El Clasico

By Richard Fitzpatrick

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IN Santander around a decade ago, your reviewer found himself in a hotel on the day of El Clasico – Real Madrid v Barcelona.

During the course of the afternoon, a large reception area and adjacent meeting room were opened up and transformed into one enormous seated area; the hotel bar did brisk business as a gigantic TV screen with huge speakers was rigged up.

By kick off, perhaps 1,500 people had descended on the hotel to watch the match.

The atmosphere was electric. Abuse was hurled at the screen; laughter erupted; cries of desperation were heard and almighty roars accompanied the game's two goals.

Afterwards, the crowd slipped away. There was no trouble, not even strong words.

The whole experience proved a fascinating glimpse of what El Clasico means to Spaniards.

There have been several very good Spanish football-related books written recently.

Graham Hunter's Barca is a penetrating and convincing account of life at the Catalan club, while Jimmy Burns' La Roja was described as 'a wonderful blend of politics, history and sports journalism'.

To these pair, add Richard Fitzpatrick's El Clasico, a marvellous tale of passion and unprecedented rivalry underpinned by politics and bloodshed.

Barca and Real were at it again last Sunday, Messi and Ronaldo scoring in a compelling 2-2 draw, but there's much more to this duel than 22 footballers.

As the clock approached 17 minutes 14 seconds, so the Nou Camp crowd brandished cards to create a gigantic mosaic of Catalonia's La Senyera flag and shouted "Independencia!", a cry designed to remind the whole of Spain that it was in 1714 that Catalans could last declare independence.

Fitzpatrick understands this match's unique symbolism.

It's history is laden with murdered presidents (of both clubs) and player kidnappings, as well as the bloodshed of civil war, Franco-style fascism and the fiercest sporting rivalry imaginable.

At one point in last Sunday's fixture, a banner was unfurled behind one of the goals. "Catalonia – Europe's Next State" it proclaimed.

Should Spain's most famous eastern region ever secede, however, you fancy the first thing FC Barcelona would do is join Spain's La Liga in order to ensure the on-field battles with arch-rivals Real Madrid continued.

Once you've read El Clasico, you'll understand why.

STEVEN Noble, 29, of Balm oral Road, Colwick, denied assaulting a woman and causing criminal damage in Colwick on September 22. He was granted bail at Nottingham Magistrates' Court until his trial on December 3.

ASHLEY Cope, 31, of Hucknall Road, Sherwood, has been fined £600 by magistrates in Nottingham. He was driving a Volvo in Castle Boulevard without insurance on October 14 last year. The case was proved in his absence. He has to pay costs of £85. He received six points on his licence.

WINSTON Edwards, 41, of Newstead Way, Strelley, denied assaulting a woman in Newstead Way, Strelley, on September 28. He faces trial at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on November 20 and is on bail.

STUART Hunter, 41, of Shepherds Wood Drive, Aspley, admitted assaulting a woman in Aspley on September 30. After pleading guilty before magistrates in Nottingham, he was given bail to return to court to be sentenced on November 7.

CORINNE Graehame, 59, of Orchard Court, Whitemoor, denied using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour in Nottingham on July 3. Her case was adjourned at Nottingham Magistrates' Court until November 26.

LEE Smith, 42, of Haswell Road, Bulwell, received a community order after admitting assaulting a woman. Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard the offence happened in Calverton on August 18. Smith must take part in a domestic abuse programme. He must stay away from the victim and pay her £250 compensation.

ANDREW Allam, 36, of Works Lane, Barnsdale, admitted criminal damage to furniture and a TV set in Bingham on September 29. Magistrates in Nottingham bailed him to return to court on October 25 to be sentenced.

DARREN Annable, 32, of Princes Street, Eastwood, is accused of stealing £550 in the town on August 13. He faces a second allegation of stealing £601.75 between August 24 and August 28. Magistrates in Nottingham adjourned the case until October 25 and granted him bail.

HIDDEN artwork at a church is set to be revealed for the first time thanks to a £60,300 grant.

St Martin's Church, in St Martin's Road, has been awarded the money by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The grant will fund a project to uncover two painting by war artist Evelyn Gibbs, which are half painted over and half hidden by a 1970s church extension.

They were rediscovered in 2010 when electricians working at the church confirmed that they could still be seen above the suspended pine ceiling.

Now the grant will allow the paintings to be restored to full view. The suspended ceiling will also be removed, the concrete floor, which causes damp, will be taken up and a new east window will be installed. The Rev Amanda Cartwright, priest in charge at St Martin's, said: "We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this support.

"It will help us to provide the best facilities for the people of Bilborough and Strelley, to build up our community and to explore our creative gifts, our heritage and our faith together."

One of Gibbs' paintings at St Martin's, which dates from the 14th Century, is the Annunciation, which was painted in 1946. It features Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the Angel Gabriel. It is believed to be the last surviving example of the murals she painted to boost morale during the Second World War.

It is not known what the second painting depicts.

Removing the suspended pine ceiling will also reveal a stained glass window and Victorian barrel-vaulted ceiling.

A range of educational activities will also take place alongside the building work.

Planned events include heritage taster days, hard-hat tours and opportunities to see the painting conservators at work. Two apprenticeship positions for young people to work alongside the craftsmen will be advertised. Church warden Hilary Wheat said the grant was good for the community, not just the church.

''This will be a real boost for the church," said Ms Wheat.

''This building has stood there for a such a long time. It's one of the oldest buildings in the area and people have been touched by it for generations, so it's about allowing people to get in touch with that heritage.

"It's not just a church thing, it will be good for the whole community."

MYSTERY surrounds the disappearance of six cats from one street.

Now one of the pet owners is warning people to be on their guard.

The cats have disappeared from Sarah Avenue, off Kelham Drive, Sherwood, since 2000, said Yasmin Chowdhury. Her 16-year-old cat, called Jack, is among the missing pets.

The family, including Yasmin's mum Doreen, 80, and son Oliver, nine, are all devastated by his disappearance.

He was last seen on June 26, when Doreen celebrated her birthday.

Yasmin, 48, believes someone took Jack and claims cat faeces were posted through their letter box a few weeks before he disappeared.

"It's all been really suspicious," she said. "He was a happy cat and, although he was 16. he was healthy and fairly active.

"We've had him for so long that this has really traumatised us.

"He's the sixth cat to disappear from the street and it just seems really strange because it's such a quiet area and the road is almost a dead end.

"One man on the street has put his house up for sale because his cat was one of the ones that went missing and he just doesn't like the thought of living there anymore."

Jack, is a large, long-haired, ginger cat with a white patch under his chin. Posters with his picture on have been put up around Sherwood and Yasmin has organised teams of people to look for him.

She has also reported the incident to the RSPCA. Four months on, the family are still no closer to finding Jack.

"We feel that Jack is still alive and that someone must have seen him or know where he is," said Yasmin.

"We also want to warn other cat owners to be careful when they let their cat out and keep an eye out for any strays because someone could be missing them and looking for them, as we are with Jack."

Doreen also urged people to look out for her cat. She added: "We all just miss him and want him home, it's affected the whole family."

Anyone who has seen Jack should contact Yasmin on 0115 960 7068.

RESIDENTS are invited to a community conference.

The event will take place at St John's Church, Church Drive, Carrington, on Tuesday, from 7pm.

The plans for a 20mph speed limit in Sherwood will be discussed.

A Sherwood-themed quiz will be held.

People will be invited to share their ideas that can be developed for the area.

NEW Notts signing Ajmal Shahzad hopes he can catapult himself back into the limelight, after signing a three-year deal at Trent Bridge.

The 27-year-old fast bowler has only played one Test for England against Bangladesh back in 2010.

He has also played in 11 one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches.

Shahzad wants to win more caps for his country and believes playing alongside England internationals like Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Samit Patel, Alex Hales and James Taylor will help his cause.

"Hopefully playing with so many England players and performing well for Notts will put me back in the limelight," said Shahzad who has taken 155 first-class wickets in his career.

"As a seam bowler there is no better ground to play at than Trent Bridge," he added.

Having already agreed new deals with Patel, Ben Phillips and Steven Mullaney, as well as being in talks with Aussie David Hussey over a return to Trent Bridge next summer, Notts director of cricket Mick Newell is delighted to sign Shahzad.

"I spoke to Ajmal at the back end of the season," he said.

"He's been aware of our interest for some time and we see him as a major signing for all forms of the game."

MANAGER Paul Cox said Mansfield Town must stand tall and rise above any negativity that comes their way at the One Call Stadium this Saturday.

Mansfield take on second-placed Forest Green after a goalless draw in midweek to Lincoln, when the players were booed and Cox subjected to criticism from a vocal home crowd.

The Stags have only lost once in seven home matches, but their record away has been their downfall to leave them 13th in the Blue Square Bet Premier.

Cox believes there are politics against him from outside the club, with people trying to create negativity. But he says they will all rise above it and plan to show that against Forest Green.

He said: "It is a politics thing. There are certain things going off that everyone is aware of and you just have to get on with it.

"If people want to pay money to boo, that's up to them.

"For me the whole club is not as one but that is not going to change my mind-set. I have been here 18 months and have lost just 12 league games.

"I am rising above it, we all are, and we will stay tight as a unit and try to win football matches.

"This is a small minority trying to get the majority to jump on board."

Meanwhile, Stags face the trek to Workington in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday, October 20, after they won their replay with Barwell 2-0.

AUTHOR Alison Moore is trying not to think about next week's ceremony for the biggest prize in the literary world.

The Nottingham Writers' Studio member, one of six contenders on the shortlist, told the Post: "I'm not thinking that far ahead – I've mentally stopped here to save my sanity."

The 41-year-old mother-of-one and former PA is content that she has been nominated for the life-changing Man Booker Prize, which comes with a £50,000 award.

Her debut novel, The Lighthouse, published by Salt, is on a shortlist featuring bookies' favourites Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel, a fictional account of Cromwell's life and sequel to Wolf Hall which won the prize in 2009, and Umbrella, the ninth book by novelist and journalist Will Self.

The winner will be announced at London's Guildhall on Tuesday.

Alison, who lives in Wymeswold with her husband Dan, a web developer, and their three-year-old son Arthur, said: "There will be a few hours before the announcement is made so if you're just hanging on that final result it must be incredibly nerve-wracking.

"It's fantastic to have got this far – it's more than I could ever imagine, especially with a first novel and a small publisher so I can just think of it as an amazing experience and just see what happens."

Her story of a lonely middle-aged man, Futh, on a walking holiday in Germany, has received rave reviews from critics and readers alike who have described it as thrilling, strikingly creepy, evocative and beautifully written.

It was shortlisted from a total of 145 books, in what was described by chairman of judges Peter Stothard as "an extraordinary year for fiction."

The accolade has the power to transform the winner's fortunes, increasing book sales and putting them on the worldwide map.

Previous winners include Peter Carey, who scooped the prize in 1988 for Oscar and Lucinda, which went on to be made into a film starring Ralph Fiennes.

Alison, who used to be a PA at the Lakeside Arts Centre in Nottingham, fits in writing around being a full-time mum.

She had just started her second novel when she was put forward for the Booker Prize.

"It's had to take a backseat because of all The Lighthouse promotion but that's a fantastic reason," says Alison.

See Saturday's Weekend magazine for the full interview.

SIMON Gillett believes Nottingham Forest will be rewarded if they continue to keep the faith.

The midfielder today insisted the Reds have the mental strength – and the ability – to pass their way to success in the Championship.

But he says it is vital that they keep believing that they are on the right path.

A dominant performance against Blackburn Rovers and the first away win of the campaign at Peterborough sent Forest into the international break on a high.

And Gillett hopes it will also instil belief in the rest of the squad that they can continue to play the passing football.

"It is built into a lot of the players we have here," said Gillett.

"They are mentally strong and, partnered with that, they are all footballers. Every player here wants to get on the ball.

"Every player here wants to pass the ball. That is what I talk about when I mean we need to stick to our principles.

"We have had success with that and we need to continue with it.

"If times get stiff, you have to stick to what you believe in. That will get you through it."

Gillett, who has played in every league game since signing as a free agent after leaving Doncaster Rovers in the summer, says Forest can be encouraged by their recent displays, home and away.

"Blackburn had just come down from the Premier League and they had a lot of experience, particularly in midfield," he said.

"They have a lot of experienced heads and we were pleased with the way we dominated.

"When we played with conviction in the second half, we dominated.

"Like I keep saying, we need to stick to what we believe in and we will get the goals and the wins we deserve.

"We are happy with a couple of clean sheets. If you do not concede, you have the platform there to win the game.

"We have to keep sticking to our principles and I am sure more wins will come."

IT has cost Nottingham businesses an average of £8,000 to implement the workplace parking levy, according to a survey.

The levy was introduced by Nottingham City Council in April. It costs businesses with more than 10 staff parking spaces £288 for each one – which can be paid for by firms or passed on to employees.

The cash pays for transport improvements like the tram extension and Nottingham railway station redevelopment.

Notts and Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce asked companies to list the impact of the levy. Last week the Post revealed the survey, which was still taking place, showed more than one in 10 businesses were considering leaving the city.

Now the survey has ended, more figures have emerged.

More than 100 businesses took part and more than half said they had incurred higher administration costs because of the levy. The costs ranged from £10 to £250,000, with the latter being spent on special machines and signs.

The chamber said it removed the large costs from the equation, before working out an average cost of £8,661.

John Dowson, head of policy at the chamber, said: "Some people may have put barriers in, others may have employed security guards or re-marked signs. Every business is different and has different issues, so we know it was going to be expensive for people to introduce systems and adapt to it.

"That money can't be invested in the business. It could be the difference between taking on an apprentice or not. Whether that's investing in training, equipment or a new premises, it's gone on something that's not productive or beneficial for the business."

Richard Hallam, of Advanex Europe Ltd in Glaisdale Drive, Bilborough, said they had passed the cost of the levy on to staff. He said it cost them about £3,000 to £4,000 in other costs.

"There's been more clerical work," he said.

"We had to mark out the car park. Every three months we have to alter the licence, take people off and put people on."

He said the cost was not of huge significance to the firm but added: "It's just annoying. We could have spent it elsewhere, but it doesn't break the bank.

"I think for the city it's industrial suicide. Who's going to come to Nottingham when you have to pay this levy when you can go to the shire or Derby and not pay it."

Adrian Wright, chief operating officer at Nottingham Textile Group, of Lenton, said he thought it had cost the company between £7,000 and £8,000 in staff time. He expects costs to be about £1,500 per year.

"It's taken up most of the director's time, to understand it, monitor it and make sure we do it properly."

Coun Jane Urquhart, the city council's portfolio holder for transportation, said: "Last week the British Chambers of Commerce said that infrastructure such as light rail is the type of investment that gives businesses confidence to invest.

"That's why in Nottingham we have made extending our tram network a top priority, along with redeveloping the railway station. Both are improvements that the local chamber of commerce have called for and without the WPL they wouldn't be happening.

"I believe that the chamber would be more concerned if we weren't able to deliver the extended tram network to Chilwell and Clifton, the redevelopment of Nottingham's railway station and the subsidy for buses linking some of the city's largest employers.

"These projects will bring new jobs and economic growth to the region, benefiting citizens and the business community.''

PLANS for a 125-metre high wind turbine in Beeston have been turned down.
The turbine was one of three proposed by the University of Nottingham, with the other two to be built in Clifton.
Broxtowe Borough Council's Development Control Committee met at Beeston Town Hall at 7pm yesterday to discuss the plans.
Officers refused to grant permission to build the turbine in Grove Farm Field, Lenton Lane due to the close proximity of the turbine's proposed site to the Boots campus.
The council's Core Strategy identified the Boots Campus for future housing development and officers said the turbine would have an unacceptable amenity impact on future residents.
Meanwhile, 218 residents signed a petition against the plans, claiming the turbine was too close to housing, unsafe for aircraft and would lead to loss of visual amenity.

ASHLEY Eastham was only a baby when Keith Curle was playing at the top for Manchester City.

But the youngster believes the Notts County boss can now help him come of age as a defender.

Eastham, 21, has joined the Magpies on a one-month loan from Blackpool and could make his debut against Carlisle United in League One.

He was actually born in the same year that Curle became City's £2.5m club record signing – 1991.

He says Blackpool boss Ian Holloway, who was best man at Curle's wedding, told him all about Curle's career, in which he was also capped three times by England.

"I'm too young to know much about the gaffer, but I was told all about him before I came here," he said.

"Ian Holloway sat me down and told me about his career at the top and said if I go on to have half the career he did I won't do badly.

"Fingers crossed, I can learn from him and the other centre-halves here.

"I've not played under a manager who was a centre-half so it will be good."

Eastham only joined Notts a day before their home defeat to League One leaders Tranmere Rovers so was only named on the subs' bench.

But he hopes to be pushing for a start at Brunton Park, after a full week of training with his new team-mates.

He has experience of League One, having played 25 league games for Bury last season, so he feels ready to make an impact with the Magpies – and earn a longer loan deal.

"I just want to get out there and impress," he added.

"I'm here for a month initially, but the gaffer has told me I've got a platform to go out and perform and if I do, it could be extended."