London Football: Queens Park Rangers 1 Reading 1, Premier League

In the Loftus Road battle of clubs who traditionally wear blue and white hoops, Reading showed unusually disciplined defence against an instinctively attacking Queens Park Rangers, writes Paul Coleman.

  Clad in all-yellow, Leigertwood and Tabb, an influential and composed midfield duo, protected Reading's back four, restricting Rangers to mostly long-range, open play efforts. 

   Powerful shots from Rangers' gifted Taarabt and lacklustre Cissé lacked direction. On-target shots lacked power.

  Gorkss' snap-shot 17th minute goal typified Reading outfighting Rangers to loose balls and headers - and capitalised on loose marking by Rangers' defenders. 

   With both teams unchanged, the formulaic football continued in the second period - although Rangers' more instinctive attacks prompted by Taarabt and Hoilett menaced Reading with increased frequency.

   Hitherto poor, Cissé surprisingly controlled and converted Bosingwa's flat and fast cross for a well-taken Rangers' equaliser. The goal continued Reading's sad trait of conceding at least one goal every game for the season.

   Although out of the blue, Cissé's goal put a spring in Rangers' step, especially Taarabt. Reading goalkeeper McCarthy denied Taarabt an almost certain clincher with a fine save after 83 minutes.

   In a nervy finale, both teams huffed and puffed vainly for a vital winner.

  Reading fans were pleased with their team's defensive discipline. Worryingly, Rangers created few clear open-play chances against a Reading team who had scored five but conceded seven in their last match against Arsenal.

Troubling for both Rangers and Reading supporters, this 1-1 stalemate meant both teams still had not won a Premiership game in the 2012/13 season. A long, hard campaign loomed for both clubs.

Full-time: Queens Park Rangers 1 Reading 1 (Half-time: 0-1).

Man of the Match: McCarthy (Reading).

Paul Coleman, London, November 2012

A Future That Works - TUC March and Rally Central London and Hyde Park, Ed Miliband, General Strike call

'I'm So Angry I Made This Sign', chirps one protester's placard. A Trade Union Congress steward, standing opposite the Institute of Director's sumptuous Pall Mall retreat, reads Karl Marx's Capital.
  Walking sticks and wheelchairs are in force as the National Pensioners Convention gathers beside Caviar House, next to the Ritz hotel on Piccadilly. The Ritz windows are firmly shuttered. 
  It's Saturday, 20 October 2012 and it's clear this central London march and rally by working people isn't going to be as massive as the last show of strength in March 2011 when slogans and paint splattered the Ritz facade.
   But an estimated 150,000 people marching from the Embankment to a Hyde Park rally, billed by the TUC as A Future That Works, is still an impressive mobilisation against the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government's austerity economics and cuts to jobs and public services.

General strike call
Thousands of marchers in a huge column wield colourful and inventively funny banners and placards. Many only reach Hyde Park as the rally speeches end. 
   They miss hearing union leader after union leader pressuring Labour Party leader Ed Miliband to endorse their call for a general strike against the coalition government's austerity programme.
   Miliband (above), a member of the Unite and USDAW unions, and MP for Doncaster North, accuses the government of "dividing our country...as they cut taxes for millionnaires and raise taxes for ordinary families.They leave young people out of work whilst the bonuses and the banks carry on."

What a Miliband-led government would do?
Miliband attacks Prime Minister David Cameron for contriving "a sink or swim society". A Labour government would tax bankers bonuses, Miliband  pledges. Labour would build "100,000 new homes" and repeal the Coalition's law that allows the National Health Service to be privatised. 
  Much of Miliband's denigration of the government goes down well with the growing Hyde Park crowd. But most silently greet and a few boo Miliband's admission that a future  "One Nation" Labour government would still have to take "tough choices" and also make cuts.

'Who Do They Think They Are'?
But Miliband's 'jam tomorrow' promise isn't going to sway union leaders and activists - particularly as the next general election remains three years away. The general strike issue is likely to come up again soon after the march.
  Activist and writer Owen Jones had tweeted earlier that morning,"This is the time for the plebs", a reference to Conservative Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell who resigned this week over allegations he had called police 'plebs' as they guarded the Prime Minister's Downing Street home.

   But perhaps one of the most surprising judgements on Cameron and the coalition arises well away from the throbbing drumbeats on central London streets. Saturday's lead story front page headline on the right-wing Daily Mail newspaper screams 'Who Do They Think They Are?'    The story refers to Mitchell's 'pleb' comment but also tells a damming tale about the government's 'axe man', Chancellor George Osborne. 
  The paper reports that Osborne travelled first class on a train.
A Cabinet Minister travels first class...so what's the story there then?
Apparently, Osborne could only show the ticket inspector a standard class ticket. Pleb.

Paul Coleman, London, October 2012.

Words & Photos Copyright Paul Coleman 2012

Bull Finch in the Heritage China Shop - Protecting Views Across the Thames: a New London Architecture 'punch up'

"The city that stops building dies," rages Paul Finch.

An architecture and urban design guru, Finch warns a cluster of architects, developers and planners that London risks becoming a "dead zone" - provocatively adding, "just like central Paris". 

  Finch says heritage lobbyists like UNESCO and English Heritage seem hellbent on delaying and preventing new towers rising up on either side of the River Thames.

   Finch fears these "mimsy" lobbyists will festoon London with "a creeping stasis" that could undermine London's reputation as a dynamic, changing city.

   Jabbed repeatedly by Finch, the heritage specialists try to counter. They say they are preserving ordained 'strategic views' of heritage sites like St Paul's Cathedral as seen from Primrose Hill, and the Thames at Waterloo as glimpsed from Parliament Square. They restate their "balanced approach" - to promote quality buildings that preserve vistas of historic buildings such as the Tower of London.

  Yet it's Finch's lively and, at times, compelling rhetoric that draws more applause and laughs.

  Amidst the guffaws, I couldn't help wondering what would happen if ordinary Londoners could visit the Shard, Gherkin, Tower 42 et al and enjoy the views of the city these towers offer. Maybe then the heritage crew might find it less easy to try and thwart these buildings going up in the first place. 

  Nevertheless, New London Architecture's Peter Murray breezily refereed a good-natured bout of verbal fisticuffs that fired up  breakfast hearts and minds.

Paul Coleman, London Intelligence, September 2012

Top Photo: St Paul's and City of London skyline from Waterloo Bridge north end showing 'Walkie Talkie' under construction (far right).

Words & Photos Copyright, Paul Coleman, London Intelligence, 2012

Marchmont Street, London WC1: Street Party 2012

I treasure some happy memories of working for a community organisation on Marchmont Street in the late 1980s. Today’s Marchmont Street Party provided me with some fresh happy reflections.

  Smiling people and lovely September sunshine filled the street that runs north-south close to Russell Square and the Brunswick Centre. Barred traffic gave way to a variety of street entertainment that included Kings Cross Brunswick Youth’s brand of R‘n’B and Coco Express’ Salsa and Merengue. Zany, fire-juggling and escapology came from Juggling John and Jonathan the Jester.

Face-painted children skipped between fun fair rides and sideshows. Cafés, restaurants and the local pub provided street food and drink.

   Traders, community groups and charities with their stalls tempted party-goers with goods and services ranging from second-hand books to beauty treatments, from children’s toys to give-away plants in window-boxes.

  The Marchmont Community Garden, one-year-old and blooming lovely, hosted Professor Gary Wilson’s colourful and noisy Punch & Judy for bemused younger children and nostalgic parents.

The 2012 party was organised by the Marchmont Association and generously supported by sponsors such as Gino Hairdressing, Judd Books, Fork deli and by local hotels.

  Everyone involved deserves congratulation. Marchmont Street is definitely one of London’s brightest and friendliest streets. Mustn’t forget also, Marchmont Street offers the finest homemade cakes in London.

Paul Coleman, London, September 2012.

Words and photos: Copyright Paul Coleman, London Intelligence, 2012

Olympic Marathon Leadenhall Market, 2012 Olympic Games London

A market has existed on the site of London's Leadenhall Market since Roman times. Today, something even older - and which may never return - ran through the market's current grand Victorian structure and over its smoothed cobbles - the Men's Olympic Marathon, the final event of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Photo: Copyright London Intelligence 2012

Paul Coleman, London Intelligence, August 2012.

Japan, Earthquake, Tsunami, UK east coast, Buckingham Palace perspective

These images of Japan's earthquake and tsunami of March 11 last year claim to offer an interesting UK and London perspective. 

 The images form part of an outdoor Japanese photo exhibition currently at London's Broadgate Circle.

Paul Coleman, London Intelligence, August 2012

Hail the Nadeshiko: France 1 Japan 2: Women's 2012 Olympic Football Semi-Final, Wembley Stadium

Japan's women footballers are called 'the Nadeshiko' after the delicate mountain flower. But the Japanese lady in the seat next to me proved no shrinking violet, writes Paul Coleman. 
 She'd shriek - making my eardrums wince - whenever a Nadeshiko hared towards the French goal. Later, like a child hiding behind a door as a scary film plays on TV, she'd half-cover her eyes with her Hinomaru (Rising Sun) fan each time the frantic French swarmed Japan's battle-scarred penalty area. 
 In battle terms, this pulsed with a second-half siege, punctuated by pulsating goalmouth action, roared on by over 61,000 souls at Wembley Stadium.
 With just 12 minutes left on the clock, France's Elise Bussaglia wished  Wembley's lush turf would open and swallow her. Shocked and appalled, she'd just stroked her penalty kick wide of the post (below). Unbelievably, the Nadeshiko still clung precariously to their slender 2-1 advantage.

The Nadeshiko in their blue shirts proved obdurate and highly disciplined. Look at the way they tightly marked the white-shirted French at corners (below). These braves hurled their bodies in the way of 27 dangerous French netbound shots and headers. And, when they were finally beaten, their previously nervous kitten-like goalkeeper, Miho Fukumoto, dived low to her left to miraculously prevent a French equaliser with her fingertips.

Four minutes of fever pitch added time ended when the Mexican referee blew the final whistle. Never has a referee borne such a beautiful name; Quetzalli Alvarado.
 France's exhausted musketeers - including the heartbroken Bussaglia - collapsed and sobbed tears of despair into the Wembley turf as a huddle of relieved Nadeshiko  cavorted - fittingly - in their own penalty area. The Japanese lady beside me celebrated with a smile wider than Wembley's famous arch (top).

 And 61,000 of us left England's majestic national stadium with alternate chants of 'Nippon Nippon' and 'Allez Les Bleus' ringing in our ears.

 Both Japan and France's footballers did themselves, their countries and the sport of women's football very proud indeed.

 My ears have since recovered but Bussaglia will sadly always suffer recall of her tragic penalty miss. 

Good luck to the Nadeshiko in Thursday's Olympic Gold Medal final against the USA.

Merci.

Arigatou.

 Photos: Copyright Paul Coleman, London Intelligence, 2012

Paul Coleman, London Intelligence, July 2012