"In what would seem to be our last league appearance for this season, a Megsonless Charabancs fell to the Hangmen by 3 points thus completing a dismal run of appearances that promises to be our worst performance in the league for some time.

For 4 of the 8 rounds, the Hangmen were ahead by an average of 10 points.  Only in the 6th round did the balance of the questions finally swing our way when we scored 9 points to the Hangmen's none narrowing the gap to a couple of points.  But our opponents bravely hung on to complete a well deserved victory in the final round.

For the first couple of rounds we actually had a full team as John's wife, Freda, kindly agreed to join us.  But 30 minutes of sitting in the murkiest pub in Manchester sipping the murkiest beer in the world finally proved too much for her and she gracefully withdrew.  Understandably one needs training and experience in order to withstand the rigours of a night out with Sean the Barsteward."

Bards of Didsbury played and lost to the Opsimaths in the jolliest evening's quizzing I can remember for some time.  QM Eric was understandably distracted as he listened to Everton in the left ear, Tony in the right ear and had both eyes firmly fixed on The Metropolitan's manageress.

SPW had to scratch giving History Men a walkover

Electric Pigs lost at home to Ethel Rodin

Good fun all round Didsbury (though not much joy in Clayton, Kieran).  As ever Gerry served up an enjoyable evening with plenty of points on the board and plenty to discuss as well.

Guy comments from the Fletcher Moss:

"From T S Eliot to Bananaman in consecutive questions - that's what I call GENERAL knowledge!"

Apart from no one remembering the TV comedy Grafters Damian says the quiz went down exceptionally well in the Swan.

At the Metropolitan the scores were pretty high between the Bards and the Opsimaths with lots of banter along the way.  Even the acoustics were tolerable with the barn-like back area being relatively yappy-yuppy-free.  Tony spent a fair bit of time contesting the question about the first boxer to regain the World Heavyweight boxing crown.  He (and Howell for that matter) maintained that Joe Louis did it some time before Patterson.  Lucky Tony to be able to remember that far back!!

Who is missing from this list: Joe Frazier, Leon Spinks, Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick?

Entered Odessa, City of Heroes 6am 24 March 2010.  Secured the Railway station, well the buffet bar anyway, no Russian soldier worth his salt will march without his traditional breakfast of coffee black bread and a sticky bun.  Thanked the lady for scowling at me, wolfed down me bun and then got to work freeing the workers from their chains.

Not as easy as it sounds.  "Why you try to boot us out of McDonalds?" asked the workers.  "Big Mac is good breakfast.  Better than sticky bun.  Also good chain is Tasty Sendvich and United Colours of Benetton."

"But don't you know your Marx," I asked aghast.  "Da," they answered, "Marx is very funny.  Especially when he smoke cigar and ask fat lady if she marry him.  And if she has any money.  And if she could answer second question first."

Things obviously change.  The Charabancs used to be a quiz team and Odessa was once Russia's third city of communism.  Much of it looks Russian if not Ukrainian but the main drag looks far more like an Italian city of chic fashion shops and expensive coffee outlets.  I had been told that Odessa was a Mafia stronghold but I assumed they meant the Russian Mafia and not the original Italian brand.  That said it is a lovely city to walk around and is completely hassle free for the tourist.  As well as looking Italian there is a strong Greek flavour which goes back to its foundation as a Greek settlement.  Hard to believe that this is the same country as Western Ukraine.  There were a lot of political marches in Lvov last week protesting about being starved of money, education and jobs by the pro-Russian government.  I can see what they mean now, on the surface of things at least.

Spent the weekend in Kiev and found it a harder city to sum up.  Wealthier than Lvov, not nearly as affluent as Odessa.  The architecture is stunning (walking into the centre early on Saturday morning and seeing the exquisite Sofiaski church in a mixture of snow and sunshine was the best moment of my trip so far) and the historical sights are numerous, ranging from a wealth of medieval history to so many reminders of what the city suffered during WW2 right up to the modern day image of Independence Square home of the Orange Revolution.  But Independence Square is a good place to get hassled as indeed is any part of the city centre.  Nothing major like crime or anything, but it becomes a bit tiring to be approached by pimps every hundred yards - and it is even more unsettling when you find out that the hotel you are staying in has given your room number and hence telephone number to these low-lifers.....phone calls every 5 minutes asking if I wanted a girl or maybe boy became too sinister to bear.  I complained and made a fuss about this breach of confidentiality, was given a refund in fairness and did a flit to a hostel down the road run by a very laid back Norwegian whose motto was 'Shit happens, welcome to Ukraine'.

One last point to ponder.  Some of you Withquiz Intellectuals like Martin or Kieran or Dave or Damo, or even Mike, might read this and think: I like the sound of Ukraine - think I might go over there and become a tram driver.  Well forget it.  No idea why, but I have yet to see a tram not driven by a woman.  Even the spectacular funicular that takes you from the banks of the Dnipro river up to the hills above Kiev was piloted by a little old lady in a shawl and knitted hat who looked old enough to have met Lenin in person.  So come on, Roisin, Mary ,Anne etc., get a life and come out here now.  All you have to do is follow the tramlines and throw a tantrum  whenever somebody gives you a note to the value of anything higher than 2 hvr........I think Anne in particular would be a natural...............