Evening all, its been a while, a long while indeed, but its time for a breif update.
Settled into the new place well, great to have a Kent postcode again after nearly 40 years, Shewhomustshop still cannot cook to save her life, but she is keeping me in line....just.
I am doing more and more radio stuff for BBC London and BBC Kent, the miles I have travelled in the past 6 months are mounting, I am currently in Bristol with work until Friday night, and then off to Scunthorpe on Saturday morning to work at the Charlton game.

For years and years I have wanted to visit Old Trafford, two weeks ago that littel wish came true, but with an added bonus, I commentated on a game live from there, amazing experience, and I can confirm Manchester United do serve prawn sandwich's to the media, of which I am now an official member of, I am a fully accredited reporter according to the Football League, I have a pass that now gets me into any game I want to get into! Young Finch is highly envious....

The live shows are still going well every Sunday night, due to my travelling on matchdays I am not in every Sunday, which means now and again I do actually get a day off.

No cricket this season, the right knee is now in a terrible state, I have trouble getting out of chairs and climbing stairs a the moment, on top of that I have been advised by the Dr and a physio that if I attempt too much my achilles will snap, I am just waiting for a date for an operation to have that dealt with, appparently it may go before the op is booked......

I have a week away booked with Dan and the young uns in the summer, and for my 50th I am heading down under with the bosswoman to catch up with my mate Simon and for him to take me along the Great Ocean Road on the back of a Harley.

Poor young Finch has just finished some exams, and has another batch in early summer and then he can relax until he joins his new Sixth Form College, might take him away for a weekend in Germany once all the examsn are done, poor lad deserves it.

Sadly I lost my Uncle John a few weeks ago, he had cancer, we thought he had more time, but alas it took him far too quick, Uncle John was my mums brother, and a lovely man who I as a youngster thought the world of, I used to look forward to the summer trips to stay with them in Thornbury, a place that still seems magical too me. The funeral was a great chance to meet up with my cousins again, I rarely see them, but at drinks after we had a great chat and the place was full of laughter, I really must make the effort to come and see them more, as they are such a good crowd.

Thats all from me now, I wil try and get on here and post some photographs from the past 6 months of reporting on Charlton game.

Its been a while! sorry, been very busy doing all sorts of BBC stuff, and not spending much time at home, she who must shop is less than chuffed with that, but its a neccesary evil sadly.

Well blow me down with a wet kipper and call me Cyril, if i have not blogged for a while! A lot has happened since the last blog, Charlton have a new manager,

I escaped a house fire by the skin of my teeth, and Charlton Live goes from strength to strength with a new website and a weekly podcast!

The new website is www.charltonlive.biz and you can download Charlton Live from iTunes!

Will do a proper blog later

Morning all and a happy new year, been a while since I blogged! It has been seriously busy with work and all things CAFC, I am in the middle of a nightmare weekend, spent all day yesterday at Colchester Utd, left at 9am got home from the game at 10pm, it took two hours to upload photos and stories to the club website, so got home last night knackered, today its a rehearsal at 1 followed by Charlton Live at 7-9pm, tomorrow we have a press conference at the Valley with the old and new chairman and then the game at 5 so its another busy day.

Young Finch is at his mothers, and seems very content with his Xmas present from dad, I thought a Blackberry would go down a treat and it has. It dawned on him at just after midnight on New Year that he is off on his jamboree trip this year, talk about excited, but in fairness he has worked incredibly hard to raise the cash, so he deserves it. He continues to do extremely well at school, topping the class in triple science amd geography and is on target to get himself to uni, he is fiercely determined to achieve this.

Xmas day was lovely, had a quiet one at home with no guests, just us and Tiberius the Turkey, I managed to go the whole festive period in a reasonably sober state, partly due to a particularly bad case of Man Flu the week before, which really knocked me for 6.

The new year promises lots of hard work and some adventures, planning a sailing trip in April, a holiday with the the other half in the summer.

The end of the last year was tinged with sadness, we discovered she who must shop was pregnant only to lose the baby at 11 weeks just before the first scan, a very tough time, only told a few people at the time, it was devastating for us both, but Drs say everything is fine and we can try again, which we will do.
Right thats it, Happy New Year to you all.

Another busy period has found me at Barnet last weekend for BBC London and BBC Kent, all good fun, fair amount of travelling, which leaves me a little knackered on a Saturday night!

This weekend was exceptionally difficult as I had the CAFC press office and various others on the phone a lot as a journo at the BBC had been feeding me some info about potential takeovers at the Club, as it turns out the info I had was spot on, and the said takeover did not happen, after a weekend of silence from the Club on the matter, despite intense speculation, the Club finally released a statement this morning and its as you were chaps!

This coming weekend its a well earned break from football as we head to Wales for Rally GB, promise to be fun but bloody cold and very possible wet....photos will appear here after the weekend.

Brace yourself, the New Romney Mountain Rescue Team are off on the rampage in a matter of weeks, more news to follow, needless to say it will involve alcohol, fine food, bad behaviour and the odd walk here and there.

Poor young Finch is in for a hell of a shock very soon, more on this soon!!!

Been a busy time lately, work has been manic and Radio stuff for Charlton has really taken off, unlike the team who seem to be heading the wrong way and for a management change.

Last weekend after the Charlton game Young Finch had a Jambo Fundraiser, Wingit played and we raised £460, a good night and thanks to the band who played for free.

Sunday night I was back at The Valley for Charlton Live, with guests Derek Hales and Garry Nelson. A great evening with those two, and lots of emails from fans irate following the 0-4 against Brighton. This weekend see's me heading off to Carlisle at the request of BBC to cover the Charlton game, a very early start is required followed a very late finish......

A busy time lately, been doing match summary for Charlton games on BBC London and BBC Kent, quite enjoyable but very difficult to remain impartial! also working on Charlton Live, a radio venture with Charlton Athletic, which is about to expand to provide a full matchday service for the club. Yesterday before the game I was so lucky to meet with former Charlton legend Lennie Lawrence and interview him for tonights show, in the short time i had with him his love for the club came across, and he was genuiely not sure what reception he would get whe introduced to the crowd at half time, I did reassure him it would be fine, and it was !

Been a busy few weeks again, working for Charlton Athletic on matchdays as a commentator for there internet service, and I have been asked to do some stuff for BBC London, so thats all good news. SHe who must shop has decided that I need some new suits, of course I have no say in the matter, but hey ho!

She has taken to trying to get one over on my brothers at various times on Facebook, sadly being the blonde she is it is clearly not working for her, bless.....

Young Finch has broken another poor girls heart, callously dumping the poor lass when she dared have a go at one of his mates!

We are off on our Holidays in two weeks time, cannot wait, I got myself 3 books to read on holiday, read all three last weekend!

New Year this year is being spent in the Lake District, we have a cottage booked with a log fire in the middle of nowhere, I cannot wait, perfect way to end the year.

Off out this afternoon to the Staff Summer Party, we are being collected at 3pm and taken by coach to a stately home for an afternoon and evening of bad behaviour.

Sorry its been a while since I blogged! Young Callum is getting bigger veeryday and cuter and more smiley!

Sinch my last blog its all been happening, the company I work for was taken over, other than having to travel to Essex its all good for us.

Been on a sailing trip, had a great and drunken time with the boss and some contractors whose boat we were on, I have never drunk so much on a work night in all my life! the following morning was quiet until I convinced everyone Liam Gallagher was on the yacht next door!

Been on a few camps, been elected as District Chairman for Scouts and now also have a new appointment at County level.

We had a trip to Wales, myself, Mark and old big nose, we made another bold attmept on Pen Y Fan, same route we tried a year ago same problem, driving rain, 20 metres visibility but somehow we made it to the top!

Off to Wales again in 3 weeks with the now rampant Young Finch who views every 16 year old female as a challenge and is doing rather well at it! And at the end of Aug we are off 0n Holiday for the week, somewhere nice and warm! Denmark looms in October for more whiskey drinking.

Oh and from this Saturday I will be heard via the Charlton Athletic website providing punditry and interviews and a radio show for the Valley failthful, if you really want to listen you will have to pay! it is beuing announced on the clubs website tomorrow, so exciting times ahead!

Another busy weekend, Saturday morning shopping for clothes with young Finch, then my first game of cricket in a while in the afternoon, sadly we lost, after 5 weeks out with a buggered hand I got eased in by our skipper, "Pete fancy opening the bowling" I was a tad rusty but unlucky not to get a wicket! Saturday evening was a race night to raise money for the Jamboree, I appear to have drunk a fair amount!

Sunday dawned with an invite to my nephews for a BBQ and to watch England (we shall gloss over that bit of the day) I decided it was quite clearly Pimms o'clock...

Woke up with a nasty cold this morning, no warning, just woke up with it!

Its a busy time at work at the moment, I am out of the office two days a week visiting branches, these are surprise visits, mostly I am welcomed, with the exception of Chelsea, where the manager could not have been more frosty! still he got the report he so richly deserves....... Hampstead I was warned about the Manager, was told she would give me a hard time, having been there and sorted the smelly sewer out I knew different, and so it proved, except young Holly who works there makes the worst cup of coffee in the world!

Friday afternoon saw us having a stroll round Hampstead Heath, and sitting on Parliament Hill I pointed out to she who must shop that in the distance Shooters Hill could be seen, she was convinced I was wrong so much so she said unless I proved it was I had to pay a forfeit, so when we got home I very quickly proved I was right...... now she has a forfeit which I am very much looking forward to.

We are off on holiday at the end of August, looking forward to that, and heading to Denmark in Oct for a few days break. I have a few days sailing looming in a stunning looking racing yacht, setting off from Hamble, I am so looking forward to that! The boss has invited me up to have a go on his Laser, a tiny racing boat, so that needs to be organised asap, it looks terrific fun!

Driving lessons going well, Test is soon, as soon as I pass I will have a shiny new VW Passatt to play with.

This is Callum. He loves football, honest....

I was due to return to cricket action this weekend, but my hand is still not right, I cannot grip the bat with my left hand, so thats me free all day Saturday, now do I mention this to she who shops? I may end up in Bluewater if I am not clever, so I am hastily arranging some Scout stuff to do!

Young Finch is off on a Jambo trainnig weekend at Frylands, his 2nd weekend away on the trot, and then the weekend after we are back down Frylands for our crew weekend. I am seriously tired following last weekend, which can make me a moody sod as my ex wife discovered last night when she dropped in to pack Young Finch's stuff for the weekend, my claims that at 14 he should be doing ith himself were met with her laughter, then she proceeded to pack 3 pairs of my brand new socks, which were purchased for me, if she had bothered to slacken the jaw muscle and gone to his room she would have found plenty in his drawer, I raised my objections, which she dismissed, so once the old bag had buggered off home my son and I repacked his bag properly and replaced my socks with his......cheeky cow.

She who must shop is a shocking cook, she admits it quite openly, it appears she is intent on going on a cookery course......god help us! She is an amazing baker though, her lemeon drizzle is stunning and extremely popular at work with my colleagues, she nips up to the office every other week and delivers us cake....now thats dedication!

She is currently claiming that I accuse her of sitting on her arse all day, I have never said this to her, but her days do seem to be filled with cathcing up with last nights soap, Jeremy Kyle, This Morning and coffee at Starbucks with her friends....I have never accused her off this, but.......
She just text me to tell me she is loading the 3rd wash of the day into the washing machine! which takes maximum of 5 minutes, we will have to look into what she does for the rest of the day!!

Had a good weekend at Gilwell with the District, lots of fun and young Finch was about being chased by more females, all of them older then him.... Got home Monday to find my nice new shiny full time contract from work! happy days are here again, Young Finch is already asking for an rise in his allowance, this from the boy who is having 2k shelled out on his trip next year!

More good news today, I am off at the end of the month sailing on a racing yacht for a few days, if all goes well its the Fastnet Race for me! dangerous I know but man alive what an experience, one of the most challenging races in the world.

The little fella in the previous pics is called Callum and is just gorgeous with a fabulous set of lungs! and he seems intent on not sleeping at all....

Right have to go I have a driving lesson! would tell you when my test is, but I have decided to keep it quiet!

Isn't he lovely

Turned out to be an eventful night last night, I was just getting off the train at Woolwich when the pone went summoning me to The Valley to play the music at the game, as their usual man was not going to make it! A very exciting game that went to penalties, sadly we lost, never felt so down in my life, absolutely awful.

Had a funny old weekend, the gig Friday night at Langley Park Golf Club went very well, even with a stand in drummer! The audience were well and truly up for it, and after several encores we managed to escape to our very plush dressing room, the club looked after us very well, providing food and drink and the play off semi on the tv! got home about 2.30am.

Saturday's cricket was a painful affair, I attempted to take a catch, and wrecked my left hand in the process, but was still able to bowl, sadly this did not go too well either, after some yes, no, Wait! confusion by the oppositions batsmen I was at the stumps to recieve the a throw in for a run out, just as the ball arrived so to did the batsman, the largest player on their team known as 'The Tank' the ensuing collision was apparently very funny, to the rest of my team, but not to myself and Tank, he was flying when he me pushed us both onto the stumps, and whacking my left knee with his bat on the way through, absololute agony... he then dusted himself down ready for my next over and hit me to all parts, by this time I was a mess, my left hand was swelling up and my knee was throbbing away, frankly I wanted to get off the pitch as soon as possible. After making 176 -4 off 40 overs we thought we could do the business and get a win, several dropped catches proved very costly as last week 3 were off my bowling, 1 by the skipper, 1 by our guest player, one D Finch (who retired hurt with a pulled thigh muscle later) and one by myself, sadly my knackered left hand stopped me gripping the ball off my own bowling.

Wow it seems to get better and better, was working on a fixed term contract, which ended and now on a week to week (bit like an out of contract footballer) as they are taking me on full time, sat down with the boss last week to discuss salary, I made my opening offer and he laughed, I was a bit concerned until he stopped laughing and said add 8k to that figure and we have a deal, best negotiation I have ever had! So thats that sorted, off to Dubai and India with work soon followed by Casablanca and Milan and Rome, and once the driving test is done I get a nice new shiny VW Passat in red of course!

Away from work I have a new Scout Appointment, cant say nothing til July but its a corker! Played my first game of cricket for Footscray CC last week and bowled very well and took my first wicket for them, less said about that batting the better I think.

Young Finch is doing well at school and having a great time with Scouts, has some top notch friends and away almost every weekend it seems.

Just booked a holiday in August to the Kent Coast and then in October we will all be off somewhere warm for a week, cannot wait, life has never been better.

This is Young Finch on his first Jambo training weekend, the once little horror is 6 foot tall now! I have a weekend without the little horror, so do I get a nice quiet restful weekend? no.....I am up to my eyes in DIY, the carpet on the stairs has gone, to be replaced with gloss paint, or so I am told. Was looking forward to catching up with some stuff on BBCi but I had to sit through Britains Got Talent, I may get in trouble saying this, but it's crap....

We are up at 5.30am as Wingit are playing at the London Marathon in the morning, somewhere around the 4 mile mark, yours truly has to belt out his song I am told.... Jesus those poor runners.... so its an early night for us.

Morning all, long time no blog, been a tad busy at work and having the builders in donig the kitchen, happily it is now finished! Looks good except the floor which I do not like. Work is going well, keeping me veru busy with lots of projects on the go. She who must be obeyed is working on plans for the living room, it will I am told have a feature wall, whatever thats is! she has the ideas, I seem to have to do the work, as well as being absolutely useless at cooking she cannot do DIY, unlike most of the Finch family, I can!
Its the marathon this weekend, so Wingit are playing at the around the 4 mile mark, they will feature a guest vocalist at some stage in the morning, beltin out Chantilly Lace to the poor hapless runners, I mentioned to the boss that we were doing bacon butties before the Marathon Sunday, apparently she was surprised when I mentioned that they would arrive at 6am, being blonde in outlook she thought we just got up went to 4 maile mark and played, oh dear, poor lass was a tad put out when she realised we will have to be there for 7am as it takes an hour and a half to set the gear up!
She is also a tad cut up that I have organised and evening out Saturday, apparently this means she will miss Britains Got Talent, I believe I am in actual fact doing her a favour, this appears to be lost on her, strange woman.

Young Finch is doing well, the Scouts had a Jamboree fundraiser the other week and raised £2000, thats one of the four going, just £6000 to go. Yours truly is growing his hair long (i have more than other Finch's) so I can have it shaved off to fundraise in July!

Having a few issues with ,my left hip, the medical term I understand is that it's fucked.... but regardless, I am now a member of 2 cricket club, having been tapped up by Footscray Cricket Club during the week, first game on May 1st, cannot wait, best get my sorry arse into the nets.