Old Mad Tom's Almanac

 

 

August 2006

Old Mad Tom has been very down in the dumps lately. Not only has he had to actually take his grey anorak off because of the beautiful weather but Dublin City’s demise has left without a place to go every other Friday when there’s no Bohs game in Dalyer. Luckily, he found Farrelly’s book of contacts and is, as I sit here, dialling the first name…..

August: Named after Augustus Caesar, according to Discovery Channel, and they’re NEVER wrong…

• A state funeral is organised for Dublin City FC. Fifteen people turn up despite Rocky Seery going on radio to say within five years it will be the biggest funeral ever seen in Dublin.
• Fareth Garrelly is announced as the new manager of Bohemian FC. In his opening press conference, he announces that he blames the lack of real wood on Bohs bad run of form. He explains that ‘touch wood’ means nothing when you’re rapping your knuckles off some Argos mdf. He is immediately sacked.
• Taking their cue from Dream Team, the High Command announce that Bohs fans will be allowed apply for the vacant managers job.
• Alan Matthews, with his CV, takes Longford to Dalymount for the much anticipated Bottom of the Table clash of the not-so-Titans. Paddy Murray is in temporary command of Bohs and all goes well until the twentieth minute when he walks over to the shop to take his position. Jimmy O’Connor takes over and Bohs race into a 2-0 lead. The Bohs Babes take over for the second half. Surprisingly, Bohs run out 4-0 winners with many fans, Bohs Til I Die and BOHEMIANBOB included, saying it was the finest Bohemian performance ever seen. Smelling salts are passed around at such comments.
• Shelbourne’s financial woes continue as Ollie Byrne is spotted playing oileann pipes in Dalymount Lane after the game.
• Four Bohemian fans are contacted by the National Accident Helpline with a view to filming a new ad about stress compensation.
• Bohs programme committee lashed for not including a picture of Glenda Gilson in any of it’s publications. In future, Ms Gilson must appear in every second programme, for whatever reason. Naked is not an option.
• Sky News are first to let the world know that Glen Crowe is returning to Bohs. Skittles is on hand, at the gates of Castle Greyskull to carry the wee scamp on his shoulders all the way back up to Dalymount.
• Felim, Gerry and the rest of Il Mafioso get ready to slaughter the fatted Caffo in his honour.
• gypsiesweb is clogged up for two hours following the news of Crowe. BOHEMIANBOB is enraged that he can’t log on to rant.
• Skittles collapses outside Fagan’s, letting Crowe fall to the ground. The resulting tremor measures 5.4 on the Richter scale. Luckily, Bohs Til I Die is on hand with his trusty backpack, which is revealed to carry medical supplies.
• Mark Leech auctions off his fancy pants
• Shels play host to Bohs in the League Cup semi final in Tolka. The Shels supporters have been allowed stay up late by their parents so they can see the second half. With Paul Duffy in command, Bohs race into a 3-0 lead courtesy of a Crowe hat-trick. Duffy protests to dandy referee Alan Kelly that the usage of hurley’s and sniper rifles by Shelbourne is simply not allowed. During the heated exchange, a framed photo by Kelly and Ollie hugging each other falls out of his pocket. Duffy is furious and insists he rings Chuck Norris who is always on hand to give advice. Kelly relents. Bohs cruise into the League Cup final courtesy of a 6-0 scoreline, three of the goals being scored by Kelly himself.
• Sean Cooney saves another penalty in Finn Harps tour of China.
• Andorey Developments announce that the initial payment to Bohemians will happen any day now.
• Zinedine Zidane hired as new head of security in Dalymount Lane.
• Stephen Kenny gives a surprisingly coherent TV interview.
• Roddy Collins releases his debut album, Roddy’s Toddy, on K-Tel.
• Atlanta Falcons express their desire to use Rovers new stadium in Tallaght.
• Shels announce plans to build their new stadium on the Hill of Tara, their ancestral home. John Delaney personally drives the first bulldozer there. Loads of hippies protest. The new move is a tie in with a new deal with Shell following the collapse of the proposed deal with Sligo Rovers, which included a new stadium in Rossport. One of the main conditions of the new sponsorship is that they change their name to Shellbourne.
• Meeting Felim for a pint, Gareth Farrelly’s dad tells him that he was only taking the piss when he suggested that his son should be the new Bohs manager. Felim is perplexed at how they got caught out twice, especially after he was the one who announced the vacancy to Joe McGrath in 1998.
• In a shocking discovery, it is found that the Bohs souvenir shop and security hut is actually a dormant Transformer, Bohsatron.
• MB regular Deco holds a press conference to announce that he is not the Portuguese player of the same name.
• Drogheda United put in a bid for Leo Burdocks.
• A public holiday in Monaghan is announced as their embattled football team actually win a game. Big Tom puts on a free gig in honour of this memorable achievement.
• Dermot Gavin expresses an interest in Rovers as a rare weed has been found in Tallaght.
• Rare weed also found in Waterford, explaining why people actually go to the games.
• Damien Richardson says something interesting. Cryptologists spend weeks scanning ancient texts to find a reference point.
• Mad Tom announces he may sign for DART United.
• The Corner Flag Union of Ireland (Louth Division) place a fatwa on Tony Grant's head.
• Sven Goran Erikkson takes over Shells following Pat Fenlon’s mystery disappearance. Champagne is opened in Dalymount.
• A statue is erected to the best penalty taker ever, Barry
• Gareth Farrelly applies for a job managing Greenland. Seven Bohemian members pay for his ticket.
• A joint managerial team of Bohs Til I Die, Chippie, Spiderman, Deco, and Dissenter lead out Bohs for their first game, against Bray Wanderers. New signing Ciaran Whelan has to be gently reminded to shoot into the net, not over it. Taking up where he left off, Glen Crowe finishes his burger and slots home Bohs opener. A fight breaks out among the management team over who should be substituted. In the end, Stephen Rice makes way for Niall Quinn. Bohs win 1-0.
• Matty Forde scores a hat trick for Kilkenny. The game, or opposition, is never recorded because no one cares.
• Jockey Paul O’Neill is arrested for head-butting Bobby Ryan. He protests his innocence, claiming he was convinced that Ryan was a horse.
• Tony Fenton applies to become Bohs new stadium announcer. He is chased up Dalymount Lane by Paul Duffy.
• The long awaited clash between Bohemians and Shellbourne arrives. Zidane, fresh from his suspension, lines out for Bohs but is devastated to find that Alan Reynolds has left the club as he was looking forward to dishing out revenge. Despite Ollie’s protests, Sven Goran Eriksson invites the wives and girlfriends along. Jason Byrne breaks out into tears as he realises his bird will bear the full brunt of the Bohemian faithful chanting. In actual fact, she is applying for a job in Burdock’s. Crowe opens the account, vaulting the advertising hoarding, running up the steps of the Jodi and moons to Ollie. Ollie makes an attempt to hit Crowe, but, wily as ever, Des Byrne has his eye on proceedings and runs to to deck Ollie. The Shellbourne fans run home to their mammies. On the field, Bohs complete a commendable 7-0 rout.
• Dermot Keely takes up a job managing Iceland. His application for Tesco got turned down.
• Ronan Seery can be seen getting very chummy with Felim. He denies he’s looking for a job, but is ultimately made kit man, courtesy of Bohs Til I Die’s intervention.
• Kathryn Thomas wins celebrity You’re a Star, beating a devastated Roddy Collins in the final. She claims her short skirt had nothing to do with it. Prof Gartlan denies using 356 phones to register votes in return for her buying his car. He will also refuse to swim through a sea of shite to…. Well, you know the rest.
• Halt-Time-Raffffflllle Joe wins the half-time raffle.
• To commemorate the historical decision to allow soccer back into Croke Park for the first time since Bohs graced the turf over a century ago, the GAA and FAI reach an agreement to stage the Bohs – Shamrock Rovers tie there. It is a thrilling game in front of 3,016 fans with Bohs winning 3-14 to 2-16 after four overs and a birdie in the final set. Bohs fans invade the pitch as Kevin Hunt hollers the customary three cheers for the winning team. Rovers attempt to mount an assault but retreat when pat Scully’s best jacket is stolen. He is enraged, claiming it is his only jacket and he can’t appear on eircom league weekly anymore.
• Big Tom sues Mad Tom for use of the name Tom.
• Dotsy releases the National Accident Helpline ads on DVD and Special Edition: Directors Cut DVD. The official launch in the Phoenix Bar is attended by the Bohs team and management, Glenda Gilson, Gavin Lambe-Murphy and Mad Tom. Big Tom refuses to launch the DVD so Philo is required to source an unheard of band for the event. The Special Edition DVD sells like hot-cakes as many fans are interested in the out-takes and the trailer for the forthcoming Season 2006 Review.
• Zidane catches a train to Waterford. He is determined to catch up with Alan Reynolds.
• Brendan Place calls the police after successive calls from Mad Tom wanting to be his new friend

To be continued...
 

 

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