Tides of History

🚨Publication Day 🚨 Britain in the 1980s. Industrial Decline. Thatcherism. Unemployment. Miners. Racism. Sexism. Privatisation. Yuppies. Celebrity. Hope and Glory. And the untold story of rugby league’s survival and revival against the odds…. OUT NOW 🤙

"I think the House of Lords ought to be abolished and I don't think the best way for me to abolish it is to go there myself." Michael Foot, born #OnThisDay 1913, explaining his decision to decline a peerage after retiring from the House of Commons in 1992.

Well worth a read of @dcsandbrook intro to the “Great British Dream Factory” this morning - on the emergence of Black Sabbath and heavy metal in the 1960s 🦇 “Birmingham more than any other city had become synonymous with the sound and the spectacle of industry”

Nothing sounded like this in 1970. People thought the devil was coming out of their speakers. Sick. Rip Ozzy Osbourne.

“I’ve done a lot for a simple working-class guy. I made a lot of people smile. I’ve also made a lot of people go, ‘Who the f--- does this guy think he is?” RIP Ozzy Osbourne - a true British icon The sounds of industrial working class Birmingham will live on 🤘

Always good news when you see another @AlwynTurner book on the way 🍻

#OTD 1994. Tony Blair elected Labour Leader. He calls for a project of national renewal: “Where there is no corner of Britain, not in its length and breadth, where we shield our eyes in shame and look away because we dare not contemplate what we see”

This is pretty amazing - 17-year-old Andy Farrell explaining why he's training as a joiner. 33 years later, he's head coach for the Lions and he's won his first Test match with them.

#OTD 1966. As the economic crisis continues, Harold Wilson announces £500m of cuts to ease pressure on sterling. “I believe, the country, will recognise the urgency of these measures, if we are to get our economy into balance and to keep our costs under control”.

Let’s try and get every rugby league fan in London to this brilliant event We want this to be a huge day for stem cell donation, for #rugbyleague, and most importantly for Emilia. DM me for more info 👋

#OTD 1992. John Smith elected Labour Leader with 91% of the vote. He would later say that “I look around and in every part of our country, in every walk of life, in our schools, at work, in our streets and towns, I see opportunity denied, potential unfulfilled and talent unused"

The episode of Corrie where Tracy whacks Charlie over the head with an ornament whilst Oasis plays in the background is airing on ITV3 RIGHT NOW.

Excellent news 📚

Good to see Liam and Noel acting like brothers again ❤️

What the world was waiting for 🌍 1996 to 2025 #Oasis

Hello, hello. It's good to be back! 👑

NEW POD 🚨 SLPC #4 Johnny and Andy from @onlyinRL delve deep into the fortunes, and mis-fortunes, of two of the biggest clubs in world rugby league. Wigan and St Helens Both sides recently conquered the world but how are they faring now, click ⬇️ linktr.ee/ramblingsofasa…

It was wonderful to have @lionsofficial Head Coach and @WiganWarriorsRL legend Andy Farrell drop in today ahead of their game against the @BrumbiesRugby tonight at GIO Stadium Canberra. #WeAreRaiders

Brilliant! In 1986, did my French A level dissertation on the Vichy government’s treatment of rugby league