Interests & Hobbies

WEST HAM UNITED
I first started supporting West Ham in 1972. I am ashamed to admit it but the first club I supported were Manchester United, but they were relegated in 1972 and for a ten year old the shame of supporting a relegated club proved too much. Being easily led I decided to support the team my best friend supported. My first game was a 1973 friendly at the Abbey Stadium when West Ham lost 3-2 to Cambridge in a testimonial. My first pilgrimage to the academy of football, Upton Park, occurred in 1977, when if my memory serves me correctly we lost 1-0 to Chelsea. In 1992 I bought a season ticket for first time and this year will be my tenth. It is like a drug. If I miss a game I hate it. I've seen some wonderful players at Upton Park (Paolo Di Canio, Paolo Futre, Rio Ferdinand, Slaven Bilic) and some absolute donkeys (Lee Chapman, Mike Newell, Iain Dowie and Keith Rowland spring to mind), but whatever the outcome of the game I'm forever blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air.

GOLF
I started playing golf in 1988 and became addicted immediately. I'd love to say I play the game well, but I'd be lying. In the mid 1990s I did get down to an 18 handicap but since I started Politico's I haven't really had much time to play. However, the good news is that in July 2002 I bought a new set of Wilson deep red clubs to give me an incentive to start playing regularly again. I've also joined Royal Tunbridge Wells Golf Club, which is not as snooty as it sounds - in fact it's a very friendly club. I play mainly at Kings Hill with my fellow West Ham season ticket holders John Parry and Paul Jolliffe. My golf career highlight has been to win the 1992 Medway Ports Authority Golf Championship!

DOGS
Anyone who has never owned a dog can't possibly understand what friends they become. Gio, my Jack Russell, really is the most loyal friend in the world you could have. He's a Battersea rescue dog. We never intended to get a puppy but as soon as I saw him cowering at the back of the pen as a six week old puppy I knew I had to take him. He's now five years old and has developed into a real character. Click on the picture captions below to see pictures of the little devil...

Gio giving me a good lick...
Gio & Iain in the Garden

MUSIC
I have, how shall I put it, a rather eclectic musical taste. Some of my favourite artistes include Abba, Meatloaf, Sparks, Erasure, Cliff Richard, Alphaville, Roxette and Mango Groove. Ok, go on, call me sad. I had to compile my Top Ten favourite songs for someone recently....Brace yourself...

1. Miss you Nights by Cliff Richard
2. The Winner Takes it all by Abba
3. Bat out of Hell by Meat Loaf
4. Another Country by Mango Groove
5. Dancing Queen by Abba
6. Search for the Hero by M People
7. Forever Young by Alphaville
8. Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meatloaf
9. Pachelbel's Canon
10. So Far Away by Roxette

TELEVISION
I am afraid my taste in TV can also be described as somewhat trashy. I reckon I must have an addictive personality as I find it very easily to get hooked on soap type dramas. There is no doubt that the greatest TV series ever made was Dallas. So, here's my Top Ten TV programmes...

1. Dallas
2. West Wing
3. X Files
4. This Life
5. Capital City
6. Fast Show
7. Six Feet Under
8. Queer as Folk
9. Dynasty
10. Sons & Daughters

FILM
I don't get to the cinema as much as I used to, but there's nothing better than seeing a film on the big screen rather than on TV. Here are my Top Ten Films...

1. Sound of Music
2. Airplane
3. Thief of Hearts
4. Independence Day
5. Back to the Future
6. Muriel's Wedding
7. Strictly Ballroom
8. Bob Roberts
9. Speed
10. Patriot Games