Neil Gits To Scratch An Itch

Ever since I originally took early retirement a few years ago, I have really rather enjoyed my life ! In the first three years I had lots of time and a nice bit of money to travel all round the UK exploring some of the many wonderful parts of our country. Watching travel shows now from my sofa , it’s always nice to see TV personalities such as Joanna Lumley, Robson Green, Jane McDoanld & Tony Robinson strolling along the Jurassic Coast or hiking around the Peak District and think out loud “I’ve been there!” & “I’ve done that!” There are plenty more places on my “adventures-to-do list” but for now my budget won’t stretch to booking a hotel in Wales,or a B’n’B in Yorkshire and a train journey down to the South-West or anywhere further north than Birmingham is completely out of the question – don’t even get me started on the price of petrol this year !!

Of course, as I am sure I might have mentioned on air once or twice, it’s not just taking photographs of iconic landmarks and lovely scenery that lures me away from Essex – I do rather like a football trip !! I have been able to do a small handful over the last two seasons, but much more locally and less regularly, at a very low level where you can get in for under ten quid & maybe even grab a burger too. Actually, they are often the best ones as the atmosphere is much more relaxed, you can wander around freely with your camera and it’s easier to chat to people of a similar mindset. However, I have a list (another one of many!) and I try to ‘tick off’ every ground in each league in England, year by year, whether it is in the Premier League or the Essex Senior League. It’s an almost impossible task, but when a club moves to a brand new ground, that one goes straight to the top as a “must do ASAP” wherever it may be !

Since it opened in 2019, there is one major stadium that has held that “No:1” – spot, very frustratingly, because it is not that far away from me at all but obstacles keep getting in the way. Firstly, to see the team that play home games there would cost a fortune and I expect there is quite a waiting list for tickets anyway. Secondly, to be brutally honest, it is not in a very nice area and travelling / parking there could be problematic. Enter my brilliant son !! Picking up on something I said whilst driving to a local match recently and knowing my birthday was imminent, he came up with two tickets for us both to go to … The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and watch Spurs v Man United in the Womens Super League ! It was on a Sunday lunchtime, there were no travel issues at all, all went smoothly, the weather was great, the place was awesome and we enjoyed / endured the two teams battling out a 0-0 draw … oh well, you can’t have everything !

Also having plenty of time free these days means that my weekly Soul Show is meticulously prepared & I have oodles of time to discover ‘new’ old songs by great artists from the past and dig out vinyl tracks in my library that I’ve not touched for decades. Take a look at these recent playlists and lick your lips ahead of the next live show at 7pm on Monday :

The Tunes – Monday 27th April 2026

Meli’sa Morgan – Fool’s Paradise
Imagination – Just An Illusion
Another Taste – Into The Night
First Choice – Armed & Extremely Dangerous
Supremes – Bad Weather
Julian Jonah ft Sugar Rainbow – Tell Me
Jean Carne & Booker Newbury III – Closer To You
Ty Juan – Used To Think
Phyrework – Never Felt Like This
Labelle – Lady Marmalade
Chanson – Don’t Hold Back (DJ Disco Cat Disco Purrfection Mix)
Jerome – I’m Into Your Love
Aretha Franklin – No One Could Ever Love You More
Shirley Brown – Looking For The Real Thing
Jocelyn Brown – Love’s Gonna Get You
Diana Brown ft Barrie K Sharpe – Masterplan
New Jersey Connection – Good Time
Harold Melvin & Bluenotes – He Loves You & I Do Too
Kathy Kosins – Magic Island
Keni Burke – Hang Tight
Manhattans – It Couldn’t Hurt
Raw Silk – Do It To The Music
Eddie Kendricks – Going Up In Smoke (Big Smoke Mix)

The Tunes – Monday 20th April 2026

Gonzalez – Haven’t Stopped Dancing Yet
Lew Kirton – Just Can’t Get Enough
James Day ft James D Train Williams – Outta Da Funk
Galaxy feat Phil Fearon – Dancing Tight
Kandidate – Don’t Wanna Say Goodnight
Rich Beggar – Gift From Above
Angela Bofill – This Time I’ll Be Sweeter
Marvin Gaye – Sexual Healing
Manhattans – New York City
Gwen Guthrie – Ain’t Nothing Going On But The Rent
Second Image – Special Lady
JB’s Allstars – One Minute Every Hour
Edwin Starr – Agent Double O Soul
Average White Band – Queen Of My Soul
Anita Baker – Squeeze Me
Ashford & Simpson – Found A Cure
Julian Jonah ft Robbie Love – Take My Love
Ty Juan ft Chavonna Adams – Full Time Love
Regina Belle ft Barry White – Quiet Time
Wynd Chimes – Body Rap
Glenn Jones – I Am Somebody
Cerrone – Supernature
Dexter Wansel – Latin Love (Let Me Know)

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is broadcast LIVE from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm, on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock, across South Essex on DAB and available nationally via the Radio Player on your TV as well as online via www.gateway978.com You can listen on your smart speaker or your phone too … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – just search “Cool Soul” !