Mark Benstead's Real Sport Diary
The games are coming thick and fast just now and I'm starting my annual search to find something to wear to keep the cold out. I try numerous combinations each season and always fail to come up with a solution. No matter what I do I always leave games unable to feel my toes. Oh well maybe this winter will different...
Celtic have extended their lead at the top of the table despite being without a host of their established stars and found an emerging talent in Cillian Sheridan. I think the coaches saw raw potential in the Irishman but I imagine even they will have been surprised by how well he's adapted to life in the SPL. I genuinely think the lad's done enough to be considered as another option by Gordon Strachan now even when all his big hitters are fit.
The big debate this week has centred on a proposed "Team GB" for the Olympics in 2012. Now I understand the concerns of fans of the individual home nations (they're worried about losing their own sides) but surely it's worth investigating the options available to us. If it is not possible to guarantee the futures of the individual nations' own teams after the London games then we obviously abandon the idea. I don't want to lose the England team (even though they constantly let me down!) anymore than any Scotland fans want to lose the Scotland team. That said if it's possible to get a cast iron guarantee that the teams can all continue past 2012 as they are now, then why not? Why should we deprive young players across the UK of the chance to play at the Olympic Games? On top of that I'm sure we'd all have far more interest in the football tournament if we had some of our own players taking part.
See Mark's photos of the stadiums he has visited in the past year.