HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL 2017

So that was 2016 eh ... Next !! 

Yeah it's over now but was it any good ... I mean we lose so many wonderful stars this past year and from a personal perspective it was a year of attrition. And just when you think it can't get any worse we lose George Micheal too on Xmas Day itself. Let's have a moment of reflection for all the great names we have lost in the last year, I think we start with Lemmy last Christmas, then the likes of Bowie, Prince, Glenn Frey, Leonard Cohen then in the past week Rick Parfitt and George and that's just from the world of music let alone the star actors and entertainers we also lost. RIP guys, God must be putting one hellva band together up there. 

On the football front AFC Wimbledon won a play off final at Wembley in May and now sit mid table in League One, things are going ok on the pitch but the biggest and best news was that the decision to redevelop the old Greyhound stadium on Plough Lane to create a new permanent home for the Dons back in Wimbledon itself was giving the go ahead by the Mayor of London (Sadiq Khan) and Merton council. Still bit more red tape to clear but it's closer and is going to happen, in a few years we will enjoy the special atmosphere that the return will bring and I just pray that I am still alive and kicking to enjoy it too. 

Horse Racing was ok, am not really enjoying it as much in the NH season now as I used too, a sign of getting old I guess. However we still go to the meetings in the Spring and Summer and I do enjoy those, so this should continue into 2017 and the aim will be to visit at least one "new" course that I've never been to before though not sure where that will be yet. 

Throughout the coming year I will also continue with the regular Kempton and Pontefract blogs and see if we can improve on this years efforts. There will also be feature meetings around such big festival events as Cheltenham (March), Aintree (April), Royal Ascot (June) and Galway (July/August). 





Plenty to look ahead too, still reminisce about the past with trips to North Wales (Llandudno, Blaenau Ffestiniog) and also York (National Railway Museum) both long overdue. So whatever life throws at you in the coming year do your best to make some happy memories too. Thinking of friends and family always, have a tremendous New Year and I pray that 2017 is full of fun, love and happiness.