On Magic.

For football fans up and down the country, what their players do on the pitch every Saturday is sometimes little short of magic.

But even though the Premiership’s top scorers may be wizards on the pitch, they are unlikely to be showing you many card tricks off it.

Not something you would expect footballers to be doing anyway really, but more than one club has obviously thought that there are not enough rabbits getting pulled out of hats - and not just in relegation battles.

This week, The Guardian reported on the number of top flight football clubs that employ a resident magician.

Arsenal were the first ever club in the UK to have a full time resident magician in the shape of Marvin Berglas, who started there in 1993.

Not only does he entertain corporate guests on match days, he even plays for the club’s own celebrity supporters side.

London rivals Spurs obviously felt like they were missing a trick, employing Nicholas Einhorn in 1997 to keep the hospitality boxes enthralled.

The capital is clearly providing a home for British magicians and graduates of Hogwarts, as Chelsea too have their own conjurer.

Up north, Manchester United - known as the Red Devils - have their own practitioner of the black arts, one Matt Windsor, who entertains guests with a mixture of magic tricks and sleight of hand.

He describes himself as a “magician and pickpocket” - although rumours that he has helped pull more than one title out of the bag can not be confirmed at time of going to press.

Ok, ok, this isn’t new, but I thought I’d share anyway. Very amusing…

Cracks me up every time. I wish David Blaine was that entertaining…

This week sees the 14th annual Magic in the Rockies convention take place in Fort Collins, Wisconsin.

During the festival, the Rocky Mountains town will play host to arguably the densest concentration of magicians on the planet.

Magicians from the US will be joined by their international counterparts for the four-day long event.

The opening day will see escapologist Sir Mark Logsdon attempt to replicate one of master magician Houdini’s most famous tricks.

In performing the Milk Can Escape, the entertainer will attempt to free himself from a sealed milk can filled with water - despite being handcuffed hand and foot.

“He’s assured me that he’s done this a couple times — and lived,” event organiser Lew Wymisner told Colorado’s Tribune newspaper.

American pop starlet Britney Spears appears to have found herself a new soulmate in the form of celebrity magician Criss Angel.

The pair appeared together recently to open a new nightclub in Las Vegas, scene of a previous Britney love tryst that saw her marry her childhood sweetheart only to divorce him hours later, claiming it was a drunken prank.

The opening night of the LAX Club in the Luxor Hotel and Casino saw Britney and magic man Criss Angel getting “up close and personal” on the dance floor, according to one newspaper.

At one point the singer, who had exhorted attendees to “have a good time” earlier in the evening, removed a lollipop from the conjurer’s mouth and placed it in her own.

Angel may have worked another bit of magic by getting the pop princess’ hand in marriage - Spears was seen with a large diamond ring on her wedding finger, sparking rumours that the two may be more serious about each other than was previously supposed.

A group for mentalism magicians has been established by Roni Shachnaey and Dr Todd Landman.

The group, known as Psycrets: The British Society of Mystery Entertainers, aims to provide a formal space for mentalists and mystery entertainers alike to share ideas to further enhance the art of mystery entertainment.

The group will schedule regular meetings, which will allow mentalists to discuss effects, techniques, props and performances, and will also allow the buying and selling of mentalism related products.

Membership of the group costs £10 initially, with a £25 annual membership fee. For this, members get a membership card, regular newsletters, access to the ‘members only’ section of the Psycrets website and exclusive bonuses and discounts on mentalism related effects and products.

Members who cannot provide documentary evidence of their role as a mentalist entertainer will carry the title of ‘associate member’ for a minimum of one year, when their status will be reviewed by the committee based on their contribution to the group, evidence of public performances of mentalism, publication of effects and book etc.

The society is based in the UK, but welcomes members from across the world.
Visit the official website at www.psycrets.org.uk