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[Misc] Friday Night In Cardiff



Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
Greetings all,

Spencer Vignes here - sports writer, author, Albion match day programme scribe, NSC member, etc. I'm also an Albion fan whose adopted home city is Cardiff - very convenient for this weekend, in other words.

That in mind, I thought some of you planning on staying over in Cardiff on Friday night might be interested in this. I've copied and pasted the words to the press release below. Entry is free and there's a good bar. Would be good to see you there.....


For immediate release

CARDIFF SET TO REMEMBER THE MISSING SPORTSMEN OF WORLD WAR ONE

An evening of celebration & remembrance in memory of the many British sportsmen declared missing in action during World War One is to be held in Cardiff this Friday, 9 November.

Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the end of the 1914-1918 hostilities, ‘Lost In France’ is the brainchild of Spencer Vignes, the Cardiff-based freelance sports writer and author, and is being staged at the popular Octavo’s Café and Book Shop on West Bute Street, Cardiff Bay, starting at 6.15pm.

Among the many sportsmen being remembered will be Leigh Roose, the former Welsh international goalkeeper from Holt near Wrexham who played for a string of top clubs including Everton, Sunderland and Arsenal between 1901 and 1912.

Roose was declared missing presumed dead on 7 October 1916 while fighting at the Battle of the Somme. He is commemorated today on the Thiepval Memorial in France, dedicated to Allied soldiers killed at the Somme who have no known grave.

“Leigh was just one of many well-known faces from the world of sport who served in World War One and whose bodies were never recovered,” says Vignes. “I felt it was important, this year perhaps more than ever, to recall some of their stories and the sacrifices they made. We remember the First World War dead and injured from all walks of life, yet those who were declared missing are all too often forgotten about. That, in my opinion, is a huge oversight.”

The evening will feature a talk by Vignes, author of Leigh Roose’s critically acclaimed 2016 biography (also called ‘Lost In France’), together with a display of artefacts relating to missing sportsmen from World War One.

It will also touch on some of the wider issues associated with soldiers who were declared missing in the Great War, such as (a) how a soldier could go missing (b) the effect that having no known grave had on their families, and (c) why the names of missing soldiers were, in most cases, left off local war memorials.

Everyone attending will also be given a card on arrival giving details of a sportsman who served in the war. As the evening progresses, they will then discover whether that sportsman survived the war, was killed, or was declared missing in action.

Entry is free. Bookings can, however, be made in advance through the Octavo’s website (www.octavobooks.co.uk/events).

Ends
 




Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
Well isn't that spooky! Hope you're enjoying it, if that's the right word to use when referring to the First World War. If you're in Cardiff on Friday night, come on down. Be good to see a few Albion faces there.
 


BBassic

I changed this.
Jul 28, 2011
12,220
Well isn't that spooky! Hope you're enjoying it, if that's the right word to use when referring to the First World War. If you're in Cardiff on Friday night, come on down. Be good to see a few Albion faces there.

Unfortunately Cardiff isn't a goer for me this season, hope it goes well though :thumbsup:
 


Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
In response to a couple of people who have contacted me via my website - Octavo's, where the event is being staged, is in the Bay area of Cardiff about a 10 minute walk due south of the City Centre (also served by buses and trains). Booking in advance isn't necessary - just turn up on the night.
 




Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
Couple more clarifications regarding tomorrow night's event in Cardiff Bay. No, it's not all-ticket or book in advance, so feel free to turn up on the night. Yes, Octavo's serves beer (and wines, and spirits). No, it doesn't serve hot food but does have light refreshments (cakes, pastries, etc) on offer. Plenty of good restaurants nearby though. Kick off is at 6.15pm with an expected finishing time of around 8pm. Hope to see a few of you there.
 


AmexRuislip

Trainee Spy 🕵️‍♂️
Feb 2, 2014
33,727
Ruislip
In response to a couple of people who have contacted me via my website - Octavo's, where the event is being staged, is in the Bay area of Cardiff about a 10 minute walk due south of the City Centre (also served by buses and trains). Booking in advance isn't necessary - just turn up on the night.

The new books like a whos who of NSC :wozza:
 






Superphil

Dismember
Jul 7, 2003
25,401
In a pile of football shirts
We’ll be in Cardiff on Saturday night :shrug:
 


Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
It'll be full-on in the city centre on Saturday night, what with the Wales v Australia match taking place. Great place to be on a rugby matchday, is Cardiff, let alone a Saturday when you've got a rugby AND a football game happening!
 


Bry Nylon

Test your smoke alarm
Helpful Moderator
Jul 21, 2003
19,782
Playing snooker
Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the end of the 1914-1918 hostilities, ‘Lost In France’ is the brainchild of Spencer Vignes ...The evening will feature a talk by Vignes, author of Leigh Roose’s critically acclaimed 2016 biography (also called ‘Lost In France’)

Maybe it's just me, but this feels uncomfortably like Rememberance being used as a thinly-veiled marketing vehicle for a book selling event. Unless, of course, no books will be available to purchase.
 




Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
Bry Nylon, I think if you knew me, and you knew about my work over the past 20 years piecing together not only what happened to Leigh Roose but also many other sportsmen who died in the First World War, then you'd know it's nothing of the sort. This is a passion of mine, a labour of love, something I do for historical reasons rather than financial gain (much like my writing about the Albion). People can buy a book if they want, but that's not why I do it. Anyhow, any money that I make will go straight back into financing more trips to France as I continue my research into those from the world of sport who died on the Western Front.
 


Bry Nylon

Test your smoke alarm
Helpful Moderator
Jul 21, 2003
19,782
Playing snooker
Bry Nylon, I think if you knew me, and you knew about my work over the past 20 years piecing together not only what happened to Leigh Roose but also many other sportsmen who died in the First World War, then you'd know it's nothing of the sort. This is a passion of mine, a labour of love, something I do for historical reasons rather than financial gain (much like my writing about the Albion). People can buy a book if they want, but that's not why I do it. Anyhow, any money that I make will go straight back into financing more trips to France as I continue my research into those from the world of sport who died on the Western Front.

Fair enough then I gladly retract my comments and wish you luck and a successful event.

In my defence, you have been a member since 2012 but posted just 155 times and these are generally on threads promoting your books etc, so you'll have to forgive my cynicism on this occasion. You are, as you say, a "sports writer, author, Albion match day programme scribe, NSC member, etc. I'm also an Albion fan" so it would be great to read your general thoughts and opinions on here about the Albion more frequently and on a wider range of topics.

Good luck.
 


timbha

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
9,834
Sussex
Fair enough then I gladly retract my comments and wish you luck and a successful event.

In my defence, you have been a member since 2012 but posted just 155 times and these are generally on threads promoting your books etc, so you'll have to forgive my cynicism on this occasion. You are, as you say, a "sports writer, author, Albion match day programme scribe, NSC member, etc. I'm also an Albion fan" so it would be great to read your general thoughts and opinions on here about the Albion more frequently and on a wider range of topics.

Good luck.

That’s a retraction?? ��
 




AZ Gull

@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
Oct 14, 2003
11,589
Chandler, AZ
Maybe it's just me, but this feels uncomfortably like Rememberance being used as a thinly-veiled marketing vehicle for a book selling event. Unless, of course, no books will be available to purchase.

It is unfortunate that this jarring post exists on this thread.

My opinion counts for nothing, but I've been lucky enough to know Spencer for almost 20 years now. I couldn't wish to meet a more upstanding guy. "Lost in France" was first published a number of years ago and is one of the best football books (and most fascinating tales) I've ever read. His story is remarkable and deserves a much wider audience. The 100th anniversary of the ending of the First World War is a perfect time to remember him (or, more accurately, bring his story forward to people who almost certainly have never heard of him).

The suggestion that Spencer is somehow seeking to profit from "Remembrance" is distasteful.
 


essbee1

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2014
4,078
It'll be full-on in the city centre on Saturday night, what with the Wales v Australia match taking place. Great place to be on a rugby matchday, is Cardiff, let alone a Saturday when you've got a rugby AND a football game happening!

This. It's a great city as it is - but this Saturday will be awesome
 


Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
Thanks AZ. You're a gentleman!

Bry Nylon, for what it's worth my 'general thoughts and opinions' about the Albion have appeared in the matchday programme now for years. In fact I've overseen the retro pages of the prog since 2004, along more recently with Ian Hine (another 'labour of love' man). Otherwise I tend to keep my head down regarding the Albion to avoid being shot at! Regarding the books I've written, I'm just a low profile author writing about subjects I'm fascinated by rather than ones that will make me rich. If I don't occasionally shout about the fact that these books are out there, then no one will. I don't have an agent. I don't have a publicist. I'm just trying to spread the word about things that people on here might be interested in.
 



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