A throw away gag it may have been but it has accurately mirrored the myriad tributes which have poured in for Speed, who committed suicide this weekend at the age of just 42. The former Wales captain and manager had been live on the BBC sport show Football Focus less than 24 hours before, chatting amiably with fellow pundit and member of Leeds’ title winning midfield Gary McAllister, and had visited Alan Shearer, a team mate from his time at Newcastle in the Match of the Day office. It seems as though he gave no indication that he was in a state of mind which would lead to such a terrible tragedy occuring.

Speed was a poised, combative midfielder who could tackle, pass and move with a verve and sixties glamour that meant he could have been from an era where football highlights were shown on film reels in cinemas. Being born into a Leeds United supporting family, my early years were spent wearing kits that I can vividly remember feeling in all their polyester glory at Christmas – kits emblazoned with the vintage Leeds United badge and sponsored by Thistle Hotels; kits that I would be called upon to wear for photographs with my similarly Leeds mad cousin. I can recall Gary Speed in those kits, celebrating wildly in the glossy photo inserts to the copy of McAllister’s autobiography on our bookshelf, or casually frozen in the action of stroking a pass as a holofoil in a Premier League sticker album.

Millions of other fans will have their lasting memory of Speed given the startling longevity of his career. He was at his peak then but he went on playing at the highest level until relatively recently, distinguishing himself at Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United. He played a staggering 677 games and scored 103 goals. He captained his country and earned 85 caps, a record for an outfield player. At the moment of his untimely death he was in the process of reconfiguring Wales’ golden generation of talent into a team that played slick, fast and attractive football. The dream that many Welsh fans had of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup with Speed at the helm will sadly never be realised.

Regardless of his footballing prowess, it is the seeming decency and dignity of Speed as a man which comes through in the tributes paid to him. His influence and attitude toward younger players is a notable feature, with many current pros expressing thanks for the advice and time that he gave to them. He inspired profound respect and admiration from incalculable numbers of people, even those that had only watched him play and had never met him. In the fullness of time perhaps we may have some semblance of understanding of why he took his life, but it won’t really matter.

All that matters is that Gary Speed was a man held in great esteem for his actions on the football pitch by those who didn’t know him and loved for his actions off it by those who did – and that’s not a bad record by any measurement, is it?

Their passion and leadership could be the difference between a good and a great season. There is also always the tantalising prospect of achieving something that will be remembered long after they leave the University; they could be the captain whose name becomes synonymous with a promotion and cup double or simply just a battering of their City or Roses rivals.

If they can deal with the responsibility it’s a job that can provide rich rewards and go beyond simply choosing personnel as Chris Unsworth, men’s swimming captain, details: “I really want to unify the swimming team this year. At the end of the day, swimming is an individual sport; there is only one swimmer for a team in the water at a time and in the past our team has not respected each other as competitors. It’s really important to make sure that in training and on poolside everyone supports each other as much as possible, whatever they are looking to achieve.”

It’s an ambition that Izzi Mattick, co-captain of the Women’s Lacrosse firsts, shares: “Lacrosse at York is so welcoming and friendly and on joining you quickly become involved in  all aspects of the club. Captaining the firsts therefore is a very exciting  prospect not only to have the opportunity to lead the team on the pitch but also know everyone off it.

“Having just finished a week of pre-season, at the beginning it did seem a daunting task, but even by the end of just this first week it has been good fun and we are looking forward to the rest of the season.”

The over arching ambitions may be similar but each captain has a very specific idea of what they want from the coming, and for many final, season. “I feel our performances to the end of last season improved significantly” says men’s football firsts captain Dan Turley. “We started to collect more clean sheets, and picked up some massive results, so I would like to carry on from where we left off and hit the ground running from day one; picking up maximum points, achieving promotion.”

Promotion is an aim that women’s netball captain Becky O’Dwyer also believes is well within the grasp of her side: “Obviously promotion within the BUCS league is something we always strive towards. We expect our players to be committed and dedicated throughout the season to ensure we secure key victories. We aim for all three teams to succeed at Roses and ensure that we don’t fall at the final hurdle to the Red Rose.”

It’s the small things that make the big differences, and they are the things that Captains can directly influence, as Unsworth recognises: “Last year, even though we achieved so much, a lot of races were lost by the tiniest of margins; our incredible results could have been even more outstanding if the team focused on where these margins were lost. Building strong technique and pushing yourself that little bit more is something that I want to see as a key principle in the team.”

Coaching is constantly improving and the standards and talents of each team is raised by such investment.

“We have a fantastic coach, with incredible netball experience who frequently trains us to the standard that we are,” says O’Dwyer “The club makes sure that everyone who becomes a member gains a valuable and highly enjoyable experience during their time at University.”

They all start the year with a blank slate and boundless enthusiasm. All four captains mention how much their teams mean to them socially and how important it was in the formative stages of their time in York.

Whatever results they produce is undoubted that they will pull on the black and gold each week with pride.

They are very different people but Izzi Mattick sums up the qualities that each captain brings to everything they do and what new members can look forward to when they join a club: “Enthusiasm, dedication, enjoyment.”

Photo credit: Lucy Dixon

College sport is strong at York but football is perhaps the most hotly contested. After an enthralling College Cup, Nouse Sport spoke to the college captains and asked them about the coming season. All of them hope that the Freshers coming in to their team will help propel them to victories against their rivals to get the all important bragging rights.

ALCUIN
“I’m really looking forward to the new season and think we’ve got some solid foundations to build upon after some good performances in the College Cup and just hoping we get a good batch of Freshers to add to that.”
Bradley Wood, Firsts Captain

HALIFAX
“We’re looking to capitalise on our College Cup success of last season. We haven’t lost too many players and we’re expecting a few decent freshers to step into the team. We’re hoping that this year is all about the ‘Fax!”
Jack Beadle, Firsts Captain

GOODRICKE
“We’ve managed to retain a lot of our senior players so we’re looking at a relatively unchanged squad this year, unlike some colleges who have been left high and dry. Hopefully, with a strong batch of Freshers we can mount a serious challenge.”
Matt Thomas, Firsts Co-captain with Christian Hammer

DERWENT
“We’ll try to keep building on last year, we had a great league campaign and strong College Cup. We’ve lost some really important players who will need replacing but we had good seconds and thirds last year so we’re hoping they can step up and we can get a couple of decent Freshers.”
Joe Boughtflower, Firsts Captain

JAMES
“This season we will be aiming to win at least one of the three tournaments that run during the year. Last season was disappointing, especially the College Cup, as we felt we had a really strong side.”
Richard Baxter, Firsts Captain. (James and University centre back Oscar Lynch pictured in James colours.)

WENTWORTH
“We are the neutrals’ favourite and the spirit that we have as a club is second to none. We go out every Sunday, give it our all and are invariably tougher opponents than people give us credit for. As postgraduates we are also the only football team that has an academic pre-requisite.”
Rich Rhodes, Firsts Captain

VANBRUGH
“We’re hoping to challenge for the league in the coming terms, establish our fifths team, continue our weekly socials, defend the Doxbridge trophy in Ireland and go a step or even two further on last year’s semi final in the College Cup.”
James Wilson, Firsts Captain.

LANGWITH
“We’ll be looking to maintain the team spirit that kept us competitive last year. We’ll really need to play for each other throughout this season and hope for some defensive reinforcements. Determined performances and a few wins would be good”
Andy Hutt, Firsts Captain

Most sports are played so if you’re wondering whether you’ll get the chance to represent your college in your chosen sport speak to the sports rep in your JCRC or ask your styc (second or third year contact).

Football is one of the most popular sports at college level. Come rain or shine expect to see hardy souls battling it down to the 22 Acres (the sports pitches) to blow away the cobwebs of their hangover and fight for their college. Last year saw Goodricke win the first term’s league, Derwent win the second term’s league and Halifax take the more prestigious College Cup in the summer term.

College football is played all year but the crescendo is very much the summer term’s College Cup. It is the culmination of the college football calendar as hard Sunday morning slogs turn into midweek matches on the astroturf with all college teams in the competition. Last year Vanbrugh turned out four teams which is a testament to the accessibility of college football regardless of performance level.

The cap on the amount of University first players is lifted (two per week during the autumn and winter terms) and over the course of eight weeks York’s very own World Cup is played out. Check back with Nouse in the summer to pick your Fantasy Football team – yes, people really do get that involved.

College Rugby is also contested with varying degrees of intensity by each college with James, Alcuin and Derwent traditionally the strongest teams. Last year Derwent did the double, taking the League and Cup crowns. There tends to be less people involved with College Rugby, perhaps owing to the fact it has to be played off-campus, meaning that a college can usually muster up only one team if at all but there is still a thriving, competitive scene to become a part of.

Elsewhere the College Netball league is keenly contested each Sunday in the sports tent and last year College Hockey experienced a resurgence with regular scheduled matches. As well as netball and hockey there are also college opportunities for badminton, volleyball, lacrosse, darts and many more. At the end of the year there’s also a College Sports Day which goes towards the College Sports points.

Last year it was Halifax, renowned traditionally as the sporty college, who won the College Sport Trophy. When you come to York, get involved and help your college win the trophy – it’s better than essays!

We’ve also made a few predictions for the opening weekend’s fixtures so we can be openly mocked sooner rather than later. Get involved, have your own say and make a few outrageous claims of your own. Danny Shittu to be top scorer? Arsenal to finish in the lower half of the table? Kieron Dyer to play two games in a row? It could all happen…

Jake Farrell

Champions – Manchester United. Fergie’s team were imperious last season and this year the gum chewing, heart-attack-waiting-to-happen Glaswegian has strengthened his squad more intelligently than any transfer window in recent memory. Ashley Young is an especially impressive capture, and the £15 million paid for the Villa man in comparison with the higher sums paid for lesser players such as Stewert Downing may prove to be one of the steals of the season.

Phil Jones is also a bargain at £19 million and looks to have the talent that could see him captain club and country in the future. His understanding with the similarly exceptional Chris Smalling could be important, especially as Rio Ferdinand’s injury problems persist. These factors coupled with the the emergence of homegrown talent like Tom Cleverly mean United are far more future orientated, with many valued servants but lesser players heading towards the exit in exchange for healthy sums. If Rooney stays fit and Hernazdez continues his rapid growth into one of the best out and out strikers in World football United could prove nigh on unstoppable.

The top four – Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal. Andre Villas Boas is a progressive appointment in the manager’s position at Chelsea but a lack of investment beyond the Belgian wunderkind Romelu Lukaku will stymie the Blue’s title ambtions. The Luka Modric deal seems to have run out of steam and without a bustling, creative presence at the heart of their midfield Chelsea will continue to be robust but impotent.

City, meanwhile, are not short on investment but are short on cohesion and spirit. Sergio Aguero is a superb investment and is a less selfish presence in the dressing room than his pugnacious compatriot Carlos Tevez, whilst also simply being a better player. A less than settled midfield around the little magician David Silva is also not conducive to a title push. Expect them to floruish in fits and starts whilst constantly being buffeted by the high winds of Mario Ballotelli’s intense stupidity.

Arsenal may well thrive with their want-away captain finally away but not many teams, let alone the North Londoners, can easiliy replace such a talent. They may be more comfortable without the saga surrounding them and Gervinho looks a good player but this is not the year that they get their hands back on the title. It may be the year that, stepping into Cesc’s shoes, Jack Wilshere confirms himself as the best young player in Europe or that, if Scott Dann puts pen to paper, certain defensive frailties are solved but Champions League football is really the best the Gunners can hope for.

Relegated – Swansea, Blackburn, Norwich. For all the Romance of Swansea’s ascent to the Premier League it would be some acheivement if they stayed up. They have little quality in their squad and will struggle even give the managerial powers of Brenden Rogers. Blackburn could find themselves in a difficult situation as well having little money to add to their squad and a poor manager who commands neither the respect of their players or fans. Norwich have invested in risky hopes such as Steve Morison who may find the chasm between Championship and Premier League a little too far to leap. Last year a large proportion of their fire power came from Grant Holt, a man simply not good enough at the highest level. If a big to middling club sacks their manager early then they could also lose their prize asset, manager Paul Lambert, as the Scotsman is an outstanding manager.

Surprise Package - Tottenham – Harry’s boys could have a surprising season- and not in a good way. They failed to qualify for the Champions League and while their rivals have strengthened, notably Liverpool, they have stood still. Add into the mix that their stand out player Luka Modric is unsettled and wants to leave and things begin to look tough. European football of any description would be an acheivment as even teams like Aston Villa and Everton will hope to have better seasons, along with the last season’s top four and Liverpool. If they are faltering come January expect a raft of Gareth Bale transfer stories and Harry Redknapp’s status as heir to Capello’s throne to look more and more fragile.

Golden Boot – Javier Hernandez. The Little Pea will get more game time this year and will undoubtedly improve on his already impressive return from last season. An instinctive finisher who boasts frigteningly good movement he will take some beating if Manchester United go on a run and he is greedily accepting the deliveries of Young, Valencia, Nani and Rooney.

Henry Cowen

Champions – All the smart money is on Manchester United but, predominantly for the sake of having something to argue about with Jake, I’m going for Chelsea. In many ways we don’t know what Chelsea will produce, and the chances are that Sir Alex Ferguson’s regime will crush Villas Boas like it has Avram Grant and Carlo Ancelotti, but the word is that the former Porto boss is something special. He’s already broken several records and let’s not forget he does have quite a team at his disposal. Maybe, just maybe, it could be there year.

Top Four – Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool. The top four is practically a trophy in itself these days – something that has doubtless kept the Arsenal fans extremely happy throughout the last few seasons. Man Utd will push Chelsea all the way, that is of course if they don’t walk the title themselves. Fergie has bought superbly over the summer and Ashley Young might turn out to be a star of the season.

Roberto Mancini, whose neck is permanently hidden behind a scarf, led his side to FA Cup final victory last year and his brief this year is to fight for the title. I don’t think the side he has created are quite good enough to do that yet but a top four spot is well within their grasp.

Liverpool have spent big and Luis Suarez looks like a quality player. Owner John W. Henry has made it clear he wants Champions League and I reckon King Kenny will deliver.

Relegated – Wigan, QPR, Blackburn. I tipped Wigan for relegation last year and they survived and, to be honest, they’ll probably stay up again. That being said it wouldn’t be a Premier League season if Wigan weren’t tipped to be relegated. The loss of Charles N’Zogbia could be massive.

QPR have kept Adel Taarabt which will help them in their fight to avoid the drop but their defence looks weak and I doubt they’ll do much away from Loftus Road, especially given the fact that Neil Warnock’s job already appears to be under pressure.

Blackburn are a tricky one, they struggled under Steve Kean last year and I think it will be much of the same this year – especially if they lose Chris Samba. It will be interesting to see whether David Goodwillie will score any goals.

Surprise Package – Norwich. As much as it pains to me to say it as an ardent Ipswich fan, Paul Lambert is a very good manager. He has put together a very decent squad that will remain competitive all season. At home they will be a very tough proposition and Lambert has bought young, keen players whose careers are on the way up. I want them to come down with a record low points total but I think they’ll finish somewhere between mid-table and 17th.

Golden Boot – Once again I will go for Fernando Torres. He has a lot to prove and he isn’t even assured of a place in the starting XI – not necessarily the makings of a great season. The Torres of last season bears no resemblance to the Torres of a few years ago; if he can recapture his old form he’ll be somewhere near the top of the scoring charts.

Opening Weekend Predictions

Blackburn 1-1 Wolves
Fulham 2-1 Aston Villa
Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland
QPR 0-2 Bolton
Wigan 1-1 Norwich
Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal
Stoke 0-1 Chelsea
WBA 0-3 Man Utd
Man City 4-0 Swansea

First they made Madmen, a show which you can rest assured will be discussed on these pages, and went on to follow it with the equally sublime Breaking Bad. Far removed from the lush environs of Madison Avenue boardrooms, Breaking Bad takes place in the parched sands of Albuquerque, New Mexico and follows the earnest, intense story of chemistry teacher Walter White, played with explosive aplomb by Brian Cranston.

At the show’s advent he is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and given little chance of survival beyond a couple of years. Marooned in the financial sinkhole of his job and with a baby on the way, as well as his wife Skylar (Anna Gunn) and son Walter Junior (RJ Mitte) to support, his desperation turns him to selling methamphetamine and a life of crime – in effect he “breaks bad”.

Just as with the Sopranos a summary of Breaking Bad sounds like a high concept show gone awry. Despite the simplistic nature of the teacher turned drug dealer dynamic Breaking Bad has consistently produced some of the most moving television with a monolithic central performance from Cranston, better known to British audiences as the hapless Hal from Malcolm in the Middle, that deserves every shred of the award ceremony hype and critical acclaim showered upon it.

Centrally it is a show about masculinity and mortality set in the heightened wasteland of the American city. In this case the sun ravaged streets of New Mexico make a nice change from the staple sheen of east coast American cities. As Walt becomes hopelessly embroiled in the world of the drug trade, his skills as a gifted chemist make his ‘product’ highly desirable for a number of unscrupulous people, a tragic tale of remarkable scope is played out.

The father–son relationship that ebbs and flows between Walt and his ex-pupil Jesse Pinkman, played with caustic brilliance by Aaron Paul, who acts as his conduit to the criminal world, is so beautifully rendered as to leave you with the impression that the show could easily be a two hander – a savage odd couple show.

This though would be to do a disservice to the ensemble cast that make Breaking Bad special, especially Dean Norris as Walt’s Brother in law Hank and Bob Odenkirk as the deliciously corrupt lawyer Saul Goodman, a man who makes the Wire‘s Maurice Levy look like an angel.

They play an increasingly integral role as the three currently available series progress and become complicit in the dire sprawl of Walt’s rapidly out of control money making schemes. Breaking Bad’s strength lies in the fact that it is constantly and fluidly shifting the very heart of the show. The manner in which season three ends, literally and figuratively with a bang, is inconceivable when you first set out with Walt into the heart of darkness. In keeping the show relevant, unknowable and dangerous Vince Gilligan, the show’s creator, and his team have created a rare alchemy – and one of the greatest TV shows of all time.

While many teams have enjoyed successful campaigns there has been one team that as stood out with a record of near perfection amidst the sporting excellence provided by York Sport societies this year.

The women’s basketball team won BUCS Northern League 3B in style, playing and winning eight fixtures on the way to a perfect season and securing promotion in the process.

A Roses triumph was another welcome success for a team that were simply unstoppable and it was their points that pushed York over the threshold which regained them the Carter-James trophy, a fitting testament to their brilliance and commitment over the course of the season.

Whilst other teams have been mired in controversy off the field and some have under performed on it the women’s basketball team have shown how it’s done. Under the eye of captain Lydie Mariutto they have gone from strength to strength and turned in perhaps the most impressive campaign of any team at the University.

“A sublime first two quarters set the women’s basketball on their way to clinching the Carter-James Trophy for York and capped-off an already wonderful season for the recently promoted side“ >> DAVID AMBROZEJCZYK – YORK 45 – 39 LANCASTER

Commendations: Men’s cricket firsts, men’s table tennis firsts, women’s badminton firsts, men’s lacrosse firsts, women’s hockey firsts, men’s darts firsts

SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Andy Kirkwood

You just can’t ignore a Roses centurion. With York up against it in Friday’s other sports Kirkwood strode out with his own side struggling at 63-4 and returned smiling with four points for the White Rose in the bag. His innings helped York to regain some crucial momentum and began to turn the tide in the home side’s favour as Friday ended and Saturday began.

Kirkwood has enjoyed a good season away from Roses as well, in which he won the Ernst and Young Trophy for performance of the weekend, helping his side to the BUCS Cup final and a first placed finish in the league. It could get even better for him and his teammates if they are able to overcome the hurdle of Liverpool John Moores University in the aforementioned cup final next week.

The occasional wicket-keeper gave an interview afterwards in which he stressed how important it was to deliver under pressure for his side, something he did superbly well to seal the win for his team.

“In the 45th over Kirkwood sealed both a century and victory for his side and gained a precious four points for York in what had been Lancaster’s day before his heroics.” >> Henry Cowen – York 238-5 BEAT LANCASTER 237-9

Commendations: Tom Weir, Nick Hall, Laura Pepper, Mike Walsh, Lydie Mariutto, Jenny Eyes

PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Men’s Rugby Firsts

Whilst there have undoubtedly been many superb performances from York’s sporting students this year few would have been able to match the drama and jubilation of the men’s rugby firsts’ 41-38 victory over the University of Leeds men’s seconds.

With just thirty minutes left on the clock York were facing the prospect of losing their long-held unbeaten record in the league on Fortress 22 Acres; 33-10 down and defending a constant stream of Leeds attacks there looked no way back but Tom Weir’s men fought back to seal an unlikely victory.

Tries from captain Weir, James Bennett, Gabriel Adebiyi and Pete Tarrega brought the hosts back to 38-38 and Fly-Half James Mortimer knocked over the decisive penalty to prompt the White Rose celebrations.

The celebrations at the end said it all, it meant an awful lot.

“It was absolutely awful rugby but the bottle and temperament we had was phenomenal…we played awfully for 70 minutes and then in two five minute patches we somehow managed to win the game“ >> TOM WEIR – York 41 – 38 LEEDS SECONDS

Commendations: Men’s darts UDUK win, men’s lacrosse cup win, men’s cricket firsts’ semi-final win, women’s basketball firsts’ Roses win, YUsnow Roses performance, Rowing Roses performance

Those months spent wondering how they could have crashed out in the semi-finals so ignominiously last yer, losing 5-1 to eventual winners Alcuin, seem to have imbued their team with a desperate desire not to experience the same fate.

Now they are at least partially vindicated after beating Vanbrugh 2-1 to secure the berth in the final that should have probably been theirs this time last year. The manner in which they have reached the final has been impressive for the neutral and ominous for their rivals.

Blessed with a rich seam of talent from which to pick his team captain Tom Ragan has constructed an energetic, forceful outfit that attacks as a fluid unit and defends with imperious ease.

This astuteness coupled with moments of magic from their most important figures, Conor Brennan’s stunning opener against Vanbrugh being a good example of this, makes them a daunting proposition.

They will face the winner of the other semi-final between Halifax seconds and Derwent firsts. The second string for the ‘Fax dispatched Ruari Phillips’ James thirds 3-1 in the quarters, whilst Derwent were taken to penalties by Alcuin where they squeaked through largely thanks to goakeeper Seb Treasure.

Top scorer Hamish Denham returns after missing the quarter final for Harry Pearson’s side whilst Derwent are without Xander Brinkworth and David Kirk who have suffered a heel injury and ligament damage and a hairline fracture to the ankle respectively.

Phil Bowers – Alcuin firsts captain

“I think Halifax firsts will prove to be worthy winners. They have added defensive steel and a will to win to their game. That combined with the talent they have should see them to victory regardless of their opposition”

Sam Lewis – Goodricke firsts captain

“I’d have to go with Halifax firsts. They’re stronger everywhere. Derwent, defensively, are very good but Halifax have game-changers, your Brennans, your Days and they’ll come good in the final”

Phil Taylor – Vanbrugh firsts captain

“Halifax firsts. They have brought a few freshers in who have taken them to the next level. They’re so difficult to keep quiet and have kept it tight at the back all tournament so it’s hard to see any team beating them”

Simon Mole – James firsts captain

“It’s got to be Halifax firsts. They’ve got a very good captain and a really good team. They have always looked very good on paper but this year they have probably performed even better than that.”

DOM PETSCHAK – Petschak has been immense for his team this year, a constant inspirational presence in the heart of the defence who has an uncanny knack of heading absolutely every ball. Has chipped in with a few important goals at the other end as well.

NATHAN MCCUSKER – The emblematic player in the surprise package of the tournament. His three goals and man of the match award made him influential in helping James thirds to qualify whilst their first team could only make it into the Plate.

ZIGGY HEATH – What more is there to say about the top fantasy point scorer and heart of the Vanbrugh defence? With five goals and three clean sheets to his name he has been an integral part of a team that improved hugely from an opening day loss to a narrow semi-final defeat.

JON GILL – Gill has been deadly from long throws and long range, playing well for both the firsts and the seconds in his college. A brace in the quarter-finals of the Plate, including the goal of the tournament, and the winning goal in the Cup quarter-final against Goodricke showed how invaluable he was.

BRUCE RAWLINGS – Rawlings will leave a big gap in the Wentworth side when he leaves next year. His running and strenth in the midfield has been difficult to match, leading to two man of the match awards.

CONOR BRENNAN – The former UYAFC Captain has turned on the style on the JLD this year. Displaying a level of technique and skill that has been breathtaking at times, he has been hugely important for his side. A stunning goal when his team needed him most in the semis shows he is a big game player.

GRAHAM KIMBER – The Alcuin man was a bright spot on the grass for his side in the winter and has carried his good form into the Cup. Blessed with speed and skill Kimber has been a handful and was simply too much for Derwent thirds as he orchestrated a 7-0 thrashing.

LUKE CHARLES – Luke Charles is the talismanic figure for the talented Halifax seconds. His range of passing and touch in the middle of the park have been impressive whilst his drive and will to win has been inspirational. Three man of the match awards and three goals games illustrate just how good he’s been.

HAMISH DENHAM – Has pace and power in abundance. He has turned out to good effect for both the thirds and seconds in his college. A firsts place surely beckons next season if he continues with the same goal scoring ratio and confidence.

JON GARNESS – As an out and out striker no one has been able to match Jon Garness for effectiveness and his total of 12 goals over the course of the competition, for both Derwent seconds and thirds, is yet to be matched; a lethal finisher

Images: Peter Iveson

Halifax Firsts have booked their place in the College Cup final after beating their Vanbrugh counter parts 2-1, thanks to a stunning goal from striker Conor Brennan and a header from Captain Tom Ragan.

Starting with a slightly altered formation that saw Brennan moved from a wide left position to just behind the lone frontman Ragan, with Tom Day moving to the wing as part of a four man midfield, the Fax started somewhat slowly. Jonny Sim was forced into a smart save after neat interplay from Ali Prince and Phil Taylor put Kieran O’Dywer through on goal with the match barely five minutes old. The industrious Vanbrugh frontman should have scored and provided his team with a valuable foothold in a game that quickly swung away from them and in the favour of their impressive opponents.

They went close again, however, through a dipping Ben Stanier freekick that had Sim, but not the post beaten. This attempt foreshadowed the central attacking threat that Halifax would face, but their defensive quartet, and in particular Dom Petschak and Dan Turley were typically imperious. They were powerless though to stop a rasping half volley from Vanbrugh Captain Taylor that would have severely troubled Sim if it were a little further away from him

After a robust start Vanbrugh were right in the match but a moment of magic from Brennan soon dampened their mood. After a Scaysbrook throw in was pounced upon by Day Vanbrugh failed to clear and, with the ball bouncing high off the JLD surface, Brennan produced a sublime volley that swerved with menace into the top corner of the net, leaving James Wilson rooted, despairingly to the spot. It was a moment of quality that would have illuminated any College Cup game and the celebrations from Halifax were a testament to the importance of scoring the opener.

The rest of the half was played at a frenetic tempo and Brennan went close again after a beautifully weighted through ball from Tom Ragan, before Ash Daly arrowed an effort toward the top corner from fully 25 yards that Wilson could only fumble wide. Referee Dan Horsfall was called into action when a cynical challenge by Scaysbrook provoked an angry reaction from Day. Both were booked for their part in the incident as well as Stanier, who will feel hard done by as he was acting as the peace maker between his team mate and an on rushing Matt Mawdesley, who escaped reproach but was later cautioned for a shocking tackle on Johnny Grout.

Jon Gill almost equalised from a corner on the stroke of half time and one of his superb long throws was flicked just over to gasps from the crowd by Taylor. Vanbrugh will have gone in heartened at the break but soon after half time Halifax produced a killer goal. Jack Beadle found a rare pocket of space in the wide right channel and he danced past Rob Rix before producing a superlative cross that Ragan headed powerfully home leaving Wilson helpless. Taylor reorganised and threw men forward, leaving three at the back for the remainder of the match, but there was little his side could do to seriously trouble Ragan and his men. The closest they came was a nicely worked driven corner looked destined to ripple the back of the net but somehow squirmed through a ruck of players went out for a corner.

They gained a consolation with minutes to play as a huge kick from Wilson bounced awkwardly between centre back Turley and goalkeeper Sim. The ball ballooned off the head of the otherwise faultless Turley and into his own net to give Vanbrugh a glimmer of hope that they couldn’t capitalise on.

Phil Taylor was understandably downbeat about the defeat and said: ” They (Halifax) deserved it. I’m disappointed especially after we seemed to be getting back on track after a bad opening performance against James. I’m proud of the lads and I think that they’ll probably go on and win it.” For Tom Ragan this was vindication of much of the hype that has surrounded his side after another sterling performance: “We always knew they were going to be a very good team and they’ve got a great spine. We dealt with them so well all day and we take some great form into the final now”

Vanbrugh Firsts: James Wilson, Matt Scaysbrook (Tom Spring), Ziggy Heath, Jon Gill, Rob Rix, Ben Stanier, Johnny Grout, Phil Taylor, Jamie Clarke (Rory Sharkey), Ali Prince, Kieran O’Dwyer (Ben Lowe)

Man of the Match: Ben Stanier

Halifax Firsts: Jonny Sim, Mark Lund, Dan Turley, Dom Petschak, Alex Tringham, Tom Day, Matt Mawdesley, Ash Daly (Gio Palides), Conor Brennan, Jack Beadle, Tom Ragan (Elliot Ragan). Unused Subs: Tom Patrickson

Man of the Match: Jonny Sim

When television is made properly it has the ability tell sprawling, intricate stories like no other medium. In modern television history the viewer has been blessed with an abundance of series that are so well written and acted that they are amongst the most important pieces of pop culture ever created.

The Sopranos

Mainstream popular culture is so saturated with notions of gangsterism that it is impossible to create a world that isn’t at least partially indebted to monolithic mobster movies. It figures then that the commissioning editors at American channel HBO were hesitant when producer David Chase came to them with the idea for a show about a crime boss and his therapist. On the face of it this idea seems a bit hackneyed; like a high concept movie where the premise has been thought of first and the content second. They ran with it anyway, and it spawned The Sopranos: a true American epic about family, race, relationships, capitalism…and gangsters.

Nominally it is the story of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano a man who is simultaneously Fat Tony, the cliched Italian American from the Simpsons, and a robustly human presence for the audience to invest their support in. But really The Sopranos is a lovingly made, beautifully written Greek tragedy. We follow Tony through marital strife, career difficulties and the problems of raising children and making a dollar in modern America. What is so ground breaking is that the Soprano’s are superficially a normal family. Desperate for their daughter to go to an Ivy League college, Tony and his wife Carmella agonise over whether she is studying hard enough while she deals with the suffocating pressure of being a put upon house wife and he makes his money through racketeering and illegal book making.

There is little adherence to the rules of network television from The Sopranos, in much the same as the similarly lauded The Wire. Episodes invariably end in innocuous circumstances with a simple fade to black. Unforseen stimuli is the main force that ignites drama; a drunken call from an ex-mistress to a wife midway through an episode, an unexpected drunken fight between formerly firm friends to kick an hour of the show off – these are the devices that power the story. Ragged strange pieces of human relationships that cause tidal waves of repercussions through communities are what the viewer is demanded to enjoy. There are no neat trajectories or heavily foreshadowed arcs to lean on, just a rich tapestry of, admittedly heightened, human experience is what is on offer.

All of this is acted with such incredible skill and nuance that it is little wonder American TV is so far ahead of it’s British equivalent. James Gandolfini is superlative as Tony, the bullying, brash but flawed boss. Edie Falco is one of the only likeable characters as Carmella, playing her role with a mixture of pathos and New Jersey swagger that it is impossible to at least feel some empathy for. The less endearing characters, who almost universally populate the show, really steal the show. Robert Iler and Jamie-Lyn Sigler as Tony and Carmella’s spoilt, repellent, odious children and are almost entirely without redeeming features. You still enjoy watching them as though powered by some macabre fascination, just as you do for Tony’s sister and mother – actresses Aida Turturro and Nancy Marchand. The two are whirlwinds of malevolent scheming anger, utterly and totally deplorable. Witness the episode where Janice, Tony’s sister, incites the son of a love interest to play a ouja board after the death of his mother so as to scare him and allow her to rush in and save the day, much to the admiration of his mourning father, and try not to shudder.

For every gallingly believable portrayal of those in and around the modern Mafioso, there are some quirky portraits of old school Italian Americans to fill the void. Largely though The Sopranos is a slow, languorous take on the modern American family and the economic pressures and forces that force each constituent member into the roles defined for them. It’s about love, hate, depression, sex – and gangsters. And it’s among the most important, brilliant pieces of television ever made.

Next: Breaking Bad

Images: Justyn Hardcastle

Vanbrugh firsts booked their place in the semi final beating their Goodricke counterparts thanks to a Jon Gill header, as only one goal separated the two sides on the JLD.

There was little to choose between the two sides for much of the match and Gill’s header at the back post from a beautifully weighted Ben Stanier corner proved to be the difference.

It was the eventual victors who started the game well, finding their rhythm early and denying Goodricke space. They looked especially dangerous from long throws; Ziggy Heath and Phil Taylor both came close to connecting with the balls that Gill was hurling goalward.

Not that Goodricke didn’t create chances of their own. Sam Lewis went close on a number of occasions, notably as a scrambled Heath clearance fell to Nick Dheir and he found his captain in space only for Lewis to not quite get enough purchase on the ball and skew it wide.

The Goodricke man tormented Matt Scaysbrook for much of the first half, cutting in on his right foot to shoot twice, once in an audacious attempted lob of Wilson that drifted wide. At the other end Ali Prince’s physicality was causing problems and he won header after header to bring his team mates into play. Kieran O’Dwyer was one grateful recipient of his tireless work but, after a sublime first touch, he blazed a left footed effort over when he perhaps should have done better.

Vanbrugh’s midfield worked hard throughout and Johnny Grout had a superb game which was only marred by a booking in the second half. Stanier was also a constant menace and went on a number of lancing runs in the second half, as well as coming close to scoring in the last minute after skinning two players and dinking the ball just over the cross bar.

Vanbrugh captain Phil Taylor called his side “professional” and stated that they looked “very solid. There weren’t too many chances in the game but we took our one. We’re looking forward to playing in the next round.”

For Sam Lewis a quarter final exit may be a slight disappointment, especially after such a superb season on grass. He said he was “so proud” of his team and noted that “there was so little between the two teams. They were a threat off set pieces but not as big a threat as we had anticipated. I don’t feel they deserved to win, but similarly neither did we. It’s such a shame but we have had a superb year.”

Goodricke firsts: Ed Foster, Sam Astbury, Stu Dunk, Niall Walsh, Adam Botterill (Danny Munro), Nick Dheir, Adam Lewis, Luke Inness (Will Stevens), Sam Lewis, Jon Sharpe, Ben Smith

Man of the Match: Sam Astbury

Vanbrugh firsts: James Wilson, Matt Scaysbrook, Ziggy Heath, Jon Gill, Rob Rix, Ben Stanier, Johnny Grout, Phil Taylor, Jamie Clarke (Ben Lowe), Ali Prince, Kieran O’Dwyer (Tom Spring)

Man of the Match: Jonny Grout

Images: Peter Iveson

Halifax firsts did nothing to harm their College Cup credentials today, beating a solid Vanbrugh seconds side 3-0 and playing some attractive football in the process.

With the heat making an extra demand on the players ball retention was always going to be paramount and Halifax showed how it was done for periods in the first hall, zipping the ball around with impressive verve. Ash Daly was central to everything they did and played two superlative passes to free Mark Lund and Tom Day respectively on the right wing, striking the ball with an effortless purity not often seen on the confines of the astro turf.

Day was the first happy recipient and he killed the ball well before finding an industrious Jack Beadle. His cross should have been converted by captain Tom Ragan in the ensuing scramble but Vanbrugh did well to clear. In much the same vein Lund got on the end of a raking Daly pass and found Matt Mawdesley on the edge of the area. He did well to control a well timed half volley but even then his rising drive did little to worry Taylor in the Vanbrugh goal.

The ‘Fax were playing some beautiful football but their expansive play remained unrewarded. In the end the break through came in inauspicious circumstances as a Conor Brennan shot that looked not to be goal bound took a horrible deflection off a Vanbrugh player and spun into the net with Taylor stranded.

Vanbrugh sought to stem the tide with a first half substitute and the arrival of Adam Jerelle Lewis did liven them up going forward. They came closest from a corner as a Paul O’Bierne corner floated on to the bar.

The second half continued with Halifax in control. They should have doubled their advantage as Mawdesley and Ragan went through two on one but the central midfielders touch let him down at an inoppurtune moment.

Daly also found Beadle in the right hand channel and the wide man brought the ball down superbly before nutmegging his man. He could only drive the ball straight into the arms of Taylor though.

The second goal was not far off as Beadle throw found a typically barnstorming Lund run and the right back hammered the ball into the path of Ragan for the front man to tap home.

Halifax were penning their opponents back and making it difficult for any out ball to be found. Vanbrugh were largely restricted to long hopeful balls and their best moment of the half probably came when Jon Gill nonchalantly dummied a through ball to let it run to Taylor, fooling the Halifax attack and half the crowd in the process.

Conor Brennan added the third for his side, latching on to an exquisite through ball from Alex Tringham and finishing with one touch.

Kallum Taylor was philosophical after the encounter saying: “Their class and fitness told in the end. We didn’t disgrace ourselves and I still felt that we switched off for each of the three goals and got punished”

Tom Ragan was obviously delighted with the performance and his sides progression into the quarters, where they will face Wentworth firsts: “That’s the best we have played all tournament, against the best team in our group. I can’t fault the performance in what were energy sapping conditions. They are a really solid team”.

Halifax firsts: Jonny Sim, Mark Lund, Dom Petschak, Dan Turley, Alex Tringham, Matt Mawdesley, Ash Daly (Gio Palides), Conor Brennan, Jack Beadle (Elliot Ragan), Tom Ragan (Tom Patrickson)

Man of the Match: Dan Turley

Man of the Match: Alex Willings

Wannabe Hacks is the brain child of Ben Whitelaw, Nick Petrie and Tom Clarke, all formerly of Birmingham student newspaper Redbrick, a website entirely devoted to the intricacies of trying to break into student journalism. Started under a year ago the site now boasts an impressive online presence and a dedicated Twitter following. It is clear why.

With clarity and energy the five “Wannabes” are forging the identity of the modern student journalist in the heat of the myriad of new tools and technologies available to the everyday hack.

“Wannabe Hacks was born out of a frustration with what was on the web in terms of journalism advice” says Whitelaw, whose online alias ‘The Student’ is rendered in a slick Mad Men-esque silhouette online, just as are those of his colleagues. “Everything was written by people who were already journalists and who had got a job in the media at a time when things were very different. With the five of us planning on pursuing a range of routes (interning, freelancing, newspaper MA, investigative MA) in London, we thought a collaborative blog would be an interesting way to track our progress into journalism.”

No-one has a god-given right to go straight in as a trainee reporter or an editorial assistant, those days are long gone

What a journey it has been. Through work experience placements, being interviewed live on BBC Radio 5 about entrepreneurship and speaking at media conferences, the Hacks have chronicled just how far a good idea can get you with enthusiasm and humour.

They may not have known what they had on their hands when they started but others saw it’s potential immediately and, as Whitelaw describes, on a shoestring budget they’ve created an authentic and recognisable identity: “When seeking advice, we were told by Martin Belham, Lead User Experience and Information Architect at the Guardian, to ‘Get started. Tomorrow’. So we did – with a WordPress site and then after a few months with a neat personalised theme coded by Cameron Drysdale, a student web designer and coder. We’ve spent £30 on hosting and about the same on a few business cards.”

This fierce ambition and independence typifies much good student journalism today. There is a wealth of opportunity to get your name and work out there in a constructive manner and it is this quality in the modern information market that Wannabe Hacks has tapped into with such razor sharp acumen. Not that they want to stop there though, as Tom Clarke, former Redbrick Sports and News editor and ‘The Chancer,’ details: “I know it has potential but like Ben I think we are miles away from what we want to be and, more importantly, what we should be. We need more distinctive content and a better site but just the interest we have had and the acknowledgement from others shows the potential. But that’s all it is at the minute: potential.”

Ben Whitelaw; or, 'The Student', and one of the five Wannabe Hacks

This perhaps underestimates the stir that they’ve already caused; at least in their field. Wannabe Hacks is a site utilised to the fullest by an engaged and passionate audience; the numbers may be still growing but those in the know care and enjoy the site.

When people are bombarded by information and content from a plethora of sources how do you keep them coming back? “At the heart of Wannabe Hacks is the fact that it doesn’t preach. It’s for wannabes and it’s by wannabes.” says freelance journalist Matt Caines.

“Well we’re a little fed up of older journos out of touch with social and new media telling us how to get a job in an industry they knew 20 to 30 years ago. Instead, we wanted to be our own experimental guinea pigs and let others in on it. If I had a good pitch accepted, here’s how and why; if I cocked it up and it was for this or that reason. I can tell the readers what went wrong and hopefully they won’t follow suit. At the same time we want others to come in and advise each other – Hacks is a forum and community space for aspiring journalists to share their own experiences.”

Now though the project has taken on a life of it’s own and become a part of the world of journalism. It’s writers are not simply kids with their noses pressed against the sweet shop window, they are journalists in their own right.

As the site has morphed from the beginnings of a set of career journeys to a source of content about the processes of journalism in itself, with a still weighty slant towards helping out aspiring hacks, it has really come into it’s own. Voted the number two blog in Fleet Street Blues top ten list of Journalism sites for 2010, alongside writers like Roy Greenslade and John Slattery, the Hacks are not the anarchic urchins storming the well defended battlements of paid writing; they are getting a bit of respect from their peers: “At the moment the influence it’s having is huge – it was directly responsible for me getting a job at the Guardian and it has played a fundamental part of the experience that has helped me get a move to the Telegraph” says Nick Petrie, former Redbrick editor.

Wannabe Hacks and friends at a recent event

Despite this there is a patent sense that this is a happy by product of the venture rather than the intended outcome: “We never set up Hacks to get a job per se, the hours we’ve spent on it have been for the sake of it” says Whitelaw “I think it just goes to show the power that a self-starter project like Wannabe Hacks can have, especially with the rise of online journalism. I have no formal training in the area that I’m going into and yet because I’ve worked hard in my spare time as part of a site that is based on a decent idea, I’ve got a full-time position from it.”

The idea that a similar fate awaits every student who is tempted by the allure of Fleet Street is not a myth that the Hacks like to perpetuate though. Numerous blog posts have been about dealing with the inevitable rejections of journalism (both Whitelaw and Clarke have written about not getting on to graduate schemes) and the site is focused on providing people with the edge to get ahead in what can sometimes be a cut throat industry. They are pragmatic about the difficulties that people leaving University, as they were not too long ago, face. “It being difficult isn’t going to change.” says Alice Vincent, whose dedicated work for student papers and then on magazine placements landed her her current position. “If you want to get into journalism, you’ve got to be prepared to give your all to it, but that shouldn’t really be an issue because if you’re going to make it then that’s all you’ll want to do anyway. The current industry demands a creative approach, even more persistence than usual and giving people a reason to take notice of you.”

This seems to be the over-riding ethos of Wannabe Hacks. Providing yourself with a fresh angle on well trodden career path, giving CV weary employers something to get excited about – and not in a showy, preening way but in the manner of someone hungry for a chance to do something they love. “Once you’re finished, don’t expect to walk into a job” is Ben Whitelaw’s take on things “No-one has a god-given right to go straight in as a trainee reporter or an editorial assistant, those days are long gone. Go out of your way to do something different and innovative – with the amount of people you’ll be competing with for jobs and even work experience, you’ll need to stand out.” Solid advice it would seem, that typifies the verve with which he and his colleagues are attacking a difficult challenge. Their advice is being consumed by a grateful, willing audience and it’s helping them achieve their personal goals at the same time. Perhaps Nick Petrie’s advice on how to become a journalist crystallises their reams of writing and tips into one commonly held value: “Have no fear.”

They face their Vanbrugh counterparts knowing that a win will secure top spot and the possibility of a quarter-final show down with their own college’s first team. The chasing teams, Goodricke firsts and Derwent seconds, play Alcuin seconds and Langwith firsts respectively.

Goodricke Captain Sam Lewis and his side, who would be top in James’ stead but for a two-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player, will be expected to beat Alcuin who are rooted to the foot of the table and without a point.

Derwent seconds have a mathematical chance of sneaking into the top two but will need to defeat a wounded Langwith firsts and hope that other results go their way.

Should they win and Ruari Phillips’ James lose then they will join their first team in the knock out stages, after they clinched second spot in Group 3 with a game to spare.

The James thirds team’s confidence is palpable. They have every reason to believe that they will be the only non firsts team progressing from the opening stages.

After a tight defeat to Goodricke in their tournament opener they have secured three consecutive victories, edging past Derwent and Alcuin seconds before recording an impressive 2-0 win against Langwith firsts in an encounter where an uneducated observer would have undoubtedly pegged them as the premier eleven in their college.

Players like Nathan McCusker have far exceeded expectations; the centre back in question has notched up two goals and one man of the match award in three games.

Defensive stability has been the cornerstone of their success and since conceding three in their first game goalkeeper Paul Charnock has kept three clean sheets, two of which came in tight 1-0 scorelines.

Striker Tim Green has been a consistent handul for opposition back lines with his strength and willing running, whilst outgoing UYAFC President Sam Clitheroe has added some much needed steel in the middle of the park.

Their most impressive quality has been their togetherness. In games such as the tight fought encounter with Alcuin, when the quality of football produced by each side was not too dissimilar, it was their sheer force of will that got them through. They simply wanted it more.

In a tournament that has placidly ebbed and flowed they have formed perhaps the most intriguing narrative. Now though things are beginning to reach a head.

With the tense week five face off between Vanbrugh and Halifax seconds JLD spectators were given a taste of the knock-outs early.

Both teams played with an urgency and purpose that a game of the significance they were involved in deserved. Hamish Denham firmed up his reputation as one of the most daunting propositions in the Cup this year with a confident finish and Ben Stanier and Ali Prince did something to repair theirs after a lacklustre start.

Vanbrugh will be a team reinvigorated if and when they get out of the groups. That their qualification is more precarious than James thirds is a testament to the less illustrious team’s tournament campaign.

College Cup upsets are difficult to engineer for a seconds let alone a third team and, if they manage to close the deal in the final week, James thirds will have achieved a remarkable feat.

Their final game of the group stages will decide where they finish in the top three – and ultimately whether they qualify for the quarter-finals – given their superior goal difference, and their seemingly comfortable fixture against Goodricke thirds, they should go through.

Similarly Halifax seconds face the task of bettering the scores of their qualification rivals – no easy feat considering they have the hardest fixture of the three teams in the form of Wentworth seconds. They will, therefore, most likely end the week in the plate, a possibility that will be galling to captain Harry Pearson considering his side started superbly, beating James firsts.

The permutations are myriad in each of the four groups but there in the scope for shock is limited. The fixture list has conspired to leave certain teams with the illusion that they are on the precipice of an upset; namely Kallum Taylor’s Vanbrugh seconds who, after nicking a last minute draw against Alcuin firsts, go into their last game in a Cup spot, thanks to an unbeaten tournament.

In the way though are Halifax firsts who, bar a weather hit last outing, have looked the real deal so far. Alcuin will hope to pip them to the post by defeating James seconds on Friday.

Elsewhere Langwith firsts will hope to avoid total ignominy and scrape into the plate. They hold fourth place as it stands but are in a fragile position, with only three points to their name. They face a Derwent seconds side who still have an outside shot at making the Cup, but look likely to miss out in the face of brilliance from Ruari Phillips’ James thirds and Goodricke firsts, who are a force on the astro just as they were on the 22 acres.

With only two teams totally assured of their place in the latter stages, the final week of group competition will be anxious for many teams. We’ve had points deductions, phantom goals and violent storms – it would be a brave man who bets against there being one more twist in the tale.

It’s an experience provided to a sports writer more comfortable with notepad in hand and solidly on terra firma by the University of York gliding club and one that is pleasingly surprising in so many ways.

Firstly the alienating exclusivity that hampers so many minority sports is totally absent from the student society, and its public parent organisation The Wolds Gliding Club, located a short hop away from campus in the leafy suburb of Pocklington.

Having increased their membership from 21 members at the beginning of last year to 91 this year the club, headed by President Mike D’Cruze, is clearly intent on maximising their inclusivity.

“When you get to know the people here they are so friendly” says D’Cruze of the numerous students and non-students who use the club “You have to experience it to understand it. You become friends by all chipping in. People group together to make things work”.

“When you get to know people here they are so friendly. You have to experience it to understand it. You become friends by all chipping in. People group together to make things work”

Mike D’Cruze,
Club President

The sense of community runs through the very core of the sport. On a basic level it is impossible to go gliding on your own – at least four people are required to launch one of the sleek gliders used by the club.

More than that though, the gliding club are a compelling example of a profoundly welcoming, self-sustaining club.

Things for the club are improving rapidly. Having moved from their base at Rufforth Airfield to the more well provisioned Pocklington two years ago, which is now complete with a clubhouse that had a £300,000 refurbishment in 2006, the University club have secured increased subsidies and cheaper prices to entice new members. Membership is now down to ten pounds and this includes two free flights, the first and the tenth, as well as a flat rate of five pounds for winch hire per flight and a low price of 31 pence per minute after the process of
take off.

D’Cruze is the progressive force behind these changes that are making his club financially more accessible. The change in regime at York Sport has also helped widen the club’s horizons, and D’Cruze is bullish about the support they were given: “Sam Asfahani has been considerably more helpful than Emily Scott. He helped out so much with props for fresher’s week. We were able to get our simulator into the event which was instrumental in getting new members in.”

The exposure of the sport has been half the battle. The allure of gliding is distinct and nowhere near as prohibitively expensive as one would anticipate. Coupled with the fact that this exhilarating and easy to get involved with form of aviation provides speeds of up to 60 knots and, if the thermals are kind, pilots can reach heights of 3,000 feet at least.

The Difficulty of Minority Sport:

“The growing success of the club is heartening, especially when clubs from bigger universities such as Leeds are plagued by the threat of extinction”

Safety too is paramount. D’Cruze says that the airfield utilised by his society has “an impeccable safety record and they are keen to keep it that way”. There is a strict curriculum for instructors and learners go through a rigorous process on their way to achieving solo pilot status.

D’Cruze had 84 flights under his belt before going solo and even now the safeguards in place at the airfield are stringent. Due to high winds on the day we we are at the airfield, Chief Flying instructor John Norman makes the judgement call that less experienced solo pilots should have a more senior instructor with them. Luckily for me there was never any question that someone way more qualified would be sitting with their hands on the controls.

Dave Holborn accompanies me on the set of three flights that I undertake and is a cajoling, encouraging presence. On our first flight I barely want to open my eyes let alone take the controls but Holborn’s sheer affability and enthusiasm make it possible. He’s a natural teacher; highly competent, patient and funny: qualities that are all essential with me at the controls of an aircraft in the windy skies above North Yorkshire.

The growing success of the club is heartening, especially when clubs from bigger Universities such as Leeds are plagued by the threat of extinction. They too use the Pocklington airfield and are lucky enough to own their glider but simply don’t have enough members to sustain their running costs.

York are combating the issues that dog Leeds and could so easily trouble them with fierce commitment and acumen.

Rather than being content with a relative security that can easily lead to stagnation if left unchecked the club and its members are always progressing. The gliding club is a forward thinking organisation that typifies the best in attitudes towards the way sports clubs are run.

By the same token it undermines perceptions that sports clubs are self-contained fiefdoms that perpetuate a comfortable system of unchangeable cliques.

The manner in which they are trying to spread the word about the sport they love is heartening Thanks to the facilities and dedication of gliders in the area it is in rude health

“There is still a good amount of feeding through of members and instructors from promotional activities such as the voucher flights” says Mike D’Cruze “Wolds Gliding club and gliding in general isn’t completely dependent on the younger generations for future survival – although it is certainly encouraged.”

Minority sports clubs can often fall on difficult times but with custodians as conscientious as Mike D’Cruze and his team The University of York Gliding club are unlikely to be one of them.

If you would like to be involved with The University of York Gliding club email gliding@yusu.org. Similarly, if you would like Nouse Sport to run a feature on your club email sport@nouse.co.uk.

Images:Peter Iveson

Vanbrugh produced a sterling performance when they needed it most to beat Halifax and inflict a first defeat of the competition on their opponents. They had to come from behind to secure victory after Hamish Denham continued his rich vein of form by notching a superb opener. From there on in Phil Taylor’s side dominated the ‘Fax all over the pitch in a display that keeps their chance of progressing in the competition alive.

They looked rattled by Denham’s goal only momentarily and tightened up defensively after allowing the striker too much space in the penalty area from a throw in. He turned well and lashed the ball past James Wilson in a moment that typified how confident he must be feeling after an impressive campaign. They couldn’t capitalise on this early windfall though and very soon were pressed on to the back foot by the verve and energy with which Vanbrugh chased the ball.

The trailing side looked particularly dangerous from corners and Jon Gill spurned a good chance to make it 1-1 as he connected with a Ben Stanier cross but could only divert his effort wide. Matt Scaysbrook almost levelled it up with a sweetly struck half volley from fully 25 yards but Dean Hanson was equal to the task in the Halifax goal.

Some excellent football produced the equaliser for Vanbrugh but only after a a scare from a Denham long throw which found Andy Wallace but his effort was off target. Ali Prince ended his goal drought to restore parity, flicking home a perfect Scaysbrook ball after a front post run got him in front of his marker. The sides went in at 1-1 which set the stage for a tense second half and it would have been Vanbrugh who were more pleased with their performance after an early set back.

They took the lead ten minutes in to the second period as Ben Stanier headed the ball home from a Jamie Clarke free kick. The diminutive wide man was an unlikely candidate to be a threat from aerial situations and was left totally free at the back post. When the ball dropped over Ziggy Heath’s head he was there to nod the ball back across goal and into the bottom corner.

Stanier was superb all game and was instrumental in creating the third goal which ultimately sealed victory. A long Wilson goal kick bounced awkwardly in the right hand corner and as the left back tried to shepherd the ball out Stanier nipped in to pull the ball back for Ali Prince. His finish was simply sublime and he smashed the ball left footed into the far corner, leaving Hanson with no chance.

Phil Taylor was delighted with his teams performance in such a tight spot saying: “This puts us in a strong position going forward. It all came together today and I’m very happy with the performance. It was the perfect mixture of skill and endeavour.” For Harry Pearson it was a tough day especially after his team have played so brilliantly throughout the competition: ” I’m very disappointed. We didn’t play for each other today and it’s the first time in the competition we haven’t done that. Hopefully we can learn our lesson and still go on to qualify.”

Vanbrugh Firsts: James Wilson, Rob Rix, Jon Gill, Ziggy Heath, Matt Scaysbrook, Ben Stanier, Phil Taylor, Johnny Grout (Rory Sharkey), Jamie Clarke (Tom Spring), Ali Prince (Ben Lowe), Kieran O’Dwyer

Man of the Match: Ali Prince

Halifax Seconds: Dean Hanson, Alex Bone (Harry Pearson), Mark Lund, Tom Patrickson, Sam Dempster (Charlie Griffiths), Luke Charles, Anton Ellis, Elliot Ragan, Ben Rea, Andy Wallace (Tom Ullyott), Hamish Denham

Man of the Match: Mark Lund

Images:Peter Iveson

Goodricke thirds secured an easy victory over a Vanbrugh fourths side that looked bowed by their College Cup campaign courtesy of a hat-trick from Matt Burke. In a game that was suffocated by an early goal Goodricke made the most of defensive indecision from the fourths side and looked untroubled throughout.

They were 1-0 up within minutes as Josh Savage headed home from a Luke Hurst corner as he was left unmarked under four yards out. After a brief period of resistance from James Bugg’s side, in which Andy Dakin went close with a well struck free-kick and Dan Shepherd headed wide from a corner, Goodricke doubled their advantage. Hurst scored straight from the set piece as Paul Taylor in the Vanbrugh net, playing his final game for the college, was powerless to stop a swirling delivery crossing the line in a scrum of onrushing attackers.

Goodricke’s third was perhaps the pick of the bunch as a lovely turn and clipped through ball from Burke found Hurst in a wide right position. His lobbed centre fell kindly for Mike Abdul who made no mistake, volleying home from 15 yards into the right hand corner.

Provider turned scorer to make it four as Christian Hammer found Burke at the back post and he gathered the ball well before hammering past the helpless Taylor. Will Light replaced Taylor in goal in the second half as he was given a run out up top to honour his last ever game for his college. There were no fairytale endings though as he had little service and Burke plundered two more goals to make it 6-0.

His second, and his side’s fifth, came from a dead ball once again as Vanbrugh proved totally incapable of marking their men. Another delicious ball from Hurst fell to Burke three yards out and he tapped home. Moments later Savage picked the ball up just inside his half and found Tim Marshall with a perfectly weighted through ball. The substitute unselfishly squared the ball back for his strike partner and Burke completed his hat-trick.

James Bugge was understandably disappointed with his team’s performance after the match while Harry Shaw simply described his team as “Class”.

Goodricke Thirds: Noel Rogers, Dave Driver, Jamie Harbour, Harry Shaw, Josh Savage, Luke Hurst, Rob Young, Mike Abdul, Will Ward (Dave Price), Matt Burke, Christian Hammer (Tim Marshall)

Man of the Match: Rob Young

Vanbrugh Fourths: Paul Taylor, James Salt, Henry Watts, Dan Shepherd, Mike Suttcliffe, Kimmy Tang Wright, Will Cooper (Will Light), Andy Dakin, James Bugg (Brendan Connelly), Dom Mckinnon Green (James Roulston), Ben Huckle

Man of the Match: Dan Shepherd

The rugby seconds contributed to their club’s whitewash of their Lancaster rivals as they won 19-11 in a turgid encounter made even worse by difficult conditions on the 22 acres.

It was Lancaster that had the oppurtunity to take the lead early on as their fly half opted to go for the posts from a penalty but could only suceed in kicking wide from a position that he should have easily converted from.

It came as some surprise then that he took on another, more difficult, penalty attempt moments later and slotted the kick home. From there on in the half was all York’s as the formidable Mike Ager crashed over and then Paul Guest produced a moment of magic to get Niall Walsh away on the flank. Ben Turner added the available extras to put York 12-3 to the good.

With another Lancaster penalty reducing their deficit to 12-6 at the break a good start was needed from the home side to press home their advantage coming in to the second half. York Sport committee member Guest was at the centre of everything again, this time making a superb interception before riding one tackle and offloading to Ryan Johnston who went over for the score. Turner was on hand to dissect the posts once more.

At 19-6 it was always going to be a tall order for the Red Rose and though they struggled they could not conjure any come back momentum, adding only one un-converted try to their total and leaving York the victors.