SAY local and it evokes a lot of images in your mind. The local shop, old Mr Chadwick at Feniscowles, Arnold who had the toffee shop next to the Jubilee -- he's been there since I was at the 'tec 'doing art' and sneaking in to buy two Woodbines.

Not that I liked to smoke and I don't smoke now. It's just that it seemed smart at the time.

Your local school, where your mum left you crying on your first day.

The local pub, darts, dominoes, all your mates having a natter.

No such thing any more. We don't go down to Ewood and watch a game to cheer 'our' lads. We go to cheer a group of highly paid imports. I'm not saying that the game is not good to watch. It's just that I can't understand how folk can talk with such pride in their voices about 'our' team.

I could understand it if they were all Blackburn lads, who had been to and chosen from local schools. But no. They are not. Perhaps they should be. Then we could really talk with pride about 'our team.'

But tell me, how is it our achievement? Our sense of civic pride? I know it's the same with clubs all over, not just Blackburn. And it means that the clubs with the deepest pockets can have the pick of the bunch.

And so this 'sport' which takes up a great deal of people's lives, a great deal of our TV and influences a lot of what we wear, is really a huge marketing opportunity. But it would seem that a large portion of the population is happy to go along with it.

Does it do the town a lot of good?

I am thinking about this because of the 'Celtic siege' the other week. It got me thinking. Do all these highly paid players live and spend in Blackburn?

I know local business people spend their money locally, invest locally and so are vitally interested in the town and it's future. And it's the same thing with MPs and those in high council office.

Personally I think they should all be recruited from the local population and live in the town.

It's Sunday and I've been to a 'do' in support of the Holcombe Hunt. No, I don't go to the hunt but I am not in favour or knocking, or interfering in things, hobbies, interests, the pastimes, of others just because I personally don't agree with them.

In my heart of hearts I know that once this interest has been curtailed 'they,' the folk with a cause, will be on to the next thing. They will be after the men who go fishing, the men with ferrets, and make no mistake it may take a while, but sooner or later the pigeon fanciers will also be targeted.

Some folk just have to have a cause. And once they have won one they are off on to the next. So take warning you must guard your liberties very jealously. They are so easily lost, but very difficult to regain.

Just think how much freedom of speech has been taken away from us in the past few years.

I am not going to go and make myself a cup of tea and a Knuzel cake, only kidding! It must be 20 years since I last saw one of them. They were a sort of dark chocolate box with sponge cake inside, all nicely wrapped in cellophane, they were expensive though, a whole sixpence.

But I thought they were worth every penny, the height of luxury. Perhaps they still make them, if they do and you know where, you won't keep it to yourself will you?