A Derby View - The Best of Anton Rippon

From the popular Derby Telegraph columnist and author of the highly acclaimed A Derby Boy

Anton Rippon

• Publisher: Wharncliffe Books
• Year: 2010
• Print ISBN: 9781845631376
• eBook ISBN: 9781783031757
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Modern History
• Index: History

Anton Rippon is a Derby boy, born and bred. He is also one of the city's best-known writers and personalities, with a string of highly acclaimed books to his name. For the past eight years, he has written a popular weekly column in the Derby Telegraph in which he takes a whimsical, often sideways, look at life in Derby, both the serious side and the frivolous. In the process he captures perfectly the essence of this sturdy Midlands city.Sometimes commenting on current events, sometimes looking at the dafter side of life, often taking a trip down Memory Lane to illustrate a point, Anton has the rare ability to weave a story that both entertains and informs the people of his hometown.Now, in A Derby View, he has drawn together many of those columns, as well as new writing. The result is a book that will delight Derbeians young and old.

Table of Contents

Title Page
Copyright Page
Introduction
LITTLE GREEN MEN IN ALVASTON PARK
DERBY’S WOES – IT’S JUST COMMON SENSE
EAST MIDLANDS POLICE FORCE? NO THANKS
LAYABOUTS? MOVE THEM ON – AGAIN AND AGAIN
HUMAN STORY BEHIND A NEWSPAPER CUTTING
THOSE VETERANS MUST FEEL LET DOWN
A WALK TO DERBY IN MELLOW MISTS
OINK’S FENCE IS NOW MY WEIGHT LOSS GAUGE
‘WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO DERBY?’
DID TERRORISTS DO THIS? NO, DERBY CITY COUNCIL
QUESTIONS, TELEVISED COUNCIL MEETINGS, VICARS
WHEN CLOUGHIE RUINED DURBAN’S EGG ROUND
CAN YOU IMAGINE CHICK MUSSON IN A LEOTARD?
LEW IS STILL A GOOD OLD SPORT
FLYING PICKLES, PRESERVED PLUMS – WHAT A WASTE
WHEN CHICKEN WAS ONLY A CHRISTMAS DAY TREAT
I PREFERRED SNOOKER WITH SALTY THE IRISHMAN
WE’RE ALL AGREED: IT’S DOWNHILL FROM HERE
STATE PENSION? RING BACK IN TWO MONTHS’ TIME
BOWLING ALONG TO FIND THE SPORT FOR ME
WHERE THE CUSTOMER IS NEVER RIGHT
HERE’S A TIP: GIVE US A SMILE
I WISH MPS’ GRAVY TRAIN HAD STOPPED HERE
ETIQUETTE DILEMMA POSED BY MOBILE PHONES
IT’S TOO DYNAMICALLY STABLE TO SNOW, APPARENTLY
‘HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A CIRCUS PERFORMER?’
CYCLISTS’ RIGHT OF WAY – THEY TAKE IT ANYWAY
ALTERNATIVE COMEDIANS? WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE?
WELL, I’D NEVER HEARD OF JODIE KIDD
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THOSE PRIDE PARK AMERICANS
SEEKING FRESH AIR? TAKE REFUGE IN A PUB
THE HOSPITAL THAT JUST GREW AND GREW
I NEVER SAW A GHOST IN FRIAR GATE
ALL QUEUING UP TO IRRITATE ME
WHY I PREFER BAKEWELL TO SUNNY SPAIN
BANK MANAGERS – OR SMILING ASSASSINS?
WHAT HAPPENED TO GERARD STREET SOUTH?
NO ANSWER FOR A NICE COUPLE FROM LOUGHBOROUGH
THE SMILING WEST INDIAN WHO LOVED CRICKET
TODAY’S FOOTBALLERS DON’T KNOW THEY’RE BORN
WELL, WHAT WAS YOUR ‘DIVI’ NUMBER?
WHICH DERBY DO YOU LIVE IN?
TWO PIANOS AND A MYSTERIOUS RUSSIAN
A LAPTOP CLUB IN DERBY?
AN OLD CARPET AND AN INFLEXIBLE CITY COUNCIL
A SMALL TOY AND A GOLDEN AGE OF POLITICS
THE TROUBLE WITH PROTEST VOTING . . .
UNPLUG YOUR APPLIANCES? WHERE DO YOU START?
I DON’T KNOW NORMAN AND IT ISN’T HITLER’S BIRTHDAY
A VISIT TO THE DENTIST OR A DAY IN COURT
IT’S MY PALPABLE PEAK OF LAMPHIER
SAD STORY OF A MILLENNIUM TREE
WHEN THEY WERE CLEANING WINDOWS
THE STRANGER WHO LOVED DERBYSHIRE
THE ONLY AIM WAS TO AVOID ‘GINGER’
DERBY – THE STAGE FOR THEATRICAL FARCE
WHY HAVE I NEVER BEEN A TRAIN SPOTTER?
WHEN YOU KNEW DERBY’S DRUNKS BY NAME
WHAT WOULD PIGEON PERCY MAKE OF MODERN DERBY?
GREAT TIMES TO BE INVOLVED IN LOCAL RADIO
DERBY’S BLACK MARKE...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• LITTLE GREEN MEN IN ALVASTON PARK
• DERBY’S WOES – IT’S JUST COMMON SENSE
• EAST MIDLANDS POLICE FORCE? NO THANKS
• LAYABOUTS? MOVE THEM ON – AGAIN AND AGAIN
• HUMAN STORY BEHIND A NEWSPAPER CUTTING
• THOSE VETERANS MUST FEEL LET DOWN
• A WALK TO DERBY IN MELLOW MISTS
• OINK’S FENCE IS NOW MY WEIGHT LOSS GAUGE
• ‘WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO DERBY?’
• DID TERRORISTS DO THIS? NO, DERBY CITY COUNCIL
• QUESTIONS, TELEVISED COUNCIL MEETINGS, VICARS
• WHEN CLOUGHIE RUINED DURBAN’S EGG ROUND
• CAN YOU IMAGINE CHICK MUSSON IN A LEOTARD?
• LEW IS STILL A GOOD OLD SPORT
• FLYING PICKLES, PRESERVED PLUMS – WHAT A WASTE
• WHEN CHICKEN WAS ONLY A CHRISTMAS DAY TREAT
• I PREFERRED SNOOKER WITH SALTY THE IRISHMAN
• WE’RE ALL AGREED: IT’S DOWNHILL FROM HERE
• STATE PENSION? RING BACK IN TWO MONTHS’ TIME
• BOWLING ALONG TO FIND THE SPORT FOR ME
• WHERE THE CUSTOMER IS NEVER RIGHT
• HERE’S A TIP: GIVE US A SMILE
• I WISH MPS’ GRAVY TRAIN HAD STOPPED HERE
• ETIQUETTE DILEMMA POSED BY MOBILE PHONES
• IT’S TOO DYNAMICALLY STABLE TO SNOW, APPARENTLY
• ‘HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A CIRCUS PERFORMER?’
• CYCLISTS’ RIGHT OF WAY – THEY TAKE IT ANYWAY
• ALTERNATIVE COMEDIANS? WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE?
• WELL, I’D NEVER HEARD OF JODIE KIDD
• KEEP YOUR EYES ON THOSE PRIDE PARK AMERICANS
• SEEKING FRESH AIR? TAKE REFUGE IN A PUB
• THE HOSPITAL THAT JUST GREW AND GREW
• I NEVER SAW A GHOST IN FRIAR GATE
• ALL QUEUING UP TO IRRITATE ME
• WHY I PREFER BAKEWELL TO SUNNY SPAIN
• BANK MANAGERS – OR SMILING ASSASSINS?
• WHAT HAPPENED TO GERARD STREET SOUTH?
• NO ANSWER FOR A NICE COUPLE FROM LOUGHBOROUGH
• THE SMILING WEST INDIAN WHO LOVED CRICKET
• TODAY’S FOOTBALLERS DON’T KNOW THEY’RE BORN
• WELL, WHAT WAS YOUR ‘DIVI’ NUMBER?
• WHICH DERBY DO YOU LIVE IN?
• TWO PIANOS AND A MYSTERIOUS RUSSIAN
• A LAPTOP CLUB IN DERBY?
• AN OLD CARPET AND AN INFLEXIBLE CITY COUNCIL
• A SMALL TOY AND A GOLDEN AGE OF POLITICS
• THE TROUBLE WITH PROTEST VOTING . . .
• UNPLUG YOUR APPLIANCES? WHERE DO YOU START?
• I DON’T KNOW NORMAN AND IT ISN’T HITLER’S BIRTHDAY
• A VISIT TO THE DENTIST OR A DAY IN COURT
• IT’S MY PALPABLE PEAK OF LAMPHIER
• SAD STORY OF A MILLENNIUM TREE
• WHEN THEY WERE CLEANING WINDOWS
• THE STRANGER WHO LOVED DERBYSHIRE
• THE ONLY AIM WAS TO AVOID ‘GINGER’
• DERBY – THE STAGE FOR THEATRICAL FARCE
• WHY HAVE I NEVER BEEN A TRAIN SPOTTER?
• WHEN YOU KNEW DERBY’S DRUNKS BY NAME
• WHAT WOULD PIGEON PERCY MAKE OF MODERN DERBY?
• GREAT TIMES TO BE INVOLVED IN LOCAL RADIO
• DERBY’S BLACK MARKET SAW MORALS COMPROMISED
• TASTE OF AUSTERITY IS RECIPE FOR HOME COOKING
• THE HOMING PIGEON THAT WON’T GO HOME
• GET AWAY FROM IT ALL – STAY PUT AND TAKE A PEAK
• PUBLIC LOOS ARE THE SIGN OF A CIVILIZED SOCIETY
• STUDENTS SPURN THE BUS: ANOTHER WORRYING STATISTIC
• LAW AND ORDER – WHERE DID IT ALL GO WRONG?
• NO STREET LIGHTS – BUT WE CAN ENJOY THE VELODROME
• NOT A DAY TO FEEL THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
• ECCENTRIC TEACHER TAUGHT US NOT TO TAKE LIFE SERIOUSLY
• PEOPLE MIGHT MISS THE WESTFIELD CENTRE TOO
• ROLL UP! FREE LESSONS ON LIVING OFF WELFARE
• MY FRIEND HAYDN: MUSIC WAS HIS LIFE
• NO PRESTON PLUMBER ON CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER
• SLIDING DOWN MEMORY LANE . . . THANKS TO AN ALARM CALL
• WORKMEN SHOULD MAKE THE TEA
• SAFETY NET THAT BECAME A FEATHER BED
• THE DAY I FELL FOUL OF THE CHAIR POLICE
• DERBY? IT’S BETTER THAN NORTHAMPTON
• LIFE IS ABOUT TIMING – AND HAPPY MEMORIES
• IF YOU’RE AFTER MY VOTE – THEN SHUT THE FRONT GATE
• ILL FORTUNE TO WHOEVER STOLE MY SHOPPING BAG
• DEMOLITION DERBY LEFT US FEW ARCHITECTURAL TREASURES
• IF YOU’RE AFTER MY VOTE – THEN SHUT THE FRONT GATE
• ILL FORTUNE TO WHOEVER STOLE MY SHOPPING BAG
• DEMOLITION DERBY LEFT US FEW ARCHITECTURAL TREASURES