The simple task of carrying passengers and sometimes cargo across a body of water might not seem that remarkable, but it is something that dates back centuries. There are various writings and published works from ancient times that suggest the profession of a ferryman was a crucial aspect of former cultures and civilisations.

Today, ferryboats remain an essential means of transport all over the world. In several waterside cities and destinations, these vessels form part of the public transport system, providing the means to travel over water without the use of a bridge or tunnel.

What’s more, ferries are also commonplace in larger seas or oceans, connecting countries and even continents. Although the manufacturing and construction of these colossal vessels is staggering, each and every component, no matter how tiny they may be, can be crucial. Therefore, we like to think our range of high quality products, from BSP adaptors to NPT fittings, might come in handy.

But what is the history of the ferry? How many different types of vessel are there? And what are the biggest ferries and busiest routes in the world?

History of the ferry

In Greek mythology, Charon was the ferryman of Hades, who carried newly deceased souls across the rivers Styx and Acheron, which separated the worlds of the living and the dead. You still had to pay a fare to Charon though, usually a coin placed in or on the mouth of a dead person. In the days before steam and diesel, this ferryman’s chosen method of propulsion was a long pole held in his right hand, while receiving the deceased with his left.

In Anonymus De Rebus Bellicis, a piece of 4th century Roman literature, there is speculation that a pair of oxen once propelled a ferry. This principle could theoretically work, especially when you consider Kevin J. Crimson’s booked entitled When Horses Walked on Water: Horse-Powered Ferries in Nineteenth-Century America.

But the first steam-powered ferry was said to be the Juliana, invented by John Stevens. It began operating on 11th October 1811 between New York City and Hoboken, New Jersey. However with the advent of diesel engines in 20th century, steam-powered ferryboats have become a rarity and are reserved for special occasions or tourist routes.

While the majority of modern ferries still use diesel as their primary fuel source, the shipping industry is constantly looking at cleaner alternatives, which won’t damage the environment as much. Studies have found that vessels running on Liquefied Natural Gas are slightly more efficient, while electric and hybrid alternatives have also been developed in recent years.

Types of modern ferry

Despite the fact there are several different types of ferry in operation today, each one usually shares certain characteristics. However, the length of the route, the passenger or vehicle capacity, speed restrictions or requirements and the weather conditions will determine what ferry is used at a particular location.

Double-ended

The front and back of this kind of ferry, known as the prow bow and stern, are interchangeable. Therefore, they can travel back and forth between two ports of call without having to turn around. While this saves a great deal of time, it is sometimes absolutely necessary due to the size and area restrictions of certain terminals.

Famous double-ended vessels include the Staten Island Ferry, Washing State Ferries, Star Ferry and numerous boats on the North Carolina Ferry System and the Lake Champlain Transportation Company. There are also double-ended ferryboats in operation in the Norwegian fjords, British Columbia and Sydney, Australia.

Hydrofoils

Even though hydrofoil ferries might seem like a fairly advanced concept, prototypes date back over 100 years. Essentially, a hydrofoil is a boat that initially floats on the surface, but when velocity is increased the hull lifts out of the water, decreasing drag and allowing for greater speeds. The benefit of this type of vessel is that passengers can be transported quickly while minimising fuel costs. For this reason, they are commonplace on the English Channel and compete against Eurostar trains that use the tunnel.

However, they have their disadvantages too. Due to their technically complex nature, they are expensive to build and require ongoing maintenance. What’s more, a hydrofoil’s sharp edges that reside in the water during operation can also injure or kill marine mammals such as whales.

Hovercrafts

The development of the modern hovercraft is typically attributed to British mechanical engineer Sir Christopher Cockerell. In the 1950s, he developed a seagoing vehicle that used blowers to produce a large volume of air below the hull. The difference in air pressure above and below the hull generates lift and allows a hovercraft to float above the water surface.

Due to their adaptability and cost-effectiveness, they soon became a commercial success, predominantly around the UK and in the English Channel. Before long, hovercrafts were also adopted by the military and even used for recreational purposes.

But just like hydrofoils, they require a great deal of maintenance and can be susceptible to damage from adverse weather conditions. On top of that, hovercrafts are constrained to a given payload and their sea keeping ability is dependent on size.

Catamarans

These ferries feature two parallel hulls of equal size, which are geometry-stabilised. Due to their lightweight nature, thin hulls that reduce drag and no ballasted keel, a catamaran has a shallow draught and can travel at fast speeds. They also heel much less than a monohull, allowing for a more comfortable and efficient ride.

Traditionally, they relied on the wind for power and their sails would spill less than alternatives. But modern-day catamaran ferries combine the features of a motor yacht with the characteristics of a multihull.

Due to their countless advantages, catamarans are the ferry of choice for several high-speed services. They can replicate the speeds of a hydrofoil without suffering the effects of strong waves or foul water.

Roll-on/roll-off

Mainly used to transport wheeled cargo such as automobiles, trucks and trailers, roll-on/roll-off ships have built-in ramps that allow vehicles to effortlessly embark. When the vessel reaches its destination, the cargo can exit the other end just as easily.

In the past, vehicles had to be specially prepared before being hoisted into a ship’s hold, which was a time-consuming and expensive exercise. On top of that, the cargo was subject to damage as well. But in 1849, Thomas Bouch came up with the idea of a train ferry featuring an efficient roll-on, roll-off mechanism to maximise efficiency.

While these were used extensively in World War I, purpose-built landings ships capable of carrying military vehicles were developed for World War II. Today, they are still widely used for passenger and commercial purposes.

Cruiseferry

The combination of a cruise ship and a ‘Ro-Pax ferry’, this kind of vessel is typically used by holidaymakers on seagoing vacations or simply as a means of transportation. They are like a cruise ship in that they have numerous on-board facilities such as restaurants, bars and even entertainment or accommodation. RoPax ferries are those with a large garage intake and substantial passenger capacity.

Cruiseferries are typically found across Europe in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Irish Sea, English Channel and Mediterranean. However, they also operate between China and Australia.

Pontoon ferry

Not the most advanced or modern vessels in the western world, but pontoon ferries are widely used in less-developed countries. Due to their inexpensive yet versatile nature, pontoon ferries are often used to carry people and vehicles across large rivers or lakes where the cost of a bridge is too expensive.

The most common pontoon ferries borrow design ideas from a catamaran. But instead of featuring two narrow hulls, they usually have pontoons either side of the platform or raft. Ramps will be installed on either side of the vessel to increase the efficiency of passengers and vehicles getting on and off.

Cable ferry

Also known as a chain ferry, swing ferry, floating bridge or punt, this type of vessel is guided and often propelled across the water by cables connected to both shores. Traditionally, rope or steel chains were used, but by the late 19th century, more stronger and durable wire cable became commonplace.

A reaction ferry uses the power of the river to tack across the current whereas a powered ferry has an engine or electric motor to wind itself along. Cogs or drums on-board pull the vessel, but the cables or chains have a fair amount of slack, as they have to sink below the surface and allow the vessel to pass.

Fast-disappearing hand-operated ferries are also still in existence, such as the Stratford-upon-Avon Chain Ferry in the UK and the Saugatuck Chain Ferry in Michigan, USA.

Modern ferry facts and figures

World’s largest car ferry in service – The MS Ulysses, operated by Irish Ferries between Ireland and Wales. Launched in March 2011, this vessel stands 12 decks high, but six are specifically designated for vehicles. In total, the Ulysses can carry 1,342 cars and 240 trucks.

World’s largest passenger ferry in service – The Stena Hollandica and Britannica, operated by Stena Line between the Netherlands and Great Britain. This ship features 1376 beds, 538 cabins, an on-board cinema, lounge, bar, buffet and a la carte restaurants, a sun deck and free Wi-Fi throughout.

World’s fastest car ferry in service – The Luciano Federico L, operated by Buquebus between Montevideo, Uruguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Capable of a maximum speed achieved in sea trials of 60.2 knots, it holds a Guinness World Record. The boat can also carry 450 passengers and 52 cars along this 110-nautical mile route.

Oldest ferry service in continuous operation – The Mersey Ferry between Liverpool and Birkenhead or the Rocky Hill to Glastonbury Ferry. This is a contentious record, as a couple of different ferries claim to be the oldest service still operating today. In 1150, monks from the Benedictine Priory in Birkenhead used to charge a small fee to row passengers across the Mersey Estuary. However, there may have been a break in service following the dissolution of the monasteries. The ferry between Rocky Hill and Glastonbury, Connecticut, which has been running ever since 1655, only stops operating when the winter freezes over in winter.

World’s largest ferry system – On Scotland’s west coast, Caledonian MacBrayne operate a fleet of 29 vessels, which call at 50 different ports. Elsewhere is the world, BC Ferries in British Columbia have 36 ships that visit 47 terminals, while Washington State Ferries own 28 boats, which go to 20 destinations around Puget Sound.

Even though jumbo jets and high-speed trains have replaced ferryboat routes in some areas, they remain an incredibly important and crucial means of transportation for millions of people worldwide. The most modern vessels are also incredibly quick, very efficient and can transport scores of passengers in comfort and style.

Outright Odds: 12/1

Group C Winners: 13/8

New coach Marco van Basten has proven to be a revelation off the pitch as much as he was on it since taking over the Dutch national team. Plucked from an obscure youth coaching role at Ajax where he kept his head down and had low responsibilities when Dick Advocaat quit after Euro 2004, van Basten has made this new-look Dutch team his own.

Out with the old and in with the new seems to be van Basten’s philosophy so while former well known favourites such as Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert have been given the chop, some of the best players the Dutch Eredivisie has to offer have come in to replace them.

Players such as AZ Alkmaar’s Denny Landzaat, Feyenoord’s Dirk Kuyt and Ajax’s Ryan Babel may not be household names yet but have all won the backing of the manager. Ajax have a strong representation in the squad, with John Heitinga, Nigel de Jong, Hedwiges Maduro and Wesley Sneijder, all under the age of 23, vying for a place in the starting line-up.

The faith shown in locally-based players along with more recognisable faces such as evergreen trio Edwin van der Sar, Edgar Davids and Philip Cocu and the likes of Arjen Robben and Ruud van Nistelrooy has paid off.

The team are showing true team spirit and togetherness, unlike the inconsistent squads of the past and in qualifying notched up 32 points, the highest of any European side. Holland finished five points clear at the top of their group that also included bogey side Czech Republic and Romania, both of whom they beat twice. Surprisingly, the only country they didn’t beat was Macedonia who they drew with twice.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was in scintillating form during qualifying with seven goals in 10 matches and now back in favour at Manchester United, could be a good investment for the top goalscorer market.

The Dutch are always one of the favourites for the tournament but never quite manage it. They have reached the final twice, the semi finals and quarter final stages but never have enough to win it outright.

The team entering this year have little World Cup experience and it would be a big ask of this team to go all the way in Germany.

BetBonus.co.uk Recommendation:

Holland offer better value to win Group C than Argentina but a lack of experience throughout the squad means they cannot be backed to win the tournament outright. Ruud van Nistelrooy could be a good each-way investment for the top goal scorer berth on his debut at the finals.

Holland to win Group C @ 13/8

E/W Ruud van Nistelrooy as top goalscorer @ 16/1

Since Roman Abramovich became the new owner of Chelsea Football Club in 2003 they have been renowned for being the big spenders in the English Premier League.

From 2004-2009 there was an estimated gross spend of over £325 million on players, although £245 million has been recouped on sales of players during that time and notably during the 2009 season there was a profit on players sales (verses expenditure) of an estimated £68 million.

Obviously transfer fees are only half the story, players wages, are notoriously expensive, Chelsea spent a reported £142million on players salaries last year alone. This massive expenditure is offset somewhat by ticket sales, merchandise and replica shirt sales, advertising, television payments and indeed prize money for winning the premier league, estimated to be in the region of £15million.

Chelsea continue to maintain they are in a strong financial position and are reported to be on target to ‘break even’ within the next few years.

Since the takeover by Abramovich, the investment in football terms has pay dividends, and Chelsea have enjoyed a very successful era; they have won eight major trophies, including the Premier League 3 times, the FA Cup 3 times and the League Cup twice – making them the most successful English team in the last seven years.

Chelsea are not the only big spenders in the Premier League, and there are growing concerns about the financial position of some football clubs. In addition to the huge spending by some clubs, this financial power is also seen by some as an unfair advantage, if a club has the backing of wealthy businessmen or consortiums.

Another issue which is causing concern is the perceived lack of ‘home grown’ talent, which may adversely affect the national team as well as the clubs, by the massive influx of quality foreign players into the Premier League.

The football governing bodies have now taken action. From the beginning of the 2010/11 season The Premier League will introduce a squad cap of 25 players and a quota on ‘home grown’ players. From this season, clubs must include eight home-grown players out of a squad of 25.

A home-grown player is defined as being registered with the club for a minimum period of three entire seasons before the age of twenty-one.

Chelsea seem to be ahead of the game here, by moving to their new training ground in Cobham, Surrey in 2004 and opening their new multi-million pound state of the-art training ground in 2007, which includes all the latest in training, rehabilitation, medical, pitch and media technology and this is also the home of the youth team and Chelsea academy.

Cobham is home to the Under 9s through to the Under 18s, all the way through to the Chelsea first team. The academy is overseen by Chelsea sporting director Frank Arnesen who was appointed in 2005 and is well known for his ability to develop young players.

Chelsea already have several academy players on the verge of breaking into the first team. The long term strategy obviously has to be the development of talented young players rather than paying huge amounts for older players from other teams, this will also ensure future financial stability.

Developing home grown players is considered to be a vitally important goal for Chelsea. Cobham gives us the perfect platform for that, It is a general consensus that the new Premier League rules on home-grown players will benefit the long-term future of football.

Another issue for Chelsea are the huge salaries of the players, From the 2012-13 season clubs entering European competition will have to prove they are financially stable, and will only be allowed to spend on player transfers and wages what they earn in revenue, this is another factor that will prompt the development of youth team players to reduce massive transfer costs.

Prior to the start of this season, Chelsea have released several high profile players, who were reported to be amongst the highest earners at the club, it will be interesting to observe the developments and wage structures over the next few years, again, I believe Chelsea are ahead of the game, and will continue to be a major presence in English, European and World football.

I use my knuckles. Clenching my fist, each bony bump is a 31-day month. Each gap between them isn’t. Once I get to the knuckle on my little finger, it’s back to the beginning. That’s how I remember the number of days in each month. Of course, the more conventional way would be to simply buy a calendar. Something with cute cats on it might be nice. Maybe one featuring my favourite TV programme? Or, most obviously of all, a football calendar. Turns out you can actually go one better these days, thanks to personalised football calendars. In some instances, you’ll even find calendars with photos of your favourite team and your name cleverly integrated throughout. What’s not to like?

Get yourself online and you’ll find calendars for over 50 teams. And not just the big boys either. Just like the personalised football books that are sold on the same sites, calendars cover clubs from Scotland, the Premier League, Championship, League 1, League 2 and even the Blue Square Premier. So whether it’s a Manchester United calendar, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool or Spurs, or whether you’re after Watford, Bradford City or Luton Town, you might well find yourself pleasantly surprised by the choice. These specific football calendars feature a reprint of an original newspaper report for a game or event at the club in question, for each month. What’s more, you can pick the month the calendar starts on, and personalise the cover with a name and message.

A slightly more exclusive selection of personalised football calendar is available for the bigger clubs. We’re talking the likes of Aston Villa, Manchester City, Leeds, Wolves, Everton, West Ham, Newcastle, Sunderland and Forest, as well as the guys competing for the Champion’s League. These calendars are really quite cool – they feature photos from memorable moments throughout the club’s history for each month, and the recipient’s name cunningly infused into the photo. It could appear on the front of a shirt, in the advertising hoardings running round the pitch, or even on a scarf being held aloft in celebration. They’re definitely really good fun and the perfect solution if you’re trying to buy for the footie fan who’s already got everything his club has to offer.

If any of these sound like your cuppa tea, you’ll find them all online. And it’s not just personalised football calendars on offer. You’ve also got Cup Final DVDs, personalised mugs and prints, in addition to a whole range of other stuff. Just have a look – you’re bound to find something to suit.

Once you are in a park or in a museum, you can see interpretation panels which describe the brief history of the place, some facts and information to guide the guests accordingly. These are written in simple and easy to understand words so as to cater all age groups. It should also have a catchy and interesting design so people will be encouraged to read.

It should not be that detailed because it might bore the readers so it’s better to make things as straightforward as possible without losing the important points. The text should also be highly visible so older people can still be able to read it. For children, it would be interesting to read a colorful plate and the ones that answer their «what and why» question.

Before making the panel be sure that you have planned it ahead of time. Details and designs are the most important part of the plan. Decide what design you would likely use and make sure that it would match the theme of the place. Also know the target age groups so you would be certain of the conversational style that you would use. For example if it is for educational purposes and for children under 10 years old be sure that it has some pictures on it to make them good to look at. It should also be colorful and the words need to be as simple as possible. School-aged children are so curious so you should be able to answer their questions. For older readers, you can add on extra details and make sure you point out the important points. The words that will be used in the board should be taken into consideration since not everyone can understand difficult words.

Determine if you also need to put some translation to other languages. Know first the frequent visitors so you would be able to find out what language would be appropriate to use. It will also be neat if you could put some Braille version on the board so as to help the visually impaired to read what is on it. Ensure that board will not be that full and messy to look at and that every detail is in an organized manner so the readers will not get confused.

Make sure that the colors will blend with the environment and that it will be related with the theme. Next to check is the material it would be made of. It should last for a long period of time and it should not rust easily. Some boards are placed outdoors so it should survive the extremes of nature. Aluminum, timber, stainless steel and bronze are some examples of the material that you can use.

You can also choose a board wherein you can change the pictures on it in a regular basis. Whatever the style, theme and material you will use ensure that the readers will be highly encouraged to read the interpretation panels and that they will be educated well.

Any modern forward thinking DJ will tell you that there is a big revolution going on in the DJ world. Digital technology means that there is a rise of a new wave of decks and equipment that are transforming the way we play. In this short article I am going to give you the low down on what I consider to be amongst the best of this new kit, the Pioneer CDJ 400.

Pioneer has a long legacy in the DJ world and is truly respected for their equipment. For a long time the industry standard in most music venues for example has been the Pioneer Mk1, Mk2 and finally the Mk3’s. As DJ’s we all love the CDJ range because quite simply they perform well are robust and look really great.

I personally have owned a set of CDJ 800 decks for the last three years (these are the baby brothers to the 1000’s) and they performed amazingly well. However in the last two years the market has begun to change with digital DJ’ing being the new way forward. The main benefit of this new way of playing music is quite simply that all your tracks are stored on hard disks. Therefore you do not have to spend a small fortune and a huge amount of time burning CD’s to then carry them with you everywhere.

The most common application I have seen to date is where a DJ will link a laptop to a small console from which he controls the music. However for me this is not the way to go. For one the solutions do not seem stable enough, as we all know PC’s freeze and crash from time-to-time. In addition to this the consoles are too small; imagine trying to drive a performance car with a very tiny steering wheel and you will understand what I mean.

This is where the lovely CDJ 400 steps in. It is a hybrid deck which means it can play both CD’s and digital media. In addition to this it offers multiple options when it comes to choosing the digital media you can play from. For example you can plug in a simple memory stick, an iPod, iPhone and of course a laptop. With the correct connections and music management software you can use the deck as a midi controller as well i.e. you do not have too touch the laptop once running.

Another important point is the price, you can pick these decks up for about $7-$800 which given what they are capable of is very good value. As they play CD’s I have been able to make moving on to a fully digital platform a pleasant transition rather than having to try and move everything over in one go. Finally and most importantly for me is the way they play. As a hands-on DJ, I like to really feel in control of my mixes and these bad boys give me all the handling I need.

Dories are one of the few hundreds of year old boat designs to have survived into the 21st century, and for good reason. Their sea keeping abilities, slippery shapes, extreme versatility, and ease of construction make them one of the best choices for a first-time or veteran boat builder looking for a great boat able to be built on a budget.

Dories began appearing over 200 years ago as small, light, versatile work boats ideal for fishing. They were easy to construct, easy to launch from the beach, easy to row or sail, and could haul a huge load of gear and fish. No one knows exactly where the design came from but many builders started constructing these boats on both sides of the Atlantic. In Europe dories were popular in Portugal, and in the US, Nova Scotia was the center of dory construction. Dories were used extensively to fish the Grand Banks, one of the most important cod fishing locales in the world at that time.

Many people think that flat bottomed boats, as most dories are, are somehow less seaworthy than boats of some other bottom shape. Nothing could be farther from the truth. When you load a dory down, with its flared sides, the boat gets more and more stable. As an example of how seaworthy dories are, in 1876 a man named Alfred Johnson took a dare in a Gloucester, Massachusetts bar to single handedly sail across the Atlantic in an open dory. He chose a 20 foot dory which he named Centennial to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the United States that year. He fitted with sails and a centerboard, and on June 15th set off from Gloucester for England. He arrived in Liverpool on August 21st 1876 after crossing one of the most treacherous stretches of water in the world, the North Atlantic. He survived a major gale and some horrid seas in a flat bottomed, open boat with no flotation or self bailing decks!

Modern dories come in a number of variants. There are those optimized for rowing, sail, power, high power, wild white water, and more. Almost every possible boating use or preference can be accommodated in some kind of dory. Dories are used for launching through the surf, fishing in the open ocean, drifting down whitewater rivers, water skiing in lakes, as work boats hauling heavy loads of traps or divers, sailing along on a light breeze, just about any use you can imagine. They also do it with far less effort than many other kinds of boats. Imagine going 25 mph using only 25 horsepower in a 20 foot boat – a dory can do it. Imagine a 20 foot row boat that one person can row up to the hull speed of 6 knots with ease over long distances – a dory can do it. Imagine loading 8 tons of cargo on a 27 foot boat and powering it in the open ocean – a dory can do it.

Modern dories are surprisingly easy to build. All of the frame elements are straight. You can literally go to any lumber yard, buy pre-milled construction grade lumber, screw and glue it together, cover it with plywood, and viola – you have a dory. No exotic materials, no specialized tools, no special techniques are required. If you can build a sawhorse, you can build a dory. Most modest sized dories can be built in a few dozen hours for a few hundred dollars. All you need to do is to ensure the designer of the dory you select has designed his boat to be made from standard sized lumber. Some of the old fashioned designs call for unusual sizes you have to spend many hours sizing down the lumber before you can start building.

With modern epoxy, and the new polyurethane «Gorilla Glue» type glues, you can build strong, safe dories, even if you’re not an expert wood craftsman. These glues fill gaps well, so there is no need to carefully fit and expertly clamp each joint in the hull framing. With fiberglass and epoxy, you can even use non-marine grades of plywood also. The flexible and exceptionally strong coating of epoxy and fiberglass on the outside seals the hull as well as adding strength and abrasion resistance. Unlike older polyester resin based fiberglass, with epoxy, there is no specialized application techniques needed for boat building. You just lay the cloth on the plywood then wet it down with resin applied with a brush or roller. It’s simple.

YEAH YEAH YEAH to coin a phrase – I know, I know, another appraisal of The Beatles film ‘A Hard Day’s Night’

Nearly fifty four years old and the subject of countless critiques does the world really need one more? Well after watching it on television for the umpteenth time over Christmas I decided another set of observations could do no harm – after all what is wrong in celebrating eighty seven minutes of such joy one more time?

Having watched ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ at least once every eighteen months for the roughly the past forty years I thought there was nothing new for me to see but like the brilliant rock album and great film (which it most certainly is) there is often something new to discover. Much of the back story I discovered in the two-set DVD edition that I received as a birthday present about five years ago and while ‘the making of,’ documentary of is both fascinating and informative it also served to shatter one of my lasting illusions of the film. Down the years when walking along the platform of Liverpool Lime Street station I always conjured the image of the Fab Four being chased down the same walkway in the opening scene, only to discover it was not shot there but at Marylebone Station and the train journey they take in the first twenty minutes of the film is not from Liverpool to London, but back and forth from Marylebone to Minehead – leaving me with mixed feelings whether it was information I really needed to be aware of.

But no matter how many times I see it (and on this latest viewing I did spot a couple of errors in continuity that had never come to my attention before) I am always enthralled by the sheer exuberance of how The Beatles perform as actors. To clarify ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ completely breaks with the tradition laid down in the films made by the likes of Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard up to that point, as rather than play singing characters The Beatles are themselves which gives ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ its documentary feel and in a story that sees them travelling to London for a television appearance also provides an insight into the lives they were living at the time. The film, cleverly directed by Richard Lester, depicts each member with a distinctly individual personality that from this point onward they would retain until virtually the day they split up – John (rebel), Paul (romantic), George (thinker), Ringo (jester) – but in 1964, before a dark side to ‘Beatlemania’ had developed, their camaraderie is joyful and a far, far cry from the tetchy, squabbling individuals they became when breaking up in front of cameras for ‘Let It Be,’ just five years later.

In early 1964, however, the hand of manager Brian Epstein is still on the tiller, evident in their clean shaven, collar and tie appearance – with hard drugs, political pronouncements and mysticism still someway off. The music too has yet to undergo the transformation that happened once Bob Dylan and psychedelics replaced Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran as the principal song writing influences of Lennon and McCartney – nevertheless the soundtrack of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ is still a marvel. ‘If I Fell,’ ‘Tell Me Why,’ and ‘And I Love Her,’ all have gorgeous melodies and straightaway as songwriters they are way ahead of the field, while in the latter song the stunning classical guitar arrangement shows The Beatles were quite capable of eclecticism in their own right.

One oddity of the film given it is their movie, is the name of the group is never mentioned – ‘The Beatles’ appears on Ringo’s drum kit and on the helicopter in the closing scene – but everywhere else the superb script, written by playwright Alun Owen, contains comical references to their fame and throws in several in-jokes for good measure, the most obvious being frequent remarks made to Paul’s grandfather, who is travelling with them, about him being ‘a clean old man.’ Played by Wilfrid Brambell, this is a reference to the character Brambell was currently making famous in the television comedy ‘Steptoe and Son’ where he is often labelled ‘a dirty old man.’ After spending time with The Beatles, Owen manages to give his script strong authenticity, picking up on expressions the group were using such as ‘grotty’ and ‘mocker’ that had never been used before. What did come as a surprise when recently watching the film was a scene on a backstage staircase where there road manager (played by Norman Rossington) says to John Lennon as a chorus line passes: ‘put those girls down Lennon or I’ll tell your Mother.’

It seems a strangely insensitive line particularly as Lennon had lost his Mother in a tragic car accident six years before and in view of the tortured songs he wrote about her (‘Mother’, My Mummy’s Dead,’) most notably on his breath taking solo album ‘Plastic Ono Band’ in 1970.

But let us not leave ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ on a sombre note – it is much too upbeat and infectious for that.

If you have seen the film then see it again and dare yourself not to smile. If somehow you have never seen it what a treat awaits – a wonderful opportunity to witness many of the reasons people remain enthralled by The Beatles to this day.

Chelsea are quite rightly considered one of the strongest teams in the British Premier League, Europe and the world. They have a squad that would be the envy of almost any club except maybe Real Madrid. They have a squad that is full of international players and could arguably field two teams of internationals except for the goal-keeping position where they have Ross Turnbill and Hilario as back up. They have Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Mikel, Deco just to name a few of their plethora of international midfielders.

With a squad like this to choose from you can see why many football pundits are tipping them to win the British Premier League. If you see the odds that the bookmakers are putting up for Chelsea you can see that they too believe Chelsea are true title contenders and we know that the bookies are very rarely ever wrong.

There only contenders to Chelsea are the other three of the «Big Four» of the British Premier League who are Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United. Manchester United are the title holders from last year and have a great squad, The biggest question is whether they can overcome the loss of Ronaldo who is arguably the best player in the world and was also the top scorer for Manchester United for the last two years. Then there is Arsenal who play irresistible football going forward but still have questions about their defense after losing Kolo Toure to Manchester City. Chelsea have a great chance to win the British Premier League this year and will be in the race till the very end.

On May 28th 2011 the World’s ‘best’ team, Barcelona, travel to Wembley Stadium in London to take on the power of Manchester United. After destroying Real Madrid and Schalke in their semi-finals, these two giants of World football will do battle for the premier prize in club football. On display will be some of the planet’s most talented players in Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, Villa, Bojan, Mascherano, Alves, Rooney, Vidic, Ferdinand, Hernandez, Berbatov, Van der Saar, Evra, and, of course, the very best of all in the Argentinean genius Lionel Messi.

Barcelona, given their comprehensive victory over United in 2009 and their awesome pedigree over the past few seasons, will go into the final as strong favorites to lift the trophy and conquer Europe for a second time in three years. Their La Liga form has again been outstanding this season as they have pulled away from the big spending Ronaldo / Kaka led Real Madrid at the top of the table. David Villa, after a slightly slow start by his very high standards, has started regularly find the net and shown the form he did for previous club Valencia. Add to that the masterful passing and possession of Iniesta and Xavi, the vision, skill and finishing of Messi and it’s easy to see why Barca score so many goals. Lionel Messi has scored 52 goals so far this season in all competitions – that, by anyone’s standards is amazing and will be giving Alex Ferguson and his players countless sleepless nights.

Manchester United’s form has gathered pace as the season has progressed. After a slow start, with a number of draws against lower table sides, they have established themselves at the summit of the Premier League table going into the remaining 3 games of the season. They face a massive test against title rivals Chelsea on Sunday 08th May at Old Trafford. Should they win or draw that match they will be highly likely to win the Premier League title, which would see them surpass Liverpool’s record for the most league titles.

In Wayne Rooney and Hernandez United have two strikers in red hot form. So much so that they are keeping top scorer Berbatov on the sidelines. It will be interesting to see how Alex Ferguson addresses Barcelona’s midfield masters in the final. I expect him to pack the midfield with five players, and play Rooney alone upfront. That may mean Hernandez is limited to a cameo role.

This game has all the ingredients to go down as one of the greatest ever Champions League Finals. Will Manchester United gain revenge for the mauling they received in the 2009 Final, or will Fergie mastermind a victory over the seemingly unplayable Messi and Co? Come the 28th May 2011 and all will be revealed on the magnificent Wembley pitch. I for one can’t wait!