Issue 23 // Friday May 7 2010
The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield // www.forgetoday.com
Thomas Turgoose interview
‘I am not at fault for Blair Peach killing,’ says Uni lecturer 4Murray suspects he is police officer blamed with protester’s death 4He blasts Scotland Yard’s Cass report as ‘fundamentally flawed’ Kirsty McEwen
Fuse pages 6-7
TRAVEL
The windy city
Exploring the dizzying heights of Chicago, America’s second city
Travel page 19
FEATURES
From the stage to the soapbox Eddie Izzard on the Labour campaign trail
University of Sheffield lecturer Alan Murray has repeated his innocence of any involvement with the death of a protester in 1979 following the publication of the previously secret Cass report by the police. Blair Peach, a 33-year old schoolteacher from New Zealand, was killed by a blow to the head whilst he was at a demonstration in Southall against the National Front. Fourteen eyewitnesses claimed to see a police officer strike Mr. Peach on the head. Dr Murray, a Management School lecturer and a former Scotland Yard inspector, was leading a Special Patrol Group (SPG) during the demonstration. He denied any responsibility for the death of Blair Peach and stated that he thought the report was “fundamentally flawed”.
Features pages 12-13
LIFESTYLE
Sizzling summer
Make the most of the Sheffield sun with our tasty BBQ ideas Lifestyle pages 16-17
Have your say Comment on this article at Forgetoday.com Send a letter to letters@forgetoday.com “I did not have anything to do with the death of that unfortunate man,” he said. “I find myself in the role of suspect. I was never cautioned, arrested, charged, and yet 30 years later someone says: ‘It was him’. It is a flawed case with insufficient evidence, and it’s not fair.” The report states that there was a “grave suspicion” over a police officer only identified as “Officer E” for being the person responsible for Mr. Peach’s death. Dr Murray said that he believed he was being labelled as the officer responsible. “I’ve never read the report, but I’ve always thought that I was the one that Cass had put up as prime suspect.” The report also accuses the officers involved in the incident of colluding to prevent the person responsible from being identified. Dr Murray said he thought this was ridiculous. “Why would I not want the
COMMENT University lecturer, Alan Murray and (inset) Blair Peach, who was killed during a demonstration in 1979. individual identified? Why would John Cass in 1979 but was not police officer. I protect someone’s identity for published due to “insufficient His family are still waiting for thirty years?” evidence for prosecution”. the Crown Prosecution Service “The idea that a group Mr Peach’s partner, Celia (CPS) to decide whether to bring of ordinary policemen can Stubbs, said she was happy a prosecution against the officer bamboozle the best detectives at that the report had finally been allegedly responsible. Scotland Yard would be funny if released. Metropolitan Police it weren’t so ridiculous.” “I never really expected a Commissioner Sir Paul He said that if he had seen prosecution. I don’t regret that, I Stephenson decided to publish the what had happened at the am just pleased that we have the Cass report after the comparisons demonstration he would not have report so that we can see what made with Mr Tomlinson’s hesitated to act. happened on the day.” death. “If I had seen an officer acting Many sources have noted the He said that the report made unlawfully I would have arrested similarity between Mr Peach’s ‘uncomfortable reading’ and that him. I had no problem with taking death and the death of Ian it was of ‘deep regret’ that the action against my men.” Tomlinson at the G20 protest last police could not give Mr Peach’s “I cooperated fully with the year. family a ‘definitive answer’. inquiry and attended every Mr Tomlinson was walking The CPS said that a charge interview that was required.” home from work when it is could only be brought if there was The report was written by alleged he was hit with a baton significant new evidence, such as Metropolitan Police Commander and pushed to the ground by a a confession.
Spy games
Are student spies the latest weapon in the war on terror? Comment page 8
2
www.forgetoday.com // news@forgetoday.com
NEWS UNIVERSITY
Editor
Helen Lawson
Deputy Editor
Rob Ellerington Matthew Burgess Nicole Froio Kirsty McEwen Leanne Rinne Rosie Taylor
Comment
Peter Brennan Michael Hunter André Nunn
Features
Lifestyle
Lucie Boase Harriet Di Francesco Paul Garbett Oliver Hughes Millie Travis Kate Lloyd Hannah O’Connell Vicki Watson
Travel
Victoria Shaw
Sport
Jack Burnett Matthew Duncan Anthony Hart Christopher Rogan Ross Turner
Fuse
Melissa Gillespie Jeremy Peel Richard Scott Alistair White
Music
Games
RAG takes a ‘walk’ in the park
Lucie Boase
Managing Editor News
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
Lizzie Palmer Natasha Parker Jeremy Peel Jordan Tandy
Screen
Brendan Allitt Daniel Rowbotham James Wragg Melissa Gillespie Ashley Scrace Alex Sherwood Peter Walsh
Arts
Robert Cooke Kristi Genovese Richard Scott
Web Editor
Alexandra Rucki
Forge Press Media Hub, Union of Students Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG 0114 2228646 forgepress@forgetoday.com
Forge Press is part of Forge Media Forge Press is published by the Union of Students. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the University, the Union or the editorial team. In the first instance all complaints should be addressed to the Managing Editor, although a formal procedure exists. Forge Press is printed on 100% recycled paper
Advertise in Forge Press with The Student Connection 0114 222 8540
RESEARCH
Uni lecturer is Batman A bat previously unseen in the UK has been found by a team led by a University of Sheffield lecturer. Professor Roger Butlin and the University of Leeds’ Professor John Altringham discovered the new species. They were studying European bats when they found the Alcathoe’s bat in Yorkshire and Sussex. Professor Butlin said that a greater knowledge of UK bats is needed to be able to protect them. The discovery takes the number of UK bat species to 17. Rishi Vaidya
Students walk miles to raise money for local charities.
Photos: Charlotte Dobson
Fundraisers from Sheffield Raising and Giving (RAG) took part in a two-mile sponsored walk around Endcliffe and Bingham Park on Monday. Participants included students from university societies and members from the local charities which RAG supports. The aim of the event was to provide an opportunity for local charities to collaborate with university students in a joint fundraising event. Rachel Colley, chair of RAG,
said: “The event provided a fantastic opportunity for local charities to join in and fundraise for themselves. “It really built on our relationship with the charities we support.” The event was supported by Sheffield City Council’s Parks and Countryside Service. June Burke, the Council’s Community Events Co-ordinator, said: “We are happy to work with these students to provide excellent family events in one of our most popular parks, especially as local charities will benefit so much.” Some of the charities that took
part included the Burton Street Project, Sheffield Mind and Body, Sunday Centre and St Andrews Child Contact Centre (SACCC). Alison Vance, an MA student walking to raise money for SACCC, said: “The event was a really nice idea, everyone can come together to raise money for local charities and help the community at large.” Participant Sarah Henshaw was walking on behalf of Sheffield Mind and Body. She said: “It was a nice, easy walk so anybody can do it. It just would have been better if it was sunny.”
ARTWORK
BUSINESS
Students tell local stories
Charlotte Dobson
Friendship ‘blossoms’
Society helps local shop
A piece of artwork aiming to promote the welcoming nature of the University has been installed in the Ranmoor Student Village. The Hedge of Friendship wraps around one of the oldest oak trees on the site and features two light panels, which glow red when two people walk between them. Jo Fairfax, the sculpture’s designer, said the piece was a “response to the friendly atmosphere at the University of Sheffield.” The installation is part of an ongoing project to introduce more art to student accommodation. Tom Geddes
Students from Sheffield Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) have been working with Broomhill gift shop Mooch to help improve the business. SIFE aim to help businesses improve their profits, and offer a loan service which will help to finance investments in the shop. Claire Paine from SIFE said: “Our ultimate aim is to help the business in such a way that we improve the firm’s profit, customer retention levels and custom through the door, to allow for the firm to succeed in both the current economic climate.” Matt Burgess
Natasha Hunter A group of second year English students have been participating in an innovative new course called ‘Storying Sheffield’. The course was set up as a way of linking local Sheffield residents who have no family background in higher education with the University. The undergraduate English students have been helping local residents to relate fragments and stories about their experiences in Sheffield. These stories will then be turned into film, photography, art and audio and will be displayed on Friday, June 11 in the Jessop West Exhibition Space. The course was created by Dr Brendan Stone who wanted
The Flying Teapots, Gospel Choir, Bellydance and Salsa societies all volunteered their time to showcase their talents and keep walkers entertained enroute. Rachel Colley added: “I’m very happy with the success of today, especially being a new event to the RAG calendar. “With entertainment throughout the day, smiling stewards and many bright pink balloons, I was very proud of the effort from the RAG Committee, who have been so dedicated throughout the year.”
to encourage more students to participate socially in Sheffield. He said the course is unique to the University of Sheffield and aims to help interweave the lives of local residents with student life. Amy Collin is one student who has been participating on the course. She said she has taken part in “memory mapping” and local trips around Sheffield. She said: “Storying Sheffield has been an amazing experience. “We’ve had the opportunity to explore the place that we live in and talk with local residents that we wouldn’t normally get the chance to interact with.” She said the exhibition will give students a chance to engage with “unique artefacts” and learn more about the experiences of people who live in their community.
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
3
www.forgetoday.com // news@forgetoday.com
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Survey shows dissatisfaction of postgrads and internationals Accommodation survey highlights student concerns and areas for improvement
72
77
53
70
76
78
56
21
19
32
23
20
17
30
Total students
Undergrad
Postgrad
Male
Female
Home
International
Graph legend: Green represents overall satisfaction with ACS facilities and services provided (per cent), white represents neutral, red represents dissatisfied. International Students’ Officer better understanding of the students, for example, the university accommodation is Matt Burgess & Kirsty McEwen Alex Erdlenbruch said: “I think accommodation needs of these two residents’ agreement which has highly competitive with private the difference in satisfaction student groups by undertaking things like, ‘you must agree with housing. A survey into students’ satisfaction between home and international more specific focus groups. each other about cleaning’.” “We also offer extra services with their accommodation has students is disquieting indeed. “We are also liaising with However Alex Erdlenbruch said such as 24 hour security teams, revealed that international and “Given that the provisions colleagues in the International value for money was “subjective”. welfare support, on-site catering, postgraduate students report the ACS offers are very similar Office and Faculties to understand “Taking into account all the bar facilities and access to the highest level of dissatisfaction. across the board for both home the accommodation requirements “extras” in ACS accommodation university network.’ Thirty per cent of international and international students, the for these students to ensure our then you could make a valid case ACS scored highly with students and 32 per cent of differences shown in the survey offer, and how we communicate it, for the pricing. undergraduate students, with postgraduates expressed overall are worrying to say the least.” better meets their expectations. “For students wishing to live 77 per cent saying they were dissatisfaction with “facilities and But he said ACS do try to “We aim to improve in a different environment with satisfied with “services and services provided”. accommodate international communication in order to have a less extras the argument could be facilities provided”. Jacqui Cameron of students’ opinions. positive impact on these students’ turned on its head. Union President Paul Tobin said: Accommodation and Campus “In many ways ACS are already experience.” “In the end whether ACS offer “It is clear that ACS are providing Services (ACS) said: “It is not doing a commendable job, such as Current postgraduate student value for money for international high quality accommodation and generally known why this trend their policy of employing a large and Computer Sciences Councillor students is very difficult to support services for students. occurs but it could possibly be number of international students Chris Northwood said the pricing answer as international students “ACS regularly work with down to this group of students as mentors, and their policy of accommodation was a concern. are not a homogeneous group and the Union Officers to improve having different and possibly of allocating no international He said: “I don’t think the the types of accommodation vary standards. higher expectations based on the student by themselves in a flat. accommodation is value for money so much that it’s better assessed “It’s inevitable that there will higher fees and costs associated “This shows that ACS are pro- - although bills are inclusive, the on a case by case basis.” be some issues of concern and I with coming to University in the actively attempting to bridge the costs are still very high, especially Jacqui Cameron said: “‘The know that ACS are committed to UK.” gap. However, I do believe ACS compared to the private sector, perception that university ensuring these are addressed and Seventy-eight per cent of home can do more and we sabbatical and especially bearing in mind accommodation is expensive is improvements made.” students said they were satisfied officers are always happy to most postgraduates are self- not an accurate one. A total of 2,026 students took with their accommodation in help.” funded. “When the additional cost part in the ACS survey. The comparison with 56 per cent of Jacqui Cameron said: “I also find that ACS can be of bills, internet, and 52 week survey took place November international students. “ACS is working on gaining a very patronising to postgraduate contracts are considered, 2009.
New Union guidelines on alcohol IC computer disruption Nicole Froio Societies will have to sign up to an alcohol code of conduct and Union club nights will have a water bar introduced from next year after a report from an alcohol committee set up by the Union Council. Union bar staff will no longer directly promote drink offers, such as offering a double for the addition of £1 to the price of a single. The staff will also be retrained to recognise drunken students and know when to refuse to serve them. Bars at Union nights will now have a free water bar which students will not have to queue for. It is hoped that this will encourage students to drink a glass of water between alcoholic drinks. A range of new non-alcoholic drinks will also be introduced
and advertised more visibly. A new code of conduct, based on the sports teams’ code of conduct, will be introduced to all societies. It will apply to all society socials involving alcohol. “We already do a lot as a Union to tackle the issue of irresponsible drinking”, said Welfare Officer Jennifer Hastings. “However we are always looking at ways to build on this.” The exact format of the campaigns is still to be developed in the future by the Welfare Committee. The Union will also appeal to the University to run drink awareness sessions during Intro Week. Posters promoting Union events will now advertise offers for non-alcoholic drinks for every alcoholic drink advertised. These will be the same price or at a lower price than the alcoholic drink offers. Accommodation and
Campus Services (ACS) bars like The Edge will be persuaded to not promote offers that encourage excessive drinking. “I think the new code of conduct for societies is a really good way of ensuring all areas of Union life promote responsible drinking,” said Jennifer Hastings. “It makes sense that we treat societies in the same way as sports clubs” Finance Officer Martin Bailey said: “Students are exposed to a binge drinking culture that is forced on them and lot of outlets that don’t have a responsible retailing policy, unlike the Union. “I am very satisfied as these were the recommendations that we brought as a committee back to Council and all were passed. “It is a culture change that we have to ensure reaches across the University.”
Kirsty McEwen PC booking facilities in the Information Commons were removed for 24 hours to try and speed up the system on Tuesday, May 4. CiCS restored the service following complaints by students who criticised the loss of the booking facility as it stopped them from guaranteeing a PC during busy periods. Bookings are now reinstated but can only be made on the hour. CiCS said they were aware that the system may still run slowly. “We are working hard to resolve this problem.” All campus computers will have the myPC licence installed over the next few weeks, so they will log out after 25 minutes of inactivity.
Information Commons.
4
www.forgetoday.com // news@forgetoday.com
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
NEWS UNIVERSITY
University salaries reach new heights Rosie Taylor University academics nationwide have received significant salary increases in the last three years. More than four times as many staff now earn £100,000 compared to in 2005-06. The number of academics receiving more than £100,000 per year has risen from 495 to 2,225 a 450 per cent increase - a Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) report has revealed. The report also revealed that the average wage of lecturers jumped from £34,940 in 200506 to £42,020 in 2008-09 - a rise of 20 per cent - despite financial problems at many universities leading to severe staff cuts, including the loss of five per cent of staff at the University of Sheffield. The majority of academic staff now earn a salary of between £40,000 and £50,000, a marked increase from the average of £30,001-£40,000 in 2005-06. A spokesperson from The University of Sheffield said the salaries of academic staff at the University have risen in line with the national average. He said: “These rises were part of a three year pay deal which reflected the need for earnings to increase and also included in the final year a link to the retail price index which was higher than anyone expected. “It is now widely understood that universities are operating in very challenging economic times, and the recent voluntary severance scheme reflects the University of Sheffield’s determination to act proactively to ensure our academic strength and sustainability in the long term. “Other universities are now also actively considering measures to reduce costs and increase income.” David Sweeney, HEFCE director of research, has criticised the pay rises, stating that they give the impression staff have
New Union Awards ceremony is launched at the Students’ Union
profited from the increase in tuition fees that was implemented in 2006. He said: “We have awarded ourselves enormous great pay rises out of student fees and we haven’t spent the money on providing high quality student experience - that is the perception of the Government.” A HEFCE spokesman said the rise was thought to be due to a three-year pay deal which was
Have your say Comment on this article at Forgetoday.com Send a letter to letters@forgetoday.com agreed after university staff nationwide carried out a series of strikes in 2006. He said: “This increase is likely to have been, in part, a result of the national Higher Education (HE) pay negotiations between 2006 and 2009.” But a Freedom of Information request carried out by Forge Press has shown that Sheffield’s top earners are on the most moderate wages in the north of England, despite the nationwide salary increases. The University’s ViceChancellor Professor Keith Burnett receives a salary of £238,000 and Sheffield Hallam’s Professor Philip Jones takes home £216,000 a year and Birmingham’s on £292,000. According to a University spokesperson the introduction of top-up fees in 2006 is not linked directly to the pay rises. He said: “The introduction of top-up fees in 2006 formed part of the wider funding of universities, of which staff costs are a crucial part. “The recruitment and the retention of excellent staff are vital to the student experience and crucial to the University’s international reputation giving students a degree which is recognised as high quality worldwide.”
The Officer team with Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul White who opened the event. Luke Martin Over 100 people took part in the first Union Awards held at the Foundry last month. The audience was a mixture of students and academics who came together to recognise people who had made an outstanding contribution to the University either through teaching or through volunteering. The event was opened by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul White who said the ceremony was a great way of bringing the Union and University together to thank some of the outstanding individuals who “put so much hard work into their teaching roles.”
Gary Wood from the English department was awarded the ‘Postgraduates who teach’ award and he said he was “delighted” to be a part of the event. Matt Flinders from the Politics department received the ‘Best Practice in Assessment Feedback’ award, and Alasdair Rae from Town & Regional Planning received the ‘Innovation in Teaching’ award. The student participation awards rewarded those who, through their personal contributions to sports, campaigning and representation, made a difference to the student community of this year. The student-run charity organisation RAG picked up the award for ‘Volunteering
Photo: Sam Bennett
Committee of the Year’, whilst the individual award for ‘Outstanding Course Rep of the Year’ went to Barbara Omondi Oyoo from the Management Department. Sarah Christian was awarded ‘Outstanding Contribution to Student Sport’, and ‘Outstanding Union Link of the Year’ was given to English student Lykara Ryder. Outstanding Union Councillor of the year was awarded to Chris Northwood from the Computer Science department. Education Officer Holly Taylor organised the ceremony and announced the winners. She said: “Thank you to everybody who made it possible, and everybody who came along to support the event.”
Scholarship fund given thousands Students in ‘world cup’ Fay Guest Nearly 50 students have benefitted from the legacy of one of the University’s most popular vice-chancellors. Scholarships totalling £150,000 were awarded in memory of Professor Robert Boucher, who died last year. The scholarships, worth £3000 each, were awarded at a special reception last weekend. A total of £85,000 was donated to the Bob Boucher Scholarships campaign by former staff, students and global supporters. Professor Boucher was associated with the University for almost forty years and made an enormous contribution to both the University and the city. He was actively involved in local charities including the Bluebell Wood Hospice and
Former VC Bob Boucher, CBE.
regularly raised funds for them. He was a popular choice when he was made vice-chancellor, and was awarded a CBE in 2000 for services to higher education and the engineering profession. Miles Stevenson, Director of Development at the University of Sheffield, said: “Professor Boucher had a passionate belief in helping young people to improve their lives through higher education. “He always said that supporting education was ‘a very noble cause’ and always took every opportunity to personally promote and support the University’s scholarships fundraising programme. “We are delighted to be able to honour his memory. “The contribution he made to the University and the city, through the Bob Boucher Scholarships.”
Laura Anderson Sheffield Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) have won a national award for their volunteer work around Sheffield and will now go on to represent the UK in the SIFE world cup in Los Angeles. The society beat more than 40 others from across the country to become national champions. During the year they have worked with communities and farmers to raise awareness of the deforestation and soil erosion in Lesotho, Africa. Project leader, Nicolas Manku, said waiting to hear if they had won the competition was “excruciating”. “It was great to see the joy on people’s face who had poured their hearts and souls into the projects,” he said.
The society is hoping to secure funding to take the presentation team members to the World Cup in California. In the South Yorkshire area, Sheffield’s SIFE have worked with homeless people under a scheme called Bevin’s Finest Preserve. They are now hoping to raise £21,000 to develop more longterm community projects. They want to create two new sustainable businesses, increase the number interactive sessions with students and set up a new project to help people with autism and Asperger Syndrome. SIFE have said the projects will “elevate the University of Sheffield to a level of global recognition”. SIFE is an international organisation which includes 1,500 Universities, across 50 countries worldwide.
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
5
www.forgetoday.com // news@forgetoday.com
Gatecrasher vows to party on Developers plan to appeal against Sheffield Council’s rejection of new Gatecrasher nightclub after fire destroyed the old venue in 2007 Kristi Genovese Owners of nightclub chain Gatecrasher are set to appeal against Sheffield City Council’s rejection of their plan for a new club in the city after the previous venue burned down in 2007. Councillors rejected the plan for the club’s return to the city despite 3,800 people directly contacting the Council with their support. 11,000 others also joined a Facebook group backing the plans. The planning application took several months to prepare and cost £70,000, but was rejected after 30 minutes at the planning meeting, the same time given to a man who had a problem with a tree. The council received 17 objections to the plans, including letters from Sheffield Hallam University and the O2 Academy. Simon Raine, the Managing Director of Gatecrasher, confirmed that they were considering a public enquiry appeal against the refusal. Mr Raine told councillors: “It has taken three years to find this site. It is a great location, which will complement Sheffield’s City of Culture bid.” He added: “The club’s return would provide a great economic boost to the city and more than 150 jobs.” Phil Abbott, Head of Planning, said: “We definitely want to see Gatecrasher back in Sheffield where it belongs. Charles Street isn’t suitable.” Gatecrasher were given two minutes to present their case and they were not allowed to pose detailed questions to councillors. A spokeswoman for Gatecrasher said this was unacceptable and that they were unable to contact officers before the meeting. Developers had planned to build on the ‘cheese grater’ car park on the corner of Charles Street. Council officers were worried that the club’s location may put prominent developments at risk.
Planning officer Chris Megson said the City Lofts development 10 metres from the club’s proposed entrance would be affected. He said developers would find it hard to find tenants if the planning permission was granted. Second year Journalism student Charlotte Grainger said: “This is
Music to local ears Harriet Di Francesco Twelve postgraduate students from the University of Sheffield organised a fundraising event at Endcliffe Park on Saturday 1st May. The HeART of Sheffield was an all day event raising money for the Sheffield Children’s Hospital’s ‘Art for Health’ programme. The charity aims to make the hospital a more creative and enjoyable place for the children and their families. “Research shows that mental stimulation and comfortable surroundings play an important role in patient recovery,” explained organiser Harriet French. The fundraiser itself was aimed at the local community. “We wanted to put on an event for the local community, celebrating Sheffield talent,” said Harriet.
Photo: Matt Burgess
Proposed site for new Gatecrasher on Charles Street.
Some of the organisers are currently studying Music Management whilst others study Arts and Heritage Management. The fair reflected the artistic nature of their courses. It included stalls selling locally made food, books, craft and art, and provided entertainment for all ages including a number of children’s workshops. Bollywood dancing and African drumming went on throughout the day. Visitors also enjoyed volunteer magicians and child entertainers There were activities for all members of the family including live acoustic bands, an open BBQ and a picnic area. In total the event raised approximately £800. Harriet French concluded: “It went really smoothly and we have had fantastic feedback from the vendors with most of them asking us to put on the event again.”
a real shame. Gatecrasher should return to its home in Sheffield, but in the mean time I’ll keep going to Birmingham to watch the world class DJs.” Mr Raine said: “We refuse to be beaten and will return to the city. The party is not over. We have exactly the same goal as the
council- to put Sheffield firmly on the map in terms of world class entertainment.” Gatecrasher will look for a different venue so that they can appeal their case. They showed their gratitude to supporters by offering free tickets to Gatecrasher Birmingham.
LOCAL NEWS
Takeaway opening times denied Matt Burgess Two Broomhill takeaways have had applications for longer opening hours turned down after they were ruled to be endangering public safety and causing antisocial behaviour. Oasis Pizza and the Broomhill Friery, both on Witham Road, were refused changes to their licenses after planning committee chair Councillor Jack Clarkson said they would increase “public nuisance, noise and litter.” The applications met opposition from the Environmental Protection Service, Broomhill Action Neighbourhood Group (BANG), and Broomhill Forum. The Broomhill Friery initially applied to open until 6am on Friday and Saturday nights and 4am Monday to Thursday, but backed down after consultation with the Police. The revised hours, also refused, planned for the takeaway to open until 4.15am on Friday and Saturdays. Oasis Pizza applied to open until 4.30am seven days a week, extending from their current time of 12am. Environmental Health Officer Jonathon Round said: “In particular I have concerns about the potential noise disturbance from patrons outside the premises and dispersing into surrounding areas.” Broomhill Friery owner Daniel Bean said: “We think that this city council is trying to ruin this city. They have already rejected Gatecrasher, they are making it an unpleasant place to live.” Reflecting on the decision, Ahmad Armardi, on behalf of Oasis said: “This is not fair, we have to close early and have to pay the same amount of rates and rent as the others that open later.” He added: “This decision puts us under pressure to make more money.” The Broomhill Friery was granted permission to open between 2.30-5pm. Both takeaways have the right to appeal to the magistrate’s court at the decision.
Tea party for new Library garden Kieran Guilbert Student volunteers from the University of Sheffield have helped Broomhill Library to throw a tea party to celebrate the opening of its new garden. Local councillors, residents and students were invited to explore the garden redevelopment, which was funded by a £5000 grant from the Central Community Assembly and co-ordinated by the Broomhill Forum. Organiser Rebecca Barnes, the University’s Broomhill community representative, said: “I was delighted to see so many children and adults using the library and enjoying the craft activities. “It was brilliant to work alongside the library, Sheffield Volunteering, and Sheffield University to put on a thoroughly successful community event.” Volunteers served drinks to
Photo: Kieran Guilbert
people who had come to see the garden and provided activities for children. Second year student Rob Brennan said: “It’s great to volunteer and interact with the local community.” Liz Biggins, Area Library Manager for the Central Community Assembly, said the new garden will allow people to read and socialise outside during the summer months. She said: “Five thousand pounds is a small amount of money to make a big difference, this is a fantastic development for the community.” Sheffield City Council leader Paul Scriven, said: “This garden is an absolutely brilliant example of the council and community coming together to improve the local area and give it a real lift. “I am very proud of our students, day in day out; they are committed to helping with projects all over the city.”
6
www.forgetoday.com // letters@forgetoday.com
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
LETTERS & COMMENT
Have your say Sex and Reproduction more than mere toilet humour
History of Mathematics joke is on us
Dear Forge,
Dear Forge,
I am writing in response to the snippet ‘SEX-CITING EXAM’ in Issue 22, page 13. I feel that a response is necessary after the insinuation that those Animal and Plant Science students taking the ‘Sex & Reproduction’ module this semester will spend an hour and a half drawing penises all over their exam scripts. The description of the APS students as ‘the APS lot’ is slightly lost on me. I don’t know if the author trying to suggest the lecture series sounds too easy, maybe that we sit around the theatre giggling like 11 year olds at the words ‘penis’ and ‘intercourse’ or perhaps that each lecture is just a different chapter
Star letter is sponsored by The Wick at Both Ends
The winner receives a free meal for two of the karmas-sutra. The author continues by wondering if our exam will consist of ‘scribbling drawings akin to toilet graffiti’. I personally would like
to point out that I’ve never read toilet graffiti describing the affects of immunocompetence on the ornamentation of polygamous and polyandrous species. Further would like to know exactly where I can find this wondrous font of knowledge (possibly disgusting mental imagery not intended). I would like to invite the author to our next lecture in Biology Lecture Theatre 1 on Wednesday at 12:10pm, just so they can see how much time phagocytes have for the karmas-sutra. Sincerely Tom Fieldsend Animal and Plant Sciences Third Year
Listen live. Listen again.
Write: Forge Press, Union of Students, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TG Email: letters@forgetoday.com Please include your name, course and year of study. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and space.
I noticed that in the ‘Darts’ section in your latest issue you decided to pick out the Mathematics course ‘History of Mathematics’ and make something of a joke about it. I just thought I should inform you that the course is actually one of the most popular, if not the most popular course in the department. Of the students sitting the course last year, 77% ‘definitely agreed’ that the found the course interesting, with the rest ‘mostly agreeing’. Asked if they thought the teachers appeared enthusiastic, 99% ‘definitely agreed’. Overall, 78% ‘definitely agreed’ that they were satisfied with the quality of the module, one of the highest approval ratings for any course at Sheffield University, least not the Mathematics department. So I think you will agree Forge Press, the joke is actually on you. Yours Harry Horton Mathematics Councillor
Corrections & clarifications The photograph of the University of Sheffield Cheerleading team on page 31 of issue 22 was incorrectly attributed to Helen Smalley. The photo was actually taken by Jack Gilbert and Paul Hollingsworth of Photosoc.
www.forgeradio.com
In the Varsity supplement (issue 22), two photographs by Adam Harley on pages V6 (top) and V12 (centre bottom) were incorrectly attributed to Helen Munro. We apologise for any upset caused.
Editorials Do anything, but don’t do nothing
We can’t offer you any sophisticated political analysis of what the General Election result means for Sheffield students, as Forge Press went to print before the polls closed, and will arrive at the Union after the result is announced. Rest assured, had we known the voters’ verdict before signing off the paper, our front page would’ve read ‘THE END IS NIGH’ in the event of a victory for David Cameron. Whatever our electoral fate, I can only hope that you exercised your democratic right. Whether you felt compelled to vote because of deeply-held political convictions, because you were stirred by a particular issue, because of the Vote for Students campaign, or just because you felt that had a social obligation to visit the ballot box; by doing so you at least had your say. There is no other way to enforce political reform and social change than by engaging with the often-dull and uninspiring workings of our political system. So please, if the General Election result has left you thoroughly depressed, or even just a little displeased, get involved. Sign petitions on the issues that bother you most, write to your local MP – do something. Don’t let your voice become muted by apathy if, like me, you have your fears about what could happen. Of course, if you really don’t care about all that politics blather and didn’t vote, then that’s ok too. I’m amazed that anyone would disregard this hard-won fundamental part of living in a modern democracy, but there you go.
A long way to go
I was able to visit my local polling station to cast my vote in this round of elections because of the incredible efforts of the suffragettes and suffragists, the first wave of UK feminists. It’s less than a century since votes for women were still a pipedream, and the likes of the Pankhursts and Millicent Fawcett gifted this basic right to the female population. Yet, the term ‘feminism’ sometimes carries the connotations of being ‘oversensitive’. But why? Surely anyone who believes that all citizens should have equal treatment can count themselves as a feminist? People opposing misogyny and sexism aren’t just ranting maniacs out to ruin everyone’s fun. Union Women’s Officer Amy Sutherland puts it nicely in the feature on page 13 of this issue when she says: “To me, feminism means the belief that men and women should be equal and that we need to do some work to get there. To others though, feminism is misunderstood as being somehow ‘anti-men’.” Some work might be a slight understatement, though. Only this week Zoo magazine, that esteemed purveyor of sense, helped to perpetuate the idea that violence against women is ok; funny even. Joke or not, Danny Dyer’s sage advice that a reader should “cut your ex’s face, and then no one will want her”, as a means of getting over his former girlfriend only served to show that there’s still a long way to go.
Forge Press Editor, Media Hub, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TG, forgepress@forgetoday.com
Have you voted in the General Election today?
Vicky Shreeve History and Politics Second year
Leigh Gettins Maths Second year
Luke Martin Politics Second year
Duncan Ayels Engineering First year
Kab Nepal Medicine Second year
Kate Mouncher Sociology and Politics Second year
Yes, but I think voting every five years isn’t enough - people need to be more active citizens.
Yes, I voted this morning. It wasn’t tremendously exciting, just a fairly standard experience.
I got up late, so I haven’t voted yet. I’ll definitely go in a couple of hours, though.
Yes, I had a postal vote. The system worries me though - there’s been so many accusations of fraud.
No, I haven’t voted yet, but I’m on my way now. I already know who I’m going to vote for.
Yes, I voted for the Lib Dems. Exercising my democratic right for the first time was great!
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
www.forgetoday.com // comment@forgetoday.com
7
COMMENT
Debate: Is scrapping tuition fees a policy current undergraduates should support?
Uni fees are a Free tuition burden verging does not work on robbery after recession If a student doesn’t splash his own cash on a kebab from Aslan’s after a night at the Union and a cab back to Crookes, whose cash will he fritter away instead?
Giulia Smith
Sade Olaniyi
Tuition fees for university should be abolished. Why are children allowed to go through primary school and secondary school at no cost and then as soon as they reach university are forced to fork out thousands to pay for four hours of teaching a week? Many students regard fees as daylight robbery with subjects often providing few hours of contact time or one on one sessions. Instances of lectures being cancelled and lecturers not bothering to turn up aggravates students who are paying a considerable amount of money for the pleasure. People from all backgrounds should be allowed an equal opportunity to attend university which would benefit us all as it would make campus more diverse. But many students haven’t got this opportunity as they are scared away by the daunting amount of fees. Surely from a governmental perspective it would be more worthwhile to abolish tuition fees so more people have the chance to attend university and improve their prospects of employment. The Liberal Democrats are the only party supporting this view with a promise to phase out tuition fees over the course of the next six years featured on their agenda.
As a result of the General Election, the subject of tuition fees has once again reared its ugly head. Many constituencies, including Sheffield Central and Sheffield Hallam, are occupied mainly by students and our political hopefuls seem to think that by promising to lower fees, we will be wooed into voting for them. Goodness knows where they got that idea from. As if any current students would’ve dragged themselves out of bed on election day just to vote for someone who promises to lower fees, when we’re already plagued by thousands of pounds of debt. And in any case, abandoning tuition fees just won’t work. According to a recent article in The Telegraph, under a Liberal Democrat government, students could look forward to a debt-free ride throughout university. Should Mr Clegg have won the election, each student can go through the uni experience safe in the knowledge that there will be no student loans to pay back after graduation. This is all well and good but I’m left to wonder exactly how this is meant to work. If students are allowed a free ride through university, someone has to bear the costs that come with getting a degree.
Labour and the Conservatives on the other hand want to increase tuition fees, which is an absurd suggestion. It would be counterproductive and has already been strongly petitioned against by students. Thousands of students finish their degrees with huge debts bearing a financial millstone around their necks. Tuition fees create a divide between the rich and poor. Rich kids can get their parents to pay for their fees while many from poorer backgrounds simply can’t afford to do that. University often means moving away from home and the cost of living combined with tuition fees is simply too much. Poorer people are penalised and don’t always have the chance to go to university on a matter of cost regardless of the fact that they could be a
Art: Natasha Maisey straight A student. On the other hand wealthier students are also being punished. A recent study by the Think Tank Policy Exchange says wealthier students should be removed from the student loan scheme and forced to borrow loans with much higher interest rates. Tuition fees are a great avenue for universities to receive extra money and they won’t want to lose it. But I believe this policy continuously increasing tuition fees will eventually backfire on them. Some vice chancellors are trying to raise tuition fees from a minimum of £5,000 to £20,000 but who in their right minds would pay £20,000 for a degree? Such a price would see a huge decline in the number of people attending university as even the rich wouldn’t find it worthwhile to pay such an unreasonable price.
D.A.R.T.S.
British students need to get some perspective With over 300,000 students attending university each year, we can’t expect the government to cough up cash each time someone decides they’d prefer to spend three years getting pissed rather than facing the inevitable dole queue.
tiny interest rates to grants that aren’t repayable. Scrapping tuition fees will only cause problems. Money that should be spent reviving our economy and getting us out of the recession will go towards paying for students to go to university. Maybe it’s time British parents start doing what American parents do and begin putting some money aside each year to fund their children’s dreams of a higher education. The benefits of attending university nearly always outweigh the financial costs that are incurred. And even if education is the right of every citizen, it is not reasonable to expect the government to pay for the degree of every single student who decides to fly the nest and live it large in London or Loughborough. British students need to get some perspective. Compared to our American counterparts who pay tuition fees of anything from $10,000 to $30,000 a year, I think we’re getting a p r e t t y good deal.
We’d all love to get a degree and pay nothing at the end of it but it isn’t a realistic option. Universities need funding to pay staff salaries and to keep up the standard of education. As it is, the government is already trying to ensure as many people as possible are given the opportunity to attend university, with everything from loans with
Forge Press takes its satirical aim
LACROSSE BALL IS PUKEFEST
I LOVE YEW
COUNCIL WAFFLE
Fresh off the back of the far from glowing report of Sheffield’s sports teams in the British and European m e d i a during the University’s sports festival ‘Saloufest’, another sports club has lived up to the stereotype of alcoholic overindulging amongst the
A living yew tree hedge is a new hippy initiative installed at Ranmoor Village. It features light panels which glow when two people simultaneously pass through them called the ‘hedge of friendship’ Designer Jo Fairfax said: “when two people meet in the archway, sensors in the light panel detect them and the light panels glow red. Friendship is announced!”
At the Students’ Union Council meeting a proposal relating to the University’s policy on Gaza has to be rewritten on account of it being too long. It needs to be reduced to a maximum of 200 words in order to meet the regulations that dominate the Council process. Who would have thought that Union Council would be found guilty of waffling?
University’s ‘athletes’. Two ambulances were called in as the Lacrosse club’s ball descended into a binge drinking fuelled, p u k e covered farce. T h e n again this may be the aim of the game. Lacrosse rules?
Art: Kate Carson
8
www.forgetoday.com // comment@forgetoday.com
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
COMMENT
The spy who loved to stay in bed on Chatroulette 4Students could do without such a demanding part-time job as workloads pile up 4National security warrants intelligence agents who aren’t preoccupied by bar crawls
Michael Hunter
I was a spy once upon a time. I had a stick for a gun. And my shifts were strict – 15 minutes at 10.35 every morning, Monday to Friday. It was hardly James Bond stuff back in my day, admittedly. More like a good version of Spooks. But boy, I enjoyed my time as Agent Hunter. I was seven. And my mate Liam played the part of baddie in the playground of Roseberry Infant School. Roles were reversed at lunch time, so I know what it’s like on both sides. It’s a bit surprising, then, that I wasn’t the first person national security services approached during an alleged recruitment drive round our campus recently. Anywhere between ‘zero and 10’ lecturers and students at our uni have been asked to spy on their
peers, says Black Students’ councillor Munsif Mufalil. Not exactly panic time. But naturally, the handful who were grabbed by men in macs wearing those comedy glasses-andmoustache combos were left a little startled. I mean, it’s not every day someone slips you a thick brown envelope in exchange for listening in on Computer Science and Aerospace Engineering seminars. I guess that’d be enough to frighten any student from the faculties of Arts and Humanities or Social Science.
Wire fences surrounding the Bar One beer garden But surely some students accepted their cash-coated advances? If only up to 10 people have reported being approached, we can assume that just as many said yes. Alarming news,
presumably, for anyone looking at a future with al-Qaeda. Take a look around you. That fella with the shit beard and thick-rimmed glasses. Has he got peep holes in that broadsheet newspaper? It’s hard to fathom why Britain’s top intelligence agents need to call on the help of 18-25-yearolds whose most telling experience of subterfuge is a pimps-and-hoes fancy dress bar crawl. For most of us, spying on fellow students in our spare time is an added pressure we could do without at the moment. At a time of the year when deadlines loom demanding word counts of 7,000 plus, the last thing I need is the burden of compiling a dossier on my neighbours or classmates. I hope I’m not a suspect. Not least for the sake of the person who would’ve had the misfortune of following my life over the past month or so. There was one week when a five-minute walk to
the Euro Spar in Broomhill for some mushrooms was considered a highlight. It’s important now that the Union does all it can to help put its students at ease. Unfortunately, they probably hadn’t anticipated the ‘threat’ of anti-terrorism when preparing their budget for the next academic year. So forget snipers patrolling on top of the Hicks Building, o r wire fences surrounding the Bar One beer garden. Instead, councillor Mufalil, who brought the spying scandal to the attention of Union Council last week, says he’ll settle for a motion to be added to the Union’s constitution. That means he wants his fellow councillors to agree spy scouts have no place recruiting students here, before scribbling it down on a document only the most dedicated Union councillors can be arsed to read. Quite a statement. It’s a slightly
presumptuous motion though. Because, while the weeks preceding second semester exams is hardly an ideal time to get involved in such a demanding part-time job, now is hardly the time for students to be ruling out alternative career options.
It was hardly James Bond stuff back in my day Okay, so there’s one or two ethical questions to ponder before you agree to become a spy. But not nearly as many as you’d have to consider before filling out an application for the BAE Systems graduate scheme. Terrorism, of course, is no laughing matter. Just ask Paul Chambers, a bloke who was arrested by South Yorkshire Police earlier this year after he joked about blowing up Doncaster’s Robin Hood Airport on Twitter. It’s easy for me to say
Art: Michael Westwood the Western world is oversensitive to suspected terrorism. I was more worried about my History homework on 9/11. And being from a small town in the North East of England, the 7/7 attacks in London would’ve felt just as far away had they been in Vanuatu. We were reminded only last weekend of the existing threat of terrorism after the failed Times Square car bomb. But it was the failed bombing of the Amsterdamto-Detroit flight last Christmas Day which brought Britain’s vigilance under renewed scrutiny. The bomber, Nigerian student Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, studied in London for three years on a legitimate student visa. And there are legitimate worries the system could be exploited by other wannabee terrorists in the mould of Abdulmutallab. But spying on campus at the University of Sheffield? I’d hope there were more elaborate plans in place for combating terrorism in Britain. If not, I’d better give my old mate Liam a ring.
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
www.forgetoday.com // comment@forgetoday.com
9
COMMENT
Gatecrasher blow leaves our city’s club scene lagging Luke Martin
‘There’s another youth revolution around the corner we don’t know whether it will happen here or elsewhere but let’s keep our eyes open.’ Words from the late, great Tony Wilson, founder of the Haçienda, Manchester; a club that would change the world forever. The Haçienda offered something new, something different and something that was passed like a northern clubbing revolution baton to my home city of Sheffield. The revolution was Gatecrasher, and I was there to see it. The club culture of the late ’80s to early ’00s was a defining moment in many people’s lives. You became part of something that gave a nice smiley ‘fuck you’ to the authorities, to the system that sought to dominate and control. Their response was that everyone was on drugs. ‘Arrest them’ cried the prescription-medicated masses, chardonnay in one hand and tax duty in the other. Drugs taxable and non-taxable were consumed
and lots of them. The hysteria that was Gatecrasher originated in Birmingham, but it was Sheffield that was to become synonymous with the legend that was the lion. At the time clubbing options were dire. Rise at the Leadmill and the Music Factory (now Sainsbury’s) were the only serious choices. There was, of course, the lager-fuelled commercial clubs that promised a night of violence. But the serious clubber needed a haven in which to indulge. Gatecrasher at the Republic made this possible.
The clubbers were great and love was in the air The door policy took inspiration from those of the late ’70s New York clubs of the Paradise Garage and later Twilo. The policy was muchmaligned but, ever irresistible, was simple: Happy people only. The beer monsters were turned away and left to fight in the squalor of the mundane. The music was pure
trance. Songs that went on to become mainstream commercial successes were born in Crasher. The DJs were legendary. Local boy Scott Bond came of age and the six-hour sets of Paul Van Dyke became clubland folklore. House heads like me had the sanctuary of the plasma lounge in the back room where local DJs like Corey and Ricky Chopra delighted us with pure, unadulterated sexy house. The clubbers were great and love was well and truly in the air. Students mixed with us locals. A sense of community was forged with people from around the UK and the world. The night would end on a high note with the crowd singing while the lights went up and the music had stopped and you made your way outside into the sunshine. But the party didn’t stop there; it was only 6am. Some of us would go to Insomniacs or if you were feeling dirty it would be Niche. Then it would be onto The Howard near the train station to carry on the party. Trance on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of Sheffield is a memory I will never forget. This is the past and to the future we must look. The planning proposal by Gatecrasher to take over
Plans to re-open the club below the ‘cheese grater’ were thrown out. the bottom of the ‘cheese grater’ car park has been rejected by the city council. So what now for the city of Sheffield in terms of future clubbing? The odds of going clubbing are good but the goods are odd. Forget the commercial clubs of Embrace and Plug. Forget the Union nights (except The Tuesday Club).
The club culture that existed has gone from the city. DQ is the clubber’s night of choice with the eclectic mix of nights like Club Pony and Threads. Comparing Sheffield to Manchester and Leeds becomes painful. The DJ Magazine top 100 clubs contain two from Manchester and one
from Leeds, with Sheffield missing from the list. What makes it more painful is that one time we would have ruled a chart like that. But today there is nothing. But perhaps it needs to get worse before it gets better. Maybe rejecting the planning permission was right and to go forward we must not look back.
No one needs an extra hour for excess junk Peter Brennan
Oasis Pizza and the Broomhill Friery have been refused permission to stay open until the hours of the day that are so early they may even be considered late. The ironically named ‘BANG’ neighbourhood watch group have succeeded in keeping Whitham Road a safer and quieter environment for that crucial period of between 3.15 am and 4.15am at the risk of upsetting perhaps
five particularly drunk stragglers per night. An essential element to any young adult’s night out is to end up at a horrible eatery buying barely edible food in order to satisfy a strangely consistent craving for cholesterol and excess salt. It’s an essential rule of thumb. Pre-drinks either at home, or Bar One, or both, followed by more expensive drinks listening to music you would normally hate, before a trip to any kind of food distributor that can guarantee at least mildly warm sustenance. But why are these areas of renowned fine dining so upset at this surely minimal level of trade? What is it about that particular time
that will make them so much money? I’ve always failed to be compos mentis enough to keep track of when exactly clubs shut, but I’ve a l w a y s found that regardless, the Broomhill Friery has been an open haven calling me in like a moth to a particularly bright light. Never once have I turned up only to find I’m too late to be allowed to waste my money in a classic case of ‘it seemed like a good idea at the time’. If ever the day comes that I’m standing outside the front door craving cheesy
chips to soak up the vodka in my system and I’m too late to enter a late night takeaway, then it’s time to sit down and have a serious think about what exactly I’m doing with my life. This attack on the expansion of the Friery and Oasis Pizza is certainly not an example of the council trying to ‘ruin this city’, as Sean Bean’s n e p h e w (and Friery o w n e r ) ludicrously suggested. It certainly seems there is an agenda of bowing to public pressure and
limiting the extent of drunken excess. This move to prevent all-night takeaways is another step to deter those who thrive on an early-hour drinking culture. It must be really annoying for people living in Broomhill. It’s annoying for me having my next door neighbours crawling in at 5am and then blasting out the Antiques Roadshow theme tune. They go to Hallam and will never read this so I can say: I hate all of you. Imagine what it must be like for residents who aren’t students. Those who have children, or are elderly. A constant wave of loud idiots, who earlier in the night had left their sense of
decency and understanding of social norms at the bottom of a glass, would be infuriating. Imagining how it would feel to know that this situation could be extended by an hour, or as original plans were to 6am, would be far too much. The only problem is the level of consistency. A nearby competitor Northern Sole has recently been allowed to stay open longer and this probably triggered the two aforementioned facilities to request a similar allowance. Perhaps this means that they have more sensitive locals or maybe they just attract a more irritating demographic of drunken slobs.
10
ADVERTISEMENT
www.forgetoday.com // features@forgetoday.com
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010 www.forgetoday.com // features@forgetoday.com
11
FEATURES
More than just a pretty face: the inequality fighters Forge Press speaks to leading proponents of the third wave of feminism in Sheffield about their pioneering work on issues from lad’s mags to gender stereotyping. Millie Travis ‘Today it is widely believed that women and men have achieved equality. This quite simply is an illusion’. So begins The Equality Illusion: the Truth about Women and Men Today written by author, feminist activist and Sheffield University graduate Kat Banyard. “We are continually told we live in a post-feminist age,” Banyard said in an interview, “yet if you scratch the surface of society none of the realities you come up with square with that view.” This is the message of what has become known the third feminist wave - the first wave coming with the Suffragettes, the second during the flower power days of the 1960s. This third wave is now originating from students, and leading the way are women from Sheffield. Meeting in a small pub down Trippet Lane are the Sheffield Fems, a feminist group set up by university students back in 2005. Despite its short life, the group has already achieved a great deal. In 2005, campaigning by the Sheffield Fems resulted in both John Lewis and Claire’s Accessories discontinuing Playboy merchandise on their shelves; in 2008, the group managed to halt plans to bring a Hooter’s restaurant to Leopold Square. “Our members are about 50/50 students to non-students now, but that means there’s a good mix”, notes group member Anna Robottom. At the moment, she says, there are around 150 people on the group’s mailing list - “the only problem is getting them to the meetings!” On their agenda are issues such as the pay gap (women are still paid 23 per cent less than men), abortion rights, strip clubs, and lad’s mags. On the first Saturday of every month, the group enacts its ‘Women in Black’ campaign in the city centre. The event raises awareness of female oppression focusing on asylum seekers, particularly those escaping war zones. Domestic violence is also highlighted; one in four women will face violence in their homes during their lifetime. The rising prevalence and social acceptance of lads mags is a major concern for the new feminist era. Action taken by feminists ranges from organised campaigns and leaflets to individual protests. Post-it notes with messages such as ‘how would you feel if this was your sister?’ are stuck onto the magazines and ‘Turn it Over’ campaigns encourage feminist supporters to turn such publications over. Media pressure is a constant target for feminists. Kat Banyard
A recent Women in Black campaign held by Sheffield Fems outside City Hall, highlighting issues facing women today. talks of ‘the tyranny of beauty‘ and the airbrushed models who feature on every magazine cover. To counteract such magazines’ growing popularity, the Sheffield Fems have started handing out leaflets stating ‘all of those pictures are edited. It can’t be right to want women to be something that’s impossible’ and ‘once you see a picture of a women like that, you see every other woman in the same way: as an object’.
Lads mags are Post-it noted with messages such as ‘how would you feel if this were your sister?’ However, the fight against lad’s mags is seen by some as being controversial. Earlier this year, Women’s Officer Amy Sutherland complained about the distribution
of FHM Magazine at the Fresher’s Fair and was accused of ‘over-sensitivity’ and making ‘gross assumptions’ about how students would be influenced by the publication. The incident divided opinion in the student population, with as many vehemently supporting her position as disputing it. Many people have commented on feminism’s supposedly ‘overbearing’ reputation. “It’s a hot topic in a lot of women’s events I have been to,” says Sutherland. “To me, feminism means the belief that men and women should be equal and that we need to do some work to get there. To others though, feminism is misunderstood as being somehow ‘anti-men’.” Sutherland chairs the Women’s Committee, which works actively in a number of areas, including fighting unequal representation in the workplace and raising awareness about female safety on and off campus. Some have questioned whether feminism still has a real case to fight for in modern British society. However, research has shown that the movement is as relevant now as ever. It is well reported that girls regularly outperform boys at school during GCSEs and A Levels, and female
university entrants are at a record high, making up 55 per cent of all university entrants.
Sheffield is at the forefront of the new feminist revival In her book Kat Banyard reminds us of some of the problems women face: for example, that every year 100,000 women are raped; 90 per cent of all those who suffer from eating disorders are female; and laws regarding prostitution are widely believed to be inadequate. “Women are forced into prostitution by a process of exclusion, disadvantage and often abuse”, says Banyard. One study across nine countries has shown that 68 per cent of prostitutes show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, a rate as high as victims of sexual abuse. Inequality in the workplace for women exists but is gradually improving. Google and Facebook are just a couple of well-known
Photo: Gemma Styles
companies who currently employ female executives. Unfortunately, the University of Sheffield has not contributed to this success as not one of its senior positions is occupied by a woman; “women are vastly underrepresented”, laments Banyard. The roots of these divisions between the sexes are numerous and profound, say feminists. A survey by Natasha Walter, author of The New Feminism, reveals that 60 per cent of Mancunian teenagers would consider glamour modelling as a career. “There’s just a lack of inspiration for young girls,” notes Emma Blackmore, teacher and member of Sheffield Fems. Banyard argues that girls learn to treat themselves as objects from a young age, something which she describes as “inherently dehumanising.” UK Feminista, a new nationwide organisation founded by Banyard, works to “reclaim feminism for the new generation and support all individuals taking action against sexism”. A new feminism era is dawning from the controversy and murky stereotypes in society. It now fights for women’s dignity and equality. It is being fought more and more by younger people, and Sheffield is leading the way.
FORGE PRESS Thursday April 22 2010
V5
www.forgetoday.com // sport@forgetoday.com
Floored by four: football firsts fail
VARSITY FOOTBALL
Women’s Football 1s Uni Hallam
1 4
The University of Sheffield women’s football firsts lost by four goals to one against Sheffield Hallam in an energetic battle at Hillsborough on Wednesday afternoon. For the first 10 minutes the teams were evenly matched with both teams having chances to go forward. Both Uni and Hallam’s defences seemed to be working well to keep out the opposing players. Just after the 15 minute mark a handball from Uni led to a free kick for Hallam just outside the area. Some bad defending and goalkeeping from Uni resulted in Hallam scoring from their free kick. The Uni team had a half chance after 25 minutes but it was dealt with easily by Alice Williams, goalkeeping for Hallam. Some solid defending stopped the Uni team from going further behind and the Uni women were looking sharp on the break. A brilliant throw into the box and a magnificent strike by Alex Weeks put Uni back in the game at one goal apiece. However, it only take a matter of minutes for Hallam to get back in the game with a perfect shot
from Jodie Hancock from 25 yards out going straight over the head of Kim Griffiths in net for Uni. Hallam went into half time with a 2 – 1 lead. Both teams came out determined to steal the victory but it was Hallam who started the better of the two teams. Emma Bird had a brilliant chance to level the scores with a one on one chance with the goalkeeper but it went just wide of the post. Hallam got their third goal from not long after the restart and it would have taken something really impressive by the Uni team
for them to win this match. Hallam got a corner minutes before the end and managed to score after some poor defending from Uni left their striker unmarked in the area. Hallam continued to tackle and defend well to keep Uni out, and even Uni’s best efforts couldn’t stop Hallam from winning the points. Uni cooach Natalie Allen was understandably disappointed at the result, but said: “I thought we put in a really good performance. We tried really hard and we were very unlucky with that result.” Charlotte Duncker
Seconds cannot break stalemate Men Football seconds Uni Hallam
1 1
Sheffield’s second team battled against a tough Hallam side to earn a draw in what was a thunderous encounter at Norton Playing Fields. Uni took an early lead when Kieran Quinn’s free kick was not dealt with by the Hallam keeper and found its way into the net. The game became an attritional affair that
threatened to boil over at times. A late tackle on Uni’s right back sparked a brief encounter between the teams. However, both teams maintained a full compliment throughout. In the second half Hallam mustered an equaliser as a high and hopeful ball was headed home by the Hallam centre forward. Uni continued to battle away and always looked capable of scoring the winner. The pace of Uni’s wingers caused Hallam problems in
particular. However, Uni could just not find the breakthrough, leaving the scores at 1-1 at full time. Captain Richard Brough, who led by example all afternoon, was still pleased with his side. He said: “I am so proud of the lads. We have lost twice to Hallam this year so we were massive underdogs today.” Michael Hallam
Hallam’s women leapfrog the seconds Women’s Football 2s Uni Hallam
1 3
The University of Sheffield women’s football seconds were unable to claim victory despite opening the scoring at the Niagara Club. A goal by Becky Grevitt early in the second half was followed by three goals from Hallam as Uni squandered a great opportunity to win. In a generally uninspiring first period there was little in the way of goalmouth action. The best chances fell to Hallam in the last minutes of the half. The game came alive five minutes into the second half when Grevitt latched on to a slow ball and coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner. Uni’s manic celebrations were short-lived, however. On the hour mark Hallam equalised after a Uni mistake left gifted Hallam a one on one with the Uni keeper. Five minutes later and Hallam were ahead a long throw was allowed to bounce onto the crossbar and was bundled in at the far post. With 15 minutes to go Hallam went further ahead with another scrappy goal. This time a free kick was not dealt with and another goalmouth scramble resulted in Hallam’s third goal. Despite valiant attempts to force their way back into the game Uni did not look like scoring again and fell to defeat. After the game Helen Jones, of Uni, said: “It’s really gutting. It was good to score first because last year we lost six - nil, but the pressure was always on us and the atmosphere was brutal at times.” Jones remained upbeat, however, about the state of women’s football. “There is defiantly progress. We have got supporters down here from both sides and that’s great to see.” Matt Duncan
Sharp start for Uni, but Hallam claim the win Men’s Football thirds Uni Hallam
1 2
The third team football match at Norton started brightly with Sheffield University striker Owen having the first chance within minutes. The pressure started to mount against Hallam and another through ball by Winters had the keeper
reaching for the ball as Owen’s shot glanced wide. Hallam began fighting back and after a corner kick wasn’t properly dealt with, they came close with a well struck volley. But Uni retaliated and another long through ball from the left back sent Owen running. Beating the defender for pace he tried to cross the ball to his advancing teammates but the pass was cut out. On the stroke of 20
minutes the ball again failed to be cleared out of the defence, and a gently looped volley beat the keeper putting Hallam ahead. Uni replied with some great play down the right by Berry and Lauo but the shot was again smothered by the Hallam keeper. After some more pressure Berry finally capitalised on some last-ditch defending and calmly slotted the ball in the back of the net to draw level.
The high intensity continued after half time and the challenges got later and later. Another long ball by Hallam sent their striker on a darting run and after bringing it down he calmly placed it past the keeper. Uni players were furious, and surrounded the referee to complain about a handball. They continued to pressure, however, with a handful of chances, but to no avail. Chris McKay
14
www.forgetoday.com // features@forgetoday.com
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
ADVERTISEMENT
S10
The NORTH Sheffield
Home for the summer Keep up to date with all the latest University news, reviews, blogs and more whilst you’re away this summer... DOT COM
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
www.forgetoday.com // features@forgetoday.com
15
FEATURES
Binge drinking busted
Members of the Union’s Welfare Committee were set the task of remaining sober, sticking with their usual drinking habits, or only consuming within limits.
Duncan Robinson It’s highly likely that you – yes, you, reading this – are a binge drinker. I’m not saying that you’re a bad sort of binge drinker – y’know, the type that gets caught vomiting into a pint glass in a corner of Bar One, or photographed in Cardiff with their knickers around their ankles. I’m merely suggesting that binge drinking is surprisingly easy to do. You might not think that binge drinking is a big deal, but your liver does. And so do your neighbours if you stagger home and decide to boot over some wheelie bins, as some wellrefreshed lads did outside my bedroom window at 3.00am last week. Cheers!
Many are surprised to discover their drinking habits constitute ‘binge drinking’
Although we’re unlikely to classify ourselves as being binge drinkers, falling into that category involves consuming what many would see as being a normal amount of alcohol – for example, four pints of premium lager on a night out, or three large glasses of white wine. Somewhat predictably, research identifies university students especially as being self-identifying when it comes
After three weeks on an ‘alcohol experiment’, Forge Press meets the daring participants to classifying what constitutes ‘binge drinking’, with drinkers having significantly higher definitions of what it means than non-drinkers. Booze is the ubiquitous undercurrent of student culture. Perhaps you only dabble; perhaps you’re a wreckhead. In either case booze will affect your time at university. “Whether they choose to consume it or not” says Natalie Wood, the chair of the Union’s Welfare Committee, “alcohol forms a part of many students’ university experience.” It was with this in mind that the Welfare Committee challenged three students to keep an alcohol diary of everything they drank over the Easter holiday. One agreed to forgo all alcohol over the period. Another could drink, but had to stay within the recommended limits. The final volunteer had the arduous task of drinking what they would normally and documenting everything. The first volunteer, who we shall nickname ‘Sober’ for the purpose of this article, cut down from more than 15 units of alcohol a week to zero. The results were something of a revelation to her. “At first”, she told me, “I noticed only a few differences compared to a normal week. But towards the second half of the first week I was feeling more awake and had more energy on a morning. “Instead of getting up at 10.30am (often later), I actually felt wide awake at 9.00am, which meant I had more time during the day to begin working on my
essays, or even hitting the shops.” Sober’s newly-productive daytime hours meant the beginning of invitingly-free evenings. During the second week of the experiment, Sober went on her first completely teetotal night out since she could remember. “I thought it would be hard to be around my friends when they were drinking alcohol and I was just drinking lemonade, but I didn’t notice a difference. “Some of my friends followed my lead and stopped drinking early on in the night because they saw I was having fun and spending a lot less money than them.” Sober was able to drive her and her friends there, instead of forking out for a taxi: “my friends paid for my entry to the club and bought my (soft) drinks in return for the lift.” By the end of the third week, Sober’s reflection on the experiment was distinctly positive. “I noticed that my concentration during the day had significantly improved, and my energy levels were much higher than a few weeks ago. “I’ve had three nights out and have enjoyed every one as much as if I’d been drinking alcohol; I’ve also saved around £40-£50 overall.” But will the experience have lasting impacts on Sober’s drinking habits? Actually, yes. “This experiment hasn’t converted me to stop drinking alcohol altogether, but it has shown me that I can have fun sober on a night out.
“I’ll definitely be cutting back on my weekly intake now that I know the benefits of not drinking can be achieved without compromising on having a good time.”
Alcohol inevitably forms part of the university experience
The second volunteer’s challenge was slightly more subtle - they were allowed to drink alcohol, but just the two units a day that the government defines as being a healthy amount for a woman to drink. Within Limits, as she will be known here, began the challenge feeling confident. “With a dissertation looming, a few weeks with a clear head seemed like a great idea”, she told me. But the two unit limit soon started to feel restricting. “For the first weekend of the holidays I went home to visit my family, and with the final England game of the Six Nations and a rugby-loving Dad we went to the pub to watch the game. “Having had one pint of four per cent pale ale, I had reached two and a half units and couldn’t have another despite finishing
Cartoon: Natasha Maisey
my drink before half time.” Back in Sheffield again in the second week, Within Limits went off to the pub with some course mates after a long day in the IC. This time, the task’s limits prompted her to consider carefully what she drank. “After one large glass of red wine I was again nearly at my limit for the day. I deliberated a little, then had another small glass. With being over a few hours and having a drink of water in between, drinking a little over my daily limit didn’t seem irresponsible and I made sure I didn’t exceed my 14 units for the week.” In the final week, Within Limits went on a big night out with her newly-returned housemates. “A completely sober night out was not something I had looked forward to, but it was actually great fun. Dancing away and having a laugh was the same as every other night out – although seeing some particularly drunk people through sober eyes was a bit of a revelation! “The next morning I was able to get going without a hangover battle.” This sample proves that limiting alcohol intake to a teetotal or vastly reduced level is highly advantageous, which was the exact aim of the diaries, said Natalie Wood. “We were hoping to highlight the positive benefits of cutting down on alcohol intake, such as increased energy levels, better concentration, improvements to physical appearance and a reduction in the drain on finances.” The third and final diarist, who will remain nickname-less, drank what they liked for three weeks and is testament to this: they couldn’t be bothered to get their diary in on time.
Varsity2010 American Football Athletics Men’s Badminton Women’s Badminton Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball Men’s Canoe Polo Women’s Canoe Polo Climbing Men’s Cricket Women’s Cricket Cycling Men’s Football Women’s Football Golf Men’s Hockey Women’s Hockey Ice Hockey Korfball Men’s Lacrosse Women’s Lacrosse
Hallam Uni Uni Uni Hallam Hallam Hallam Hallam Uni Hallam Hallam Uni Hallam Hallam Hallam Uni Hallam Hallam Uni Hallam Uni
Netball Rowing Rugby League Men’s Rugby Union Women’s Rugby Union Sailing Ski Slope Style Ski Racing Snowboard Slope Style Snowboard Racing Squash Swimming Men’s Tennis Women’s Tennis Trampolining Ultimate Frisbee Men’s Volleyball Women’s Volleyball Men’s Waterpolo Women’s Waterpolo
Hallam Uni Tie Uni Uni Uni Uni Uni Hallam Hallam Uni Hallam Hallam Uni Hallam Uni Hallam Uni Uni Hallam
UNI 19 -21 HALLAM 1/ 2
1/ 2
The independent student newspaper of the University of Sheffield // www.forgetoday.com
Photo: Helen Munro
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
www.forgetoday.com // lifestyle@forgetoday.com
18
Lifestyle
Monsieur Derrière:
Sandals at dawn
Calling all call-boys: stay It’s time to get your tootsies into the perfect summer condition. well away
smooth finish. You should also buff the nail surface to remove unwanted ridges, and use cuticle trimmer to clip down excess cuticle skin.
Jillian Warren
T
he last thing you want a guy to say to you in a taxi on the way back to his is “I can’t bum you tonight”. At that point I nearly jumped out of the cab even though we were just passing Castle Market. “Umm what the fuck am I here for then?” And yet another drunken bitchy comment slipped through my lips. The story unravels that he had just had surgery due to his tubes getting stuck around his retracted testicle and therefore had his scrotum cut open to sort it out. Nice. But that’s not the end of the world, my equipment was still in tact and so I would do the dutiful thing – lie back and think of England whilst he worked his magic on me.
Oh shit. Why do men always fall for me after one blowjob? Having a tall, dark, handsome man sucking you off on a balcony overlooking the Wicker is the way to live. When we made it back to his bedroom he went for round two, and as this happened I saw pictures of my friends on his bedside cabinet. Curiosity got the better of me and I regretfully asked him how he knew my friends and jokingly told him that I would be able to find out all the skeletons in his closet. “There’s something I’ve got to tell you. I think I’m falling for you and I need to be honest with you.” Oh shit. Why do men always fall for me after one blowjob? “Ok, be honest, what’s the problem?” He then tells me he is an escort, but assured me that it is not just about the sex; it’s about making people feel wanted. Well, that’s ok then. As long as he is making a valued contribution to society then that’s all that matters. As he left his flat to go and buy some coke from his next door neighbour, I ran out of the apartment and back into town. ‘Thank god he didn’t have the ability to bum me’, is all I kept thinking. Then I vowed never to have a one night stand ever again… unless they have a complete ball sack.
To read more from Monsieur Derrière go to www.forgetoday.com
Summer is fast approaching, which means one thing: it’s time to prepare for a change in the weather which means a dramatic shift in your clothing. Fail to prepare for the changes ahead and the results will be disastrous – a disgusting mix of pasty dry legs and floral summer skirts. Neglected feet are a common summer faux-pas. Toes which have been scrunched up in leather boots throughout the winter months are soon to be unleashed to the world. Fail to pamper your tootsies and, no matter how beautiful the encasing sandal, the result will look grubby and unfinished. Follow these simple tips and you will be ready to put your best foot forward into the glorious summer sun.
1. Buff your feet. Dry, scaly skin can build up on neglected feet, especially round the heel and ball. Invest in a good foot buffer to remove the hard skin. Soap and Glory do a fabulous one, priced at £8.50, that has three filing heads: rough, smooth, and a toe piece to banish dead skin in between your toes.
Classic pale pink varnish and well-cared for feet never go out of fashion. 2. Do not be too aggressive. Buff away dry dead skin, not all of your skin. 3. Use an exfoliating scrub to wash away dead flakes of skin. This will leave your feet fresh and clean. 4. Lather on a good, thick moisturiser. For extreme cases of dry, cracked feet, cover your feet in heaps of moisturiser at night time, put on an old pair of thick socks, and leave the lotion
to soak in overnight. A good moisturiser for this is Boot’s Botanics Overnight Foot Rescue Cream, £2.57. It will leave your feet kissably soft – for all those with a foot fetish. 5. Trim your toenails; long jagged nails belong only on witches. I advise using clippers designed for toenails, as it is important to cut them straight. Cutting the nails lower at the edges can lead to ingrowing toenails – ouch! 6. File the nail edge, creating a
7. Paint, paint, paint. Choose a bright summery colour to bring life to your feet; the right shade can transform dull feet. I recommend Barry M Nail Paint in Pink Flamingo, £2.95, as this will be sympathetic to all skin tones and is bang on trend this summer. Barry M Nail Paint is also quick drying and high gloss – perfect for a glamour puss. Apply one layer and allow to dry. Repeat this at least once for a long lasting finish. 8. If you are unfortunate enough to suffer from hairy toes, banish unwanted dark hair by plucking, waxing or bleaching. Fleecy feet may be a curse, but it is a problem easily solved. Do not shave the hair off- this will result in feet more suited to a grizzly bear. Your pampered paws are now ready to grace even the most elegant of summer sandals. A final tip is to be creative with your choice of summer footwear as a fashionable sandal can transform a plain outfit.
Lifestyle review: Give it How can you balance work and play? a Go yoga Sarah Mokrysz
Vicki Watson
My past experiences of yoga have made me slightly unenthusiastic, to say the least: sitting in a freezing-cold room on a rainy Monday morning, while most students were still in bed was not my idea of fun. As the only total beginner, the poses were surprisingly difficult and it was hard to keep up - I only lasted about two weeks. So initially I wasn’t interested when I heard of the Give it a Go yoga class, but I soon decided to try it again - after all, this was suitable for complete beginners. How hard could it be? What I found was an enjoyable, 90 minute class taught by a friendly, enthusiastic yoga instructor named Eric Wilkinson. The class had around 12 people and started off with simple stretches, then progressed onto a few yoga poses. I was pleased to discover how much easier they were with stepby-step demonstrations. The instructor was helpful as he went round the room suggesting improvements, and alternatives if our muscles ached too much. I heard a few giggles as everyone had a go, all of which made for quite a fun and lighthearted atmosphere. One highlight involved lying across your partner’s back, facing upwards, while they curled up in a ball. My partner and I found it quite funny trying to balance, and it
Exams are fast approaching, which means an increasing work load and having to decline the offers of nights out. But how do you balance work and play? You don’t want to fail your exams but neither do you want to live like a hermit for months. As someone who gets stressed at the first sight of a deadline, I know how hard it is to strike that perfect work/play balance. When I don’t go out for days or weeks, I feel I am missing out. What I do find that works for me, when I have lots to do, are lists. Lists of what to do today, the next day, the weekend – in fact, I probably write too many lists, but it makes me feel like I am in control. Seeing what I have to do written down on paper often shows that I don’t actually have that much to do. It means I can then work through the list, and when I complete a task I get to cross it
Photo: Sarah Mokrysz was surprisingly comfortable when we finally achieved it. It wasn’t all hard work- in the five minute chill session at the end I was struck by how relaxed I felt; it certainly did what it promised in the Give it a Go description. I talked to Rong Long, a postgraduate student, about her opinion of the class. She had recently started doing yoga again and was impressed. Her only fault was the lack of background music, as music had made yoga even more relaxing for her as an undergraduate in China. Many people clearly enjoyed it and some were keen to get details of Eric’s yoga class at Hunters Bar. I encourage anyone to try Give it a Go yoga the next time it is on at the Union or in fact any yoga classes. Like myself, you may be pleasantly surprised.
off with satisfaction. Obviously you have to have realistic with your lists. I think prioritising is also helpful. It may sound obvious, but do the most important thing first, or the one with the closest deadline. It’s also good to set aside times in the week, to go out. Set yourself goals – treat yourself to a night off after you have completed an essay. Whether it’s a trip to Space or going out for a few cocktails with friends, everybody needs some down-time to forget about work for a few hours. I think the best way to handle work and your social life is not to punish yourself. Make sure you do relax every so often and then you will probably focus more when it comes to doing your work. It is frustrating, but most of the time it is possible to strike a fairly decent balance, we just don’t think it at the time. At least exams will be over soon and we will have the whole summer, without deadlines.
The exam period brings on a lot of stress; find time to chill out a bit too.
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
19
www.forgetoday.com // travel@forgetoday.com
TRAVEL Foreign Correspondent
Secret mission Jo Wendel My more or less secret mission during my Year Abroad has been to make friends, real German friends, and as my last semester was looming I realised I had to up my game: I had to start doing sports. Sport is the ultimate way to make friends; it just took me until my year abroad to realise that. You’re in a small group, performing the same activity of interest, whilst focusing on a common enemy – the trainer. My second and last semester at Humboldt-Universität in Berlin began in early April, as did my mission to make friends, this time: sporty German friends. Every week I’m doing yoga, taekwondo and aerobics. That might not sound very impressive, but for someone who used to be the personification of unfitness, with my main exercise in life being the uphill part of Northumberland Road, this is a major achievement.
Focusing on a common enemy - the trainer University life has seen me gain half a stone over the years and my ability to concentrate has gone completely out the window. So making friends and becoming fit really is killing two birds in one stone. Falling over most ungracefully during the tree position, only to find that someone else has too is a great way to break the ice. Though admittedly, the language barrier is a problem. Not just because my yoga instructor insists on calling out the positions in Sanskrit, and my taekwondo master yells out in Korean. At times, even the German explanations make almost as little sense. I’ve reached the point where I can have academic discussions on 19th century German poetry, but can no longer remember what most body parts are called. The easy ones like arm, leg, hand, foot are all fine. But what about heels, toes, foot valve, pinkie, shoulder blades, hip bone, calves, ankles? Meditation isn’t quite as spiritual when you have to keep one eye open to spy on what the rest of the class is doing.
Photo: David Ledger
Chicago Skyline.
Dizzying heights of the windy city America’s second city, home of Al Capone, blues music and hotdogs David Ledger Contentiously named by many as America’s second city, Chicago’s strategic position in the heart of the United States has always cemented its reputation as an economic and cultural hub in the vastness of the American midwest. A veritable metropolis of architectural splendour, Chicago is an unassuming but incredibly exciting travel destination. When you first arrive in Chicago, probably via the enormous O’Hare airport, appearances could deceive you. Firstly you have to negotiate passage through US immigration, a scary experience in itself. Steely-faced security guards and customs officials provide a slightly ironic welcome to the “land of the free”. The airport is at least 40 minutes from downtown, but when you arrive and walk out of Union Station onto the street you are instantly amazed by the size and scale of the vast skyscrapers and the buzz of activity on every corner. After such a long trip any tourist would be famished, but have no fear. The love of hotdogs here is akin to a religion and eating a whole one certainly feels like a
baptism. A standard hotdog will be a spicy Vienna beef dog, topped with mustard, onions, celery salt, tomato wedges, a lime green relish, pickle spears and sport peppers (a sort of jalapeño pepper). However for some indiscernible reason absolutely no ketchup will be on your hotdog.
The love of hotdogs here is akin to a religion Tommy K is very much frowned upon and requesting it will probably get you a disgusted look, or worse. Around the city is some of the world’s most impressive architecture. Everything from Mies van der Rohe’s Bauhaus classics to cutting edge 21st century glass and steel structures are represented, although two buildings really do stand head and shoulders above the rest. The Sears Tower is a massive 110 storeys high and offers 3.8 million square feet of office space, while the John Hancock tower stands 98 storeys high. Both have observatories on the
top floors and are a fantastic way to see the whole of Chicago, and on a clear day as far as Wisconsin, Indiana and Iowa. However, for a truly unique perspective the Hancock tower takes my personal recommendation due to its 96th floor cocktail bar. It’s not just the buildings that give Chicago its unique feel, its all down to the people that live there. A rich cultural story with characters as diverse as Al Capone, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and most recently Barack Obama really do add to the flavour of the city. The birthplace of blues music and Chess records in the ’50s and more recently of house music in the early ’90s is a clear influence on the city with blues bars and huge nightclubs present in seemingly e v e r y district. L a r g e immigrant populations from Italy, C h i n a , Mexico and Germany have all left their lasting impression
on an already international city. Whenever you come to Chicago you will not be disappointed by the experience; it is certainly one of the best cities I have ever been to. So forget New York and Los Angeles; try Chicago on for size and I think you may be surprised by what you find.
in Bristol go to www.visitbristol. co.uk
‘pieces of eight’ but also a twist on the usual dining experience is the Spyglass Restaurant, ‘Bristol’s favourite BBQ boat’ situated at Bristol’s harbourside.
City Scout: Bristol Victoria Shaw Get there from Sheffield by: The train to Bristol Temple Meads takes 2 hours 46 minutes.Get an advance return ticket from £48 with a 16-25 Railcard Where to stay: Rooms at the Premier Inn on King Street start from £49 for a double room which works out at just £24.50 per person. For an even
cheaper night’s accommodation check out the YHA Bristol Hostel, prices start at £17.95 per night and this includes breakfast. Things to See and Do: A major tourist attraction in Bristol is the Clifton Suspension Bridge which is set on the cliffs of the Avon Gorge. This feat of engineering is an impressive sight and the views from upon the bridge are breath-taking. One of the newest additions
to Bristol is the Cabot Circus shopping centre which has propelled Bristol into the top 10 list of UK shopping destinations. For other ideas about what to do
Where to Eat: For a more mythical drink and a step back in time pay a visit to the Old City of Bristol and step inside the quirky Llandoger Trow pub which dates back to 1664 and is shrouded in legends about pirates and secret tunnels. A restaurant which provides not only good food for your
Nightlife: For those of you who enjoy fancy cocktails and a buzzing, vibrant atmosphere make a night of it on the ‘Golden Mile’ which includes Whiteladies Road, Park Street and the Clifton Triangle.
20
www.forgetoday.com // features@forgetoday.com
FORGE PRESS Thursday April 22 2010
PUZZLES & HUMOUR
Coffee Break SUDOKU
CROSSWORD
Fortnightly quiz 1. What is the second most common pub name in the UK behind the Red Lion?
8. What is Britains oldest Sunday newspaper?
2. How many emirates make up the United Arab Emirates?
9. Robert Zimmerman is the real name of which famous person?
3. In which city is the European Parliament based?
10. Which comedy series is set on Craggy Island?
4. What is pogonology the study of?
11. Who was the first snooker player to score a maximum 147 break in World Championship snooker?
5. What do the initials HB on a pencil stand for? 6. What is the world’s largest lake?
12. How old was Marilyn Monroe when she died?
7. Winston Churchill was defeated by which Labour leader in 1945? Solutions: 1. The Royal Oak, 2. Seven, 3. Strasbourg, 4. Beards, 5. Hard Black, 6. The Caspian Sea, 7. Clement Atlee, 8. The Observer, 9. Bob Dylan, 10. Father Ted, 11. Cliff Thornburn, 12. 36.
Across
Down
1. Oily or greasy (9) 5. Bet (5) 7. Young eel (5) 9. Land measure (4) 10. Sultry (6) 12. Dairy product (6) 13. Hex (4) 15. Crowd scene actor (5) 16. Hidden drawback (5) 18. Accumulated (9)
1. Cutting tool (3) 2. Remedy (4) 3. Wildcat (6) 4. Contradiction in terms (7) 6. Article of clothing (7) 8. Findings of a jury (7) 9. Of times long past (7) 11. Attack (6) 14. Dull pain (4) 17. Concealed (3)
Issue 22 crossword solution: Across: 1. Pedal, 6. Abreast, 8. Everest, 9. Spa, 10. Puss, 12. Fame, 15. Lid, 16. Attempt, 18. Sweeten, 19. Dotty. Down: 1. Pineapples, 2. Dice, 3. Label, 4. Grate, 5. Nausea, 7. Trajectory, 11. Sudden, 13. Wants, 14. Stand, 17. Most.
1. Lecturer ridicules students’ mistakes 2. The Forge News session
mOST POPULAR web CONTENT 3. Welfare vice-chair accused over comments 4. All square at the Ski Village
OVERHEARD IN SHEFFIELD Outside Infirmary Road Tescos:
cannot fit that in my mouth.”
It’s on the front window.”
Friend: “God you’re looking big now! When’s he due?”
In the Union:
Walky-talky: “Is it graphic?”
Woman: “September I think” Boyfriend: “I thought it was August?” Woman: “err no cos it’s April now, and I’m six and a bit months gone, so yeah, definitely September.” Outside the IC: Girl: “...and I said, look I am sorry but I
5. We’re simply the best - again 6. A third of Sheffield students may be at risk to STDs
WORD SEARCH
7. The Shrimps Last Laugh Comedy Club
Can you find the hidden World Cup 2010 teams? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.
8. The James and Tom show 9. Uni graduate wins reality TV show 10. Giant black hole sighting Keep up to date with Forge Media by visiting forgetoday. com; featuring articles, podcasts, listen again shows, video content and lots more.
Picture of the fortnight
Helen Munro captures the hockey thirds celebrating promotion.
ALGERIA, ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, CAMEROON, CHILE, COTE D’ IVOIRE, DENMARK, ENGLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, GHANA, GREECE, HONDURAS, ITALY, JAPAN, KOREA DPR, KOREA REPUBLIC, MEXICO, NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, NIGERIA, PARAGUAY, PORTUGAL, SERBIA, SLOVAKIA, SLOVENIA, SOUTH AFRICA, SPAIN, SWITZERLAND, UNITED STATES, URUGUAY
Girl: “‘I’ve given him a handjob twice and he hasn’t text back!” In a lecture: Guy: “Everyone thinks Law is just sex sex sex. But its not; I haven’t had sex in months.” In the Union:
Security Guard: “No, it’s not an actual picture, just the letters D.I.C.K. with a line underneath.” Walky-talky: “Is it in pen?” Security Guard: “No I think it’s in chocolate... Yep. It’s chocolate.” Boy’s bedroom:
Girl: “That’ll be me in 10 years, fingering myself to Ken Dodd”
Guy to group of friends: “I told you before tonight that I’d be nailing her - and I did. She loved it. She absolutely loved it. I was going for half an hour and didn’t even gizzle.”
In halls:
He does a little dance
Security Guard: “Found it.
Guy: “To be fair she was very drunk.”
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010 www.forgetoday.com // sport@forgetoday.com
21
FEATURE SPORT
Bringing a bit of Sheffield brass to South Africa
Sheffield Wednesday’s band also play at England matches. Here the band display their talent outside the home of English football, Wembley Stadium. Daniel Merriman Owls young and old reacted to Mike Dean’s final whistle, which denied a last ditch corner and therefore the possible retention of a place in the Championship to boot, in tearful, philosophical reflection, dignified singing and naively taking to the pitch. That game could not have meant much more to many than Sheffield Wednesday supporter John Hemmingham. Founder of the England Supporters’ Band, you probably hear him without seeing him. Every England game is backed by the marching, sing-along brassy tones of his band, and usually it is the theme from The Great Escape. Sadly for Sheffield Wednesday, the Palace boys would have been justified in blaring out that particular number at the opposite end. A Hillsborough institution, the band are edging towards household name status.
Hemmingham, “didn’t wake up” and decide he wanted to be in footballing folklore. “I brought a bugle to a game and the fans loved it,” he says. Evidently, so did the FA. That was in 1993. Now, with a squad of 18 and a “hardcore of 8 or so,” they are known, in football circles, everywhere they go. “There are downsides, you get your idiots,” as any fan who travels home and away will attest, especially with England.
‘I brought a bugle to a game and the fans loved it’
Failing to miss a competitive game at home or abroad since 1996, there are enough tales of capers and controversies to fill a book, or two in fact, making the band so much more than a gimmick.
Playing for England, the first publication, will recount the years 1993-2001. Being “dive bombed by a helicopter in Azerbaijan,” was one notable experience stemming from an unquenchable passion that brought the band to Eurasian frontiers. On another occasion, “horizontal rain was so bad” that England fans, having made the effort to get to Azerbaijan, “left the stadium and watched the rest of the game at pubs close by.” A more surreal moment was Sir Norman Wisdom, a British comedy luminary now apparently big in Albania, “running around the pitch in a half-England, half-Albania shirt,” so they’ve learned to take the rough with the smooth. As for Sheffield Wednesday, John claims relegation to League One was coming. “There were flickers of hope all year but you don’t get relegated on the last day. The writing was on the wall but the heart always hopes.” Going through the mill week
after week is part and parcel of following one’s local club, and as the footballing mantra goes, it’s the hope that kills you. None of us really know why we do it.
‘Sir Norman Wisdom was running around the pitch in a half-England, half-Albania shirt’ Not least Hemmingham, who was once also Chief Executive of the Owl’s Trust, now incarnated as the Wednesdayites, the second largest shareholders at the club. Wednesday supporters may have been in the “same boat as Palace” on May 2nd but there was little sympathy coming from
Hemmingham relating to their nine point deduction for falling into administration. “It’s a controversial issue but those are the rules, they cheated.” The footballing fraternity is a committed but uncharitable one. The England Supporters’ band won’t be releasing a World Cup song this time around and neither will there be an official track to promote the Three Lions in South Africa. “That’s not a bad thing,” according to John. “There have been some hideous songs.” After all, Ant and Dec didn’t change England’s fortunes. So what of the chances for Fabio Capello’s men? “We’re going to win, simple as that. We have a more accomplished manager, are more organised, have the best statistics from qualifying. This is it. This is our time.” It’s the hope that kills you, but the band will do their best to add rhythm to the hope, and bring the World Cup back to these shores.
22
www.forgetoday.com // sport@forgetoday.com
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
SPORT COMMENT & NEWS
Snooker needs to make vital changes if it wants to become popular again Jack Burnett Comment Fans will have noticed something a little different about this year’s World Snooker Championship at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. For the first time at the most prestigious event of the snooker calendar, players emerged to the sound of walk-on music. Not such a massive change, you might think – and you would be right. Watching Mark Selby come out from backstage to the pounding bass of Kasabian, or Ding Junhui to the slightly less stirring Lady Gaga for that matter, may have irked some of the traditionalists out there but scarcely detracted from the quality of snooker on display.
At present, there are pitifully few ranking tournaments, with the World Championship being one of just six. Because of this, Selby has labelled himself a ‘part-time professional’ and Ronnie O’Sullivan has voiced his disillusionment with the sport on a number of occasions. Snooker simply cannot afford to lose O’Sullivan, who has threatened to quit before. No man is bigger than the sport, but O’Sullivan is not far off. The most talented player of our generation, arguably of all time, is key to Hearn’s plans to enhance snooker’s marketability. O’Sullivan lived up to his in many ways undeserved bad-
boy reputation at the Crucible when he gave the finger to a troublesome red that he failed to pocket. As far as sporting outbursts go it hardly compares to Eric Cantona’s kung-fu kick, but was still pretty rock’n’roll for a sport which has an audience with an average age that must be close to 94. If Hearn can harness the marketing potential of O’Sullivan, and indeed some of the rising young stars, such as Jamie Cope and Judd Trump, then he will do no harm to a game that has been hit particularly hard by the recession and one which has struggled to find sponsorship in the recent past.
Under Hearn’s proposals, there is an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone if the planned seventh ranking event in Berlin goes ahead. Not only will it keep onboard disgruntled players like O’Sullivan, who has enthusiastically backed Hearn’s appointment, but it could also crack the European market. If a Pro Tour of up to twenty events is then added, snooker may be able to replicate the miraculous resurgence of darts. That revival was masterminded by Hearn, too. Top darts matches are now played in front of crowds reaching 9,000 and the prize money for the last PDC World Championship totalled £1 million
Snooker is in the midst of a revolution The introduction of music to the scene carries a far more symbolic significance, however, for it was the brainchild of a man making waves in the running of the sport. Snooker is – whisper it to the purists – in the midst of a revolution, and the person largely responsible for it is charismatic boxing promoter-turned-snooker boss Barry Hearn. Hearn, who is also the current chairman of Leyton Orient F.C. as well as the Professional Darts Corporation, became the head of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association in December last year, and brought with him a whole host of ideas to boost the flagging popularity of the game. Chief among these is an increase in the number of tournaments that the top players compete in.
Clockwise from left: Ronnie O’Sullivan, Barry Hearn and John Higgins.
for the first time. Parallels may be drawn with cricket, especially since Hearn has also mooted shorter snooker matches and more ‘razzmatazz’ – walk-on music, for example – much like in Twenty20.
Hearn’s ideas should be welcomed with open arms Just as cricket’s purists struggled to stomach this addition to their beloved sport, so will snooker’s anoraks. It may be seen by some as shameless commercialisation or, if you like, Americanisation, but it is nevertheless a necessary sacrifice to make. Hearn’s ideas should be welcomed with open arms. Unfortunately, there are key figures in the game and a number of players, including Peter Ebdon, who would rather sit back and watch their sport fade away than open the window for a badly needed breath of fresh air. Recent revelations linking 2009 World Championship winner John Higgins with match-fixing suggest that Hearn may need to do more than just open the window, but he has already vowed to launch a massive cleanup operation if need be. . Dwindling television audiences have reflected a huge loss of interest in a sport that, during the 1985 World Championship final between Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor, had an incredible 18.5 million viewers on the edge of their seats into the early hours of the morning. A repeat of this is unlikely to ever happen again in an age of hundreds of television channels as opposed to the three that existed back then. If Barry Hearn delivers on his promise to bring the sport to the masses once more though, we may at least come close to replicating snooker’s golden era.
End of an era as Rugby coach leaves after decade Varsity Chris Rogan This year’s Varsity competition saw the end of an era for the University’s Rugby Union team, with long term coach Terence McLoughlin leaving his role at Sheffield. McLoughlin, who oversaw emphatic victories over rivals Hallam a few weeks ago, has been involved with both the women’s and men’s teams for a decade. Finishing his Medicine degree this summer will see him leaving Sheffield to become a doctor in London. While contracted to local outfit Rotherham Titans when he came to University in 2000, McLoughlin played for Uni when he was studying for a BSc before beginning his degree in Medicine in 2005. He completed a coaching course ensuring he could aid the rugby
teams in a more formal role. The Varsity victories were McLoughlin’s last games at the helm, and were made ever so sweeter as they came against long term friend and rival Lee Blackett, who also became involved in Hallam’s team in 2000. The two played together at the Titans, and have kept a good relationship both on and off the pitch, despite coaching rivals Uni and Hallam. McLoughlin has seen both the highs and lows of the University’s rugby squad, but, by his own admission, the results have generally gone in Sheffield’s favour. “There have been some heroic performances by our men’s first team over the years,” McLoughlin said. “Beating Loughborough University in 2003 and Leeds Metropolitan in 2006 are definitely highlights.
“They were both reigning league champions when we won.” But McLoughlin said the victory at this year’s Varsity against a strong Hallam side might have been the best while he has been in charge. McLoughlin praised the spirit of rugby union, especially at Sheffield: “I have coached both the ladies and men’s teams over the years and get tremendous enjoyment from seeing others develop not just their individual fitness and skills but into players that put the team before themselves. “That’s what I love about the game, the teamwork and the bond within the squad is what makes the sport so fulfilling. “I’ve enjoyed the past 10 years immensely and the Varsity victory has been the icing on the cake to a decade of involvement with Uni rugby.
Forge Sport would like to rectify the following results published in the Varsity pullout: Football: Men’s firsts: Uni 0-2 Hallam Trampolining: Intermediate-Plus: 1st - James McArdle (Hallam) 2nd - Annabel Eastwood (Uni) 3rd - Eilidh Vizard (Hallam) Rugby Union: Men’s firsts: Uni’s second try was scored by Daniel Purkiss, and not Oli Arnold as was originally stated. In the same match, the kicker’s name was Baber, not Baker.
McLoughlin and Blackett at Varsity.
Forge Sport apologises for these errors.
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010 www.forgetoday.com // sport@forgetoday.com
23
Uni runners take to the streets Pete Ford The 28th Annual Sheffield Half Marathon took place through the city on April 25 and proved to be the largest one yet as around 5500 runners hit the streets. Participants from all walks of life joined in, from athletes hoping to take first place to the less serious part-time runners jogging for charity or simply for themselves. This year’s winner with an incredible time of 67 minutes was Andrew Pearson of Longwood Athletics Club, who beat Sheffield born Jason Ward’s winning time of the previous year by almost two minutes. Danny Brewer was the University of Sheffield’s best finisher coming 16th in a very respectable time of 76 minutes. Other runners from the University of Sheffield Athletics Club also finished in good positions. Steve Bayton finished a few seconds after Brewer to gain a position of 17th, whilst Julian Barbour finished 33rd with a time of 80 minutes. In the women’s race, Leila Armoush finished 16th with a decent time of 97 minutes, and Rachel Jameson and Ellie Smith finished 20th and 50th respectively. Tom Jayne impressively finished the race in under two hours, with the added burden of juggling all the way around. Athletics Captain Steve Garrett was pleased with the runners: “All the times are pretty impressive, and I’m proud of the squad. Tom Jayne’s run was particularly good, given that he’d done his knee in a fortnight ago.” The half marathon is one of the best supported in the north of England, with the route from Don Valley Stadium up through the city centre before onto Ecclesall Road. The halfway mark at Hunter’s Bar was packed with spectators and supporters who enjoyed the beautiful weather as well as the marathon itself. The weather was not enjoyed by
The University of Sheffield Athletics Club ended a fantastic season with a battling performance at Bedford’s BUCS Outdoor Athletics Championships. The weekend started brightly with some strong performances in the heats, notably from Sarah McCormack who comfortably qualified for the 5000m final. Chris Waters came away with new personal bests in the 100m and 200m, as did Harry Gilham in the 5000m, Alison Campbell in the 5000m and Suki Cirillo in the 100m. Laura Bealey and Alastair Canaway, competing in their final BUCS championships for the club, fought well to qualify for the semi-final of the women’s 400m and final of the men’s triple jump respectively. In the men’s 400m hurdles final, Steve Garrett battled windy conditions to take bronze in a close race with a new personal best of 53.39 seconds, marginally missing out on silver. Sarah McCormack followed
Mixed start for cricket season Uni’s firsts failed to overcome York at new home ground Whitley Hall despite bowling the visitors out for only 197 runs. Uni, second to bat, got off to a flying start but wickets soon fell regularly. Oscar Renton (31) and Chris Gwyther (30) put in solid performances before getting out. The resilient Philip Singledip gave the home side hope, but when he was caught behind for 17 the innings petered out, with Sheffield ending on 131 all out. Uni captain Ross Stewart said: “I’m disappointed to have lost chasing a relatively low total, but very pleased with the quality of our bowling performance. “Given the talent in our side and club as a whole, I have no doubt that we can put this loss behind us and win our next match.” Uni’s seconds fared no better, losing by 128 runs to Bradford firsts, who notched up an impressive total of 325. Sheffield thirds beat Newcastle thirds though, tallying 282 to Newcastle’s 173.
Double defeat for lacrosse Women’s Lacrosse Firsts University of Sheffield University of Liverpool
Danny Brewer (right) led the pack of the University’s runners everyone though; runner Phillip minutes unlike many of his rivals Beaty said that the hot weather who were forced to drop out in the made the latter stages of the run final stages due to the difficult increasingly difficult, and that it conditions. was clear that many competitors “It was a great atmosphere. struggled in the final miles. The fact that it was sunny made Beaty managed to complete it an enjoyable experience, rather the 13 mile course in one hour 34 than a hard slog. The heat did
Photo: Edd Wright make it hard, but that’s always better than rain,” he said. Last year’s race raised £95,000 for charitable causes and event organisers were hopeful that with this years increased turnout they could raise upwards of £100,000.
Athletics team put in solid BUCS performance Jack Burnett
REPORTS SPORT
this with a strong race to finish 5th in the 5000m, also achieving a personal best with a time of 17:23.09. Matt Quine contested a hugely tense 400m final, finishing 7th in what was another close race. The weekend climaxed with the men’s 4x100m relay, and Garrett was brought into the team fresh from his earlier podium finish. The team crossed the line in 4th with a new club record of 43.50, beating athletics powerhouse Loughborough in the process. A controversial disqualification from that event ended the euphoria, but Garrett, the club’s captain, was happy with his side’s overall performance throughout the tournament. He said: “I’m so proud of the team, from those that travelled to provide some of the loudest support of the weekend to every competitor who represented the university. “Everyone should be immensely pleased with themselves this year, and I look forward to hearing about more success in the coming years.”
Uni’s women’s lacrosse firsts fell to a playoff defeat against Liverpool, with a final score of 15-4 in what was a difficult match. Liverpool dominated the first half, and led 15-0 at the interval. Uni’s players suffered a number of problems, with Liverpool failing to provide a qualified referee for a start. Things went from bad to worse when Lisa Whittleton was sent to hospital after suffering a dislocated finger, and Uni had no subs to replace her. However the second half was far more even, despite a two player disadvantage for Uni.
Women’s Lacrosse Firsts University of Sheffield University of Leeds
Captain Garrett receives his bronze medal.
4 15
12 16
The women’s lacrosse team suffered a close defeat to Leeds in the BUCS Conference Cup Final. Leeds started the better side and dominated early periods for an 11-2 half time advantage. Uni put up a brave second half performance, with outstanding performances from Katie Allam, Imogen Lyons and Sophie Fraser Hafter. In the end Uni’s determination was not quite enough as Leeds ran out 16-12 winners. Captain Sophia Saunders said: “I am not going to let this last close defeat put a dampener on what we have achieved this season. “A top league position, a place in the cup final, near promotion and success in major tournaments, especially seeing as this years team were made up half of freshers. “This was my last match, and I’ve been proud of the team throughout the season.”
24
www.forgetoday.com // sport@forgetoday.com
SPORT
FORGE PRESS Friday May 7 2010
Sheffield Wednesday band Page 21
Half Marathon Page 23
Hockey thirds promoted in dramatic comeback
Photo: Helen Munro
The Men’s hockey thirds came back from a two goal deficit, ensuring promotion to Division 3B.
Men’s Hockey thirds University of Sheffield University of Hull
3 2
Pete Ford A terrific second half comeback from the University of Sheffield thirds saw them overcome a two goal deficit and defeat the University of Hull firsts 3-2 to secure promotion to Division 3B. Playing a talented Hull side was never going to be an easy task and it showed in a first half dominated by the visiting side. This came alongside a number of controversial refereeing
decisions. Despite Hull’s possession, they couldn’t force an opening with Uni’s defence standing firm. The home side had a great chance to take the lead against the run of play when Carl Pearson surged into the area only to be upended by the Hull centre-back. Unfortunately, Alexander Metcalfe saw his poor penalty well saved by the visitor’s keeper. Hull resumed their dominating play, eventually converting a controversial short corner to open the scoring after thirty minutes. They could have doubled their lead two minutes later but Uni’s keeper Ben Parton produced a stunning save low to his right to keep Sheffield in the tie going
into half time. Knowing they required a much improved second half performance, Uni came out strongly after the break, with Pearson and McLaughlin looking dangerous running in behind Hull’s backline. But it was Hull who scored their second goal on the counter ten minutes into the second period and it was beginning to look like an increasingly high mountain for Sheffield to climb. Going 2-0 down seemed to galvanise the home side and Uni got the goal that their endeavours deserved five minutes later when Dan Molloy played in McLaughlin who was illegally blocked by the goalkeeper, earning his side a
second penalty. Captain Josh Hill took over penalty duties and flicked his effort high into the top right hand corner to make the score 2-1 and give the vocal Uni support something to cheer. Within ten minutes the comeback was complete, and more Uni pressure forced an increasingly frustrated Hull side into a foot-foul on the goal line, and Hill once again stepped up to convert the penalty and level the scores. From then on there only looked to be one winner. McLaughlin and Phillips both went close before some poor Hull defending saw them concede a final goal. The ball dropped to Gareth
Morgan eight yards from goal, and he made no mistake with the finish, clipping it over the onrushing keeper to make it 3-2 with five minutes to go. Hull pressed hard for the equaliser but more good saves from Parton and last ditch defending from the excellent Joe McTaggart ensured it was the home side who hung on for a deserved victory. A delighted Captain Hill praised the way his team performed: “Based on the second half, we definitely deserved to win the match. The referee may have had a few questionable decisions, but the refereeing team certainly got the big decisions spot on.”