# Football Results



## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Saw this mentioned here recently, but couldn't find my way back to it, so thought I would start a new discussion.

I am a lifelong footabll hater! At school, I was one of those kids that on football days could be found in raincoat, muffler, gloves, cap and football boots at the edge of the pitch with my fellow football hater cronies digging holes in the mud with my boots and talking about more important things such as radio construction, acorn valves, reaction circuits, tuning coils and the like.

Never attended a football match in my life & never intend to!

Went to sea where I thought there was no football and then I find all & sundry wanting me to get the football results! From 1961 to 1965 in cargo ships, I absolutely drew a line at typing them out. If someone gave me a fixture book, I would write the results in it and that was as far as I was prepared to go - never typed them out no matter how high level the threat was. No fixture book - no football results!

Then I went in passenger ships and as 4th had to receive them in the press. Didn't mind that, but I did resent various memebers of ships company from senior officers down to plate scullions turning up at radio room bellyaching to chief that this or that result was wrong. Chief would placate them with a joke or two and after they had gone would scream and shout at me as if I had committed some immortal sin (despite his own complete indifference to the damned game). I always thought "If you knew what the correct result was, why bother looking in the press?"

Then after promotion to 3rd, I was free of the burden for a number of years. 

Then, back to cargo ships again. First one, bulker in the Pacific had a few football nuts aboard who wanted results. I solved that one by receiving the press broadcasts on the typewriter as per my passenger ship days. As we were in the Pacific, it came in during the day rather than the night and I was quite happy to type them out, mind in neutral. Captain soon decided that I was committing an illegal act in receiving it when we weren't a subscriber and that solved my problem and I was able to "pass the buck!"

Next two ships, fortunately everyone had the same interest as me (zero) so no problem.

Then back to single R/O passenger ships for final 13 years. My rule then was "Give me a blank tape and I will record them for you!" 
On one occasion, one of them said he hadn't got a recorder. I replied that he had a radio set and as he was not on watch when the results came in, why couldn't he get them himself? Reply "At that time, I'm having a beer with the lads!"

I suppose I am very much alone in this anti-football phobia, but it will make an interesting discussion for ex R/Os (and maybe other interested ex crew).

Bob


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## holland25 (Nov 21, 2007)

Shipbuilder, you are not alone,the sight of a bunch of oafs manipulating a ball of any sort around a muddy field in the middle of winter, was and still is, my private idea of hell. I always preferred dancing in the gym, with the girls. However two of my grandsons are showing some sign of prowess at Aussie rules which has meant some change of opinion, and the winter isnt as severe here.
I dont remember coming under much pressure to get the results though one occasion does stand out. We were in the Carribean on a Harrison boat and I was prevailed upon to make the effort. We had organised a sweep and much to everybodies disgust, I won it, there was some suspicion, until the results were confirmed. I got paid in Santo Domingan pesos. I gave them to my father when I got home,and he took them to the bank, who changed them at a very favourable rate, they looked like US dollars, and we are talking 1956. I of course spent the money and went back to sea, quite a bit later Dad wrote to say that the bank had made a mistake, they had found out the true worth of the pesos. I suspect he sorted it out. The bank was a branch of Williams Deacons, an ancestor of the Royal Bank of Scotland, they must have been a bit sharper in those days.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

PJ Kelly, the Chief R/O on the 'Golfito' had all the fixtures pre-printed prior to the trip. When copying the Press on Saturday night, all I had to do was to add in the scores - that is if we hadn't been able to get them already, off the BBC Overseas Service in the afternoon.

In a similar vein, he also had all the Stocks & Shares listings pre-printed (in the same order that the prices were listed in the GTZZ transmissions). In that case, you only had to copy down the prices and not the whole nine yards. Made it far easier for the poor junior Sparks.


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

My mind has blanked the horror of the football results.
GTZM had the Vernons pools thing running and if anyone onboard participated then the results had to be got no matter what.
I seem to remember special fixture and results sheets but apart from that the grey cells have buried the horror deep in the sub-conscious.
Having said that I shall probably awaken in a cold sweat tonight having dreamt that I'd missed the damn things. (Sad)


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Hi Ron,
We had the skins (gestetner sheets) prepared beforehand by the 4th for both football and stocks & shares. Reminds me of amusing story of the share prices. One fine evening, I received them and printed an extra 0 on one of the shares. Chief went purple with rage and told me I had probably ruined a number of businessmen in 1st class. Fortunately, he convinced them it was a mistake. Anyway, next night, the extra zero was there again and again I printed it. More rage and I was told not to do it again. I left it off all the way to UK when we got a letter from company saying that particular share had shot up during the trip to the tune of an extra zero and why hadn't we noticed it? I have no idea how he wriggled out of it, but I was quite firm that I would "blow the gaff" on him if I was called to answer for it at head office. Fortunately, had 4th & 2nd on my side!
Bob


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

Hi Shipbuilder - I'm with you on the football results - if anyone wanted them then they got them themselves. On one ship I even went as far as pre-tuning the main receiver and letting the 3/E take them off the World Service himself during my 'off-watch period'.

Had to take the official Vernons (then Zetters) message from GKA if anyone onboard had played the 'pools' though. That was mostly figures if I remember correctly.

Steve.
(Thumb)


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## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

Kris,

As we did Vernons pools, Interflora, Kays et al, I just took the football results as being part and parcel of the job. I have no interest in football myself but with maybe a dozen crew doing Vernons I didn't want to alienate myself or them by not getting the results. How often did you get 'hey sparkie, how did "team" do?"


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## ian fears (Dec 1, 2005)

only done them one trip, BIs Chupra when all the officers done the whole season , but in the back of my mind I thought I made more in commission than anyone did in winnings or am I wrong about commission ?


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## MARINEJOCKY (Nov 25, 2007)

As mentioned on another thread alot of us were very happy with the advent of sat phones and now high speed broadband sat service and we do not have to listen to those who did very little but try to justify their existence. (*))

I guess you are also the guy who looks at a glass half empty, why would you start a thread with a negative theme. 

Would I start a thread stating I do not like sparkies, NO but I may make my views known in other ways.


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

mikeg said:


> Kris,
> 
> As we did Vernons pools, Interflora, Kays et al, I just took the football results as being part and parcel of the job. I have no interest in football myself but with maybe a dozen crew doing Vernons I didn't want to alienate myself or them by not getting the results. How often did you get 'hey sparkie, how did "team" do?"


It certainly was just part and parcel of the job, Mike.
I once got a snotty letter from GTZM about the lack of radio traffic and particularly flowers and pools. The ship traded Liverpool to Liverpool in 3 month trips so all the crew made their arrangements between trips so no massive profits for Marconi. In that instance the Old Man would not allow Vernons.
It was actually quite easy with Marconi because we got the results direct via a GTZM. Although not interested myself I always tried to get them if asked. Even when no-one was using Vernons. Some companies refused the service altogether and the last word on all ships was down to the Old Man. I found most times that the crew were more geared up than I was to get the results.

It appears that our main function with regard to SOLAS and manned communication in the event of things going belly-up was strictly a secondary consideration. (*))
Cheers
Kris


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Marine Jockey,
I don't really understand any of the three paragraphs that you posted!

Can you elaborate?
1. 
I didn't mention any of the new systems. I didn't try to justify my existance!
2.
Glass half full - what is that about?. I am negative about football because I don't like it! I am actually surprised so many agreed with me on this!
3.
Thread stating I do not sparkies - don't undrestand?
Bob


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

Nor does anyone else............forget it.


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## MARINEJOCKY (Nov 25, 2007)

Funny how I believe everybody who is posting on this thread shwoing a dislike of football are sparkies, is that becuase you do not like the physical game or because it made you all do some work. 

As I said there are alot of members who liked the ships when sat comm came along and we did not have to deal with prima donna's in the radio shack. 

Was your job so hard that you really disliked the taking of the scores for the rest of us. 

Why are you surprised so many agreed with your dislike of football, there are 12 posts on this thread, your original one, mine and your reply and all of the other nine are from fellow sparkies and they all *****ed about having to take the scores down. 

I can not believe that all sparkies disliked football but if this is a straw poll I guess they did

and finally thanks for pointing out the missing word and I went back in and corrected my post. (*))


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Marine Jockey,
Thanks for elaborating. All clear now.

I will not argue. Before satellites came along, radio was the only option. But satcoms did come along and we were no longer required, so they got rid of us! No problem with me! After 32 years of it, I had gained enough knowledge and skills to keep myself in employment from the age of 48 (when I left the sea, until my present age, 65, where I am still fully (self) employed! 

Anyway, maybe as an engineer, you can help me with something that I posted in the engineering section (it is a genuine enquiry and not a sarcy comment!)

I have a general high regard for other professional ship's officers whether they were deck, engine, electrical, catering, or pursering, so I will not eneter into a slanging match with you. I will also be grateful with any help you can give me regarding my query (in the engineering section).

Best wishes
Bob


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

MJ

You seem to be generalising wildly and assuming that all the people who signed on articles in a particular job must think and behave in the same way. How realistic is that?

I was happy to spend some years at sea as an R/O in the 1960s. The work was easy and undemanding while at sea and in port my time was my own. Unfortunately the pay was not of the best but how else could a young guy have been paid (and provided with food and accommodation) to travel around the world and spend days at a time in foreign countries?

The job met all my requirements and, when it eventually became boring and I wanted to move on, I did so. Being employed by Marconi while at sea, I was able to transfer ashore without loss of continuity or pension entitlements. So I didn't consider myself hard done to or try to minimise the work required. I considered it a duty to help anyone to fix whatever needed fixing, to give advice or to stay in the radio room clearing traffic outside statutory watchkeeping hours. After all, what else was there to do when off watch on the average cargo ship or tanker?

My only regrets about my time at sea were that I spent too much time in port in the near proximity of the docks [=P] and didn't maximise my opportunities to travel further inland during the longer stays in port. 

You may have had bad experiences with some R/Os - I can't comment since, apart from my first ship, I never sailed with another R/O so don't know how they behaved or what they did. Every person is diffferent and it is impossible to generalise, but as we all went through the same training and as the work was pretty standardised on all non-passenger ships, I would be surprised if many others behaved much differently from me.


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## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

Marconi Sahib said:


> It appears that our main function with regard to SOLAS and manned communication in the event of things going belly-up was strictly a secondary consideration. (*))
> Cheers
> Kris


Now theres a dilemma - Mid pacific, the master orders a distress message to be sent whilst you are receiving the football scores - if you don't get the scores the crew would throw you out of the lifeboat and if you don't send the distress message the crew would probably eat you first (==D) 
Then I wake up
[=P]


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## MARINEJOCKY (Nov 25, 2007)

I was pointing out that all of the posts were from other sparkies and they all disliked football so if that was generalizing I guess it is. I did not mention those signing on articles but just pointed out that ten out of ten on here disliked football and all appeared to dislike the taking of the scores. 

You may not realized it but for some of us very young and very home sick cadets you were the only links we had with the life we left behind and I would say the majority of us lived for football. 

I had a "wee" cassette radio that was passed down from my big sister and when the old man or mate was not looking we would hang wires and coat hangers out of our port-holes trying to get the scores as the sparkie was "too busy with ships business" to get them for us. 

I posted a long time ago how sparkies also kept me sane when they were able to get me thru' to my mam or girl friend(s) so I am not jumping all over you lot in a negative way (*)). It's the weekend and a spot of fishing was in order.


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## Gareth Jones (Jul 13, 2007)

I sailed freelance on Greek ships and always copied the greek football results which was transmitted at 1800Z and 2000Z before the traffic lists from SVA. I never minded cos there was no other way they could get the results.
I remember one ship where the Cheng and OM supported different teams. The OMs team seemed to lose mostly, and the Cheng would gave him a bit of stick. 
The OM ordered me to give the results to him, and not to show anyone else. He would then alter the results so his team always won and the Chief's team always lost ! Chiefy's turn for a bit of stick !!!


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Firstly, thank you to Marine Jocky and other engineers in the Engine-Room section for bearing a hand with my (engineering) problem.

Then, back to the subject here with no malicious or "point scoring" intent.

I don't think anyone can add anything to the experiences of a a very young lad away to sea for the first time. Look at me in 1962 and bear in mind that this was aboard my 4th ship! 

I have always been very pally with engineeers (apart from football results, but they were not the only irritants in that field). 

Here is another picture of the chief eng , 2nd mate , 3rd and 2nd eng after the 2nd eng & myself had accidentally busted the wheelhouse window (messing about). Hence the sheepish look on 2nds face. The 2nd mate, who was on watch at the time didn't notice straight away as we ran off immediately and had only just come down to tell us, as we sought sanctuary in the chief's cabin and pleaded ignorance!

Final picture. Not all chiefs dislike us. Here I am with my good friend Bryan, chief engineer on a famous passenger liner when I had the honour of being his "best man" at his wedding half way through the trip in 1979. We first sailed together in 1973 when he was senior 2nd on PENDENNIS CASTLE and I was 2nd R/O. We subsequently sailed together on a regular basis until 1990, when he left the sea. We are still in touch and he may well read this!

I know we both looked like we had been hit in the face with sledgehammers, but it was a momentous day for both of us. We were anchored at St. Helena, and I didn't even make it back to the ship until the next morning at 0600 (sailing at 0800). Local nursing sister put up me & chief officer for the night as we had both had a skinful! (He finally married her).

Just more tales of the sea in an attempt to "lighten the mood"
Bob 

Bob


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## MARINEJOCKY (Nov 25, 2007)

I think if you look at the eng. section you may be surprised that I do not dislike spark's either (*))


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Marine Jockey,
I have already thanked you for your help in Engine-room, but I thought I would repeat it here as well. The info has been really useful and I hope to be up-&-running again soon. Thanks again.
Bob


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## Graham P Powell (Jun 2, 2007)

I joined a GTZM pools syndicate on the RML ship Amazon and we actually won some money. We were one point off 66 grand . Not much amongst 30 of us but enough to cover the radio I had had nicked.


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## Mimcoman (May 18, 2008)

On Harrison's "Novelist", we had a syndicate (run by the leckie) that won £17,000, (split 16 ways, I'm afraid) that gave us each £1060 or so, if I remember. We were using plan Dandy, and the Wednesday Vernons message said "Dandy plan wins dandy dividend". The bosun persuaded one of the nav cadets not to go into the syndicate "as you never win anything".

As for taking the pools results: I am also not interested in football, but was only too happy to get the results for the rest of the ship. Eventually, I used to buy a little book that gave each weeks' fixture lists for the year - I think it was call the Wee Red Book? This was because the first trip I did by myself taught me never to try and copy the fixture results by hand - I couldn't keep up. After a couple of attempts, I enlisted the assistance of a cadet and I wrote the home teams while he did the away teams.

What was the Vernons collective callsign - or was there such a thing?


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

I used to participate in the scheme as well when it came via official channels. Not because I was the slightest bit interested in football, but felt it would be a bit disappointing if they won a fortune and I had not been in on it. We did have a number of small wins over the years, so never actually lost out on anything!
I never minded taking the results when they came in in morse code as an official message or in the Press. I could just take them onto the typewriter direct and hand them over. But I drew a line at buying a fixture book for something I wasn't interested in. I also thought it was the height of idleness for someone to want me to get the results when they were off watch and had a radio, but wanted to have a beer with the lads at that time. I think the results came in at 1745z and in the old watch days, the last fifteen minutes before going off was used sending the OBS which officially stood at a higher priority than football pools! 
I know a lot of seafarers regarded R/O's as "bone idle," but seldom found that to be the case. Throughout my 32 years, I always suffered from the "going off watch" message on a regular basis. i.e. I had just signed off after 4 hours when someone would come along with a great screeed "get this off as soon as possible, sparks!" I invariably signed back on and remained there until the offending message was cleared. I took this as "part of the course," as I am sure most of us did. In fact in my final 13 years, I extended the compulsory 0800 - 1200 watch to 0730 - 1300 in order to take in the "going off watch messages," that materialised every day. It wasn't the master's that were the main offenders. By about 1980, all the heads of departments, including myself, were free to send messages to Head Office as and when they wanted. All they had to do was show it to the captain before handing it over. The last few captains I sailed with were in the habit of sending their marathon screeds first thing in the morning. 
When sat comms came along, communications never stopped between about 0800 and 2000 or even beyond, in or out of port. Not necessarily long messages, sometimes just a few words. I had an alarm in my cabin and even if I was out and about, I would check every half hour or so. One afternoon, I had been taking these spasmodic messages down to a harrased captain on and off all afternoon. I remember him finally shouting in a half-joking manner, "why don't you get a bloody wheelbarrow to bring them down in?" 

When we arrived in port for a week, I was often encouraged to clear off and stay in a hotel for the week, but I never did. I suspect the intention was to give everyone a rest from the incessant messages!

When the chance of voluntary redundancy came in late 1992, it was like a breath of fresh air that swept through me. Leaving was like suddenly recovering from a long-term illness that I had grown accustomed to!

Despite that, I wouldn't have missed it for anything and would do it all again if I was back in 1959, but if I was leaving school now - not a chance!

Best wishes
Bob


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Mimcoman said:


> What was the Vernons collective callsign - or was there such a thing?


Can't find one on this list -
http://www.shawsavillships.co.uk/callsign.htm

Cheers
Kris


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

So far on this thread it appears only sparkies hate footbal. As I was never a sparkie but stilll hate foootball and much prefer individual sports as opposed to team sports I must be rather odd according to MJ. It is just that I believe that there is much more skill in an individual sport.

Regards Robert


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## Dave Woods (Apr 9, 2006)

> What was the Vernons collective callsign - or was there such a thing?


I do not think Vernons had one the messages came in on a GTZM.


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

And here I was thinking myself a lone voice crying in the wilderness about the pointlessness and idiocy of football (or soccer as it is called here). I was never asked to get results or send a pools entry during my short time on British ships. 
In common with Gareth, (post 18) on Greek ships I used to get the "Propo" as it is called and on more than one occasion had to throw the Capt/Chief/Mate or whoever out of the radio room when they got into a loud argument while reading the results over my shoulder.


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## Larry Bennett (Aug 28, 2005)

During the latter years of GKA, an arrangement was made with the BBC whereby they would telex the football results to the station at around 1700 BST every Saturday. These results would then be entered into the radiotelex database which could be accessed by RTT and Inmarsat-fitted vessels after that time, by entering a request code - think it was FOOTBALL+ but I cannot remember....

Anyway - this lasted for around 18 months or so before the BBC decided they wanted to charge for the service, so it was decided to terminate the agreement. 

It proved relatively popular, but the only drawback was that results were only available for Saturday fixtures - Sunday or weekday games were not catered for.


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## Graham P Powell (Jun 2, 2007)

Hi Larry,
I could not remember that till you mentioned it. My brain hurts.......


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## IanSpiden (Jul 18, 2008)

I used to do the Football Results on any ship where there was an absolute clammer for them , I have to say most of the Football officianadoes had access to radio's and listen to the good old British Broadcsting service , lily bollero and all , I personally had no interest in football but it did not take long to tape them and it would fill up some watch time filling them in the only time it was a real pain was when they had things like the Vauxhall conference league or whatever


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

I was mainly in passenger liners, so it didn't matter, as we received them in the press anyway, but I really had better things to do in cargo ships. On one, where the demand was unusally high, I began producing a daily newspaper (two A4 close-typed pages), laboriously gleaned from world news, ships in the vicinity, even football results once a week. These were typed by junior R/O and myself with carbon paper with one copy for captain, one for chief, one for purser, one for officers lounge, one for passenger lounge (12 passengers) and one for crew rec. As it was a daily, it required a fair amount of work. After it had been running for about five weeks, we started getting sarky comments from one or two officers that it was about time the sparkies earned their keep, consequently we stopped doing it! Only the captain mentioned it's passing and said it was a lot of work for nothing as all the news anyone needed came in on their radios.

On the old St. Helena, the chief engineer and myself produced a weekly "Bulletin" for our 76 passengers. (The old-style press had ceased by then) I typed most of it and supplied some news items, the chief supplied other articles and printed it all out, whilst the purserette put it all together, with staples and delivered it. But there was so little feedback or interest, we eventually packed it in!

Bob


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## DaiSparks (Jan 24, 2009)

*It was far more than Football*

Yes I agree it was a pain at times getting the football results but it was well worth the effort when you had built up an avid pool of readers. Life was easier if I had a fixtures book otherwise the tape-recorder would get a good hammering. Results were not confined just to Saturdays I would always endeavour to get midweek results as well. Of course other major sports results were also covered, Cricket Test Scores extended the readers circle to a very appreciative Indian crew. http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/images/smilies/thumb.gif
After Reardon Smiths went bust in 85, I did one contract trip with Fishers (Barrow) which had British White Crew, they just could not get over the concept that I would post Football Results in there mess.
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/images/smilies/jump3.gif
I always looked on getting sports results was good for on-board morale as it gave nearly everyone something to look forward to. It has been known to empty a ships bar when pinned up (Guaranteed a cheap round !!) on the notice board outside. Apart from sports the other regular posting was the fleet news gleaned from the inter-ship skeds (GTZJ).
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/images/smilies/appl.gif


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## Vital Sparks (Sep 19, 2007)

I can't stand football but I received and typed up the results to keep the peace. I will admit to starting up the telex system just as a world cup final was about to kick off, the radio room phone rang immediately , ok after that I shut it down, those kind of jokes can be dangerous if carried too far.


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## Mayday (May 26, 2009)

Marconi Sahib said:


> Can't find one on this list -
> http://www.shawsavillships.co.uk/callsign.htm
> 
> Cheers
> Kris


If I remember correctly, GKA sent out a pools qtc on Saturdays, was it a GTZM?

You may find this interesting.
http://www.anything-it.biz/roass/about.html

Also, I remember one particular CEO, not very well liked at all, on seeing me with feet up, book in hand, shouted at me "What the f*** do you do on board?" I simply replied that when he made a cock up, I would shout for help. I don't think we crossed swords again that trip.
Like everyone else I used to muck in if I thought I was needed and that the effort would be appreciated.

John.


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## grant1 (Jun 8, 2007)

Shame on you Shipbuilder.Denying your shipmates a little touch of home,simply because you didnt like football,you must be very proud of yourself.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Mayday said:


> If I remember correctly, GKA sent out a pools qtc on Saturdays, was it a GTZM?


Marconi did operate a football pools service in conjunction with Vernons' Pools and used to provide subscribing ships with the forms and send out the results and details of winnings etc. 

Services like this ran along similar lines to the original Interflora arrangements for ships. Marconi made its money from the ship tax part of the messages sent from the ship, the partner (Vernons, Interflora etc.) got its money from the charges for the service provided.


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## andysk (Jun 16, 2005)

grant1 said:


> Shame on you Shipbuilder.Denying your shipmates a little touch of home,simply because you didnt like football,you must be very proud of yourself.


If it's not appreciated, why bother - it's like p....g to windward, a complete waste of time and effort !


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Grant 1
"Denying them a little touch of home" Is that what "home" means to you? I even suspect that these days "St. George" and his flag is more about that dreadful game than it is of England! I dislike football, I have always disliked football. I wouldn't play at school, I thought I had escaped at sea, but I was wrong. Even when it was printed in the press and broadcast on the news there was always a few who bellyached about the occasional mistake in the results (in the press), but if they got them somewhere else, why drop the poor old junior R/O in it with the chief? I suppose they were just after making trouble (as with many other football enthusiasts). 

Yes, I am proud of myself for daring to make a stand - I am proud of the fact that I have never been to a football match in my life and never intend to go to one!

You haven't seen me around much of late here on Nos, so it shows how strongly I dislike the game to come back specially for this rant!

I feel better now.
Bob


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## Bob Murdoch (Dec 11, 2004)

Ron Stringer said:


> PJ Kelly, the Chief R/O on the 'Golfito' had all the fixtures pre-printed prior to the trip. When copying the Press on Saturday night, all I had to do was to add in the scores - that is if we hadn't been able to get them already, off the BBC Overseas Service in the afternoon.
> 
> In a similar vein, he also had all the Stocks & Shares listings pre-printed (in the same order that the prices were listed in the GTZZ transmissions). In that case, you only had to copy down the prices and not the whole nine yards. Made it far easier for the poor junior Sparks.


When I sailed with said chief on the Golfito in 1958, he certainly had no pre-printed sheets for football results or stock market. The 3rd and I had to do all the typing, neither of us having trained as typists, this was fun especially when he would rip them up because he was in his usual bad mood. I also had to do all the 'extracts'. He would, as a matter of course, rip them up at least once after completion because of some made up fault.
He almost had me leave the sea because of his bullying attitude to both myself, 2nd and our first trip 3rd. (I had done three months on another vessel as 2nd before joining the Golfito hence 2 of 3. Fortunately, that chief waas a gentleman and taught me a lot more without going on HF we did not have it than I ever was shown on the Golfito
But I agree that I did not mind taking football results on future ships.


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Bob,

One thing that I quickly learned at sea was that the older guys had always had things far harder than you!(Jester)


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## Bob Murdoch (Dec 11, 2004)

Hi Ron,
True, true.
Bob


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## KenM (Dec 11, 2009)

Football results hated getting them. Not that I'm against football. Just could not copy them fast enough and then couldn't read my own writing at the end. Whichever ones you missed always seemed to be the most vital. Caused more grief to me than they were worth. Not for me the luxury of a tape recorder or preprinted fixture lists.
Anyway there always seemed to be an company schedule to listen out for or OBS that clashed.

Then there was the old man on one of my ships who warned me that a dire fate aqwaited me if ever ever dare transmit during the Merchant Navy Broadcast! However true to form thats when your turn came on the list to transmit his very urgent MSG. Just can't win


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## RMM (Dec 28, 2008)

When on Blue Star boats in the 1960s I used to get the football results; league, cup and European and any mid-week matches included and type them up with several copies for distribution. Also included the league tables which I'd work out and update weekly. I liked football a lot and my father would post me the News of the World football annual with all the fixtures, plus cuttings from the Newcastle Journal and other papers so I could keep up to date. Then one day someone asked me if I'd do the same for Rugby League and I knew I'd started something I couldn't finish.


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## grant1 (Jun 8, 2007)

Shipbuilder ,if you read my post properly, I didnt say this is what home means to me,I said a little touch of home.


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## Bob Murdoch (Dec 11, 2004)

Ron Stringer said:


> Bob,
> 
> One thing that I quickly learned at sea was that the older guys had always had things far harder than you!(Jester)


Just noticed that you are a couple of years older than me, old boy!
But she was a lovely ship and a great run.
Cheers Bob (Thumb)


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