Andrew Hughes

TripShifting! #MoveBetter. Thoughts always my own but of variable quality. Stuff. #SustainableMobility #RoyalNavy #SSAFA #Aviation #rugby #nffc #Watches.

[Andrew Fox @Mr_Andrew_Fox]

Superb comms. Well done, Royal Navy.

[Damien Lewis, FRGS, CF @authordlewis]

Shocking neglect and abuse of retired Lt Col Stephen Maguire DCM SAS, a natural born leader of men who spent 40 years in service to his country, and his son's long fight for justice. Please share Ben's post widely: "My father, Retired Lt Col Stephen Maguire DCM SAS, is a man who spent nearly 40 years in dedicated service to this country, serving from 1970 until 2009. He is a natural leader, a decorated soldier, to those who served with him. However, he has been completely abandoned and betrayed by the very system he gave everything to.
I am fighting for justice for my father. This struggle is a mirror of my own life; my own journey marked by the negligence of MPs, charities, and veteran services which led me to the absolute rock bottom of homelessness as a veteran myself. I know exactly what it is like to be discarded by the people who promised to provide support.
After years of fighting, we finally have a pathway toward the right care, but the damage is already done. The sheer scale of the failings along the way has crippled a man who likely only suffered from PTSD. What should have been a manageable recovery became a total collapse because of institutional incompetence.
This isn't a failure of one person or one office it is a systemic rot. For too long, the UK government, regardless of which side of the fence they sit on, has played a political game with the lives of our veterans. Whether it is Labour or the Conservatives, the result is the same: service men are treated as assets when they are useful and as liabilities the moment they are broken. We are told our sacrifices are "remembered," but the reality is that once the uniform comes off, the care vanishes.
We sought help for my dad, worried about PTSD and dementia resulting from his service. Through the SAS Association and Veterans’ Aid, he was referred to various healthcare facilities. Instead of professional care, he found negligence from these referrals.
In the last few years alone, he has been through multiple institutions that have failed him. We've dealt with incorrect diagnoses, doctors who tried to push him out of their care because he was "too difficult," and the removal of life-saving medication that led to him being sectioned under the Mental Health Act. He was sedated and left to decline without specialist care. His PTSD was completely ignored, and his medical history was dismissed. In one instance, he was admitted to the hospital due to low sodium caused by the excessive use of anti-psychotic medication.
The most infuriating part is the silence from the top. MPs have explicitly ignored this situation and failed to act for a Lt Col in 22 SAS. The "Military Covenant" is nothing more than a piece of paper used for photo opportunities while men like my father are left to rot.
The system has failed. The NHS has failed. Veteran charities have failed. From the MOD passing the buck to the medical incompetence of the facilities, my father has been abandoned like thousands of others.
I am posting this because we need accountability. It is not enough to simply "help" now; there must be justice for the way he was treated. My father spent four decades looking after his men and serving at the highest level for the United Kingdom; it is a national disgrace that the government failed to look after him and many like him.
Do not listen to the rhetoric the government continues to push. As this is an example of what happens after 40 years of dedicated service.
Please share this. We need the people in power to answer for this. We need leaders who actually lead, not politicians who just talk."
https://t.co/4Fox9vI1ew
https://t.co/qfbdOWIPZk

[James Melville 🚜 @JamesMelville]

Here’s the incomparable Dave Allen discussing how to teach your child the time. It’s one of the most perfectly delivered stand up comedy performances of all time. Absolute genius.

[Andrew Hughes @_beam2]

@DrHelenFry Grandad. Royal Navy, captured at the fall of Singapore. Survived the war in Japanese captivity, around POW sites including work on the Changhi railway. Survived but never really recovered due to the physical damage it did to his body.

[Premier League @premierleague]

🌳 @NFFC in flow state 😮‍💨

[Steve Prest ⚔️ 🛠️⚡⚓🍓 @fightingsailor]

The @rnli are the best of us. Skilled and courageous volunteers who put themselves into harms way, at a moment's notice, to save those in distress at sea.

If you think people and institutions like that are the problem in our nation, then you need to give your head a wobble ⚓

[Kieran @KieranCallum29_]

Look what it means🙌🏻shows how much he was appreciated in the changing room for players to do this❤️ All the best T #NFFC

[Paul Rees. ex Rucksack. @HannahIamthest1]

Military time.
There is an airport where the military and civilians share a runway called RAF Northolt in west London. A plane was taxiing, and the pilot called the tower to ask for the current time of day.
The tower responded with a question: "Are you civilian or military, and if military, what branch?"
The pilot asked why they needed that information.
The tower responded:
“If you are civilian, it's 3 PM. If you are Air Force, it is 1500 hours.
If you are Navy, it is 6 bells of the afternoon watch. If you are Army, the little hand is on the 3, and the big hand is on the 12.
If you are a Marine, it's Thursday afternoon.”
🤣🤣🤣

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

One moment in a long, very full life summed Kevin Keegan up perfectly. Back in 1976, the then Liverpool footballer competed in the multi-sport “Superstars”, a TV special that pitted legends against each other and regularly drew 15m viewers. Sports stars duelled in a series of disciplines, including sprinting but it was in the two-man cycle race that Keegan again made headlines.

Rounding the track in Bracknell at speed, Keegan clipped the wheel of Anderlecht and Belgium defender Gilbert Van Binst, and tumbled painfully on to the cinder track. Bloodied and bruised, Keegan was patched up, entered the re-run and won. Typical. That was Kevin. A refusal to be beaten. It defined his sporting life but he also did it with grace. It’s one of the many reasons why emotional tributes flow from all over at the sad news of his passing, aged 75.

Keegan was a sporting colossus in the era of sporting giants like Seb Coe, Ian Botham, Daley Thompson, Steve Ovett, James Hunt and Barry Sheen. Keegan was such a charismatic individual that he transcended his sport, even one as immense as football.

He was a phenomenon in the 70s and 80s, plundering goals and winning trophies, becoming one of the first true commercial forces with advertising for such brands as the “great smell of Brut”. Splash it all over. I can still hear him say it. I can still almost smell it. He even taught me, and millions of other kids, how to cross the road. Keegan was even a singer.

He had aura, he had sporting success but what made Keegan even more loved was that he was a super-hero who reached for the stars, and touched them, while always keeping his feet on the ground. The world has lost a very special human being, emotional, funny and caring, as well as a sporting legend.

Keegan didn’t just live a great life. He seized it. News of his passing brings intense, widespread sorrow but also deep admiration at how much Keegan put into his 75 years and how much he got out of them. Hewn from mining stock in Yorkshire, Keegan maximised his ability through sheer graft and will to win. He had ability, of course, an eye for goal, speed and physical strength, but it was mindset that made Keegan special.

That mentality drove him to make it at Scunthorpe United (22 goals in 141 appearances), become a champion of Europe with Liverpool (100 in 323), captain of England (21 in 63) and two-time Ballon d’Or with Hamburg (40 in 113). In his 30s, he became a galvaniser, leader and prolific force at Southampton (42 in 80) and Newcastle (49 in 85). The numbers need stating to reinforce the legend. He delivered.

Keegan became a manager of real charisma, quotability and hunger to attack at Newcastle, Fulham, England and Manchester City. The Entertainers at Newcastle are fondly remembered, not least by us reporters as even a short interview produced a large box of fireworks to light up the back-pages.

Yet Keegan is often most associated at Newcastle as being crushed by a 4-3 defeat at Anfield, slumped over the advertising hoarding. Yet there was the 5-0 humiliation of Manchester United capped by Philippe Albert gliding forward, taking a pass from Rob Lee, and chipping Peter Schmeichel. St James’ Park shook with joy. To be there was to believe. Keegan really was the Messiah and they've followed a few.

Newcastle eventually faltered but Keegan’s teams were invariably well-intentioned. As was he. When he resigned as England manager in the dressing-room loos at the old Wembley after a dispiriting loss to Germany in 2000, Tony Adams and FA execs in Adam Crozier and David Davies desperately tried to dissuade him. Keegan was adamant. He just felt he couldn’t give the players the direction they needed. “I feel I fall short of what is required in this massive job,” he said honestly. Rather than sit tight and take the money, Keegan resigned. A man of principle.

It is through this prism of principles that Keegan must be viewed. Kenny Dalglish, who famously followed Keegan at Liverpool in 1977, spoke of his many football attributes as an “exceptional” player and also manager – “he brought belief, excitement and pride” back to Newcastle. Kenny added Kevin was also “a wonderful person and genuine gentleman”.

Kenny’s so right. Keegan was honest, wore his heart on his sleeve, and cared deeply about people and about the importance of doing the right thing. Those principles. It was the way he was brought up. And that meant respect for others. Respect was at the heart of Keegan’s infamous “I’d love it” rant about Alex Ferguson’s challenging comments about his Newcastle team in the race with Manchester United for the 95/96 title.

Keegan felt Ferguson’s mind-games comments were disrespectful to Howard Wilkinson and his Leeds players, to Stuart Pearce, the manager of Nottingham Forest who Newcastle were about to play, and also to his own players. So an angry Keegan took the bait and seethed on Sky Sports about respect. Ferguson knew he had him hooked. Manchester United duly won the title.

That was classic Keegan. Standing up for others. The stories are legion of how Keegan impacted countless lives with his humility and humanity. Since news of his passing, online filled with fans recalling his generosity with his time as he signed autographs, asking them questions, making them feel special.

Even us England reporters who occasionally robustly critiqued the team’s performances and results, especially at a disastrous Euro 2000, Keegan was invariably polite. He was uplifting company. He once took the press team for a training session at Melwood, his old training field of dreams, and was endlessly encouraging even with some of us clearly hopeless causes. As a press pack, we fell out with Kevin and swiftly fell back in. Impossible not to. Plus there was always that underlying respect for what Keegan achieved as a player.

So news of his passing hits hard, and thoughts and prayers are immediately with Jean, Laura and Sarah, all of his family, all of his many friends, and his former team-mates and clubs. Liverpool, with typical class, produced a moving video elegy. Beautiful tributes came from all his clubs. He touched so many lives, so many careers. He shaped so many dreams.

Love also came from Germany where he was revered for his commitment and match-winning contributions at Hamburg. Keegan’s locker sits proudly in the wonderful German Football Museum opposite Dortmund station. The sad news brought heartfelt tributes from Bayer Leverkusen - “Rest in Peace, legend” - from FC Union Berlin - “a true friend of German football”, amongst others, as well as from a “devastated” Hamburg who added. “Rest in peace, Mighty Mouse”.

Rest In Peace, King Kev. Your legacy remains in countless memories and trophy cabinets. Your legacy remains in how your inspiring example encouraged people not only how to play the game well but also to live their life to the full.

[Ryan @offgriddesigner]

The same MSM channels that blame YOU for “climate change” have employed helicopters to follow a globalist puppet on his train into London.

[Andrew Hughes @_beam2]

@ChimeraX2021 @BBCNews @BBC I do but on this occasion the news presenter confirmed they had a helicopter following the train!

[Andrew Hughes @_beam2]

Really? @BBCNews @BBC You have chartered or paid for a helicopter presumably funded by us the TV license holders to give us an overhead 'live' picture of a train with Andy Burnham. Do you actually think that was needed?

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

Welcome the next captain of the Titanic. Former Army officer, @DanJarvisMBE becomes the new Secretary of State for Defence.

His main task will be explaining why the government is unwilling to fund its own Defence Review.

[Nottingham Forest @NFFC]

The John Robertson Stand. ❤️

[Max Scott @maxbscott]

Forget about Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.. they’ve been miles off it.. Morgan Gibbs White not being picked is a travesty.

No other English player in the Premier League has scored more goals

He’s one of two English players nominated for PL players of the season.

That decision flies in the face of meritocracy.

He’s worked so hard to reach this level, he’s carried Forest on his back to premier league survival.

A sad day for one of the nicest, most hard-working players you’ll see in the game.

[Andrew Neil @afneil]

British politics will reach a new reductio ad absurdum in the Makerfield by election:
Vote Labour to destroy the sitting Labour Prime Minister.
Support Labour PM Starmer but NOT voting Labour.
We are having a by-election not because there’s any demand or need in the national interest but entirely to suit the convenience of the byzantine politics of the ruling party and the political pygmies in whose interest it is run.
We are no longer a serious nation. No wonder the bond markets are squiffy.

[Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 @DefenceHQ]

Strap in: Follow one of our paratroopers from @16AirAssltBCT jumping in to Tristan da Cunha – one of the world’s most remote communities – to deliver vital medical support 🪂

[Sir Humphrey @pinstripedline]

"I present you the Soviet Ballistic Missile Submarine Red October" - A line from a superb movie. In reality the CIA knew far more about the Soviet TYPHOON class from the mid 1970s than Clancy could have guessed.

Thread on the CIA, Typhoons and spying on the Soviets...

[Peter Shilton @Peter_Shilton]

Great win for @NFFC at Chelsea makes them safe in the @premierleague now to conquer Europe again! Come on you reds !! ⚽️⚽️⚽️ @Official_NFSC

[Andrew Hughes @_beam2]

Sad sight...the last ship I served on. She was a classy lady but all those I served on are now retired #GettingOld https://t.co/VavJGGUrDD