When the invisibles become noticed - reflections of a Games Maker

"Your role will be invisible. By that we mean we expect you to do your job so efficiently that people won't even notice you're there. The events will run like clockwork."

This was one of the first pieces of information we were given as Games Makers during training prior to the Olympics.

OK, it's hard to be invisible in a completely distinct purple and red tracksuit, but we understood what they meant - our roles, however unglamorous or difficult, will be out of the eye of spectators, athletes, and officials.

However, perhaps the only part of the Olympics the organisers didn't judge quite right was the reaction and impact the Games Makers were going to have over this summer of sport - it exceeded all expectations of how much the Games Makers would be noticed across the Olympic venues.

Who would have though they would receive a standing ovation at the closing ceremony? Who would have thought there would be a Royal Mail stamp recognising their service - thus putting them alongside the likes of Hoy, Ennis and Farah?

The service of the volunteers even brought Eddie Izzard to tears.

Now, I'm not interested in theorising about whether or not this is the Big Society in action (as I said to a journalist who asked me) - I like to think this sort of thing transcends petty political point scoring. I've been part of sports clubs throughout my life and I understand how vital volunteering is to any grassroots level sport.

No, it's not the Big Society in action (not least because I had my first interview prior to the 2008 election), but it shows how when people pull together for a common cause, they can achieve something magnificent.

Will we ever see anything like it again? Like the Olympics, probably not. But whilst one can dwell on the past, it's always better to care for the present to make a brighter future. The ground work has been done and it is up to normal people around the country to get stuck in. Volunteer anywhere - sports clubs, shops, community groups. It works.

However, you may have to accept that your role will be invisible.

If you want your football team to do well, don't let me live there.

It was last weekend when a mate of mine pointed out to me: "Butler, wherever you move, the football team always gets worse."

He provided me proof and evidence of the statement, and I had to agree. I think I'm a curse on the football teams I follow and support.

Let's look at the evidence:

1989-2005 - East London era

I grew up in East London, Forest Gate followed by Walthamstow. I'm an avid Leyton Orient fan, and during this time they spent the first six years in Division Two. Not bad, but in 1995 Orient were on the brink of bankruptcy, after chairman Tony Wood lost his tea-making money in the Rwandan genocide. This led to relegation, and sitting in the duldrums of fourth division football for 11 years.

2005-2010 - The Southampton years

I moved down to Southampton with my family in 2005. At my new school, my new mates would joke that I supported Orient, a club very few had heard of. I would try to defend myself, and in fact would joke with them that in 'a couple of years we'd be playing you (Southampton)'. Incredibly, the first year I moved down to the South coast, the Saints were relegated from the Premiership, after a 13 year stint there.
Fast forward a year, and lo and behold Leyton Orient, the area I had left, got promotion for the first time in 11 years. Just one division between O's and Saints, and my prediction soon became an incredible reality, as Saints were relegated at the end of the 2008-09 season, to League One.

2008-2011 - Oxford, the university era

Probably the only area to buck this trend. Oxford, who ironically Orient relegated at the same time as they got promoted in '06, were langushing in the Conference until the end of the 2010 season, when they got promoted. The only time I went to see Oxford United play was at the end of the the 2010-11 season, when they actually beat Lincoln 2-1.

2010-present - Nottingham

My family moved up from Southampton to Nottinghamshire in February 2010, with immediate impact. Southampton, in League One for two seasons, got promoted at the end of last season, and are now flying high at the top of the Championship. But what about the clubs I now live around? Well, Nottingham Forest, who had finished 3rd and 6th in the respective previous seasons, now lie 20th in the Championship - having lost two managers (Billy Davies and Steve McClaren) in the past 12 months.
Notts County? Fair slightly better, though just avoided the drop last season.

So, in conclusion. Where am I now? Still in Nottingham - Orient lying stable in League One, Southampton flying high in the Championship, and Oxford in the play-off places in League Two.

If anyone from Nottingham wants to have a whip-round and pay for me to leave the city, feel free.

Nottingham Forest Reserves 2 v 2 Sheffield United Reserves

Nottingham Forest fought back from 2-0 down and grabbed a last minute equaliser to claim a point against Sheffield United Reserves at Ilkeston. 


The Blades had the better of the early exchanges with Erik Tonne and David McAllister both having shots saved by Karl Darlow. 


The pressure told after nine minutes when Erik Tonne's cross was not dealt with by Danny Meadows, who allowed Danny Philliskirk to nick the ball from him and calmly slot home from six yards. 


Forest did little to fight back and the away side should have doubled their lead four minutes later, as a through ball from Seamus Connelly found Chris Porter in the area, but he shot well over from 12 yards. 


The home side's first chance of the game came on 15 minutes, when David McGoldrick found himself in space 18 yards out, but he couldn't direct his shot on target.


Forest came within inches of an equaliser on 22 minutes, as Andy Reid struck the post from a free kick on the edge of the box after Paul Anderson was fouled. 


However it was the Blades who increased their advantage on the half hour, after Porter brought down a cross from the left unchallenged, and having wriggled away from two challenges the ex-Derby man fired in from ten yards. 


Forest looked to reduce the deficit and enjoyed more possession as half time loomed, and again struck the post on 41 minutes. David McGoldrick did well to shake off Johnny Ertl on the left, coasted into the area and his curling shot came off the inside of the left hand upright.


The second half saw the game open up and chances came and went at both ends in the early stages. 


United should have out of sight within the first ten minutes of the second period, as Philliskirk was played clean through but his shot was well saved by Darlow, and moments later Erik Tonne had a shot blocked from 6 yards after neat interchanges around the edge of the box.


The host's once again hit the woodwork on 61 minutes, though slightly fortuitously as Reid's cross from the left deflected off the top of the bar, and McGoldrick's shot was blocked as the ball was played back in. 


Forest looked increasingly more dangerous and finally grabbed a goal on 74 minutes, as David McGoldrick fired low past George Long into the bottom right corner from 15 yards after Danny Meadows squared the ball back. 


However in the closing stages it looked like the Blades would increase their lead, as Chris Porter was once again played clean through but his effort was well saved by Darlow, and a minute later Philliskirk's goalbound effort was deflected wide.


Forest had a great chance to draw level in the 89th minute as Patrick Bamford sprang the offside trap, but his effort was hit straight at Long. 


There was one last twist in the tail however. When Bamford was fouled 25 yards out, McGoldrick stepped up and curled a delightful effort into the top right corner three minutes into stoppage time. 

Omozusi - Paying the price.

On Thursday Leyton Orient right-back Elliot Omozusi was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after being found guilty in his part of intimidating a witness.

He becomes the second Orient player in only two years to be banged up, after former-O's left-back Aidan Palmer was jailed for 22 months in 2009 for his part in a violent disorder.

As much as the details are fairly blurry, it sounds as if Omozusi was with a group of mates, who belong to the feared London Fields gang, when they were up in Liverpool. The London Fields gang was responsible for the killing of innocent schoolgirl Agnes Sina-Inajoku, for which two members of the gang were imprisoned for life last year. The gang, when in Liverpool, by chance saw one of the witnesses from the murder trial, who was part of a witness protection program - they chased him down the road, before he fortunately ran into police.

The trial of Omozusi concluded that he was part of the group and was found guilty of witness intimidation.

As a professional footballer, Omozusi is meant to be a role model, for fans, for children. A lot has been made recently of the importance for footballers to be good role models, but I sincerely think this is one of the biggest failures by a professional footballer through all your Tevez's, Terry's and Suarez's.

Prison. It's not somewhere you expect a professional footballer to end up. Which is why it's quite hard to make something of it.

I suppose it does show how footballers are not as invincible as they seem. It's baffling how when you are so focussed on playing for your club, all your time consumed on fitness, that you still have time to get involved in gang activities.

Of course, partly is just what group you fall into. Omozusi is originally from Hackney - he's got friends there, but unfortunately the wrong sort - and now he's paid for being part of it.

It's not to say I don't feel sorry for him - he's the same age as I am, and he was a bright footballer. Orient got him from Fulham, and he certainly had a future. But talk about being a professional, this is the exact opposite.

Who knows what the future may hold now for Omozusi - he's had a glorious chance to distance himself from gangland membership, but he didn't. Will he learn now? Or will he give up on football completely? For the sake of football and himself, I hope he returns.

Learning from others who've been in a similar position to him, Lee Hughes, someone I've seen a number of times over the last year, spent three years from 2004-07 after causing death by dangerous driving. He returned to football, and is currently putting his best in for Notts County, where he commands a huge amount of respect from the fans.

The aforementioned Palmer was released from prison and signed for Chelmsford City, who he scored for last weekend in their FA Cup game.

Both of these have shown there is life after prison for footballers, and I hope Omozusi can follow this example. 

"Hosting an Olympics means making history"

"Hosting an Olympics means making history."

Do you know who said that? It was Pierre de Coubertin – I know this name probably won’t make it any clearer, but Pierre de Coubertin was the man we all have to thank for bringing the Olympics to London in 2012. Way back in 1896 was the first of the modern Olympic Games which Pierre de Coubertin set up.

Anyway, enough of the history lesson. My point is with the Olympics coming up next year, it’s one of the best chances we can all have to make a little bit of history.

It’s unfortunately likely to be the only time in our lifetimes that we will get the greatest show on earth in our own back yard, which is why we should all make the most of it.

Some of you may hate sport. Those cold, icy Monday mornings doing P.E. are enough to put any of us off for life – but I can assure you that having the Olympics in London will be a rare chance to be able to all come together and celebrate sporting excellence as the whole world.

So, how does this fit with Youth Alpha? Well, how often is it that we think that when we can talk to a mate about Jesus, we can make history?

Whenever someone becomes a Christian they make history. And God loves it. Hopefully you know enough about Youth Alpha to know that it is such a great way to tell people in your school, area, youth club about the good news of Jesus.

So why not use Youth Alpha when the Olympics comes next year? As that man Pierre de Coubertin said, it’s a chance to make history. As we see the most historic sporting event in the world to come to the UK, why not use it as a chance to make some history of your own?

Top 5...Berlusconi's Greatest Hits (last word not an anagram)

Perhaps the upside of the economic and eurozone crash is the fact it is lifting leader such as Silvio Berlusconi out of the power they've craved and gained for so many years.

Berlusconi is unique. And not necessarily for a good reason - but here follows some of the absolutely bonkers, crazy, and totally bizarre stories that you may have missed in his tenure.

5. Calling Angela Merkel an un****able larda***

So, you've driven your country on the brink of collapse economically. Your only hope is to get a bail out. Who could possibly bail you out and help you out of this mess? That's right, Germany can. So, when you meet the leader of the country that can get you out of the brown stuff, be polite. But that's just not the Berlusconi way! Of course Silvio, go on, say what you think of Angela Merkel. A what? An un****able lard****? Remarkable. After calling Barack Obama 'suntanned' a few years back (no joke), this is a great gaffe.

4. Meglio 'na Canzone


Oh, sing it Silvio. Berlusconi used to be a cruiseship crooner, another tremendous true fact. And he was supposed to release his latest album this past week, until this inconvenient economic collapse happened. But Meglio 'na Canzone is just a taste of what the man is capable of. 'No flaws, like mad I wanted to see you' is one of the lyrics, and a translation suggest he also mentions students - which is something I will not mention myself...we'll leave that to the judges.

3. Berlusconi takes Milan Cathedral to the face

Ever the showman, he took it like a man. It was shocking, pretty unpleasant but he probably had it coming to him. A member of the public, through crowds, managed to launch a miniature model of Milan Cathedral and managed to catch Silvio square in the face. No doubt an incredible shot, but also a pretty horrible attack. Berlusconi took it to the face, and still stayed on his feet, seeming to want to find the guy and take him down. Wow.  



2. Getting told off by HRH Queen Elizabeth II

Incredible scenes at Buckingham Palace during the G20 summit when taking a photo, our man Berlusconi calls out to Barack Obama. Too loud for Her Majesty, and rightly so. You don't mess with Q-Tip, especially in her own back yard. The exchange went along the lines of:
Silvio: "OBAMA, OBAMA"
Queen, turning to Berlusconi: "Why do you have to talk so loud?"
The video is here, and so worth a watch. I've never seen the Queen agitated before.

1. Berlusconi buys new penis for office statue

Without doubt his finest moment in office. Berlusconi had a statue in his office (funny enough), but it was a traditional, Italian statue, and it was sadly wangless. The 1800 year old Mars sculpture took up residence in Silvio's office, and apparently his gentleman veg fell off in AD175. So, in November 2010, Berlusconi looked up at it once, and must have thought, "Something's missing."
Now, we all know about Berlusconi's penchant for his own johnson, but he must have been keen on restoring Mars' to restore it to it's former glory. So he got it a new one.
On the Italian taxpayer.
Oh yes, it gets worse. Using €70,000 of Italian taxpayers money, he didn't dig into his own coffers, he took it on expenses! Among the features of the new wang included it also being retractable. Magnetic, Silvio could decide from day-to-day whether it was on, or off.

Silvio Berlusconi. May be in jail in a couple of months, but you have to wonder if that will ever stop him being a barmy man. 

More Than Just Hot Air

Coursework piece - feature article for MA

Having completed his school career, Dom Joyce had a job and a house lined up, all set for a move down to Bristol. That was until he noticed the anti-wind turbine campaign in Southwell had no opposition. Now, the 18-year-old environmental campaigner looks to lead a youthful campaign in favour of renewable energy across the county.

“You can’t just say no to wind turbines and expect it to be unchallenged.” explains Joyce, who speaks with eloquence and clarity far beyond his year.

“80% of wind turbine proposals start an objection campaign – but not many have campaigns supporting them.”

Far fewer supporting campaigns are started by the youth of a town – but Joyce knew that something had to be done.

Earlier this year the Brackenhurst campus of Nottingham Trent University in Southwell drew up plans to erect two wind turbines on the site – to power the campus but also provide energy to the surrounding area. This was met with critical reaction, and it seemed that many locals were against the proposals.

The Halloughton Wind Turbine Action Group is the main opposition group to the proposals, and is concerned by the effect the wind turbines will have on a range of factors. Their website states: “The mid-Nottinghamshire farmlands, with the nearby dumbles characteristic of this area, together with a rich ecology, need to be maintained as an area of high amenity. A much-used bridle path is close by. Our local bats and birds will be disturbed, or worse.”

However, Joyce was suspicious of this reaction. Coming together with a group of school friends, the first thing they did was to make a banner challenging the protest.

“We put up a big banner simply saying ‘If Not Then What?’ basically saying, if you are against this proposal, come up with an alternative.”

The original name stuck, and as momentum grew for the group, the voice was being heard. Drawing on the youthful exuberance of the campaign, an innovative Facebook campaign was set up to raise awareness.

“We got photos of people supporting the campaign and put them on Facebook. The idea was for them to tag themselves, it attracts attention to a massive audience to spread the word.”

The core group meets monthly at Joyce’s house to discuss strategy and ways to further the campaign. On tonight’s agenda however is money. Whilst the energy they are campaigning for is sustainable, finance for their cause is not. And with such a young group, sourcing £600, a figure quoted by Joyce for leaflets, flyers and an improved website, is hard to come by.

Inventive methods of finding this cash come from members of the group – cake sales, bag packing and selling old and unwanted CDs are all put forward. The group clearly take the issue seriously.

For the moment the campaign focuses on the proposed turbines in the local area of Southwell – but once this one has finished Joyce promises more.

“The plan is to get groups all over the area – this specific one works because universities especially have green agendas and targets,” says Joyce, excited by the ever-increasing prospects.

But what of the opposition to the turbines – those who have lived in Halloughton their whole lives?

“I can understand. As far as they are concerned, this structure will affect the house they’ve worked so hard to build. But this site is as good as any. If they can offer an alternative way of saving 400 tonnes of CO2 that’d be great.”

The brochures and leaflets of the Halloughton Wind Turbine Action Group, opposed to the wind turbine proposals, challenges them on the basis of destroying heritage, affecting wildlife and the sound impact of the students based at Brackenhurst. Joyce remains unconvinced.

“We went to Brackenhurst during their Fresher’s week and did a petition. We got 200-300 signatures. Trent University also did a survey of their students, and 96.2% were in favour.”

Nottingham Trent University environmental officer Grant Anderson is responsible for the proposals. He said: “The controversy is really all around the impact on heritage. There has been a little bit of opposition from the local village but it is completely outnumbered by the pro-wind campaigners.”

The youngest of five children, Joyce admits that he is alone in his family in taking an environmental issue this far. Having spent a lot of his youth at the nearby Hockerton Housing Project with his best friend, he is using the wisdom he learnt from “hardcore environmentalists.”

The passion grew during his International Baccalaureate he gained this year from Bilborough College in Nottingham, and looked all set to move to Bristol, where he had a job and house ready for him. So in an unstable economic climate and youth unemployment looking set to top the million mark, why did he forgo this opportunity?

“Two weeks into the If Not Then What campaign I was getting too many emails from people I didn’t know! So I decided to stay so that I could see where the campaign could go.”

The group is clearly organised with professional input, from environmental groups such as RSPB and Greenpeace.

Speaking to RSPB conservation officer Colin Wilkinson, he echoed the group’s stance, saying: “We’ve looked at the environmental impact assessment that has been done and it meets the best practice guidance we expect all such studies to meet. The results don’t suggest at all that there would be any significant threat to the bird population.” 

Talking at length as to why the wind turbines are appropriate, the difference between a linear and cyclical energy route, and how much each type of renewable energy can contribute to the earth’s survival, Joyce clearly knows his stuff. And under his leadership he is inspiring more people, not only youth, to take responsibility for their planet.

The final decision from the district council to approve the wind turbines is set to be during December, having been accepted by the Southwell town council already.

But for Joyce this may just be the start.