Mike Critchley
@mike-critchley.bsky.social
Sports writer St Helens Star and Leigh Journal. Rugby league fan, author and pub ticker.
Can’t beat this place - Peter Kavanagh’s, Liverpool…only pub I know with a copy of Fly Fishing by JR Hartley hanging behind the bar.
December 11, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Can’t beat this place - Peter Kavanagh’s, Liverpool…only pub I know with a copy of Fly Fishing by JR Hartley hanging behind the bar.
Every day our Advent Door opens to a St Helens team of the past…this is Day 11
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/239808...
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/239808...
ADVENT DAY 11: Saints' first ever Lancashire Cup Final winners
ON DAY 11 of our Advent series we look at Saints' first ever Lancashire Cup Final winners, dating back to 20 November 1926.
www.sthelensstar.co.uk
December 11, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Every day our Advent Door opens to a St Helens team of the past…this is Day 11
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/239808...
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/239808...
Today’s #ThrowbackThursday looks at Minnie Cotton and her handbag
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/256900...
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/256900...
All hell breaks loose in Championship Final as Minnie Cotton wields her handbag
TODAY'S #ThrowbackThursday goes back to the 1966 Championship Final between Saints and Halifax at Swinton's packed Station Road
www.sthelensstar.co.uk
December 11, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Today’s #ThrowbackThursday looks at Minnie Cotton and her handbag
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/256900...
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/256900...
Five new visits today in London these 4, plus Lore of the Land
December 6, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Five new visits today in London these 4, plus Lore of the Land
First one in the Lamb in Bloomsbury this morning. Lovely looking pub inside and out
December 6, 2025 at 7:34 PM
First one in the Lamb in Bloomsbury this morning. Lovely looking pub inside and out
This really should be Birmingham’s Cavern
November 30, 2025 at 8:41 PM
This really should be Birmingham’s Cavern
Half marathon Birmingham pub crawl - should be a sport this
November 29, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Half marathon Birmingham pub crawl - should be a sport this
Always happy to revisit The Bull, an old favourite from my days at the Birrmingham Post and Mail in the late 90s. Still as wonderful as ever
November 29, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Always happy to revisit The Bull, an old favourite from my days at the Birrmingham Post and Mail in the late 90s. Still as wonderful as ever
Rattled off a couple of new ticks in Brum…Pure Craft Bar, Burning Soul and Wolf
November 29, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Rattled off a couple of new ticks in Brum…Pure Craft Bar, Burning Soul and Wolf
Today I revisited the street I used to live 30 years ago in Balsall Heath, Birmingham. Victorian toilets still in place on the corner of Court Road
November 29, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Today I revisited the street I used to live 30 years ago in Balsall Heath, Birmingham. Victorian toilets still in place on the corner of Court Road
Put your Saturday morning sudokus and wordles aside and tackle this…
November 29, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Put your Saturday morning sudokus and wordles aside and tackle this…
Happy Lancashire Day folks
November 27, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Happy Lancashire Day folks
Review of last Saturday’s Clone Roses gig at Shepherd’s Bush Empire
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/2564438...
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/2564438...
St Helens band The Clone Roses' tribute to Mani at Shepherd's Bush Empire
ST HELENS-based tribute band The Clone Roses paid tribute Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield at Shepherd's Bush Empire
www.sthelensstar.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Review of last Saturday’s Clone Roses gig at Shepherd’s Bush Empire
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/2564438...
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/2564438...
One for you @cheetss18.bsky.social in Brixton yesterday
November 23, 2025 at 3:13 PM
One for you @cheetss18.bsky.social in Brixton yesterday
Clone Roses knocking it out the park and doing St Helens proud
November 22, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Clone Roses knocking it out the park and doing St Helens proud
Met up with my best man and former Birmingham MetroNews colleague Damian today in Brixton earlier today. Plenty of good tales
November 22, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Met up with my best man and former Birmingham MetroNews colleague Damian today in Brixton earlier today. Plenty of good tales
My dad Brian would have been 88 today. I’ll raise a glass later
November 22, 2025 at 6:55 AM
My dad Brian would have been 88 today. I’ll raise a glass later
Clone Roses pay tribute to Mani ahead if tomorrow’s big show in West London www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/2564069...
Tribute to Stone Roses Mani - a humble lad who delivered iconic bass lines
TRIBUTES have continued to pour in for Stone Roses and Primal Scream bass player Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, who died yesterday aged 63
www.sthelensstar.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Clone Roses pay tribute to Mani ahead if tomorrow’s big show in West London www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/2564069...
Birthday present from our Rosa!
November 20, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Birthday present from our Rosa!
Where else to start my 60th year but Cracke in Liverpool. We go back a long way
November 20, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Where else to start my 60th year but Cracke in Liverpool. We go back a long way
Where the Saints summer era began
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/256290...
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/256290...
1996 - the year that kicked off Saints' Super League successes
SAINTS have been blessed with many memorable seasons over the decades – but next year sees the 30th anniversary of the first Super League success
www.sthelensstar.co.uk
November 17, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Where the Saints summer era began
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/256290...
www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/256290...
Farewell Sheffield till next time - a city with so many quality pubs.
November 15, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Farewell Sheffield till next time - a city with so many quality pubs.
1,826 Two & Six, Sheffield
November 15, 2025 at 6:52 PM
1,826 Two & Six, Sheffield
Fat Cat, still an old Sheffield favourite
November 15, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Fat Cat, still an old Sheffield favourite
Shakespeare- one of many old favourites in Sheffield
November 15, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Shakespeare- one of many old favourites in Sheffield