Thanks for the good wishes guys. It really is the End of an Era - and the start of a new one!
It seems like only yesterday that I was dragged into Christie Park in ’57 to watch some scruffy oiks in baggy shorts running around chasing a leather ball. I was hooked. I’ve stood in the middle of the North Stand/Umbro Stand/Scratting Shed/etc. ever since and loved ever minute. Many years later it felt great to be able to sponsor matches and MFC events and put something back.
A wise man (or was it Aspers) once said that the friends that you make at football are different to any others. You go through so many shared emotions together it creates a very special bond. I began to realise a few years ago, like many others, that our club is very special indeed. From the Board, management, players, staff and fans we have a relationship and ethos that is admired and envied by more people than we could ever imagine. I was working in Ipswich the week after they played at CP and was told by a seasoned Ipswich supporter that their visit to Morecambe was the best away trip he had ever been on. “We’ve never been treated so well in any other place in the country” how many times have we heard that? One of the great things about that fantastic night on Thursday was that the TV cameras were there to witness our amazing supporters, as the sea fret magically rolled in, giving a standing ovation to the Daggers and mixing happily with their fans on the pitch. The Sky commentators seemed very surprised - we weren’t.
And Gnasher, it was fate, as usual with Aldcliffe, that I bumped into you in the Dog that night – whenever we needed somebody they always turned up – now look where it’s got you! A day trip to Malta when Christie Park is hosting its last ever match.
Hi Aspers – your new place looks fantastic. I might just surprise you one day and turn up on your doorstep with a re-spray kit. I look forward to the MFC pre-season tour of Oz when 200 SVer’s use your place as a base. With you in attendance we would, of course, loose every match 6 - 0. (We’ve been practicing quite recently).
How could I ever forget that barmy day in June and also later walking down the prom with you Neil, in front of the team bus the day after our first visit to Wembley? I discovered last night that “1973/74 Morecambe” has completely disappeared from the base of the FA Trophy. Too many sweaty hands holding it aloft must have obliterated it. If that bus had speeded up a bit this message board would have been much quieter place!
By the way, give my best wishes to Roberta and bring her round it’s ages since I’ve seen her.
Keep up the good work Posh. This area needs all the thriving new high tech businesses it can get to sustain it in the future. Little did I know when I was made redundant from Storeys where that would lead and what an opportunity it would create. When you start a small local business you can only dream of where it might take you – sometimes dreams do come true with the most unexpected results. If somebody had told me in ’57 that I would be sponsoring matches at the club I would have had them certified.
What we all would be doing now, Keith if you hadn’t had the bright idea to set up a forum just for Morecambe supporters. You now and Brian previously have done a great job hosting Shrimpsvoices so we can spend hours reading all this rubbish, rumours, innuendo, gossip, water related nonsense, drunken ramblings and general miss-information about the club we all love. But occasionally, very occasionally something appears quite unexpected out of the blue like Jim’s message from the players that beings a lump to your throat and a tear to your eye. Oh and of course Aspers’ ramblings and name droppings. And Keith’s pictures. Oh and I forgot the Chat Room – what have the Roman’s done for us!
My new career might just have started last Tuesday when Peter Kay asked me to appear in Rick Astley’s video for his new release Lights Out which he was directing. It was good of Brian May and Roger Taylor to put in an appearance on my birthday celebration at the Dominion in London in the middle of Bohemian Rhapsody. My new drums haven’t arrived yet by the way.
See Aspers, I’ve learnt something after all - how to ramble on, and on, and on .......... and name drop!
Thanks again for your good wishes. Onwards and upwards to the Globe.
David (DeeBee)
