Since The Observer was split off from The Guardian, a reader might be forgiving for thinking that football on Saturday had been abolished, as you get bugger all match reports now.

Football must still exist, as there are player profiles and think pieces, but all matches must happen midweek, I guess.

Game off today? Read my blog from Friday's match at Matlock between Derby County and Brentford U21's which included a hat-trick from young Ethan Brierley www.theheadscout.com/post/storm-b...

🥳 COMPETITION
Yo, it's Xmas-ish and our shop is full of wonkily doodled football nonsense - SO as we're new here & still trying to rediscover our Twitter pals (& hopefully vice versa) if would be ace if you could share this post & we'll chuck a free set of mugs to 2 lucky RTers
🛒 noscoredraws.com

Just in case any Brentford fans haven't seen it, this NSFW podcast has done the impossible and made me love Harlee Dean again.
I don't even want him to Cheer Up.
George Saville, not so much...
https://youtu.be/8f8-gYLxrJs?si=bKg4Z25QA0xbST9v

The Bagthorpe Saga by Helen Cresswell - Grandma & Daisy are the greatest characters in kids lit.
The Burning Lands series by John Christopher - post-apocalyptic fiction with a big reveal about the narrator's character.
Terry On The Fence by Bernard Ashley - the scary big kids Had Their Reasons.