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Issue Two
March 2013
VARSITY EDITION
VARSITY 2013 Full review of the series so far.
HEADWAY
Find out more about this year’s chosen varsity charity
ELECTIONS What will they do with the new SU?
Platform is an independent publication and any views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor or of the Nottingham Trent Students’ Union and it’s elected directors and officers. Companies advertised in Platform are not necessarily endorsed by Nottingham Trent Students’ Union. No part of this publication maybe reproduced without the prior permission of the editor. Printed by Hickling & Squires Print Solutions www.hickling-squires.co.uk
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PEOPLE
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EDITOR’S NOTE It’s been a hard and stressful first term, and with deadlines coming up, it seems everyone has a lot on their plate at the minute. In this second edition we have a lot going on too, including all of the Varsity coverage from the matches already played, all the NTSU Elections information, the infamous Trent Street Style and interviews with NTU Alumni from across various industries. We have had a massive kick-start to the 2013 Charity Varsity Series, making it one of the biggest Varsity series Nottingham has ever had. Social media has been going crazy with over 5,000 people tuning in to Trent TV for their live Ice-Hockey coverage, and we had over 500 likes within a week on Facebook. The Varsity Series has been massive this year and with the score standing at 3-2 to UoN, the series isn’t over just yet, with the Hockey, Swimming, Netball, Lacrosse, Rugby Union, Football and Cricket still to come in the next two months. The games coverage from all of Trent Media has been a massive success and we have definitely proved ourselves. More importantly the hash-tag for the series, ‘#NottsVarsity’, has made the trending list nationally!
EDITOR
SOPHIE DAVIS
editor@platform-online.net
Deputy EditorS
AARON STEVENS MATTHEW McGLONE deputy-editor@platform-online.net
MARKETING & PROMOTIONS
GRACE BURMAN
promo@platform-online.net
NEWS
SIMON PAICE news@platform-online.net
MINT
ALICE McDAVID mint@platform-online.net
MUSIC
MARK LINSDELL music@platform-online.net
The hard work from the committee has been excellent for this second edition and the work that has gone in has only gotten better since the first edition. Thank you to everyone involved again and good luck for the rest of Varsity and to everyone who’s running in the 2013 NTSU Elections! If you want to get involved in our next edition in May, it is never too late to get involved in your union so keep following us throughout the year, to hear what’s going on!
FASHION & BEAUTY
NATALIE GARLAND fashion@platform-online.net
CULTURE
JOSHUA GILTRAP culture@platform-online.net
Sophie Davis Editor-in-Chief
LIFESTYLE
ALANNA LINTIN lifestyle@platform-online.net
SPORTS
CONTACT PLATFORM
@
/platformmagazine @PlatformOnline
Tel: (0115) 848 6200 www.platform-online.net
Platform Magazine, NTU Clifton Campus, Clifton Lane, Nottinghamshire, NG11 8NS
OLIVER DICKINSON sports@platform-online.net
GAMING & TECH
KEEGAN SPINDLER gaming@platform-online.net
PHOTOGRAPHY
CRAIG PROUD photos@platform-online.net
DESIGNER
TOM KING tom.king@su.ntu.ac.uk
Contributors: Raluca Moraru, Craig Proud, Allison Harley, Jonathan James, Aimee Keenan, Alice King, Leona Daly, Nicole Cottrell, Abby McHale Will Douglas, Raluca Moraru, Media Arcade, Natalie Garland, James Lindsay, Ellis Whitehouse, Tracey Murigi, Joanne Dernie, Heather Collier, Pete Dredge, Gulraj Kular, Jordan Allen, Emma Grencis, Sinead Stroud, Will, Adam Reid, Richard Nelson, Samantha Kauss, Ben David Jolley, Priya Sund, Anna Stransell, Rob Lilley, Sophie Colquhoun, James Lewer, Alex Romankiw, Connor Woolley, George Solomon, Adam Reid, Daniel Robbins, Jade Cragg, Rob Cartwright, David Kingsbury, Stephanie Combs, The Exec Committee 2012-2013
Cover photo by Craig Proud
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HS2: How it affects Nottingham Paddy Tipping interview Cameron’s Coalition
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MINT Headway Nottingham The NTSU Elections 2013 Adam Leventhal Interview
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LIFESTYLE Interrailing vs. Beach holidays The facts about mental health Sedge Beswick Interview
21 22-23 24
PHOTOGRAPHY, ART & DESIGN Jordan Allen Interview Pete Dredge Interview Emma Grencis Interview Varsity pictures + wall planner
25 26-27 28 29-35
FASHION & BEAUTY Ka-Ho Jake Leung Trent street style Designing for Albam Festival fashion guide
37-38 39 40 41
CULTURE & ENTS Top 5 upcoming movies James Mullinger Interview 50 years of Doctor Who Varsity sports films
43 44 45 46
MUSIC Albums to watch out for in 2013 Peace Interview Pop comebacks for and against Brit awards 2013
47 48 49 50
GAMING & TECH Mario Kart drinking game The next generation of consoles Our hopes for Mass Effect 4 Fist of the north star review
51 52 53 54
SPORT Varsity Review 2013 What has happened to Lewis Hamilton? Cycling’s last chance England’s newest centurion The future’s bright for England
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CONTENTS
NEWS
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... From Jonny Second term has been a busy one for the Students’ Union. The Varsity Series is well underway and the Trent Army has been put in force to not only support NTU but also raises thousands of pounds for the local charity ‘Headway’ in the process. We may be behind in the series, but with many matches remaining the series is still all to play for. We’re also weeks away from the conclusion of the NTSU Elections. The elections are the biggest way for you to have your say as to what services the Union provides and in total we have over 25 candidates who want to represent you next year. Its takes minutes to vote so head online to trentstudents.org/elections to see whose running and to cast your vote. Jonny Ellison, NTSU President
PRESIDENT
Jonny Ellison
President@su.ntu.ac.uk VP Services & Comms
Kate Willcox
VP Welfare & Community
Charley Greening VP Education & Representation
Jo Southwell-Sander VP Activities
Liz McCluskEy VP Sports
Pru Bowley Brackenhurst Liason Officer
Rebecca Northern Clifton Liason Officer
Marcus Boswell City Liason Officer
Ben Bradley
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WELCOME BACK NTU! The second print edition of Platform is all about Varsity. Many of you reading this will have witnessed the highs and lows of the series so far. Here at Platform, it’s been a busy time for the sports section. Our aim is to give you the best coverage of the series through our match reports, reaction and photos.
Varsity kicked off with the American Football. The NTU Renegades demolished the Nottingham Outlaws 28-0 at the Harvey Haddon to lead the Varsity 1-0. Attention then turned to the Basketball where for the first time it would be held at the Capital FM Arena. Around 150 spectators turned out last year whereas 2,016 came this time around. Both the Men’s and Women’s side went down in tightly fought contests as UoN took the series lead 2-1. It was back to the Harvey Haddon only 5 days later for the Rugby League. Trent made sure that they levelled the series running out 14-8.
Last year saw the Varsity title head to Beeston as Trent held the crown the previous year. I can speak on behalf of everyone at NTU that we’ll be more determined than ever to win it back. I was at Notts County’s Meadow Lane for the Women’s football reporting for Platform when UoN took the title with a 1-0 win over Trent. It was a horrible feeling, something on par with waking up after an Ocean Wednesday …
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The Trent Army returned to the glitz and glamour of the Capital FM Arena for what no doubt is the biggest event on the Varsity calendar. 7,000 fans packed into the Arena to watch the biggest Ice Hockey game outside North America. As ‘Unay’ lead 3-0, it seemed all over for Trent. But with the help of the rapturous support of the Trent Army (and Platform’s comedy clown, Robin Murray, on the Twitter feed) NTU hit back to level the game 3-3. It could have been a fairytale ending for Trent but heartbreak endured as UoN robbed us at the death to make it 3-2 to ‘Beeston’ in the Varsity series. But it’s not over yet. There is still plenty more action to come …
15th March – Hockey @ Highfields 13th March - Swimming @ UoN Campus 20th March – Super Varsity Wednesday @ UoN Campus TBC Football @ Meadow Lane TBC Rugby @ Meadow Lane TBC Cricket @ TBC
BY GEORGE TORR
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March 2013
These days, employers want more than just your degree; they want evidence that you have a range of transferable skills and qualities that will enable you to be an asset to their organisation from day one NTSU are working alongside Endsleigh to provide the NTSU Skills Award, which has been designed to help you gain the recognition you deserve
www.trentstudents.org
for the valuable employability skills you develop through participation in many extra-curricular activities. The programme is flexible to suit your needs and commitments - and most importantly, you are probably already fulfilling many of the requirements, so there is very little extra work! For more information and to sign on to the award, go to trentstudents.org/skills
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THE NTSU ELECTIONS 2013 CANDIDATES LIST President Jo Southwell-Sander, Lekan Adebanjo, Pru Bowley VP Activities Liz McCluskey, Matt Parish VP Education & Representation Josh Ellis, Libby Farrier-Williams, Marc Hanson, Markos Kapoutsos VP Services & Communication Daz Clark, James Slater, Marcus Boswell, Will Brown VP Sports Gabriella Rose Rowney, Georgina Pratt, Joe Loverock, Paddy Atkinson, Sarah Greatrex, Sean Canning VP Welfare & Community Amanda Jacobs, Ben Turner, Chell Hellyer, Katie Wright, Nick Copson Brack Liaison Officer As there are currently no candidates running for this position, NTSU will run a by-election in the third term. Email elections@su.ntu.ac.uk if you’re interested in the position. City Liaison Officer Costa Charalambous Clifton Liaison Officer Chantelle Farr, Sophie Davis NUS Delegates Lekan Adebanjo, Georgina Pratt, Katie Wright, Chantelle Farr, Nick Copson, Daz Clark, Costa Charalambous, Pru Bowley, Marcus Boswell, Liz McCluskey, Jo Southwell-Sander, Sarah Greatrex, Ben Turner, Markos Kapoutsos, Libby Farrier-Williams
VOTE ONLINE AT: TRENTSTUDENTS.ORG/ELECTIONS 11TH - 15TH MARCH
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NEWS HS2: HOW IT AFFECTS NOTTINGHAM / PADDY TIPPING INTERVIEW / CAMERON’S COALITION: HIGHS AND LOWS
HS2: HOW IT AFFECTS NOTTINGHAM Earlier this year, the government announced plans for Phase 2 of the new high-speed rail project in the UK, currently known as ‘High Speed 2’ or ‘HS2’. The news was welcomed across the East Midlands, particularly by business leaders in the region, as Phase 2 will include a station in Nottinghamshire (dubbed the ‘East Midlands Hub’). The announcement has been met with some opposition though, being criticised for the use of green belt land, the enormous cost of the project and the expected length of construction time. The East Midlands Hub station will be situated at Toton, making use of the existing freight line between Long Eaton and Chesterfield. The station will be very close to the NET tram Park & Ride currently being constructed at Toton Lane. From this station, the Department for Transport quotes times of 51 minutes to London Euston, with journey times
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> from Nottingham to London via HS2 expected to be reduced from 104 to 68 minutes.
upgrade signalling in Nottingham in time for HS2 opening.
NEWS
The obvious positive to this infrastructure investment is that it will allow Nottingham to work closer with Birmingham, Sheffield and London through reduced journey times. The high-speed rail link should attract more businesses to the region, and allow existing enterprises to flourish.
However, such a large project cannot be constructed without severe disruption to vast swathes of countryside. A 5km-long viaduct will carry the line from East Midlands Airport to Long Eaton, cutting across the River Soar floodplain and into the Nottingham-Derby green belt. Wildlife conservation areas and Sites of Specific Scientific Interest are also under threat.
It’s predicted HS2 will create 20,000 jobs in the region, with 1,500 of these in the Toton area. Despite the heavilycriticised £32bn price-tag, the government quotes each £1 spent on the project will return £2 of benefits through a ‘robust business case’.
Many homes will be demolished, particularly along the route from London Euston to the Chilterns. Some are also under threat around Stapleford in Nottinghamshire, due to part of the M1 motorway being moved to accommodate the line.
HS2 will free capacity on existing ‘classic’ lines, providing improved passenger and freight links with the surrounding areas of Lincolnshire, Leicester and Derbyshire. Network Rail already plans to electrify the Midland Mainline and
With the line not predicted to be operational until 2032 though, there is room for many changes to be made to the plan in the coming years.
BY ALEX ROMANKIW
For Platform writer Connor Woolley, HS2 is going to be life-changing, with his home in Long Eaton set to be knocked down to make way for the line:
“When I first heard about the HS2 I simply didn’t think it would affect me, but it has had a major impact on my life already, as my house may be compulsory purchased within the next two years.” Explains Connor...
“I’ve lived in my house all my life and it holds irreplaceable memories. My next door neighbour is an elderly and vulnerable woman whom will not be able to cope with the stress of moving, and there are many people on my street who cannot afford to move and some who will lose their jobs due to the railway. “All the government sent us was a letter explaining our house ’may be’ purchased from us and I was simply stunned and angry at them. We have resigned to the fact that this project will more than likely take place and all we can do now is start looking for a new house.” Photos by Connor Wooley
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How are the police tackling crime to ensure student safety?
With reports of ‘criminal gangs’ targeting big nightclubs in Nottingham including Rock City, there is undoubtedly some fear raised amongst the student community that they could be targeted.
NEWS
Platform Magazine’s James Lewer speaks to Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping.
Mr Tipping acknowledges that students want to enjoy themselves on nights out, but warns sometimes “over load can lead to serious problems,” with it being important to remember that excessive drinking will make you more susceptible to criminals who are looking for an opportune moment.
When Paddy Tipping was elected he aimed to become the “People’s Commissioner,” and therefore looking out for the student community was part of this pledge.
It is clear that sometimes manpower in clubs and pubs isn’t strong enough to manage crimes, on top of the drunken and disorderly. Mr Tipping went on to say that “work is being done with door keepers and late night clubs, and there is some discussion about a late night levy.”
Tipping has expressed his determination to maximise the efforts of the police to ensure crime is cut, with the welfare of students being part of this reinvigorated stance. However, making us aware of what we can do ourselves to avoid becoming victims of crime is also part of his plans.
This suggests that as well as improving the vigilance of the security being a priority; the levy would also ensure that more police are stationed within pubs and clubs at night. In terms of student burglary, Paddy explained that “at the beginning of every academic term the police run a big campaign,” but he admitted that he now intends to “involve the students’ unions and two universities” directly to improve this. Mr Tipping stressed that the police would work to try and improve security in student accommodation too. However, he also advises that we can do things ourselves: “It’s about marking your equipment, using smart water, but more particularly it’s about working with landlords to lift the quality and security of the flats.” It’s important to remember that the police cannot simply change things overnight, but working with them, and making sure that you’re acting intelligently by not putting yourself in harm’s way is important to ensure personal safety.
Photo from Flickr user: kenjonbro
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NEWS David Cameron’s Conservative-led coalition government is now half way through its fixed five year parliamentary term, and recently presented its mid-term review.
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games last summer proved to be a silver lining for the coalition and for a brief period distracted the British public from the ‘doom and gloom’. There is no denying the games went successfully and smoothly, with the added bonus of Team GB success throughout.
It stated that they ‘have consistently chosen what is right over what is easy’, and that the country’s long-term interest is more important than the party’s short term interest.
Britain was hit hard by the 2008 recession and Cameron made it clear that reducing the deficit was a priority, and has so far managed to reduce it by a quarter. However, George Osborne has admitted that reducing the deficit is taking longer than planned, and borrowing in October 2012 was £2.7bn higher than in October 2011, not to mention the thousands who have been made redundant in the process.
There is much speculation about the importance of political parties, with a common suggestion that their importance is in decline and that party leaders are elected based on their charisma rather than their policies. Cameron may have used his likability to win over the British public, but he has taken a number of risks since 2010, including the reorganisation of the NHS in 2012. For the younger generation, the decision to increase the university tuition fee cap from £3,300-£9,000 was a drastic, significant change, one that caused large student protests in London and a reduction in university applicants by 8.7%, according to UCAS figures.
More recently though, Cameron played a leading role in the drawing up of the EU budget, proving that the UK still has an influential role in the EU and that he is acting as a strong, reliable Prime Minister. There is still a long road ahead for the coalition, but they have started the second half of their term in the right direction.
Having spoken to a number of NTU students who have been affected by the increase, it is evident that although they are enjoying their course, they do not feel the quality of teaching and the standard of work required is worth £9,000 a year, and feel more inclined to direct their focus on securing an internship/work placement for the summer.
BY WILL WILSON Image: Crown copyright
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MINT HEADWAY NOTTINGHAM / THE NTSU ELECTIONS / ADAM LEVENTHAL INTERVIEW
The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University’s finest sportsmen and women will be head to head in intense competition over the next couple of weeks at the Varsity Charity series.
and simple precautions you can take to avoid a Traumatic Brain Injury.
But despite being against each other in the series, they are also working together to raise thousands of pounds for the chosen charity of the year, Headway Nottingham.
The centre provides a variety of services to help people through their recovery from brain injury. They offer them a mixture of workshops ranging from ones that help to give them their independence back, such as managing finances, to finding a way to express themselves whether from creative writing, art or dance. They help them with welfare rights, housing and other issues that may arise for the vulnerable person. They also launched the Outreach team which ensures there are pathways for people once they have been discharged and this has seen the service attendance increase by 42%.
What Do They Do?
The Varsity charity series is not just about the end result but it’s also about helping people living with brain injury rebuild their lives. All the rivalry and chants are all for a very good cause which you can get involved with too!
Who Are Headway Nottingham? Headway Nottingham are the only day rehabilitation centre in the city and the entire county of Nottinghamshire. They help people who have suffered with a brain injury which can be a result of a trauma, such as road accidents or sport injuries. It may also be due to an Acquired Brain Injury which can be caused by operation complications, bleeds or alcohol and drug misuse. By Varsity choosing it as their charity, Headway Nottingham are hoping to use the event to make people aware of their existence and the effects of brain injury
“The support and awareness from the Varsity series is, to us, priceless”. Not only do they offer support to the person living with brain injury but they also assist their families and carers. They offer them information to help them understand what their loved ones are going through, relaxation days and lots of other support tools.
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>
What Will The Money Go Towards?
MINT
Aside from the serious stuff, the staff are friends to the service users. As Michael, the acting manager for Headway Nottingham said ‘for all the variety of courses and workshops, the thing that is most priceless for those who have experienced a brain injury, is that we provide an environment of understanding, where people can meet others who have experienced something similar, without being judged or stigmatised’.
Michael said, ‘the service users are at the heart of all our decisions’. They have recently just moved to a new location in Bilborough and along with that is the long process of completing the move. They want to make further improvements to the house, with talks of a conservatory being built. They want to keep advancing their services by introducing even more workshops, especially as the centre continues to grow. But most of all they want the centre and its services to still exist.
As a charity they rely on people giving in order for them to keep on providing help and support to the people who come to them. Brain injury is known as the ‘hidden disability’ as the difficulties they experience aren’t necessarily noticeable and can sometimes cause that person to feel isolated. However, the support from Varsity means that the voices of those they help become stronger. Not only is our generosity allowing Headway Nottingham to continue the services they provide, it is also the light at the end of the tunnel for those living with brain injury that have spent so many years being unsupported.
How Can I Help? Simply by buying a ticket to a sporting event and showing your support. In order for the centre to carry on providing the services which are so valued and appreciated by the service users, they need donations. The money will go such a long way and you could help people change their lives for the better. And who wouldn’t want to do that?
Article by Sophie Colquhoun
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THE NTSU ELECTIONS 2013 By Jade Cragg
It’s that important time of the year again when students can choose who they want to form next year’s exec committee, it’s important that you choose someone who you feel will help benefit you and all students at NTU, and someone who will best represent students.
How does the voting process work? After someone has nominated themselves for a position within the committee, they have to hand in their manifesto, a list of promises that they intend to keep if they are elected into office. This years nominations will have closed by Friday 15th February; nominees are helped to learn the regulations of campaigning and with many other aspects of the campaign before it begins. Campaigning lasts for around two weeks, candidates can go around and talk to students about their manifesto and what they want to do during the first week. The manifesto is important, it shows what each candidate is going to do and how students will benefit by having them as part of the committee. The second week of campaigning is when the voting actually starts candidates can hand out flyers and posters to help promote themselves for each position. Finally after all of the voting and campaigning is over, the results are announced in Ocean.
Why are the elections important? Speaking to Jonny Ellison, this year’s President, helped give more of an insight into why the elections are important, NTSU is a membership lead organisation, so every penny spent in bars, clubs or SU’s goes directly back into services for students. People who get elected are seen as representatives for the student voice; candidates need to voice our opinions so that money is being used in a beneficial way for students. Elections have a direct effect on students, the exec committee have key relationships with the University and therefore can help make changes that students want and need. How is the committee formed?
Why do you need to vote?
Ever since the University was founded there have been elections in one way or another to form the executive committee. The exec committee is a team of previous students from Trent, so they know what its like to be a student, helping them voice our concerns. The committee is formed of one president, currently Jonny Ellison and then 5 VP officers covering things such as welfare and community, activities and education, they are full time trustees of the University and they are paid roles. The roles of the VPs are very similar each year, however the titles of the positions change each year, depending on demands from students and student needs and also who is elected into each potion. There are also 3 part time liaison officers, one for each of the campuses, these are current students at Trent therefore part time unpaid positions, they are still fulltime trustees of the University.
You need to vote to make sure that the person who you want to be elected into office is voted in, you should vote for a candidate that you feel will benefit and help students. It’s all about who you feel will be a good candidate within office, and whose manifesto promises are best for students. Many decisions are made around campus are done by those who are elected in, so choosing someone who you feel will deliver the best results to students is important. Vote the person in who you feel deserves it!
VOTE ONLINE AT: TRENTSTUDENTS.ORG/ELECTIONS
11TH - 15TH MARCH
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MINT
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ADAM LEVENTHAL To many students who tune in to Sky Sports News, presenter Adam Leventhal will need no introduction. The former NTU broadcast journalism graduate and avid Watford fan took time out to meet with Platform’s Deputy Sports Editor, George Torr.
How was your experience as a student at NTU? It was a great experience. I remember things like everyone piling on the bus to Clifton for certain lectures with practically half of the course! I learnt a lot of things at NTU. I look back at my time fondly but it’s actually quite scary when I think it was 11 years ago that I graduated. Every time I come back I love it but I just feel old!
So how did the Broadcast Journalism course help you to become a leading face at Sky Sports? It helped me build a knowledge of TV. Coming to the university, utilising the facilities and learning the different ‘cogs of the wheel’ learning how to use a camera, understanding sound levels and working in a gallery to name some, it gave me a bigger awareness as a whole.
What is the best thing about working at Sky Sports? One of the best things is knowing that Sky Sports News has such a big place in many hearts and minds of lots of people. I remember again my time at NTU it was always on. Sometimes I do look back and think I used to watch it all the time and now I’m in that chair and students are watching instead of doing work! It’s a great place to work.
For any budding sports journalists out there who want to break into the industry, what advice would you give them? Make sure you utilise your time at university because this is a time when you have access to all the fantastic facilities. Using the days where you might have an hour lecture then you finish. It’s important that you use these facilities to make show reels and things that will showcase you to your future employer.
What’s the biggest story you’ve covered so far? Unfortunately, the majority of the biggest stories have been ones of tragedy. The one that really kick started my TV reporting career was the death of the Pakistan cricket coach, Bob Woolmer in 2007. It came out of nowhere and it suddenly turned into a potential murder investigation. It was a whirlwind time and I had to be ready.
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MINT
INTERVIEW
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LIFESTYLE INTERRAILING VS BEACH HOLIDAYS / THE FACTS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH / SEDGE BESWICK INTERVIEW
INTERRAILING
BEACH HOLIDAY
Whatever your situation, InterRailing is a fantastic way to kill time and get around Europe during those long summers in and around university, whether you can spare an entire month or a single week. With a little forward planning you can tailor-make your own trip that could consist of a month-long tour of Serbia or a two-week programme of Western-European city breaks. It’s so much more than sitting on trains.
Last summer two friends and I went on a beach holiday to Kos, Greece. Kos is renowned, not only for its night life, but for its beautiful scenery of white sand, crystal clear sea and glorious weather. It provided the ultimate escape from the stresses back home. Juggling university and part time work I was constantly thinking about the next thing on my to-do list; Kos provided me the breather I needed. I was saying goodbye to schedules, early morning alarm clocks and to-do lists.
For just £162* the InterRail Global Pass gives you access to more culture, more adventure and far more self-discovery than the week you spent in Magaluf back at the end of sixth-form, and in between avoiding a 10-bike-pile-up in Amsterdam and sampling bratwurst in Nuremberg you’ll still have time to sunbath along the Costa Brava (once you’ve been to Barcelona to visit La Sagrada Familia, obviously). You’ll see, eat and come up against things you’ve never imagined and create memories you’ll never forget, and with a little luck your own journey might not involve the Italian Mafia or 24 hours in Paris Gare d’Austerlitz. www.interrail.eu
Unlike those travelling Europe on trains, I could have a leisurely week with no schedules to meet, blissfully having nothing to do and not having to worry about making my money last longer than a week. Even though the holiday was only a week long, it was still on my terms and at my own pace. There were no worries about the next train, expiration dates or the panic of still having my passport in my bag. I could sit back by the pool and do nothing but soak up the sun, stress free, instead of hoisting a backpack twice the size of me onto cramped, stuffy trains. In the end it all boils down to personal taste, but after everything the year throws at you, in my opinion you need a relaxing holiday away. That way when you touch back down in England you are revived, before once again you’re dealing with deadlines and once again setting the dreaded alarm.
BY Heather Collier AND Sophie Colquhoun
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THE FACTS ABOUT
LIFESTYLE
BY JOANN
DEPRESSION
ANXIETY
Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days. We all go through spells of feeling down, but when you’re depressed you feel persistently sad for weeks or months, rather than just a few days.
Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear. Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. It’s normal to feel anxious about something like a medical test or job interview. A little bit of anxiety can be helpful but too much can become a problem. Psychological symptoms include
Depression affects people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of symptoms. They range from lasting feelings of sadness and hopelessness, to losing interest in the things you used to enjoy and feeling very tearful. Many people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety. There can be physical symptoms too, such as feeling constantly tired, sleeping badly, having no appetite or sex drive, and complaining of various aches and pains. The severity of the symptoms can vary. At its mildest, a person may simply feel persistently low in spirit, while severe depression can make someone feel suicidal and that life is no longer worth living, or lead to self-harm.
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER BPD is best understood as a disorder of mood and interpersonal function. Personality disorders are conditions that can cause a range of distressing symptoms and patterns of abnormal behaviour. This could include:
•feeling worried or uneasy a lot of the time •having difficulty sleeping •not being able to concentrate •being irritable •being extra alert and feeling on edge or not being able to relax Physical symptoms can include a faster heartbeat, palpitations, sweating, headaches, needing to go to the bathroom more often and feeling faint.
•overwhelming feelings of distress, anxiety, worthlessness or anger •difficulty managing such feelings without self-harming, for example by abusing drugs and alcohol or taking overdoses •difficulty maintaining stable and close relationships •sometimes, periods of loss of contact with reality •in some cases, threats of harm to others
Find more information on generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder at www.nhs.uk
FURTHER INF
Student Services: www.ntu.ac.uk/student_se Health and Wellbeing: www.ntu.ac.uk/stude NHS Mental Health: www.nhs.uk/mentalhealt Time To Change: www.time-to-change.org.u Harmless: www.harmless.org.uk Moodjuice: www.moodjuice.scot.nhs.uk
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NE DERNIE
EATING DISORDERS Eating disorders are characterised by an abnormal attitude towards food that causes someone to change their eating habits and behaviour. Eating disorders include a range of conditions that can affect someone physically, psychologically and socially. The most common eating disorders are: •anorexia nervosa, when someone tries to keep their weight as low as possible, for example by starving themselves or exercising excessively •bulimia, when someone tries to control their weight by binge eating and then deliberately being sick or using laxatives (medication to help empty their bowels) •binge eating, when someone feels compelled to overeat
PHOBIAS A phobia is more than a simple fear. It develops when a person begins to organise their life around avoiding the thing they are afraid of, whether it’s an animal, object, place or situation. Simple phobias are fears about specific objects, animals, situations or activities. Some common examples include dogs, spiders, snakes, enclosed spaces and flying. More complex phobias include agoraphobia and social phobia. Phobias affect different people in different ways. Some people only react with mild anxiety when confronted with the object of their fear, while others experience severe anxiety or have a panic attack. Phobias are the most common type of anxiety disorder. In the UK, an estimated 10 million people have phobias. Phobias can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex and social background.
FORMATION
ervices ent_services/health_wellbeing/stay_healthy th uk
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OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour. In this context, an obsession is an unwanted, unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters a person’s mind, causing them anxiety. A compulsion is a repetitive behaviour or mental act that someone feels compelled to carry out to try to prevent obsession coming true. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Although OCD affects individuals differently, most people with the condition fall into a set pattern of thought and behaviour. The pattern has four main steps which are: •obsession - your mind is overwhelmed by a constant obsessive fear or concern, such as the fear your house will be burgled •anxiety - this obsession provokes a feeling of intense anxiety and distress •compulsion - you adopt a pattern of compulsive behaviour to reduce your anxiety and distress •temporary relief - the compulsive behaviour brings temporary relief from anxiety, but the obsession and anxiety soon return, causing the cycle to begin again.
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LIFESTYLE
T MENTAL HEALTH
LIFESTYLE
NTU Graduate Interview: Sedge Beswick Sedge Beswick a NTU graduate is now the Global Social Media Executive for ASOS. Sedge graduated from the Fashion Marketing and Communications course in 2011, so Platform’s Daisy Simpson thought it was time to catch up with her for a chat.
As the Global Social Media Executive what does your typical working day entail? There are only two of us in the Social Media team at the moment, myself & Tim who’s the Social Assistant. I take more of a helicopter approach to all of our channels, ensuring that we’re leaders and experts within the social space across all of our markets. I run the Social Schedule, keep an eye on the trends to ensure we’re the first to pick up on features or the latest sites or developments and work on campaign ideas to make sure social is at the heart of everything we do. I also oversee everything that our Customer Care team do making sure they’re trained up to be as human as possible. I look after Facebook, G+, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr. We have now jumped on the Vine trend, and I’m confident this will be a key platform for ASOS. What is it like working at an internationally recognised fashion company such as ASOS?
You are currently an executive at one of the most exciting companies to work for, have you got any plans as to what’s next? I’d love to set up my own agency but I’m a real brand gal so I don’t think I’d be able to do that. I’d like to set up something on the side line, like a drop in session where people can come and get advice on a personal or professional level about being in Social. Right now, I have no idea where to start with that though. I’d also like to tackle the US; ASOS is taking on more countries though so who knows. Check out Platform Online for the extended interview to find out more about Sedge’s time at NTU and what she would recommend to students looking to get into Social.
It’s great, ASOS like to innovate which really suits me.
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We get to try things out, be the first and you learn a lot. I have a great team of people around me and with ASOS you get a lot of recognition. I went to Number 10 to talk politics and social - something I never in a million years thought I’d do.
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Photo from Flickr user: Dvortygirl
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PHOTOGRAPHY, ART & DESIGN JORDAN ALLEN / PETE DREDGE / EMMA GRENCIS / VARSITY PICTURES
JORDAN ALLEN
INTERVIEW BY OLIVIA WILLIAMS This issue, we interviewed one of Trent’s third year Graphic Design students and D&AD Best of Year Award winner, Jordan Allen.
When you get a brief, where do you start? - What do you do first?
Describe your style... I guess when I’m set a brief, I always aim to have fun completing it, which seems to nearly always result in my work having a humorous twist. Well, I like to think its funny anyway. I do, do serious though. It’s just a case of finding that perfect blend.
You gotta get pumped! But seriously, just get out there and research what gets you excited about the brief. Look through some books, scroll through some blogs, print, scan, stick, annotate and just write whatever comes into your mind that’s relevant to the brief. I do seem to get my best ideas just before I nod off to sleep, so I sleep next to my layout pad.
When did you first discover you had a flare for graphic design? I have always been into Skateboarding, BMX and Windsurfing and I always wanted to create the ‘Graphics’ for them. I went to college to do Graphic Design National Diploma and discovered how much deeper the subject was, and I have loved it since.
What is your most valuable tool? - What can’t you do without? I was going to say my Mac, but my BMX is my getaway. Sometimes you just need to step away from a project when you’re slamming your face against your desk with stress. A fresh mind can bring a new outlook on a project.
What has been your greatest achievement since being at NTU in terms of graphic design?
What aspirations do you have for the future? - Where do you see yourself going?
I won a D&AD Best of Year award in my second year that was pretty cool. I won it by just being me I guess and poking some fun into the brief. Actually I said ‘I’ won it but I never do a project by myself, I always ask my tutors and friends for their opinions and input when developing my ideas and outcomes. So thanks guys!
I want to get down and snuggly in a studio somewhere. Just doing creative and fun graphic design things.
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ART
e g d e r D e t e P Platform’s Olivia Williams caught up with Peter Dredge, a Nottingham based cartoonist, who graduated from NTU in 1975 with a Diploma in Graphic Design to ask a few questions about his career and how he came to work for the likes of Punch Magazine and the BBC.
What would you consider your biggest achievement since leaving NTU, career wise? - What is the piece you are most proud of and why?
unsolicited material and it was a great way for a beginner to get their foot on the ladder. I would not like to be starting out today but if someone is determined to succeed, talent will win out, eventually. You need a thick skin and a great deal of self-belief and a lot of luck (as has always been the case). You have worked with loads of big names in the industry. What client have you most enjoyed working for and why?
Producing ‘The Directors’ cartoon strip for Private Eye magazine, 1996-2009 When did you first discover you had a flare for Illustration? My cartooning talent emerged during school days. Usually drawings of staff or pupils in my exercise book or, if I was feeling brave, on the blackboard. This activity was unsurprisingly frowned upon.
I was lucky enough to work for Radio Times in the earlier part of my career. In the late 70’s, early 80’s the letters page was always illustrated with a series of cartoons. Cartoonists such as Larry, David Austin, Bill Tidy, Kipper Williams and Ken Pyne took turns to illustrate these pages and I was asked to join this select band.
When you worked as a Graphic Designer, before you pursued cartoon illustration, what did you do and where did you work? A short, work experience spell at Eckersley, Spray & Brennan in the Lace Market then at a design studio in Coleorton, Leicestershire. You were so fortunate getting accepted by Punch Magazine so early on in your have for anyone wanting to illustration?
Favourite Five!
Song? “Wouldn’t it be nice”by The Beach Boys
It depends on what is required. Sometimes a client has a fixed idea of what Artist/ Designer? Frank Bellamy they need in an illustration, Film? Day of the Jackal or, more usually, I am given Food? Curry some copy or text and then it’s up to me to come up with career. What advice do you a humorous angle. I usually supply a number of ideas from pursue a career in cartoon which the client can select. Item of Clothing? Net curtain (it’s an in joke!)
What inspires your work today?
The opportunities for the type of cartooning work I produce are much more limited these days. When I started out, there were a lot of magazines that accepted
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When you get a brief, where do you start? - What do you do first?
The need to pay the bills!
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What is your workspace like?
What are your other interests besides Cartoons and Illustration?
Controlled messy, I’m afraid. No paperless office in my workspace. I love magazines and newspapers and tend to acquire piles of them over the year. Usually Private Eye, The Spectator, The Oldie and New Yorker. I still have a bulging filing cabinet and shelves of mainly cartoon-related books. A radio is usually on when drawing but tends to be turned off during the thinking/creating process time. The computer (mac, of course) tends to dominate the office these days. Checking emails or sending work via email attachments, visiting cartoonist forums etc plus all the
Is there anything you haven’t done that you’re really determined to do? It was always a regret that I never worked for the local
“If someone is determined to succeed, talent will win out, eventually. You need a thick skin and a great deal of self-belief and a lot of luck.” paper, the Nottingham Post (or the Evening Post as it was formerly known). It’s unlikely to happen now as the industry is sadly in freefall. My early ambition to become a Punch cartoonist was achieved early on so just continuing to earn a reasonable living through these turbulent economic times will keep me busy.
other distractions that the internet throws up (like iPlayer). What is your most valuable tool? - What can’t you do without? My Apple Mac computer, without a doubt. It’s difficult to remember how work was generated before the arrival of this amazing machine. The majority of my commissions come via websites and, as described above, my work is usually dispatched via email these days.
Can you give us a sneak peak at what you are doing currently/ next? I’m currently working for Friends of the Earth (Europe) producing a series of cartoons for their renewable energy campaigns.
What media do you tend to use in your illustrations? I still prefer to draw traditionally with pen and ink but use the computer for scanning, manipulating, cleaning up, adding colour etc.
To see more from Pete, go to: www.petedredge.co.uk / read more at platform-online.net
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ART
Real Ale, football (viewing only these days. Forest fan.) and local history. I’m also a member of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists) and am freelance officer for the Nottingham branch. Family takes up any other spare time!
EMMA GRENCIS
INTERVIEW BY OLIVIA WILLIAMS This issue, we interviewed one of Trent’s third year Graphic Design students and D&AD Best of Year Award winner, Emma Grencis.
ART
Describe your style... I like to think that I don’t have a particular style. I used to think that I really wanted to develop a particular style, but now I find it exciting to not know where a brief will take me. In terms of the way I work, I put most effort into thinking about the concept rather than the finished design. When did you first discover you had a flare for graphic design? Probably recently. I have known that I love it for a long time. However it’s only recently that I’ve become confident in the work that I create. I think it’s good to be critical though, because it makes you try harder and push things further. What made you choose a graphic design degree? I liked how open it was, different briefs require different approaches. Each different brief allows you to delve into a different subject and whilst you’re always learning about design, you also learn about so many other things, whether that being a structure of a car park, or about how magnets work. What has been your greatest achievement since being at NTU in terms of graphic design? I won a D&AD Best of Year award working with someone else from my course. It was really unexpected, and proved how rewarding it can be to work with someone else. When you get a brief, where do you start? I start by thinking about it. It’s amazing how much you already know about something. What aspirations do you have for the future? Right now I am not 100% sure, other than definitely knowing that it will be something design related. I suppose I am trying to develop a portfolio that sums up what I love doing and then hopefully I will end up somewhere that is a good fit. If you were given an unlimited amount of money to create something, what would it be? I recently saw a short documentary about a man who spent the majority of his life building a helicopter out of found parts.. I’d like to do something like that. Maybe make my own house from scratch - something that would take a lot of time and effort. Photo by Dave Nicholas
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VARSITY
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THE UPP NOTTINGHAM VARSITY SERIES 2013 PHOTOGRAPHY BY Will Douglas, Raluca Moraru, craig proud and media arcade
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VARSITY www.trentstudents.org
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VARSITY
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VARSITY www.trentstudents.org
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FASHION & BEAUTY
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KA-HO JAKE LEUNG / TRENT STREET STYLE / DESIGNING FOR ALBAM / FESTIVAL FASHION GUIDE
TH E S TORY OF
KA-HO JAKE LEUNG BY P R IYA S U ND
Relentless bullying, a struggle with dyslexia and familial pressures would be enough to send most people to seek comfort at the bottom of a bottle not in front of a sewing machine. Just goes to show that Ka-Ho Jake Leung is not most people. Ka-Ho Jake Leung is fast becoming one of Nottingham’s rising stars in the world of fashion and we had the chance to speak to him about his new collection, working with drag queens and his vision for the future of menswear. He said: “I’ve always been told that there’s no way that I can get a ‘proper’ job through this but my dream is to have my own label and I’m not going to give up on that. It’s just given me even more fight and drive to prove them wrong.” And he’s doing just that as he prepares his new mini menswear collection for Nouveau Mode a Nottingham based company that is aimed at discovering and promoting new fashion talent. The organisation launched earlier this year in Nottingham (home to designer Paul Smith no less) to find talented new designers and give them the chance to break into the fashion industry and shine. The fashion show will take place next year and will show off the work of Nottingham’s most innovative young designers, models, hairstylists and makeup artists. But the journey to get to this point has not been simple or easy.
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FASHION
The 24 year old grew up in Ilkeston, Nottingham where he had to attend a special needs school to treat his speech impediment – Jake couldn’t speak until the age of six. And it wasn’t until he began college that he was in fact diagnosed with dyslexia. It was at college that he discovered his passion for design, he said: “I was just playing around with art and design when I decided to specialise in fashion. I’ve had great influences in my life, my family have always been passionate about having an individual style and being yourself. I like to know how things work and I’ve always liked to learn, something that I was bullied for at school. I was different, I was just myself, you know? But I’d get called a ‘keen bean’ because I liked to learn. I’d get picked last for sport but I just thought, so what? Football isn’t the most important thing in the world.” School wasn’t the only place that Jake faced negativity...
So why menswear? “I think that there needs to be more flexibility in menswear, more elegance like what we see in women’s wear. And I love tailoring because I like knowing how things work, seeing how all the pieces fit together. The first suit that I made by hand took 30 weeks I was very precious about it because it was this beautiful and rare material but it was all trial and error. I had to just use my instincts to see what would and wouldn’t work. Many designers inspire me – Paul Smith, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood for her fabulous retro style and Zandra Rhodes who I actually met and gave me the best advice – she said never to throw anything away because you could learn from it. And I haven’t, I’m such a hoarder!” It seems that the future of fashion isn’t all about the women so for all you fashionable men out there dying to have just as much choice as us ladies, Jake may just be the answer to your prayers.
“My father was a chef and my mother worked alongside him, I’d help out at the weekends but it wasn’t what I wanted to do in life. When I told them what I wanted to do they said that I should be following their path and train to be a chef like my father and that I wasn’t going to make it. But I haven’t let that stop me and I’m getting ready to show a collection for men of five monochrome waistcoats and will be dressing a drag queen for an event this Christmas. The drag project is a very new and exciting project for me; I have never done anything like this or in this field before. I don’t know a lot about drag but it is very interesting and I will give anything a go because I might enjoy it. It is about the body, the shape and the elegance of a drag artist. I am currently working on his corset to get that defined curvaceous shape.”
“I was different, I was just myself, you know?” www.trentstudents.org
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lottie read
matt gough
bee rostberg-foster
FASHION
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English
Fashion Knitwear Design
Dress - H&M Top - Ark Coat - Next Shoes - Topshop
Jumper - Topshop Coat - H&M Jeans - Topman Shoes - Kurt Geiger
Coat - River Island Dress - ASDA Rusksack - Spain
byron kirk
Kate timbrell
sam hewland
Decorative Arts
Fine Art
Fashion Knitwear Design
Photography
Coat - eBay Shoes - Clarks Jeans - Urban Outfitters Shirt - Vintage
Top - Charity Shop Shirt - Vero Moda Jacket - Peacocks
Coat - Fred Perry Rest of outfit from ASOS.
Trent Street Style by: Natalie Garland, Allison Harley, Leona Daly, Nicole Cottrell, Alice King and Abby McHale
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FASHION
NTU on menswear: designing for Albam By Sinead Stroud NTU’s second year fashion design students have been dabbling into the world of Menswear by designing for London based brand Albam, a brand that describes itself as “relaxed, effortless and essential” and for “The Creative Professional”. The students were split into 16 groups of five with a brief to create three garments each, in order to produce a collection of five distinct outfits which represented the “spirit and style” of Albam. Intrigued by what the second year students’ take on the current menswear trends would be, I took a trip into Bonington’s busy design studios as the project deadline approached. Tailored-style coats and blazers were statement pieces for most groups with each having their own individual spin on the brief. The exceptional quality and creativity of some of the garments I saw could have been mistaken for those of a much more qualified designer! Fashion student Anna Ledger, described what the project had taught her, “I’ve learnt that menswear is all about the detailing and how very important it is, but also that unlike designing for women, menswear has to be practical and functional more than anything.” The project created a bit of healthy competition between the groups, as founders of the brand, James Shaw and Alistair Rae, will display their favourite four collections from the students across their stores during Graduate Fashion Week. Designer of the featured grey quilted jacket, Lily Hiles, said that she enjoyed her first experience of producing men’s clothing, “I really liked designing for a different customer and this project has made me consider designing men’s clothing in the future.” Lily created the patterned lining of her jacket from a photo she took of leaves on holiday in Australia. She added: “If anything, I have improved my skills on Computer Aided Design and creating unique prints.” The students are awaiting the news of Albam’s favourite four collections.
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FASHION
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Going to a festival can be the highlight of your summer, especially for us students who can’t always afford a proper holiday. However, lots of us ladies struggle to know what to take. We want to look nice so that we’re not totally repulsed by the photos, but don’t exactly want to parade around in high heels either. So here’s a guide of what to take, to make sure you feel and look great for your festival experience!
Denim Shorts: A pair of highwaisted denim shorts is the perfect base for your festival look. They’re comfy and they look great with everything.
Wellies: These are an absolute festival essential. Team with long socks for that on-trend festival look.
Toiletries: Stick to the essentials and remember dry shampoo to keep your locks looking clean and baby wipes for a fresh face.
Satchel: Take a satchel to carry around in the day. It’s great for holding the essentials, such as cash, waterproofs and sunglasses and looks great too.
Make-up: Don’t go overboard with make-up - by the second day you won’t be bothered. Stick to a waterproof mascara and a translucent powder.
Hair: Your hair will get dirty and tangly at festivals so top knots and plaits are a great way of keeping your hair out of your face but still looking great!
Photos from Flickr users: HeveaFan, Kissay, irrational_cat, travelingcookie and kelpenhagen
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CULTURE & ENTS
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TOP 5 UPCOMING MOVIES / JAMES MULLINGER INTERVIEW / 50 YEARS OF DOCTOR WHO / VARSITY SPORTS FILMS
1 2 3 4 5
Luhrmann takes us to the lavish and opulent lifestyles of post-WWI America in Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby: reckless decadence reflects the decline of social values as America spirals towards the Great Depression. Visual grandiose, high drama and an all-star cast awaits. Adapted from Max Brooks’s novel, post-apocalyptic World War Z promises a swarm of zombies. At the helm is Gerry Lane, a UN employee enlisted to help stop the pandemic. An unsettling blend of dystopia and action looms for June 2013. A cure for The Hangover in part three looks unlikely as the Wolfpack et al return to raise hell and pick up the pieces one last time. But what else could go wrong? Shock-value is guaranteed where this franchise is concerned. Park Chan-Wook’s Korean thriller Oldboy was a hit in 2003. Fast-forward a decade to 2013, and we have Spike Lee’s Americanised revival making its debut this autumn. Questions and debates regarding East versus West and East meets West will ensue. Oz the Great and Powerful is the 2013 prequel to the 1900 novel. Kansas magician Oscar Diggs is swept away to Technicolor Oz this March. He must defeat the Wicked Witch before he is granted the royal treasure of Oz.
by Tracey Murigi
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James Mullinger: Interview
CULTURE
James Mullinger is a stand-up comedian and writer for the men’s magazine GQ. His last tour, ‘The Bad Boy of Feminism’ was a huge success. He talked to Platform’s Josh Giltrap about his journey into comedy.
How did you first get into comedy while still holding down work at GQ? I always wanted to do stand up. It’d been my dream since I was a kid really. I’d spend most of my time watching comedy videos and listening to stand-up tapes. In 2005 I had a ‘quarter-life crisis’ and thought that I didn’t want to die having never tried it. So I did. I got hurt, and I was shit at it, because I’d had no practice, but over the space of three years of getting back up on stage you basically get better at it.
What comedians had a big influence on you? Frank Skinner was definitely the main one. No one swore on TV around the time he was on, and they certainly didn’t make anal sex jokes. He manages to do all this and STILL come off as utterly charming.
On top of GQ and being a touring comic, you also do an online film show with comedy central, how do you find the time to balance all this? It’s definitely not easy, and I’m glad that the film stuff is online now. Back when it was on TV was probably the busiest time of my life. We’d start filming at 4am, then I’d go into work at GQ about 8am, then that evening I’d have to go out and do a gig. After that I’d get home, get a couple of hours sleep and start all over again.
What impact has the internet had on your career? Well that childhood dream of having a TV show is undeniably exciting, but you get so much more control over what you put out online. The immediacy of it also lets more people see it, rather than being on an obscure TV channel at an odd time.
Any advice for aspiring comics? It really is just a matter of getting on stage and doing it as much as possible. I do wish that someone had told me early on to respect the promoters. It’s easy to be grumpy if you’ve just travelled across the country for an unpaid gig. But you have to treat it like a job interview; you’ve got to be the sort of person they’d want back, and want to pay. James Mullinger will be performing at the Glee Club in Nottingham on 18th and 19th November.
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CULTURE
The greatest Sci-Fi adventure ever to be aired - 50 years of...
This year marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most beloved science fiction dramas to hit BBC television, with the great Time Lord having been flying around in his TARDIS since 1963.
a giant success with both critics and audiences alike, with the series winning Best Drama Series at the 2006 BAFTA television awards. David Tennent, the 10th doctor to hit the series took over the reins after one series of Eccleston. After an emotional departure from the role in 2010, Tennent was replaced by Matt Smith, who was the first ‘Doctor’ to receive a nomination for Best Actor at the BAFTA awards. Steven Moffat took over from Davies, who since has given us remarkable and intelligent storylines.
During its original run on the BBC from 1963-89, Doctor Who attracted much critical and public recognition for its breakthrough low-budget visual effects, complex storylines, memorable characters, and the ever-changing lead character. William Hartnell was the first to step into the shoes of the Time Lord, up until his death in 1964, when the producers decided to introduce the regeneration process to continue the series, a feature which then became the series trademark. Since Hartnell’s departure, ten fine men have taken the reins of the character, with the likes of Tom Baker and Sylvester McCoy and the 4th and 7th doctors respectively, and with Paul McGann as the 8th doctor in the unsuccessful attempt at rebooting the franchise with a made-fortelevision film in 1996.
There are even rumours of the sci-fi classic hitting the big screen. Doctor Who has been one of the strongest influences of our popular culture, with many actors, film makers and writers taking inspiration from the series. Now with the series reaching its 50 year time span, many rumours have been spread about what may be happening to celebrate the milestone. Perhaps reunion of the past doctors, or returning characters from past seasons. There are even rumours of the sci-fi classic hitting the big screen. Whatever happens, we can rest assured there’s a lot more of The Doctor to come.
After 1996, the series went into a state of limbo, until the arrival of Russell T. Davies in 2005, who chose to bring the series back to life with Christopher Eccleston in the titular role. This reboot of the much loved series, which saw over 11 million viewers tune in on the first night, was
By Ellis Whitehouse
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varsity sports films
CULTURE
With Varsity well underway, Platform’s Chris Collins takes a look at some of the best sports films for a few of the big Varsity events. American Football
Rugby Union
What better way to celebrate NTU’s 28-0 thrashing of our UoN counterparts than with classic American Football flick Friday Night Lights? Based on H.G. Bissinger’s book of the same name, the film follows the exploits of the Permian Panthers through their 1988 season. At just under two hours, the film slightly overstays its welcome, but an atmospheric rock and post-rock soundtrack help mark this film out as unique. It contains nearly every sports movie cliché, but for the most part manages to use them without becoming oversentimental, and the cast relative unknowns (at the time) led by Billy Bob Thornton as a world-weary authoritative coach more than make up for any minor faults.
With rugby league out the way Invictus should tide you over until the rugby union still to come. The film stars Matt Damon as the captain of South Africa’s national rugby team and Morgan Freeman as the then-President Nelson Mandela, and chronicles the events leading up to and during the 1995 Rugby World cup. While the film focuses strongly on Nelson Mandela, it also shows the power of rugby but just because it deals with serious issues, it doesn’t mean there’s not still something joyous within. Showing how sport can bring people together may not be anything new but rarely is it done as upliftingly as this.
Ice Hockey
Basketball
While also serving as an easy introduction to ice hockey, Slap Shot also manages to be one of the best “manfilms” ever. Reggie Dunlop is the aging player/coach of a failing small-town ice hockey team, and resorts to unusual, violent tactics in order to try change his team’s fortunes. As the violence inevitably escalates clear lines end up being drawn between teammates and between the players and public. An incredibly funny film, in many ways Slap Shot is the film recent hockey flick Goon wishes it was.
If you need cheering up after Trent’s double defeat in the basketball, then you could do a lot worse than White Men Can’t Jump. Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson play a pair of basketball hustlers who team up in an attempt to improve their situation. Packed with humour, this film plays with audience expectation to interesting effect and has a surprising amount of heart
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MUSIC
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ALBUMS TO WATCH OUT FOR / PEACE INTERVIEW / POP COMEBACKS / BRIT AWARDS 2013
Albums to watch out for in 2013 by Samantha Kauss The XX, Alt-J and Frank Ocean made 2012 stand out as arguably one of the best years for albums in a long time. Bands this year have got a tough challenge on their hands. However, with new releases from old favourites Foals and Arctic Monkeys, alongside debuts from fresh faces Peace and Palma Violets, 2013 promises to set the bar even higher. To give you a taster of what you can expect blasting from your headphones this year, Platform has created a list of the most highly anticipated albums released over the next few months…
Foals - Holy Fire
The Strokes – Comedown Machine
After three years of silence, Oxford’s finest return with their third album Holy Fire. A lot has changed since their 2008 debut album Antidotes, where their music mainly appealed to indie-Cindy’s who wished they lived in Skins. Five years on, the band’s sound, like their fans, has matured into something much more refined. Expect heavier beats and a more complex sound. If My Number is anything to go by, the album will be the Foals we remember, but more grown up.
Indie veterans The Strokes surprised fans this year with the news that their fifth album will be released this March. Casablancas and co shared a link to a free download of new single One Way Trigger. It hints at a disco direction reminiscent of Julian’s solo material. It will be interesting to see if they can match the heady heights of Is This It.
Arctic Monkeys – TBC The rumours have finally been confirmed; Arctic Monkeys fifth album is set to be released this year. Following on from their triumphant performance at the Olympic opening ceremony, the boys are planning a heavier direction for the record following their latest single R U Mine? The two-time Mercury Award winning band have suffered a lull in popularity since third album Humbug and it is hoped that their new direction will see a return to form.
Palma Violets – 180 After NME voted Palma Violets’ Best of Friends as the best song of 2012, there has been a lot of hype surrounding the London band. 108 promises a cocktail of grunge, psychedelic rock and southern accents, topped off with bad shirts and bad dancing. The explosive live band are featured on the bill for this year’s NME tour alongside Django Django and Miles Kane.
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MUSIC
PEACE Ahead of their debut album In Love, which is released next month, Platform’s Jonathan Day chatted to Peace about playing the NME Tour, and what to expect from their first full-length LP.
How’s the tour been so far? Harrison (vocals/guitar): It’s been good, really cool. It’s only been a few days but it seems like a lot longer. Which I guess is a good thing, or maybe a bad thing? Well, it seems like a good thing. How’s the reaction been to the new songs? Has it been nerve-wracking playing them for the first time? Harrison: The reaction to Scumbag was really cool. The first two songs have never really been heard before, so I guess people can’t really react to it. All the stuff’s been really good otherwise. The first night was a little bit iffy, I was a bit like ‘what am I doing?’. Other than that though, it’s been a walk in the park, no worries. Sam (bass): It’s a lot of fun playing new songs, it’s really exciting.
line-up’s pretty good. Sam: I like the variety of the bands on this tour. How are you feeling ahead of In Love’s release next month? Have you felt any pressure to deliver? Harrison: We’re feeling good. It’s had time since we’ve finished it to settle and it’s like we’re just cool with it now. Not really pressure, I guess just a bit of expectation, but nothing we can’t handle, it should be fine. There’s a few faster and higher energy songs on there, but then there’s some lower energy songs on there. It’s quite a mixed bag.
“It’s a lot of fun playing new songs, it’s really exciting.”
Where did the idea to re-record Follow Baby come about? Harrison: We were in the studio and we wanted to re-record it for the album because the first one we recorded it in a few different studios with different producers and put it together on like no budget. We like to record at the same time in the room, so we wanted to do it again properly. We just thought why not, the first one we never released it online or anything seemed like right thing to do.
Are there any bands you feel deserve a place on the NME Tour, but did not get picked? Harrison: Quite a few bands to be honest. Everyone’s quite different on this tour. Dom (drums): We wouldn’t want to replace anyone, the
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AGAINST
There’s a reason Pop is called pop, and it’s not just because it’s sugary sweet, it’s everywhere. Unless you live in a cave, pop is an ever present part of your life. Thus, when the news comes of another 90’s boy-band reforming, a certain section of society lets out a collective sigh and lament that “they’re only in it for the money.”
I may sound cynical but there is only one place for music has-beens - reality television. I do not want to see the extremely plump Claire from Steps squeezing into her latex devil costume to fumble through Better the Devil You Know. I’m not a music snob. I love One Direction’s and getting Down with the Trumpets. However, I do not think bands like Spice Girls have a place in the mainstream because they are from a different era. Destiny’s Child’s comeback is a blatant cash cow. Nuclear sounds like a half-baked B-side knocked out in-between Superbowl rehearsals. Justin Timberlake has teamed up with Beyonce’s spouse to promote his revamp of Myspace. Suit and Tie was written to describe his attire to these business meetings. On this evidence, JT should stick to his new path.
But what if they are? The idea of the ‘struggling artist’ is constantly romanticised. Reforming pop groups were recently the focus of a show on ITV and it wouldn’t be aired if it wasn’t something people wanted to see. This apathy seems particularly focused on pop stars. Fall Out Boy reformed and my social network feeds were filled with happy comments, while bands like The Rolling Stones carry on despite being way past their physical prime. Besides many of these comebacks are from artists who are still capable of producing and performing music on an epic scale. Take That’s best work came after their reformation.
Rock musicians get an easier time with comebacks. When Fall Out Boy announced their return, emo kids throughout the country rejoiced. However, there is nothing clever about 30-year-olds singing about “trying to find the friction in those jeans.” Please boycott any attempt of a pop comeback. OR, ten years down the line, a fat, poorly shaven Harry Styles will be drooling about getting some while he’s young *shudder*
The power of pop is that it doesn’t always take itself completely seriously. This is why when I hear Steps have or the Spice Girls demanding another Zig-a-Zig-ah from, instead of groaning, I smile.
CHRIS COLLINS
MARK LINSDELL
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REVIEW BY LOUISA DAVIES Aah the Brit Awards, a night where the UK’s
This year saw a lot of unsuspecting winners take home the prestigious awards, with Ben Howard winning British Breakthrough and British Male Solo Artist, and Mumford and Sons beating One Direction for British Group. It goes to show that our country does recognise true talent and artistry, and those albums which leave goosebumps on your neck do get the credit they deserve. The real winner of the night was last year’s Critic Choice winner, Emeli Sande. After gracing our television screens way too much this summer, she won British Female Solo Artist and the esteemed Best Album award. She also finished the show with a rousing medley of her biggest hits - very well deserved.
biggest celebrities all huddle onto tables in the o2 arena, drink themselves silly and try not to embarrass themselves too much on national television. The host this year was, again, the brilliant James Corden – who was able to laugh at himself on numerous occasions over the Adele scandal of last year. The show began to an epic performance from all mighty rock band Muse, who had a full string orchestra on stage with them. Whilst a definite ‘wow’ for music fans, I feel that their performance may have gone over the heads of all the teen-boppers who had tuned in just to see One Direction... The real drama of the night came from those naughty
All in all, the show was a jumble of stunted autocue presentations, epic performances and hilarious interviews with absolutely wasted pop stars - same again next year please!
One Direction boys. It was probably difficult for Harry Styles to pick out who he hadn’t slept with, and as Taylor Swift announced the first award and the camera instantly panned to him. Awkward. Taylor also performed on the night with her hit single ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’, and it was a real middle finger to Styles as she ripped off her regal white gown to reveal a sexy, short black number. That’s the pop star way of getting back at an ex. One Direction’s performance of Comic Relief single ‘One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)’ was fun and energetic, but ever so slightly shot down by Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn, who stood and swore at them. Ouch. Nevertheless, they won a new award for Global Success, which is to their credit.
Photo from Beacon Radio
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GAMING & TECHNOLOGY MARIO KART DRINKING GAME / THE NEXT GENERATION? / MASS EFFECT 4 / FIST OF THE NORTH STAR REVIEW
The Drinking Game To play this one, you’ll need a copy of Mario Kart and three mates ready to wet their whistles. As you race against your friends in versus mode you will pick up items - and each item represents a different rule.
Item Green or red shell Blue shell Banana Fake item box
Rule The player that gets hit must drink. If the shell misses, you must drink. If you get hit by your own shell then take two drinks for being a spanner. Players hit must stop their kart and down their beverage. You must take a drink for every banana peel you hit. Player that hits the box must drink the number relative to their position, e.g. 3rd place drinks three.
Boo
The player hit must look away from the screen and stare at the user until Boo has gone. The player hit can still drive if they wish but have fun grinding that wall!
Thunderbolt
When used you must raise your hand, make devil horns and yell ‘THUNDERSTRUCK!’ All other players must raise their beverage to toast you shouting ‘Hail Zeus!’ The last player to raise their beverage and shout must drink again.
Star
When activated you must shout ‘Whoop-whoop! That’s the sound of da Police!’ All other players must pull over their karts and drink continuously until the effect is over (because drinking and driving is bad). Should you either pass or hit a player, they can stop drinking and resume driving.
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By Richard Nelson The next generation of games consoles is upon us. The Wii U was first out of the blocks and while delivering a disappointing level of graphical ability it has once again innovated the way users interact with a console.
year where Samsung announced a much overlooked ambient projection system. The projector sits behind you whilst you play and effectively turns the entire room into a very large TV, immersing the player in the game.
Technology has advanced leaps and bounds since the last wave of consoles and the creativity and competence of games designers has increased. Of course the big hitters, Sony and Microsoft, are still to reveal their next-gen consoles to the public but that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate as to what will be hitting the shelves.
Sony have been working on ‘Orbis’, or the PlayStation 4, and a recent and reputable source has detailed the system running on an octo-core Bulldozer CPU from AMD and an R1000 series GPU, making it slightly more powerful than Durango. Some slightly worrying, all be it exciting, news arose in the past few days that Sony are once again playing with DualShock Controller design, this time hopefully steering away from shaping the controller like a piece of fruit and adding innovative features. Many people speculate from rumours that Sony may be working on adding the rear touch pad capabilities of the PS Vita to the DualShock controller adding an extra level of input to gameplay.
Microsoft’s next console, which is being developed under the name ‘Durango’, is thought to be heavily integrated into the Windows 8 ecosystem and will work closely with the next version of Kinect. If I were an Xbox owner I would be worried, even though rumoured specs for Durango don’t show it to be a slouch in the power department with eight CPU cores and a 7000 series AMD GPU.
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They of course will still be supporting cross-platform games, but there has been a lack of talk about any AAA exclusive titles that Microsoft has been working on to please its devoted fans. We did however see some very exciting potential technology at CES at the start of this
With E3 still a number of months away there is still plenty of time for new rumours to surface, but we may not even have to wait that long with some leaked information suggesting Sony may announce their next console as early as March. Whatever we see it will most likely dazzle and excite us, and we may even see new competitors enter the fray, as the living room PC increases in popularity.
Ph
GAMING
What can we expect from the next generation of consoles?
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by adam reid It’s almost a year since the release of Mass Effect 3 and despite confirmation in November last year that BioWare would be releasing another game, it is still uncertain just what the next instalment in the Mass Effect series will be about.
Shepard featuring. I’ve certainly never played another game that carried over all the moral and gameplay choices I made in a game. The resolution may not have been the result I wanted or expected, but BioWare managed to provide a conclusion to the hundreds of decisions I had made in some way or another.
While BioWare has always made it clear the third game was the end of the journey for Commander Shepard, some fans have been unwilling to accept that BioWare is done with Shepard. This has led to BioWare staff taking to the company’s own messageboard to reveal some information about the game. The developers do not want fans to refer to the next title as Mass Effect 4 as this would do the game a “disservice”. The next game will feature a new protagonist and I am ok with that, because it can still be set in the same universe, before or after the previous games and have its own standalone story.
I never wanted a multiplayer element in Mass Effect 3. Yet it became the main reason I kept playing the game every weekend.
For a group that often bemoans a lack of innovation there are far too many fans who are quick to write off a games chances, because developers want to take the series in a new direction. Once again I am not innocent in that respect, I never wanted a multiplayer element in Mass Effect 3. Yet it became the main reason I kept playing the game every weekend. And It just so happens that BioWare Montreal will be developing the next Mass Effect game, if anyone can take the games established lore and produce an extended universe game without Shepard worth playing – it is them.
I love the fact that RPG’S allow the player to shape the personality of their character and the games plot, but the problem is there always comes a point where there has to be a finite number of endings and a linear path. It creates an illusion around the players influence over the games plot and characters. But the developers have already decided what outcomes are possible. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the importance of a good protagonist. I wouldn’t want to see the next game revert to generic stock characters with no customisation, or even just another Alliance Soldier. The controversy surrounding the endings of Mass Effect 3 highlights just how big of a problem BioWare would have in creating a direct sequel that can satisfy everyone without
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GAMING
Our hopes for the next
GAMING
REVIEW BY KEEGAN SPINDLER Protagonist Kenshiro uses Hokuto Shinken, known as the most powerful style of martial arts, to travel the world, and to help people who are in need. Generally this help is accomplished by killing people. Lots of people.
I’m also fascinated by the decision to use only Japanese voice actors, for although it does make the game feel like a far more authentic experience, it also hugely increases the attention demanded by the cutscenes, which make up a huge proportion of the 20 hour campaign.
He quite literally punches his way through swarms of hundreds of bandits in the space of minutes, making his steady way to the leader of whatever band he is beating the crap out of at that point in time. It’s a savage cycle that is repeated countless times over the course of Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2, but it somehow never becomes stale.
The real meat of Ken’s Rage is the combat sections, which take their cue from the well loved – by some – Dynasty Warriors series. The gist of it is that your single, all powerful, warrior takes on the hordes of enemies that are out for his blood. You then kill everything that moves, until a more powerful enemy arrives, and you beat the crap out of him as well. There is lots of beating on your enemies, with a wide variety of characters that are available.
For those of you who are unaware, Fist of the North Star is classic manga, that chronicles the life of Kenshiro as he wonders the post apocalyptic world. He is the only successor of powerful martial art Hokuto Shinken, practiced by assassins for hundreds of years.
If you’re a fan of the manga, have a bit of love for Dynasty Warriors, or like the idea of killing hundreds of enemies in a matter of minutes, then this is undoubtedly the game for you. If, on the other hand, you are in search of a plot that makes sense, maybe give this one a miss. Still, this game is a love letter, and a wonderful one at that and if you like this style of game, then it is rather fantastic.
Fist of the North: Ken’s Rage 2 acts as a love story to the classic manga, faithfully adapting the tale almost word for word, portraying the story through still frames that give beautifully rendered characters colour and impact. It does on occasion feel bizarre to listen to voices coming from frozen faces, but for the most part the impact of the images does more than enough to allay that.
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2013 VARSITY REVIEW / WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO LEWIS HAMILTON? / CYCLING’S LAST CHANCE / ENGLAND’S NEWEST CENTURION / THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT FOR ENGLAND
- 2013 varsity review basketball Nottingham Trent University succumbed to an agonising defeat to the University of Nottingham in the Men’s Basketball Varsity game yesterday. After the Women’s team fell 51-47 to their Beeston opponents earlier in the evening, the Men’s outfit were looking good to give Trent back the advantage in the Varsity series, leading for almost all of the game. The home side, cheered on by the Trent crowd, headed into the final quarter six points to the good, but a closing quarter saw them eventually slip to an 83-70 defeat. “It’s the Trent Uni curse,” said Trent coach Levi Matthew. “We’ve been doing it all season where we’ve had the lead into the last four/five minutes, then turnovers, breakdowns and miscommunication costs us. While the superb Owusu-Ansah, Trent’s captain, was officially named the home side’s Man of the Match on the night, Matthew took time out to praise the effort of Trent’s #30 Ben Palmer. “People don’t appreciate how hard the big guys have to go, so Ben is my man of the match. He did all the dirty work getting us rebound and dealing with their big guys.” Trent’s #4 Imran Akhtar , who described the Trent Army’s support as ‘fabulous’, was equally bewildered at how the game managed to slip away. “I honestly don’t know what happened, we were playing brilliantly for the first three quarters, but the pressure finally got to us. They came out and played hard in the fourth quarter, it seemed like they saved it all for the final quarter.” By Simon Paice
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- 2013 varsity review american football
SPORT
The NTU Renegades made light work of overcoming the University of Nottingham Outlaws to kick off this year’s Varsity Series in the American Football.
The second half began with a number of questionable calls from the match officials, but even that did not turn the tide of the game.
The final score of 28-0 gave a one-sided look to the game and that was exactly how it panned out.
The Renegades rhythm was regained, characterised by an excellent fourth down completion from Miller to Cartwright who were on the same wavelength all night long. Miller then barged his way through, before having the cheek to add another two points by running into the endzone once more. 21-0 and Trent were cruising.
With over 900 in attendance on a chilly night, the Trent Army were out in force to roar the players to victory. Renegades Quarterback, Danny Miller, was on fire to run in three touchdowns and also made another touchdown pass.
With two minutes remaining Miller put the icing on the cake with another touchdown rush, which was the cue for a number of Beeston-bound spectators to take their leave. Try as they might the Outlaws could not find a way past the opposition defence, with Liam Reynolds claiming an interception in the fourth quarter to end any hopes of a comeback.
Tight End Rob ‘Gronk’ Cartwright was another to stand out in an excellent team performance epitomised by the celebration of first down completions by the Outlaws. NTU set their stance immediately by scoring on their first drive with Miller running in from short yardage. Adam Clarke kicked the extra point.
The final whistle was met by rapturous applause, although the celebrating had started for a while before that. The win brings plenty of momentum and optimism going into the rest of the Varsity series.
The Trent defence were relentless in their pressing of the Outlaws offence and turned over two Outlaws drives in quick succession before extending their lead. Trent actually ran in one touchdown only to have it chalked off for a penalty flag. The respite was only momentary for the Outlaws however, as Rob Cartwright claimed himself a touchdown on the next play. Despite making a mess of the kick for the extra point, the score put NTU in complete control, with UoN posing any threat with their running or passing game. The one time the Outlaws did get anywhere near the endzone a fumble was forced by Thomas Sendonaris and Trent were in possession once more.
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- 2013 varsity review A fine battling performance from Trent Rugby League saw the varsity series levelled at two each last night at the Harvey Hadden Stadium. The tight and tense affair ended 14-8 to NTU thanks to a try from Chris Prime in the final 15. Trent had good reason to be confident heading into the match following a 32-12 victory over their great rivals in the league just nine days earlier. Resilient defending was required early on to keep out the team in green. However, Trent were aided by some poor kicking from their opposition on the final tackle with many of them ending up in the dead ball area behind the posts. It was a stark contrast to the kicking game of NTU though, who were putting pressure on their rivals with some deep kicking to the full-back. Unfortunately, every time they put Nottingham on the back foot, they gave away a penalty, giving them a chance to clear their lines.
Full-back Adam Cunliffe raced his way over so quickly, he almost ran out of space behind the posts, but he managed to score just in time to level the game at 8-8 with yet another poor conversion attempt falling short. This seemed to give Trent a second wind as they picked their game up to score the winning try in the 64th minute, which was converted for the first and final time of the night. Trent’s fitness was clear to see as they quelled any chance of a reply from Nottingham in the final ten minutes to see out the game and tie up the series.
by Matt McGlone
In a tough tackling match, the fans were getting restless due to the lack of scoring and they had to wait until the 25th minute before the scoreboard began to tick over. Sadly for the large numbers of travelling Trent support, it was Nottingham who went over first. However, it only took five minutes for NTU to respond with Jonny Shields driving over after a dummy confused UoN’s defence. Six minutes into the second and Trent picked up where they left off. In a moment of controversy the referee had to consult with his assistant before awarding the try from Ali Fitzsimmons as it was hard to see if he was held up on the line.
Photo by Craig Proud.
It only lasted nine minutes as a penalty for offside gave Nottingham a chance to level the scores and they took it.
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rugby league
- 2013 varsity review ice hockey
SPORT
The Varsity Ice Hockey clash between Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham ended in the most dramatic of fashions, with the biggest event on the Varsity calendar living up to its hype. UON snatched a late goal with two minutes left to play, making them triumphant winners by four goals to three. The Capital FM Arena was packed to the rafters, with the two opposing supporters on either side. The atmosphere was electric, and it was clear for all to see that this wasn’t just an ordinary ice hockey match. It meant a great deal more, this game symbolised the tribal warfare and deep lying rivalry between the two universities. The game began in the worst possible manner for Trent, going 3-0 down in the first eleven minutes. UON came out of the blocks lightning quick, scoring in the opening minute of the match from a close and central angle. With NTU seemingly shell-shocked with conceding so early,
UON continued to pile on the pressure. Trent keeper James Cantle was crucial to keeping the score down, saving the home side’s bacon on a couple of occasions with some great stops. Physical challenges continued to fly in from both sides throughout the first third, much to the delight of the vociferous crowds on either sides of the arena. With wave after wave of UON attacks on the Trent goal, finally the home side cracked under the pressure in the tenth minute. An excellent run from UON’s Sam Chandler down the left hand side proved costly. He weaved past a couple of NTU challenges, before slotting the puck through the legs of the despairing Cantle. A third followed soon after, when a muddle in the NTU area resulted in Simon Bell lashing the puck into the net. The pressure continued to mount on the home side, with UON peppering the goal with chance after chance. The home side was low on confidence, and the NTU faithful began to fear the worse. However, hope was restored
Photo by Media Arcade.
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when NTU’s Francis Best gathered the puck from the right edge of the goal; he instinctively fed his teammate Gareth O’Flaherty in the area who smashed it home. Once again the TRENT army roared with pride, and despite the rest of the first period providing very little in terms of goalscoring opportunities, NTU remained confident going into the second period. The second period began where the first left off, with physical challenges flying in left, right and centre. However, overall it was a much better performance from Trent, who dominated the middle section of the match. The home side solidified defensively, and carved out a whole host of attacking chances. However, despite improving drastically, they failed to capitalise on the second period pressure. O’Flaherty, Hafner, Rathbone and Francis-Best all came close for NTU. UON maintained the two goal advantage going into the third period, and it seemed that something special would be required. UON seemed comfortable for most of the third period, with very little efforts on goal. All of a sudden a quick break out down the left channel from Hafner opened up the space. He squared the puck centrally into the path of O’Flaherty,
who struck it through the keeper’s legs. The eleventh minute goal was the momentum Trent needed, and the supporters started to believe. Within a minute Trent’s pressure finally crushed UON, the puck swept across the area for Jose Leon to tap home for NTU. The arena burst into pandemonium, one side stunned and the other jumping and cheering with joy. However, with around seven minutes left on the clock the winning goal was up for grabs. For the next couple of minutes, Trent attacked UON over and over again, but the goal couldn’t be breached. However, in the dying embers, UON broke Trent hearts. The puck creeping into the net, from close range. The inspirational comeback from Trent was unforgettable and heroic. Before the match began most observers believed that UON would win comfortably. However, it was anything but. Trent had a relatively inexperienced side, with last year’s triumphant team containing many third years that have since consequently left University. This potentially means that the new batch of players can only prosper in future years.
by james lewer
University of Nottingham won the game 4 - 3. Photo by Media Arcade.
Platform’s Rob Murray provided some comic relief for NTU with his live tweets throughout the game.
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www.platform-online.net
What has happened to Lewis Hamilton?
SPORT
When Lewis Hamilton left McLaren to join Mercedes, the 2008 World Champion immediately spoke of embarking on a new challenge, wanting to help build a team capable of winning the World Championship, similar to what Michael Schumacher achieved with Ferrari.
What makes these negative vibes to the press more perplexing is that Mercedes are in desperate need of positivity. After a promising start, they had a nightmare in 2012 even struggling to even score points by the end of the season. It will be difficult to overhaul Ferrari, McLaren & Red Bull at the first race in Melbourne on 17th March and with Vettel looking to become only the third man to win four titles in a row, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, and others including Sergio Perez also wanting glory, Hamilton’s chances of claiming his second title look remote. Over one lap the Mercedes looks quick, but over the longer distances covered in testing, they still seem to be quite far behind their rivals.
So you have to wonder why Hamilton has seemed to embrace negativity at Pre-Season Testing. Immediately after setting the fastest time of the final day of the second test, he stated that, “We’re not looking at wins at the moment. We’re hoping to get into the points and fight for top 10”. Whilst some might argue that he is just being realistic, it sounds so un-Lewis Hamilton. When he first came into Formula One in 2007, you could see a bit of Ayrton Senna in him. A man who would always drive flat out, whatever the situation. Hamilton was a breath of fresh air, in a sport where money talks more than most. Now with every word he speaks, that spark that made him special in the first place disappears.
However, if Mercedes want to achieve their ambitions and win the title in the not so distant future they are going to need Hamilton at the top of his game. So why has he already written off this season before it has even begun? The old Lewis Hamilton was always exciting and positive. Can we have him back please?
There were glimpses of his old self last year, ironically after announcing his move to Mercedes, most notably in his race long and ultimately victorious battle with Sebastian Vettel at the US Grand Prix. That was the Lewis Hamilton fans of F1 want to see at every race regardless of whether he wins.
By Matt Maddren
Photo by Dave Wilson.
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Hopefully, it’s the end. From the mid-1990s until today, cycling has been the most drug-ridden sport in the world - it became less about the athlete and more about whose doping programme was the best, the least detectable, the most effective.
actively campaign against dopers, and continued to raise huge, huge sums of money for charity. He could do no wrong, mainly because he was seemingly doing no wrong.
One of the most iconic sporting competitions of all time - the Tour De France - would be routinely engulfed in scandal after scandal as another rider was tested positive for banned substances, their team thrown out of the tour, whilst other teams slipped away scot free.
‘The most comprehensive doping programme sport has ever seen’ is how the United States Anti-Doping Association described Armstrong’s cheating once the full extent had been uncovered. A hero crushed, a cycling generation finally finished. Those years when Armstrong ‘won’ the tours are now utterly pointless. They stripped him of his titles and then realised that everyone who came second, third etc wasn’t clean either. Nobody won clean.
He was.
All the big riders were caught - Jan Ullrich, Alberto Contador, Tyler Hamilton, Ivan Basso, Marco Pantani. But never Lance Armstrong.
The story of those fifteen years is Armstrong. But the fact that this sorry chapter can now be closed is fantastic for pro cycling. The sport has new heroes; Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan.
‘The most comprehensive doping programme sport has ever seen’ Throughout cycling’s darkest period, the sport continued. There was never a question that professional cycling could be on the verge of collapsing. Why? Because Armstrong was winning clean. This superhuman, the man who’d been given a 50/50 chance of surviving cancer and then come back in a quite unbelievable fashion to win the hardest bike race in the world not just once, but seven times. In a row.
New, clean, heroes. Men who train harder, men who put their bodies on the line, men who we can finally empathise with - there’s no cheating, no doping, just icons. Now that Armstrong has been debunked in such spectacular style, cycling has been given one final chance to change, to reinvent itself. It appears to be taking it.
When you put it like that, the only explanation was surely that he was doping? But whilst it unfolded, he continued to pass every single drug test he took, continued to
Photo from Flickr user: Ian is here
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England’s newest centurion, not necessarily a role model, but certainly a “great”. by adam reid England’s most-capped full-back Ashley Cole added another accolade to his name in recent weeks becoming England’s seventh centurion. Yet there are still people who refuse to praise his accomplishments alongside the likes of Beckham and Gerrard.
with the threat of Cristiano Ronaldo. Not only did Cole cope with the threat but he had him in his back pocket for the entire game.
Cole made his senior debut in a World Cup qualifier against Albania in Tirana on 28 March 2001 under SvenGoran Eriksson. Astonishingly, since then, none of Cole’s 100 appearances for England have been from the bench, which is a phenomenal achievement in itself and just goes to show how valued he has been to the country and manager for over a decade. His performances for club and country have earned him a spot in numerous teams of the year and sparked debates over whether he was the best left-back in the world. Stuart Pearce believes he is the best left-back to play for England and it is difficult for me to argue against that having only followed England’s progress during Cole’s introduction to the team.
it would be foolish to say he doesn’t deserve his place in the elite 100 club.
It would be foolish to suggest the stigma attached to Cole isn’t completely undeserved and he certainly played his part in shaping football fans opinion of him. The animosity from Arsenal fans for example has always been understandable after the way he left to join a rival club, but he isn’t alone in chasing a better wage and that isn’t something exclusive to football. However, for other England fans the problem tends to surround Coles well publicised private life. The left-back became the perfect target of fitting into what is perceived as the modern day footballer and everything that is wrong with them. I’m not saying he is the perfect role model, but then not everyone in such privileged positions are and there are times when such trivialities should be put aside to recognise a fantastic achievement. Whether you like him or not it would be foolish to say he doesn’t deserve his place in the elite 100 club.
The one real standout match that seems to get mentioned every time when discussing Cole’s capabilities is England’s Euro 2004 quarter-final defeat to Portugal. All the talk before hand had been about how England would cope
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THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT FOR ENGLAND BY DANIEL ROBBINS
After demolishing New Zealand in the autumn, starting the RBS Six Nations off with a flourish against Scotland and claiming their first win on Irish soil for 10 years, the future is looking bright for the England rugby team. Under Stuart Lancaster, England have gone from strength to strength recovering from the controversial 2011 World Cup campaign. This has led many to believe that England have a real chance in the home 2015 World Cup and with the current set of players I can see why there is so much speculation. This is a young side that heading into the game against Ireland had less tries between the starting XV than Brian O’Driscoll alone. However with this young side comes an intensity that seemed to be lacking in recent years. This was the key factor that brought them wins against the All Blacks and Ireland and which leaves them as the only team of completing the Grand Slam this year. With the work rate also seeping down through the Saxons and the age group England squads there has never been a bigger competition for places. This leaves a selection
headache in nearly every squad and team picked, the sought of dilemma that every coach desires. Despite the side being young and in the most part inexperienced the collective group of players have shown a maturity that will send a shiver down the spine of potential group stage opponents in two years’ time. The win against reigning champions New Zealand, whilst not getting them into the top four seeds for the World Cup, will see no-one wanting to be grouped with England.
I believe the rugby party reminiscent of 2003 might be back on come 2015. England have a long way to develop to show that the victory in the autumn was not a one-off but an unbeaten start to the current Six Nations, with players already knocking on the Lions’ door, show a desire to kick on. Owen Farrell has unerring accuracy from the boot, Chris Robshaw is showing growing leadership qualities with every match and Billy Twelvetrees is adding flair to the England backline. Although it is hard to look so far into the future with injuries and loss of form always a worry, I believe the rugby party reminiscent of 2003 might be back on come 2015.
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November March 2012 2013
SPORT
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