For my sins, when I lived for a short space of time in Manchester I regarded myself as more sky-blue than red and, as such, I’ve consequently followed the up-and-down fortunes of City over the years with great interest.

Exactly one hundred years ago Henry Ford gave his employees both Saturdays and Sundays off and a two-day wedge of weekend freedom, used to pray or party, was born. But has the gig economy, hybrid working and ‘skiveday’ Fridays altered the nature of our leisure time forever?

Never before has the term ‘joyriding’ seemed less appropriate. Five misguided youths died in a horrific crash last month as they raced the wrong way down a dual carriageway before slamming into a police car travelling in the opposite direction, killing the occupants, two young officers.

Over the last couple of weeks we’ve heard much discussion of ‘El Nino’, a weather pattern with worldwide effects and which dates back thousands of years, returning with a vengeance but what is it exactly?

Our television screens have recently been filled with the annual scene of expectant teenagers joyfully receiving their exam results and deciding how to embark on life’s rich tapestry of experiences. Good on the lot of ‘em and I sincerely wish them every happiness and success.

I appreciate that in the grand scheme of things the outcome of Thursday’s Clacton-on-Sea by-election matters not a jot but I can’t deny that I’ve loved every twist-and-turn of the last couple of weeks.

I’ve never been to Glastonbury. I’m never going to Glastonbury. I have been to Reading Festival. In fact, Donnington Monsters of Rock and I used to have a bit of an on/off thing for several years. Yes, it’s festival time again.

Several weeks ago I openly ruminated that if Andy Burnham was the answer, exactly what was the question? Now, upon his coronation day we finally have some answers. Sorta. Kinda.

T’other week I went to the pictures to see Spielberg’s latest blockbuster, Disclosure Day. Notwithstanding the fact that I found the movie thoroughly unconvincing, underwhelming and strangely miscast, the thing I most remember about the whole experience is that several ‘viewers’ appeared to spend more time looking at their phone’s small-screen than the large silver screen!

With England’s splendid continuation in the World Cup ensured, it’s highly likely that there’s going to be a proliferation of both the Union and St George’s flags across the nation. All well and good, mostly, but, at the risk of being a bit of a party-pooping-killjoy, with their recent association with ‘Operation Raise The Colours’ I have to admit to feeling somewhat concerned by the right-wing political movements that seek to weaponise them.