (which is to say, your cheques of appreciation.)

Edited March 16, 201115 yr by brahmafutbol

He'd get booked for running into the stands over here.

He'd get booked for running into the stands over here.

Thought exactly the same.

 

I've got a soft spot for all things American except the crazy republicans who make the Tories look like tree hugging hippies

He'd get booked for running into the stands over here.

 

Cynically, that was the first thing that crossed my mind too.

Anyway, it has to be asked:

Holden's Mum. Would you?