Football It's Not Just A Game



To me football has become way more than just a game. With the amount of years I have played the game and also watched it, my love and passion has grown. If I aren't at a Bradford game, I will be listening to it on the radio with the BBC sport app open in front of me following other games. If it is the middle of the week I will be keeping up with any games on or just checking up on news. In fact all my lunch breaks are filled with me checking BBC sport or Sky Sports News. We have just purchased Sky so I can watch more games, its an addiction.. its a way of life.


So why am I like this.. well to me football is an escape, an escape from the 9-5 and to somewhere that I just love to be. From the second I walk through those turnstiles everything else is forgotten. Whether that be a Bradford City game, Man City Women game or any other. Whilst that game is on you do nothing but support those playing whether they are winning or losing (more losing than winning this season cheers Bradford). Going and watching football games is also family time, me Liam and my Mum go to Bradford and both the parents come to women's games with me and Liam now which is good as it is something we can enjoy together.


It is also thanks to football I have so many great friends, I am in a few football group chats and even have one of my own (drop me a message/tweet if you would like to be added), it is just a place we can talk to fans from all over the world and share our thoughts on the game. It's so nice just having a place to talk to people who love the same sport as you plus it means the family don't have to listen to it as much, except for poor Liam. I am hoping it also leads to more friendships in the future and that I can meet some of these people who knows it may even be at a game.


Not only has football given me friends but it is where 90% of my inspirations come from. Tobin Heath and Ali Krieger are just some of those inspirations who have shown me although you get injured if you want it bad enough you can get back up train hard and make the dreams come true. They have both had there fair share of injuries but they work hard, get back on track and be the best they can be, they have the medals to show for it. They are actually 2 of the main reasons why I have started training again, they have made me realise if you love it work for it. Who knows if I will ever play again, but at least if I am training I am still doing part of what I love. 


The house is also filled with football memorabilia, we have signed shirts hung on the stair case, framed photos on the mantel (instead of family pictures) and the collection of jerseys is forever growing. FIFA is also my most played game on the PS4 and Xbox currently which just goes to show 24/7 my brain is football.


I am hoping that I can finally get signed up with the Man City Women's Supporters club soon as it is just something I keep putting off and I am also hoping to get to a lot more football games in the future, including finally going to America for a Pride game. 


Is football more than just a game to you? 


See you soon,
Lucy

Getting Into the MLS

Since falling in love with football at around 6 year old I have had shirts from many teams (usually bought on holidays) in the men's game and these shirts have caused me to pick up on numerous leagues over the years. They have also helped me pick the teams I have wanted to follow over the years (although most shirts where bought due to me loving the player on the back). 

My main team will always be Bradford City as it was my first team I saw play and is my local team. They may not be high flyers but I guess I will always love them.  
It is also thanks to Bradford that I ended up following Manchester United in the Premier League, I was there when Paul Scholes scored an absolute screamer against Bradford and that is actually what solidified my love for football and Man Utd is a team I will always follow and keep a very close eye on. 
In terms of other leagues for the men's game my other main league is La Liga the quality of the game over there is absolutely brilliant, plus they have some of the biggest names in the world at the moment. My La Liga team has always been Real Madrid I remember some of my first holidays abroad I was getting Real kits and wearing them none stop. 

As the years have gone by I have ended up keeping a close eye on other leagues such as Serie A (Juventus) and French Ligue 1 (PSG) but I am hoping over the next few seasons I can get into them more and more. I also spend quite a bit of time watching the Australian A-League these days but I am yet to pick up a team for that league.

One league I am really getting into which has basically just kicked off its season is the MLS. Since watching the NWSL and seeing their players supporting various MLS teams it has really become of interest to me the league over in the States is definitely on the rise and now with the inclusion of one of my all time favourites Nani, you can guarantee I will be watching as many games as possible alongside keeping a close eye on what is happening in the league. With the league been split into an Eastern and Western Conference, and with the playoffs at the end of it there is plenty to watch and plenty of variety. I seem to already have picked my teams as well. 


In the Eastern Conference Orlando City is a team I had already heard a lot about as my team in the NWSL is Orlando Pride and they have a very close relationship. Plus Dom Dwyer is a player I always picked up on FIFA so when I saw he played for them it was an added bonus and now with the inclusion of Nani it couldn't get any better. Although in the Eastern Conference I do also keep an eye on Atlanta United, thanks to Kelley O'Hara. 


The Western Conference is the one I am still trying to work out a team for I love watching LA Galaxy and have had their merch in the past due to Beckham, but now with me keeping a close eye on the Portland Thorns (thanks Heath and Horan) I have watched and heard a lot about the Portland Timbers but in all honesty I can see me supporting LA Galaxy still and just keeping a close eye on the Timbers. 

Fingers crossed we can get Sky soon so I can watch all the MLS games they show, instead of just following updates on Twitter & Google. What leagues are you following??

See you soon,
Lucy.

Looking After My Watches


If you have read the blog for a while you will know I love watches, in fact I did a full watch collection post which you can read here. One think that I really needed to do though was get something to keep them all in as I wanted to take more care of them and have them on display. 

With us moving and the 3rd room becoming a bit of a dressing room for me, I found it was finally time to invest in a watch box. So after much deliberation I came across this watch box which holds 12 watches and has a jewellery box layer which is perfect as I don't own too much jewellery at the moment so I can now have everything in one place.


I was really surprised with the space I had for each watch because as you can see above some of the watches have pretty large faces, but they surprisingly fit snuggly. In terms of the jewellery layer there is more than enough space for my current jewellery collection and once I get all that organised I will be doing another post all about that, which I can't wait for. I can't see any of the watches getting damaged in here either as they are a good distance away from the glass and the cushions actually feel like really good quality and will give the watches some good support and protection. The colour will go along nicely with the room too as it is going to be black and white. I honestly thought this box was going to be huge but I was glad to see it was a reasonable size that won't take over the surface it sits on.

This box is going to look great on top of my Alex drawers once the dressing room is done and is going to make getting ready and picking the perfect watch a whole lot easier on a morning or when getting ready for those rare nights out. But looking at it now it just looks so empty, I think it is time to invest in some more watches in different colours.

How do you store your watches? What should my next watch be?

See you soon
Lucy

Last Week #39


Oops sorry guys, I usually get these posts up on a Monday but thanks to me having Monday off work this week I totally forgot. Last week was a bit of a whirlwind really. Monday and Tuesday were just like any other week but that all changed on Wednesday. My sister finally had my nephew and I ended up in the room whilst she had him, he is absolutely adorable. So that was my Wednesday I ended up in the hospital with family until 10pm that night, at least poor Liam finally got some peace and quiet. Thursday and Friday things got back to normal, Thursday I was at the hospital myself for my pre-assessment and Friday I got the phone call my surgery had been cancelled. Which put me on a bit of a downer for the rest of the day, Saturday morning though really cheered me up as it was spent with the nephew. I wish I could say the same about Saturday afternoon but once again Bradford where absolutely terrible. Sunday was spent shopping and Monday was spent cleaning so what a mixed bag last week was. Here is what I had...

Been Watching: My week was spent with YouTube, it was mainly streetwear and Fitness videos again last week.

Been reading : I finally made a start on my Hope Solo book, I am on chapter 2, at least it is a start.

Been listening to : 

Bought : I got a few bits, some NFL & NHL items, a Stitch bubble blower for the nephew (ok it is to share) and a new jacket. It has been a week of spending.

Plans for this week : Seen as my op has been cancelled I am hoping to get to the gym, spend more time with the nephew and get out to take some blog pics fingers crossed it all goes to plan.

So there you have it that was my week. What have you guys been up to?

See you soon
Lucy

Adidas Wish List


Adidas is one of the brands I have always had a love hate relationship with. I can go forever without buying anything from the brand to all of a sudden buying loads. I recently headed over to the Adidas website and found quite a few items I loved so I have put together a little list of things I really want to treat myself to. 

Moulded Case iPhone 8 Suede Scarlet/White CJ1250
I could really do with a new phone case as my current one now looks a bit worn and is becoming discoloured. Adidas have this one on sale currently for £9.98 which is quite a bit pricy but it is in my favourite colour, has the 3 stripes and looks like it could be a trainer pattern.  
Tango Tee Ash Blue CZ3993

I have really been loving the Tango range lately (one item coming to the blog very soon) and I instantly fell in love with this t-shirt. At only £12.48 it really is a bargain price and I think the colour would great for the warmer months. I am trying to get different colours added to my wardrobe too so this would be a great start. 

NMD Tee Trace Scarlet CE1613

Another line I love from Adidas at the moment is the NMD range, everything from accessories to shoes they just look great. This t-shirt is just £19.98 at the moment and is honestly one of my favourites. I think the price is great and the colour is one that would definitely make a change as I don't think I own anything in this colour. My favourite part is definitely the print on the sleeves.

3-Stripes Performance Crew Socks White/Black AA2297
One thing I do constantly buy from the likes of Nike and Adidas is the sports socks, they are just so comfortable. I am one of these people who also tries to match their socks to their shoes so I am always in a constant supply of these socks. At £11.98 a pack (3 pairs) people think I am stupid for getting so many but when they last as long as they do you can't complain with the price. 
Deerupt Runner Shoes Grey Three/Lgh Solid Grey/Gum 1 CQ2628
Finally on the list we have a pair of Deerupt's in a grey colourway. I got a pair of these in a really vibrant colour last year and I fell straight in love with them. They are comfortable and even with their different style they were perfect with jeans or shorts meaning outfits could easily be put together around the trainers. I am thinking for this year though to go for a more subtle colourway so I can mix it up a little. Plus at the moment they are at a bargain price of £39.38 which is much better than the £80 I paid last year.

So there you have it those are the items I am after from the Adidas site currently, what items from Adidas are you loving lately?

See you soon,
Lucy.

Favourite Football Boots I Have Owned

Thanks to playing both football and rugby over the years I have got to wear plenty of different boots, mainly Nike but with a few different brands thrown into the mix. With me playing through from such a young age I have been able go through plenty of different variations of boots and some of the best for that time. So here are the top picks for boots I have worn over the years.

I absolutely loved the Totalissimo boots and in fact I wore these for quite a while, I had the red colourway of these in a soft ground boot and thy were brilliant. I was pretty young when I had these and I actually passed these down to my sister when I moved on to my next pair. I just loved the colourway and silhouette of this boot, it was my first boot with an overlapping tongue.



I honestly believe the Total 90's will forever be my favourite boot. I had these in red & blue boots and even the trainer versions I was never out of them. It even went to the extent of me getting a Total 90 ball and tracksuit. again the design on these were absolutely perfect and they were super comfy. Nike have recently rereleased the T90 laser football boots (yellow and black colourway) and it is taking all the willpower in the world not to pick up a pair ( I probably will if the price is right). I just wish they would rerelease the whole Total 90 range.


A bit of a surprise addition to this list is the Adidas F50 boots, I got these when I went to college and was playing football daily on turf and these really didn't disappoint, they just felt so good on the feet as the sole plate was perfectly laid out. The upper is really nice too and the purple colour way is something I wouldn't have normally gone for but I am so glad I did. I actually still have my pair of these somewhere (still not fully taken everything from the parents house) so who knows you could be seeing them on here or Instagram soon.


My final pair is another one that I still have somewhere (these have gone missing completely, I really hope they are at the parents) if I remember correctly Liam actually got these for me when I signed up to my local team around 4 years ago. These were my first Hypervenom's and they didn't disappoint. I love the bright colours on them and how the pink and yellow surprisingly work so well together. As you can see I got these in a soft ground version so was limited to how many times I could wear them but I really got my money worth.  I won't say too much more on these either as if I can find them I will be doing a play test and on feet review of these.

What football boots have you loved over the years?

See you soon
Lucy

Driving : Love Hate Relationship


I passed my test back in 2013, but it was a long process to get there. One the way to my 1st driving test I was in an accident, a car hit us from behind whilst we were waiting to pull out at a roundabout and pushed us into one of the lanes (luckily nothing was coming towards us). This really shook me up obviously my test was cancelled and it took me a long time to get back behind the wheel again. In fact I actually went to see a psychiatrist for a while as any car journey was a struggle for me. But around 9 month later I forced myself back behind the wheel and I actually passed my test. 

My first car was a little Fiat Punto that got plenty of use as I had to drive to and from work but then it had a few issues and it was time to get a new car. So I opted for the little Suzuki Alto (in the image above) it had just over a year of daily journeys but then I went back to work with my dad who gave me a lift almost everyday, and now I live 5 minutes away from work and the car just sits on the drive way. The only time I drive it is when I go to my nannas for tea once a week, and that isn't exactly a long journey. 

The big reason I don't drive as much as I should is because the thought of getting behind the wheel makes me feel sick and I get myself worked up, that is why Liam does the driving on weekends and after work, yet when I get over the thought of driving and just force myself to do it I love it... but 90% of the time I can't get passed that thought so the car stays where it is. 

Another reason I struggle is due to a problem with my leg pressing the clutch used to be a real struggle and caused a lot of pain but now I have less pain and a stronger leg I should be able to do much more driving.

It is really annoying having the car just sat there and having to rely on Liam as I know I can be so much more independent and that is something I am hoping to achieve over the next year. I want to be able to just hop in the car go see family or go to the shops I just want that bit of freedom back.

My sister is having a baby any day now and it would be brilliant to just take myself to hers and see them both whenever I wanted and to take them on days out (when we work out how to fit everything into such a small car). It would be nice when the baby is a bit older to just take him out to the seaside or somewhere different and spend quality time together. So that is now what I am aiming for, I am aiming to get my confidence back and rack those miles up, who knows where it will take me.

I am giving myself a little incentive for this too, I have found myself lately looking at new cars and I have picked 2 out I would love to own, so if I can consistently drive myself around whilst saving up I may just treat myself in the next year or so to one of these.


images from www.autotrader.co.uk & www.jeep.co.uk

My first choice would definitely be an Audi A1 Sportsback, I have loved this car for so long and always find myself being drawn back to it. I just love its overall look and it is bigger than my current car which would make it more convenient if I was taking my sister and the baby out. You can actually get pretty good deals on these too so it could become a reality.

Now this next one would definitely take a lot longer to save for but I have loved it for so long (infact it may just be my dream car) and that is the Jeep Wrangler, I remember we drove passed one when I was younger and ever since then it was a case of yep I am going to own one of those one day especially one in black. I just love the overall look of them, although they do look a little out of place in the UK. One issue with this car is Liam really doesn't like them so I know he wouldn't want to go out in one.  

So fingers crossed I can get behind the wheel and get my independence back and who knows there may be a new car post in the future. 

See you soon
Lucy


Weight Loss #6


A week with no motivation to do anything left me eating plenty of junk food, getting no exercise and really not bothering about anything. Although one thing I did pretty well at was taking food to work with me for my lunch, doing this provided me with my new favourite meal, Mexican pulled chicken and Mexican rice this is something I will be incorporating into my diet a lot more. I go in for my operation on Monday so this week I need to try stay on track and lose weight as I don't think it will be happening for a while after the op.

Last Weeks Aims: 
Get under my start weight for the first time in ages - It actually happened at last, it may only be 1/4 lb under my start but it is still under it
Actually eat some fruit - I managed to incorporate 1 apple into my diet last week, I guess it is a start.
Only 1 takeaway - Well this didn't happen I think I had the grand total of 3.
Go to the gym - Due to a complete lack of motivation this didn't happen either.


So my Aims for the week ahead are:
Eat breakfast on a morning
Get a gym session in before my operation
Limit the junk food I am eating
Up how much water I am drinking

Start weight : 15st 13 3/4 lb
Weight Last Week : 15st 13 3/4 lb
Current weight : 15st 13 1/2 lb

Difference : - 1/4lb

After the week I had I really wasn't expecting to lose any weight at all so just seeing the scales drop a little has made my week. Lets hope I can lose a bit more this week.

See you soon
Lucy 

Last Week #38


Another week of football and doing nothing else, will it ever change? I don't think so. The nephew still hasn't made an appearance and the weather is still horrible. Nights after work have been spent going straight to bed watching YouTube surprise surprise all except for 2 days, Tuesday I went to the football, it was cold and wet and once again we lost... but it was the football so it is all good plus we hit the City shop before the game. The other night we actually ventured out was Thursday, this was just to go to Argos to pick something up for some future blog posts. The weekend was pretty similar too, the only time I left the house was on Saturday to go get my hair cut. So here is what I had...

Been Watching: Other than the football it was all about YouTube, I had been watching a bit of everything on their but then on Friday the Madeline McCann documentary was released so we ended up watching 4 episodes of that. I have also watched a few episodes of Arrested Development with Liam and can honestly say I will be watching a whole lot more.

Been reading : Does reading my leaflet for the hospital count because that is all I read last week.

Been listening to : I am loving the Jonas Brothers once again but I have been listening to a little bit of Lucy Spraggan mixed in. 

Bought : I got a few more bits for the nephew, a mini car Bradford City kit and something for the blog that you will see soon. I think I did pretty well in terms of spending last week.

Plans for this week : I go in for my operation a week today so I want to make sure I have everything ready for that, I want to take some pics ready for next weeks posts and just get odd jobs done. I also need to get another Subrscripton for PS Plus as that runs out this week.

So there you have it that was my week. What have you guys been up to?

See you soon
Lucy

Trying Fitness Apps


I am trying my best to get on track with my fitness and being a lot healthier. One thing I have started doing is downloading a few apps onto my phone to help me along the way, currently I have just the 3 installed on my phone but they are all helping me in their own little way.

MyFitnessPal is an app that I install and uninstall far too many times in the past but now it is here to stay. It is time I started making note of what I actually eat and what I put in my body to try stay on track. It can show me the good days I have had and the bad. I just need to remember to keep updating it as I always used to forget.

Of course as soon as I signed back up to the Pure Gym I had to get the app on my phone. It is a brilliant way to track how often you go to the gym along with telling you how many others are in there if you are planning to go. I love how it also tracks your workout activity as it will show you how often you go and stay for. There is also a section on here with workout plans, you have to pay £5 extra for these but I don't think that is bad for an 8 week plan. The app is also an easy way to book into classes, I don't go to any at the moment but who knows I may go to some in the future.

Finally on my phone I have installed the Nike training app, this is brilliant as it is full of workouts for every plan. I currently have downloaded ones for the USWNT players and I can't wait to get started on them. I am especially looking forward to the Alex Morgan fast forward session and the Ali Krieger summer strong session. When I signed up to the app I honestly couldn't believe how many options it had so I now need to sit and pick out some others I may like doing that will benefit my journey. 

I am constantly on the look out for new apps to add for my health and fitness section so if you have any recommendations please let me know. I am also hoping to add a few football training ones into the mix. But for now these 3 are definitely going to help me along my journey and I especially can't wait to get training like the USWNT players from this. Also if you know of any YouTubers who may help me in regards to fitness or football please let me know and I will be sure to check them out.

Who knows I may do a 1 month on review of these apps and my progress by using them.

See you soon
Lucy

Fitness & Football Tech Wish List

Now I am back into the football and fitness routine I am wanting to upgrade some tech to go with my journey. The items will either help me monitor the improvements I am making or will help me prevent pain and injuries which will be perfect. 


One of the main things I want is a new set of scales, at the moment I am just using a set of weight watchers scales. However, I want to get some smart scales which ones I get will depend on which fitness tracker I get as I want everything to be compatible to make my journey easier and help keep tracking things in just one place. I currently have my eye on either the Fitbit scales or the Under Armour ones. 



As I mentioned above the scales will also depend on which fitness tracker I get, this is as I want all the info to be able to synch. My current fitness band is useless it was just a cheap one from Argos a few years back which doesn't synch half the time and the band doesn't stay on. At the moment I am torn between an Under Armour band or a Fit Bit Blaze/Versa, honestly though I am leaning more towards the Fitbit Versa, it will be nice to have something that can monitor my heart rate during work outs along with my steps throughout the day. 


Next up is a bit of a strange one, I actually really want a tens machine with the problems I have with my knee pain can get unbearable at times but I am learning to manage it a bit better. These machines pass a signal through the body to block out pain and release endorphins, I have actually been recommended this by quite a lot of people in the past including coaches and physio's so for £30 I think it is time to bite the bullet and pick one up. even if I just use it when the pain is bad after long training sessions I will definitely get my money worth.

The Playertek pack is a fairly new one to me and this will be used mainly for mine and Liam's football training sessions it uses GPS to measure 4 main components... total distance covered, top speed, number of sprints and sprint distance. This would definitely benefit me as I am trying to build my speed back up to how I was before injury and I am also trying to get my fitness back. This could also be helpful if I do start to play again as I can analyse my performances. The tracker captures and visualises all your movements and you can even join a leader board to compare against others including the pros. Who knows if I do start running too it can help me measure my speeds for this too and help me improve. It looks pretty simply to use too with a USB charger, you then just slot it into the vest you can get and start training, you can synch data wirelessly straight to your iPhone. 

So there you have it those are the items I am hoping to pick up to help me along in my fitness journey, do you want to see any of these items reviewed if so let me know in the comments or over on twitter. Fingers crossed I can pick up some of these items soon.

See you soon,
Lucy 



Womens World Cup 2019 Nike Kits



On Monday Nike held an event in Paris to showcase their upcoming releases for the 2019 Women's World Cup. This meant the release of the kits for those teams competing that are represented by Nike. I have to admit I was not disappointed at all Nike have really pulled it out of the bag and it is so nice the Women getting their own kits for a change. I know from experience that the ones designed for the men (which some teams have been having to play in) can feel too fitted, Nike have come out and said this is what most male players prefer however, for some people fitted really is no benefit and in facts restricts you. To make sure your jersey isn't fitted you would usually have to go up a size and have far too much excess material. Having these women's jersey and shorts should benefit the players quite a bit and help them play the best they can.


Nike have brought out some brilliant kits such as the Netherlands one and the Nigeria one but I have highlighted a 3 of my favourite nations kits in this post...




I am really hoping this white England kit grows on me but at the moment it isn't jumping out on me at all, it just looks so simple and basic. I quite like the red Nike swoosh and number on the front with the red on the sleeve but that is literally it. Maybe if I get to see one close up or see the players in them I may change my opinion but for now I just hope it grows on me.




It is totally the opposite though in regards to the red (away) jersey it was basically love at first sight. red jerseys are some of my favourites and the way they have the flower prints embedded in this one to represent England it is perfect. I think the best part is how the pattern is so subtle yet catches your eye more or less straight away as it isn't just a basic jersey, plus the pattern even runs down to the socks, Nike really haven't missed anything in the terms of this kit and I think the fans of the Lionesses are going to be after this kit to show their support.






I think the USWNT kit could very easily be my favourite. They have taken it back with the white jersey which is inspired by the 1999 kit especially with the name and number design which I am excited to see. The sleeves and socks are also inspired by the 1999 kit. On the shorts there is also the 2 tone stars for the previous world cup wins. The kit is lighter than back in 1999 thanks to Nikes advancing technology and at just 7.15 ounces in weight it is bound to benefit the players. One thing that I love about the white kit is that it has all 50 states embedded in the design, I guess the players really are carrying the nation and representing every state when they put the jersey on.
Don't get me wrong I love the white one but I rarely wear white jerseys and the red one just really stands out to me. The red jersey and solid blue socks work really well together and the jersey itself has the stars and stripes incorporated into it.  
I love how they have reverted back to their patriotic red, white and blue I think they are some of the best kits they have had lately.






The Australia jersey is definitely one of the stand outs for me that has really grown on me, when they were leaked I wasn't too keen but after seeing Sam Kerr wearing hers on Monday I absolutely loved it. The jersey definitely is unique and stands out from the crowd, I think the most impressive part is that in a matter of days they sold out of the men's cut. Which just shows what good marketing can do. I can't wait to see the Matilda's wearing this jersey in the world cup. 


I think I will definitely be picking up the England and USWNT red jerseys (if they do them over here that is) and I am sure I will be getting plenty of wear out of them too. I can't wait to see the players of all nations wearing their teams colours this year as Nike have done a fantastic job.


See you soon,
Lucy

*photos from thefa.com , Nike & USWNT twitter.