Stephen Blackford 👽
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steveblackford.bsky.social
Stephen Blackford 👽
@steveblackford.bsky.social
Father, Son and Holy Goat. #LFC fanatic, cantankerous old soul with a heart mainly of gold. Author of 16 books, seller of very few. Lives in a time warp with the ghosts of my heroes Hunter Thompson and Salvador Dali https://linktr.ee/theblackfordbookclub
Pinned
Pleased to announce my sixteenth book and third on the Mighty Reds of #LFC is now available in paperback and hardback via Amazon...

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FB9PC3NB

#liverpool #champions #campione #ynwa #redsky #booksky #books #newbooks #newrelease
The dartboard is back up (winter season) and a couple of hours of practice later........my 81st 180 arrives.

Yes I still count them and yes my doubles are still shocking!

If you fancy a game, let me know.
I'll put the kettle on for a brew.
Bring cake.

Bye!
December 8, 2025 at 6:01 PM
www.liverpoolfc.com/news/liverpo...

Blimey. No Salah in the squad for the Inter Milan game? #LFC
Liverpool name 19-man squad for Inter fixture - Liverpool FC
Liverpool have named a 19-man squad for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Internazionale.
www.liverpoolfc.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:47 PM
ramblingmusings666.substack.com/p/a-dressing...

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C5Z3FVYC

My Day 4 recap, and some interesting quotes from the skipper! (and my first book on cricket ⤴️)

#Ashes #Ashes2025 #ashes25 #BenStokes #Cricket #Substack #AUSvENG
“A dressing room I’m captain of isn’t a place for weak men”
Ashes Diary. Brisbane — Day 4
ramblingmusings666.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 10:04 PM
ramblingmusings666.substack.com/p/woolloonga...

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C5Z3FVYC

My Day 3 recap (before the Day 4 surrender) and my first book on cricket from the 2021-2022 Ashes down under ⤴️

#Ashes2025 #ashes25 #TheAshes #Cricket
Woolloongabba woe for a wretched England
Ashes Diary, Brisbane — Day 3
ramblingmusings666.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Bummer. Batted and Battled so well, actual Test Match cricket, then 4 down in a rush. Oh well. Back to bed for an hour before Sunday starts. 65 to win.......

#Ashes2025 #Ashes #AUSvENG
December 7, 2025 at 8:19 AM
First 2 hours of today's impossible mission have been safely negotiated and the Aussies have to bat again! REAL Test Match cricket. A joy to watch. Got to keep digging in. A long way behind, but fighting and alive. Can they make it to the end of Session 2? #TheAshes #Cricket #AUSENG
December 7, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Full-Time Musings

1 horrendous mistake
2 badly defended goals
3 crazy minutes

But only Ekitike and Szoboszlai brighten an otherwise very ordinary performance.

#LEELIV #LFC
December 6, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Half-Time Ramblings

I write match reports on every #LFC game. You may have noticed. So I make notes as I watch the match and slurp tea. I've made one note today. On a game from 25 years ago. Dismal stuff #LEELIV
December 6, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Reposted by Stephen Blackford 👽
Test cricket is a more nuanced game, you cannot play the same way as you do in a one day game and hope to come away with a result.
Its about digging in an picking off runs with the loose balls, that was amateur hour by the England batters & they got mullered because of it.
December 6, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Predictable England collapse.
Relentless Aussie grit.

Overmatched. Outclassed. Embarrassed.

#TheAshes #Cricket
December 6, 2025 at 11:45 AM
England were always going to crumble, but "caught and bowled Neser", twice? Overmatched and outclassed by an Aussie team missing 4 of their big game, big name players. Not good enough. Predictable.

And not good enough.

Cup of tea?

#TheAshes #Cricket
December 6, 2025 at 11:44 AM
England end the second session with a minor "win", the easier part of their mission impossible objective done. Now they have to bat through the rest of the day and to this time tomorrow to be competitive or they're fucked. Next 2 hours box office.

#TheAshes #Cricket
December 6, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Grim viewing if you're English. A "ripper" if you're an Aussie. Blimey. The hosts have batted the entire session, the overnight lead almost tripled, and even Scott Boland (be still my beating heart) looks comfy with bat in hand. Bacon sandwich anyone?

#TheAshes #Cricket
December 6, 2025 at 6:24 AM
ramblingmusings666.substack.com/p/wasteful-e...

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CF4FRKSH

My Day 2 recap makes for sorry reading should you be an England fan. I have the Aussies as massive favourites and England looking a beaten team already.

My second (and best) book on cricket ⤴️😀

#TheAshes #Cricket
Wasteful England gift Australia a Day 2 advantage at The Gabba
Ashes Diary, Brisbane Day 2
ramblingmusings666.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:36 PM
ramblingmusings666.substack.com/p/joe-root-a...

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C5Z3FVYC

Playing catch up (and I know you've been eagerly awaiting my ramblings from Day 1) so here they are.

(and here's my first self published book on cricket ⤴️)

#Ashes2025 #TheAshes #Cricket #JoeRoot
Joe Root — Ashes Centurion in Australia
Ashes Diary (Brisbane Day 1)
ramblingmusings666.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Australia's day. 5 dropped catches only adds to England's poor bowling. Cramping up Ben Stokes (barely) keeps his team in the contest. No Lyon, Cummins, Hazlewood or Khawaja, yet the Aussies enter Day 3 HUGE favourites. Oh dear.

#TheAshes #Cricket
December 5, 2025 at 12:00 PM
When #TheAshes gets a little too exciting and I've eaten far too many slices of raspberry jam on toast, I bow to the opinion of Kerry "Skull" O'Keeffe and when he says "The Ashes are on the line here. England have to win the final session" I tend to agree with him.
December 5, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Blazing red morning sky here in central England. Blimey the Poms are in trouble here. Bowling all over the oche. Need to get rid of the "Chuckle Brothers" or else. Oh for a bit of Jimmy Anderson magic under the lights. Keep it tight. Nick em off. Bacon sandwich anyone?

#TheAshes #Cricket
December 5, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Mark it down as a session victory for the Aussies. Magic counter-punch from Jake Weatherald punishing wayward Pommie bowling. Fucking good Test Match cricket! Game on. England need a great second session or they could be bowling with a pink pudding in the third. #TheAshes #Cricket
December 5, 2025 at 6:39 AM
In my best Richie Benaud

"Good morning everyone"

NOW this Test Match gets underway 😀

#TheAshes #Cricket
December 5, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Look what I've done...

Rooooooooooooooooooooot

#TheAshes #Cricket
December 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Well I would've declared before Jofra came to the crease and had a dash with the ball under lights. 60+ valuable runs later.......

Just about England's day. Last wicket partnership tips the balance in favour of the Poms.

Joe Root - A batsman supreme.

#TheAshes #Ashes #Cricket
December 4, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Roooooooooooooot

#Ashes #TheAshes
December 4, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Honours even on the session. England will settle for a solid 98-2 in each session. Now comes the chaos under the lights! Or a Joe Root century.......One of Root or Stokes has to bat long and big. Fancy some crumpet(s) and some raspberry jam?

#Ashes #TheAshes
December 4, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Deep breath everyone, but that was England's session. Captain Chaos for 15 minutes, then a steady, untroubled 93 partnership between Crawley and Root. It's Tea even though it's strictly Lunch, yet it's still too early here for breakfast. The beauty of Ashes cricket ❤️

#Ashes #Cricket #TheAshes
December 4, 2025 at 6:37 AM