The Paul Rogers Review of the Year 2011 (From Hereford Times)

The Paul Rogers Review of the Year 2011

9:00am Thursday 29th December 2011 in Paul Rogers Blog By Paul Rogers

WELL yet another year is soon to be over and everyone starts making New Year resolutions, which will probably last all of one month.

So was 2011 a year to remember?

For me personally yes it was.

I met my lovely girlfriend and became a senior reporter, so no more stressing over exams next year now...yippee!!!

I also went on two brilliant holidays to Tunisia and Montpellier in the south of France.

The first was a press trip, which I was very grateful for (and no the Hereford Times didn't pay for it before you ask), while I went to Montpellier with my best friend Andy.

The last night there will go down in legend :-)

Interviewing comedian Lee Nelson was also a highlight, but unfortunately I missed Mark Bowen take a comedy fall at work, which almost saw him end up in a bin.

That guy is a right character (I'm sure he won't mind me saying it) and always provides us with a laugh.

Anyway, enough about me, let's see what happened in 2011.

I won't do a local review of the year as that is in today's paper (nice plug by myself there), so I'll do a national one instead.

There was the Royal Wedding of William and Kate, which united the country, mainly in the belief that Wills had married the wrong sister.

The nation will once again be turning out in their numbers to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee next year.

Osama Bin Laden (or to give him his full name Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden) was finally killed, while North Korean leader Kim-Jong-Il died of a heart attack earlier this month.

He is due to be succeed by another Kim-Jong...Kim-Jong-Un.

Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray was found guilty of manslaughter, much to the relief of the boogie, whom many people blamed for the late singer's death, while the News of the World was no more following the phone hacking scandal.

Super-injunctions also came to the fore when the media were initially banned from naming footballer Ryan Giggs as the guy who had an affair with Imogen Thomas.

Imogen who? I hear you cry.

You know, former Miss Wales Imogen Thomas who was in Big Brother seven.

Oh that Imogen Thomas!

It was later revealed that Giggs also had a long standing affair with his sister-in-law Natasha, who as a result is set to be in next month's Celebrity Big Brother.

Another housemate rumoured to enter the house is Frankie Cocozza, who was kicked off the X Factor due to reports that he had been taking drugs.

I think he got the wrong idea when he was told to reach for the high notes!

He first came to prominence during the auditions when he bared his bottom to reveal the names of girls that had slept with.

He has reportedly promised Channel Five bosses that he will have sex in the Big Brother House, although I hope it's not with Natalie Cassidy (a.k.a Sonia Jackson from Eastenders) or Boy George for that matter, who are both set to take part.

Reality shows seem to dominate TV at the moment, with different parts of the country being showcased.

I think Herefordshire should have their own show.

What do you think of "The Only Way is Belmont" or "Made in Michaelchurch Escley"?

Watching John Stape in Coronation Street was also a funny moment for me, or should I say his other aliases Colin Fishwick, John Collins and Mr Chips...what's wrong with the Golden Gallion? :-) Him teaching Rosie Webster what to say in order to get Fiz off three murder charges was a definite highlight.

Music was, overall, ok during the year, with top albums from Coldplay, Kasabian and Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds.

But it seems that you have to be on the X Factor to star on the Christmas Top of the Pops.

Former Hereford United striker Stuart Fleetwood even took to the mic this year during a charity gig for his current club Luton.

If only he was still with the Bulls, then he could team up with James McQuilkin and call themselves Fleetwood Mac. Poor I know!

Sporting wise, it was good to see road cyclist Mark Cavendish and the England cricket team get the recognition that they deserve at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony, but how Yeomans Canon Travel got overlooked again for coach of the year I do not know. May be next year.

It should be a good sporting year in 2012 with the Olympics and the European football championships.

Great Britain should do well in both the Olympics and Paralympics, with high hopes for Herefordian swimmers Sascha and Nyree Kindred, but don't hold your breath on England doing much at the Euros.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Ireland fare - their fans always add a bit of colour to tournaments.

Hopefully former Hereford United goalkeeper Dan Connor will be attendance.

Talking about the Bulls, anything higher than 23rd place will be deemed a success for the team judging by their current precarious situation.

I'm also hoping Westfields can carry on their good form and win the Midland Alliance.

They should then have an open top bus parade throughout the city...or should they just stick to Widemarsh Common?

Anyway, I hope they don't drop the trophy like Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos did from the top of the bus following their Copa del Ray triumph.

That was a great You Tube moment, although one of the best has got to be "Supergran" Ann Timson fending off armed robbers with her handbag after they tried to smash their way into a jewellers in Northampton.

The London riots also dominated the news, with youths stealing anything from Nike Air trainers to bags of Tesco Value basmati rice.

Whoa don't go overboard!

The year also saw some high profile deaths, namely Gary Speed, Amy Winehouse and Sir Jimmy Saville.

All were very talented and were rightly mourned.

So raise your glass for 2011 and let's make 2012 an even better year!

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