dont stop living fortaleza

Is this the way to Fortaleza? Don’t Stop Living goes full circle again, my World Cup Travel Plans!

I cast my mind to my trip to Suriname in 2011. On the way to meet my friends in Recife, Brazil I had a stopover in a city unknown to me at the time, Fortaleza. It was a four hour layover and I was back in Brazil after the magic of tropical Suriname. It was Read more about Is this the way to Fortaleza? Don’t Stop Living goes full circle again, my World Cup Travel Plans![…]

My Return to Norn Iron Matches: Azerbaijan 2-0 Northern Ireland in Baku

This is a break from the usual travel and lifestyle posts on here and I’m glad to be finally writing about watching football again, not just on my own site but I’ve done a load of football articles recently, including on UFWC. Football has played a big part in my travels, it’s a MASSIVE part Read more about My Return to Norn Iron Matches: Azerbaijan 2-0 Northern Ireland in Baku[…]

arconada armstrong 1982

Working Wednesdays: Writing for “Arconada…Armstrong!” as a Teenager in Belfast, Northern Ireland

I’ll talk about my first ever job on today’s Working Wednesdays, a job which was unpaid but I got free football fanzines out of it, and I was helping support my country’s international football team. Aged 15, I wrote articles for and helped sell the Northern Ireland football fanzine, Arconada…Armstrong! Named after the ITV commentary Read more about Working Wednesdays: Writing for “Arconada…Armstrong!” as a Teenager in Belfast, Northern Ireland[…]

happy days northern ireland fanzine

Working Wednesdays: Writing for “Happy Days” Football Magazine

I’ve loved writing for as long as I can remember. I’ve also loved football for as long as I can remember. Put the two of them together and it was obvious that I was going to do some football writing at some point. Or in my case, at many points and a LOT of football Read more about Working Wednesdays: Writing for “Happy Days” Football Magazine[…]

Jonny Blair of SOENISC in the Green and White army book in 2008

Working Wednesdays: Interview for a Football Book, Green and White Army (The Northern Ireland Fans)

I was driving through Yeovil in England in early 2008 when a call came through from a renowned Northern Irish journalist “Jonny, I’ve been asked to do a few interviews on Northern Ireland football fans for a new book, are you interested?” Straight away it was a “yes” and that was it – I was Read more about Working Wednesdays: Interview for a Football Book, Green and White Army (The Northern Ireland Fans)[…]

keeping up to date with football while you travel jonny blair

How To Keep Up To Date With Football On Your Travels!!

I was once described as a “football nut” and I’m not sure what that entails, but basically I LOVE football. Ever since I saw Norman Whiteside score for Northern Ireland against Algeria in the 1986 World Cup I have been a football fan. Firstly I played it – at any given moment. At some point Read more about How To Keep Up To Date With Football On Your Travels!![…]

We Are Hong Kong Northern Ireland Supporters Club!

The Hong Kong Northern Ireland Supporters Club was successfully launched on Leap Year Day (Wednesday 29th February 2012) in Mong Kok, Kowloon. Including one member from the Far East NISC, a turn up of 6 on the night, plus 2 randoms saw Hong Kong defeat Taiwan 5-1 at home in a comprehensive friendly victory against Read more about We Are Hong Kong Northern Ireland Supporters Club![…]

Thirsty Thursdays: Finn McCool’s Irish Pub – Quito!

The very words “Finn McCool’s Irish Pub” will linger forever in my own memory and those of 5 other Northern Ireland fans. The reason being that back in 2005 we launched the glamorous and innovative South of England Northern Ireland Supporters Club in a bar of that very name in the seaside town of Weymouth Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Finn McCool’s Irish Pub – Quito![…]