Official Sport West Midlands Thread 2

[Erebus555]

Certainly poses some interesting questions which Martin O'Neill certainly seems wants answering as well. Considering our pre-season performance, it is certainly a surprise but lets hope it's the kick up the arse Villa needs to get them back in Premier League mode.

[NeilM]

MIDLAND football fans have been issued with a World Cup warning: misbehave or you’ll miss the tournament.

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/t...7319-24446403/



But seriously, lets hope the idiots stay away from South Africa, the rioting there could be pretty serious if it all goes off.

[Erebus555]

Birmingham Mail strikes again.

[feltip]

From the Jamaica Information Service

Ministry of Youth, Sport & Culture


Birmingham to Host Jamaica's 2012 Olympic Team Training Camp


BERLIN, GERMANY (JIS):
Saturday, August 15, 2009

The city of Birmingham in the United Kingdom will host the training camp for Jamaica's track and field athletes, as they prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed today (Aug. 14), in Berlin, Germany, between Jamaica and the Birmingham City Council, to establish a working partnership between both sides aimed at providing the best possible training camp facilities for the Jamaican team ahead of the 25th (XXV) Olympiad.

The document was signed by President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) Howard Aris and Leader of Birmingham City Council, Councillor Mike Whitby.

The news was welcomed by Jamaica's Youth, Sports and Culture Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange, who is in Berlin for the 12th International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Track and Field Championships, currently underway.

"I am happy that we have made this move. The stakeholders from Birmingham had visited me in Jamaica and introduced me to the facilities, and I was impressed. I am particularly excited because 2012 will be Jamaica's Golden Anniversary (of Independence) and I am already in discussions with the Birmingham City Council to see how we will make the occasion special in the city. In addition, a very strong sporting and cultural legacy will result from this, and I believe it is very good news for Jamaican athletics," Ms. Grange said.

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, who is also in Berlin for the Championships, applauded the decision and spoke of the tremendous benefit that will accrue to Jamaica.

"Birmingham is a city that has always been close to Jamaica. There are many Jamaicans living in Birmingham and they have sold Jamaica well. We will be working closely with the leaders in Birmingham to build our base there and to improve tourist arrivals from that city. I expect to meet with them soon to explore the possibilities," he stated.

Mr. Whitby, expressed delight that the Jamaican team will be training there. "This means so much for the city of Birmingham. Our Jamaican community will be ecstatic because this guarantees them their place in the 2012 Games. While the competition will be based in London, this will definitely bring the Olympic fever to Birmingham. "We have great things planned to expand the occasion beyond sport. We will be working on our infrastructure, including expanding the runway of our airport in order to facilitate greater movement between Jamaica and Birmingham, and we will be planning many special activities to celebrate Jamaica's 50th anniversary of Independence," Mr. Whitby informed.

Assistant Director for Sport and Events 2012, Steve Hollingworth, who led the negotiations on behalf of Birmingham, said: "This is recognition of Birmingham's long term commitment to sport and its excellent events management. This decision will electrify the Jamaican community in Birmingham and inspire a whole new generation of athletes from the city. We are absolutely delighted and you can be rest assured that Jamaica is in the best hands"

The 2012 Olympic Games will be held in London, United Kingdom from July 27 to August 12.

http://www.jis.gov.jm/MYSC/html/2009...INING_CAMP.asp

[MOOKWOLF]

I think it's worth pointing out that the mighty Wolves have recorded an AWAY win in the Premier league. Up the Wolves!!!

[MOOKWOLF]

Originally Posted by feltip

From the Jamaica Information Service


http://www.jis.gov.jm/MYSC/html/2009...INING_CAMP.asp

Excellent! Insane Bolt is in town!

[morestoreysplease]

Well done Wolves! It seems strange that Wolves beat Wigan who beat Villa - next up for Villa are West Ham, who beat Wolves! Come on Blues and get off the mark against Pompey!!

[mikey23]

West Ham is postponed because of Europa matches - We've got Liverpool on Monday.

[NeilM]

I didn't realise that was Wolves' first top flight away win since 1984, how mad is that.

Hopefully we are going to catch Pompey at the right time, later in the season they will have improved IMO.

[feltip]

Birmingham should expect to host top sporting events, says leisure chief
Aug 20 2009 By Neil Elkes

Birmingham should expect to host the world’s great sporting events and is well placed to do so the city’s new sports chief has claimed.

Cabinet member for Leisure, Sport and Culture, Coun Martin Mullaney has already confirmed that a Commonwealth Games bid is being drawn up and believes there much more to come.

With Birmingham already hosting Olympic training camps for Jamaican and American athletes, Coun Mullaney hopes there will also be on the field action through the football tournament. He is also excited at the potential of Villa Park hosting 2018 World Cup matches.

While more immediately there are the 2012 BMX World Championships and 2010 European Gymnastics championships coming to Birmingham.

Coun Mullaney, who was appointed to the job three months ago, said: “We are a global city and should expect to hold these events. We have excellent sports facilities and are ideally placed to bid for even more. There is so much to be positive about.

“Birmingham has hosted more world, European and international sporting championships than any other UK city and in a wide variety of sports.

“We went to the BMX championships in Manchester as outsiders, did a presentation and stole the 2012 world championships from under their noses.”

He added that even London Olympic supremo Lord Coe has praised the city’s efforts to play a part in the 2012 Games.

The council sports team are drawing up the proposal to stage the Commonwealth Games in either 2022 or 2026 and the majority of facilities are already in place.

The NEC and NIA would host indoor sports, the planned Olympic standard swimming and diving pool will be complete in three years, three football stadiums are also available, the Gymnastic and Martial Arts Centre at Perry Barr, while water sports could be hosted at Edgbaston Reservoir. The only fresh commitment would be to expand the Alexander Stadium to meet Games’ standards or find a new track and field venue.

Although disappointed that Villa Park will not now host Olympic football, Coun Mullaney is confident that Birmingham City could do so, it already meets the 30,000 spectators requirement, and has written to the club to offer the council’s assistance. Although with the club involved in a take over it could be a while before plans can be developed.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...5233-24492896/

[Comfortably Numb]

Originally Posted by NeilM

I didn't realise that was Wolves' first top flight away win since 1984, how mad is that.

Hopefully we are going to catch Pompey at the right time, later in the season they will have improved IMO.

Wolves have had a comfortable start to the new season, IMO. The opening game for a newly promoted team is always going to be tough, so I didn't expect them to beat West Ham. They did well to get the away win @ Wigan and although they lost at Man City today, I get the impression they gave a good fight and more than held their own in the second half, only losing 1-0 (not bad against a team that boasts the likes of Tevez, Adebayor & Robinho).

I honestly believe that Wolves will stay up this time around, so long as they can steer clear of too many injuries. Kevin Doyle has now pretty much recovered from his injury and Ebanks-Blake will be back soon.....and I honestly think that Ebanks-Blake has the capability to become a decent Premier League goalscoring machine. Milijas looks like a promising signing too.

I'm just glad that Wolves got out of the Championship LAST season, because had they not won promotion, it would have been almost impossible to win promotion this season, being as both Newcastle and Middlesbrough look s**t hot so far and the likes of West Brom and Cardiff aren't far behind.

[djay]

just over a month untill this: http://www.birminghamhalfmarathon.com/

[feltip]

Usain Bolt to train at University of Birmingham ahead of London Olympics
Aug 24 2009 By Tony Collins

Jamaican sprinter and world record-holder Usain Bolt will be bringing his sporting magic to a university running track in Birmingham as part of his preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.


Bolt, who followed up his three gold medals in last year’s Beijing Olympics with an identical haul in last week’s World Championships in Berlin, will make use of the athletics track at the University of Birmingham.

The 6ft 5in 23-year-old smashed his own 100 metres and 200 metres world records in storming to victory in Germany and will be doing his last few weeks of preparation for the 2012 Games in Birmingham after the city council secured a deal for the Jamaican Track and Field team to base their training camp here.

Council leader Mike Whitby, who is also hopeful of securing the huge USA Track and Field team in Birmingham for 2012, travelled to the world championships in Berlin to finalise the deal.

The University of Birmingham, which played a part in the Jamaican negotiations, will make available its running track and weights facilities to Bolt and team-mates including fellow world medal winners Shelly-Ann Fraser, Kerron Stewart and Asafa Powell.

Zena Wooldridge, the university’s Director of Sport, said: “It’s tremendously exciting news that the world’s fastest man will prepare for the Olympics in Birmingham. It confirms our status as a great sporting city, and the university’s desire to support that. As a university, we are delighted to make our campus and facilities, including our track and other training facilities, available to the Jamaican team.

"Whilst the university has produced several home-grown Olympic athletes in recent years it’s a thrill to have a team with the global pedigree of Jamaica on campus.”

The Jamaican High Commissioner and leading members of Jamaican AAA visited the city and university facilities in April and July. Negotiations are continuing for the USA Track and Field team to also base its Olympic training camp in Birmingham.

Eight former students at the university have gone on to compete in the Olympics including three-time cycling medallist Paul Manning, sprinter Alison Curbishley and archer Naomi Folkard.

http://www.birminghampost.net/midlan...5233-24520857/

[morestoreysplease]

I bet Villa fans are all over the place right now - great result against Liverpool but now down in the dumps again - I wonder how much money the Europa League would have generated?
I fear for Blues against Spurs - I did go down 2 years ago on Big Eck's 1st game and we won at the Lane, but that ain't gonna happen on Sat.

[feltip]

Planning application gone in for Moseley Rugby club for new 5000 seat spectator stand.

2009/04190/PA

Proposal Construction of 5000 seat spectator stand with associated facilities and permanent consent for Rugby Pitch, clubhouse, floodlighting, fencing, gates, embankment and means of access

[Erebus555]

They're certainly investing in the future - I imagine their success earlier in the year has prompted or at least spearheaded this.

[morestoreysplease]

Moseley and Birmingham / Solihull are both in the new Championship so they have to be geared up for better facilities. Brum / Solihull (used to be the Pertemps Bees btw) have now moved from Sharmans Cross to Damson Lane - home to Conf North football club Solihull Moors.

So in a week's time we'll know who won the 2nd City Derby. I'm pretty confident after losing 4 on the trot to Villa - we can't lose again can we? I'm banking on Chuchu to score his first goal in the game. The ticket prices are way too high and won't guarantee a full house - 48 quid for adults, 15 for kids. Stupid!

[matti01]

A friend of mine is working on Birmingham's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Become a fan of the bid on Facebook and pledge your support at http://www.backthebirminghambid.com/.

[morestoreysplease]

Isn't that a given?? Most large cities will host some games.

[NeilM]

Very good news, Paula Radcliffe is competing in the world half marathon in brum:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8244122.stm