Dressage Dreams and a Goalkeeper’s Regime - Part 14

Whilst I’m usually at the Britannia for Stoke’s home games, I don’t go to so many away matches. Big mistake last week! The victory against Villa was Stoke’s biggest ever away win since joining the Premier League, and taken in style. Stoke are the new Barcelona I hear, so the next priority must be an upgrade for the weather to Mediterranean standards.

It’s amazing how much a win lifts the mood at home, and that one certainly started our week on a real high note. It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Asmir and I. Last Monday afternoon the Redgate Clayton Football Club in Newcastle was the first recipient of a cheque from the Asmir Begovic Foundation. I’ve mentioned it before, but foundation is one of Asmir’s favourite projects, aimed at raising funds to improve “grass roots” sports facilities in the Stoke area, and also in Bosnia.

Asmir met up with Terry Conroy to present a cheque to Chairman Clive Russell. The money will be used to help with the refurbishment of facilities at their ground in Northwood Lane. The club wants to improve their facilities to provide the opportunity for both adults and children to train at the ground by making their changing rooms better and their club house bigger.  The Club was established back in 1969, initially in Longton and has evolved over the years. Naturally it’s a hotbed of Stoke supporters, who made Asmir and Terry very welcome as they received the guided tour. This is exactly the sort of project Asmir wanted to support when he set up the foundation, he wants to help where help is genuinely needed, and that also includes a couple of projects in the pipeline in Bosnia, which I’ll write about in the future.

Asmir was also thrilled to receive a donation for the Foundation from the “Mow Cop Players”. This is a well established local Drama group that puts on three shows a year, one adult, one youth and one pantomime.  They have been performing for 40 years their next show is based on the 80’s TV hit “Allo Allo”. That was a bit before my time, but I’m sure the Mow Cop version will be hilarious.  Asmir was really impressed and delighted by their demonstration of the work they do for other charities and good causes, and flattered by their generosity.

We have also been busy with media work, Asmir and I are to appear in a commercial for a Bosnian based coffee company! I don’t know what to expect from that, and some of their script ideas have been a bit left-field, but it’s certainly going to be fun. Bosnia’s two obsessions in life are football and coffee, so I guess it’s a natural marketing connection.

I also visited the Anita Harris Art Pottery. They produce some amazing ceramics, and are producing a line in support of the Stoke City Community Trust. Phil Greig was there to take photos, with a mother’s day theme. So everybody please take the hint, Mothers Day tomorrow…

That’s the highlights from us for now, and here’s hoping to another great result.  Hull are just a couple of places behind us and we must have the momentum behind us now to push on to a great close to the season, come on boys!

Nicolle x