âÂÂIs everything ok?â asked the email from an editor in Abu Dhabi on Monday morning. And aside from the pound collapsing against the Euro, it was.
The sun was shining; United beat Stoke 5-0 on Saturday â a scoreline equalled by Manchester La Fianna in Sitges; the rain held off at Old Trafford and the new edition of United We Stand sold well; and work was fine.
âÂÂItâÂÂs just that we didnâÂÂt get your article yesterday.âÂÂ
IâÂÂd sent the reaction piece on Real MadridâÂÂs defeat at Valladolid 24 hours earlier. Having watched the match, IâÂÂd got up early on Sunday to write it, leaving friends on Saturday night despite their cries of âÂÂjust come for one.âÂÂ
The article didnâÂÂt arrive. Maybe pirates had intercepted it off the horn of Africa. Maybe Manchester CityâÂÂs owners in the Gulf State have banned my email.
Either way, a journalist who doesnâÂÂt meet deadlines may as well stop being a journalist.
"Arr! Give us yer words!"
The problem was down to the internet company Pipex, who sponsored Fulham between 2005 and 2007. In the past three months they have managed to delete over 200 of my emails and cut the service seven times, including once on deadline week. In the last four days theyâÂÂve not been sending my emails â despite them appearing to be sent.
So the La Fianna lads didnâÂÂt get the team I sent out last Thursday, and another newspaper didnâÂÂt get my reply saying I would like to interview Maradona for them.
Despite having the option of using the likes of Hotmail or Yahoo for free, IâÂÂve paid Pipex for 11 years for a supposedly professional service. This year it has been anything but.
When thereâÂÂs a problem you canâÂÂt ring them from abroad because theyâÂÂve abandoned all their numbers for dreaded (and expensive) 0871 versions. I found a way around that, only to be directed to a call centre where the staffâÂÂs grasp of English was questionable. One refused to proceed with my complaint because I wasnâÂÂt giving her the correct phone number.
âÂÂYour phone number should start with zero, sir.âÂÂ
âÂÂZero and âÂÂ0â are the same,â I replied.
The call centres were always unable to help and never deviated from the line: âÂÂWeâÂÂre experiencing technical issues. We understand your frustration, sir.âÂÂ
âÂÂItâÂÂs like talking to a robot,â I said to one.
âÂÂWe understand your frustration, sir.âÂÂ
The email from Abu Dhabi was the tipping point; IâÂÂm cancelling Pipex and reluctantly changing my email address.
"We understand your frustration, sir.âÂÂ
But they're not the only ones. O2, the mobile company I have effectively been with since 1992, sold me a faulty iPhone last month. The same O2 who started charging me to receive calls in Spain six months after I signed a contract that allowed me to receive free calls.
âÂÂDo you really think I'd change a contract for one that started charging me?â I asked in exasperation to an O2 fool who was thicker than a loaf of Hovis. They eventually offered a full refund and IâÂÂve complained to Ofcom.
But could I get O2 to change my iPhone for one that worked? No. I was given conflicting information several times, before they asked me to wait at my mumâÂÂs for two days for a new one.
âÂÂBut I work,â I said. âÂÂI can come and collect a new one? Name your city â Manchester, Middlesbrough, Glasgow, Newcastle, London, Barcelona. I can be there.âÂÂ
âÂÂIâÂÂm sorry sir, we understand your frustration, but weâÂÂre not part of the O2 that has shops."
Lord, give me strength.
As it transpired a former Manchester City youth player who wants to be a football agent sorted it direct with Apple. He manages O2âÂÂs shop in Manchester. IâÂÂll never knock City fans, nor their team that never wins, again.
Well, for about a month at least.
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