Our system detected that your browser is blocking advertisements on our site. Please help support FoxesTalk by disabling any kind of ad blocker while browsing this site. Thank you.
Jump to content
 Share
hebangsthedrums

RIP Ron

By hebangsthedrums, in General Chat

Recommended Posts

  • Popular Post
hebangsthedrums

hebangsthedrums

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted

Im not sure if this is the place for it, but I’m feeling self indulgent and may well delete shortly anyway, read at your peril its a long one...

 

Sadly my dad Ron passed away last weekend after a fairly rapid deterioration from complications relating to lung fibrosis which he was diagnosed with 2 / 3 years ago (ironic as people often hear lungs and assume a smoking issue – he never smoked a day in his life). It was more sudden than I ever expected and he had a few days before been speaking about going to the Brighton game. He didn't feel up to the Liverpool game which is such a shame in hindsight so his last game was us beating Newcastle 4-0.

 

Not being local, we don’t have a circle of LCFC friends so I figured I would share a few memories on here  and its quite cathartic writing things down. I know he used to browse the forum since circa 2007 when I mentioned it to him, but I don’t think he ever plucked up the courage to create an account so lived vicariously through my vary occasional posts. Thanks to ft we (but him in particular) have had somewhere to hear other fans opinions – frankly its ridiculous that in the late 90's he had to rely on a layby in Bedfordshire that he knew picked up radio Leicester and I’m slightly terrified how he discovered that…

 

As I say – we’re not local, Dad picked City to be contrary when most of his mates wanted Spurs to win the 61 Cup Final – he would have been about 8. It sort of stuck and my grandad took him to a few games – would love to have known his first but I never did ask/forgot what I was told. He had the bug and I think from there went to games a few times a season ramping up in the 80’s where he managed to drag my mum along a couple of times. He used to love telling the story of Mum going to him to an FA Cup game (again vs Spurs) where we had a player stretchered off and my mum, being incensed at a spurs fan in front of them heckling the fallen man in blue, fiercely kicked him in the back of the legs. I think he knew he’d picked well then despite mum attending just a handful of games since.

 

Fast forward to the 90’s and I make my debut sometime in the 91 season, I remember him telling me years later I just irritated him for 90 minutes asking what was going on – I have a few scattered memories of sitting atop that shed thing in front of the double decker.

First big milestone was Wembley 92 so dad achieved an ambition of seeing us play there – I can remember him saying after the trio of play off finals that he had waited 30 years to see one, I rock up and see one a year in my 3 first full seasons.

 

First disagreement with him over football was in 1996, where we realised sometime after our late play off surge, that should we get to the Final it clashed with my prebooked Cub Scout Camp in Cheddar Gorge. Not to worry, he reassured me that he would make the trip to collect me for the final and drop me back off – to an 11 year old that seemed perfectly feasible. It was only when we reached the front of the ticket queue outside Filbert Street and he asked for an adult ticket and 2 concessions (I have 2 sisters) I realised this might not be happening, cue a massive strop and horrendous journey home. I think he bought my love back with a Sega Mega Drive game of some sort and my mum was given clear instructions to relay the result to the scout master so I at least knew what had happened, but I still get a tinge of disappointment I missed the Claridge winner and thats the one competitive Wembley Final I’ve missed in my lifetime.

 

We had season tickets in the Carling stand from circa 94 until almost the end of the MON reign and dad redeemed himself further by explaining to teachers I would be very tired at school from an important trip in Spring 97to Sheffield. He was selfless – for the 1999 Final we could only get one ticket – he was adamant he’d buy one from a tout but it seemed tat was the one year there wasn’t a shady looking man around to accept the wad of cash he took in anticipation, so me being 14 and him fearing my mum, I was dispatched through the turnstile and it seems fitting the day ended in disappointment. We were back the next year though all ticketed up and saw our second cup triumph.

 

The post Taylor years were a mix of going relatively regularly, to his job stopping attendance for several games in a row, but given the on field spectacle this wasn't the worst thing in the world, plus I was at uni for 3 years. We picked up half season tickets at some point around the League One title win but my memory fails me – we have the stubs ( I have so so much LCFC stuff to sort, he has every programme from games we went to & some we didn’t) so I’ll work it out. It was I think 11/12 when we got half season tickets for the latter half and since then me, him & my sister have been resident in G1 – I don’t need to tell anyone the payoff from the last decade or so.

 

I guess thats part of the point – without my dad I would never have landed on Leicester, would have just been one of the Man Utd / Liverpool / Arsenal fans who were born in the mid 90’s not on the doorstep of a decent sized club. I’m so grateful we got to see us win the League, I’m so so grateful that COVID circumstances meant we could watch us lift the FA Cup – we completed the set together, something that seemed unbelievable when we were scrabbling around in the Championship bottom half with Kevin Pressman in goal and Elvis Hammond up front.

 

Beyond going to games Dad would fight the LCFC cause in any circumstance and was the least objective judge of football ever, which was an interesting dynamic when I was late teens and starting to realise our players weren’t the best out there just because they played in royal blue. He was fiercely protective of those worthy of the shirt, with his hero being Steve Walsh. I remember him being perhaps more intrigued as disappointed when he realised I was wasting exam leave playing what was then Championship Manager. He couldn't resist and I then had to compete with him for time at our desktop PC, where he baffled me with his persistence in playing an ageing, frankly terrible (on the game), Walshy – despite me showing him the success my ritzy signings (but more likely regular games saves) had delivered as I cleared out most of the then squad aside from Muzzy Izzet in my saves.

 

He adored Walshy – it was a spooky coincidence that when I went to my Mums shortly after he passed, I picked up latest edition of his Fox subscription and it had an article on Walshy’s autobiography – a book I know he read cover to cover at least a few times and is amongst the dozens of LCFC books I now have to find a home for.

 

I could ramble for ages so will try to wrap up – I’m slightly scared that the first home game without him is gong to be horrible and will taint the experience forever for me. I have no idea what I'm going to the couple sat next to us who we've exchanged hello's with for the last 6 years or so. I worry that the hour in the car there & back is going to remind me & my sister how his presence is now lacking. What I hope is that we can take comfort in the fact that the passion we have is because of him and we had 3 decades of enjoying Leicester together, with some of that being the most successful periods in the clubs history. Not only that, but I genuinely believe our achievement in 2016 is unbeatable by any set of fans ever, and we got to see it as a family. We’ll keep his ticket and one day I’d love to sit my little girl who has just turned 6 months in the seat that was his (or as close to as the stadium expansion allows)

 

I miss you terribly Dad, but LCFC is one of the greatest gifts you could have given me and the girls, I know you’re there with us.

  • Like 56
  • Thanks 14
deejdeej

deejdeej

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, hebangsthedrums said:

Im not sure if this is the place for it, but I’m feeling self indulgent and may well delete shortly anyway, read at your peril its a long one...

 

Sadly my dad Ron passed away last weekend after a fairly rapid deterioration from complications relating to lung fibrosis which he was diagnosed with 2 / 3 years ago (ironic as people often hear lungs and assume a smoking issue – he never smoked a day in his life). It was more sudden than I ever expected and he had a few days before been speaking about going to the Brighton game. He didn't feel up to the Liverpool game which is such a shame in hindsight so his last game was us beating Newcastle 4-0.

 

Not being local, we don’t have a circle of LCFC friends so I figured I would share a few memories on here  and its quite cathartic writing things down. I know he used to browse the forum since circa 2007 when I mentioned it to him, but I don’t think he ever plucked up the courage to create an account so lived vicariously through my vary occasional posts. Thanks to ft we (but him in particular) have had somewhere to hear other fans opinions – frankly its ridiculous that in the late 90's he had to rely on a layby in Bedfordshire that he knew picked up radio Leicester and I’m slightly terrified how he discovered that…

 

As I say – we’re not local, Dad picked City to be contrary when most of his mates wanted Spurs to win the 61 Cup Final – he would have been about 8. It sort of stuck and my grandad took him to a few games – would love to have known his first but I never did ask/forgot what I was told. He had the bug and I think from there went to games a few times a season ramping up in the 80’s where he managed to drag my mum along a couple of times. He used to love telling the story of Mum going to him to an FA Cup game (again vs Spurs) where we had a player stretchered off and my mum, being incensed at a spurs fan in front of them heckling the fallen man in blue, fiercely kicked him in the back of the legs. I think he knew he’d picked well then despite mum attending just a handful of games since.

 

Fast forward to the 90’s and I make my debut sometime in the 91 season, I remember him telling me years later I just irritated him for 90 minutes asking what was going on – I have a few scattered memories of sitting atop that shed thing in front of the double decker.

First big milestone was Wembley 92 so dad achieved an ambition of seeing us play there – I can remember him saying after the trio of play off finals that he had waited 30 years to see one, I rock up and see one a year in my 3 first full seasons.

 

First disagreement with him over football was in 1996, where we realised sometime after our late play off surge, that should we get to the Final it clashed with my prebooked Cub Scout Camp in Cheddar Gorge. Not to worry, he reassured me that he would make the trip to collect me for the final and drop me back off – to an 11 year old that seemed perfectly feasible. It was only when we reached the front of the ticket queue outside Filbert Street and he asked for an adult ticket and 2 concessions (I have 2 sisters) I realised this might not be happening, cue a massive strop and horrendous journey home. I think he bought my love back with a Sega Mega Drive game of some sort and my mum was given clear instructions to relay the result to the scout master so I at least knew what had happened, but I still get a tinge of disappointment I missed the Claridge winner and thats the one competitive Wembley Final I’ve missed in my lifetime.

 

We had season tickets in the Carling stand from circa 94 until almost the end of the MON reign and dad redeemed himself further by explaining to teachers I would be very tired at school from an important trip in Spring 97to Sheffield. He was selfless – for the 1999 Final we could only get one ticket – he was adamant he’d buy one from a tout but it seemed tat was the one year there wasn’t a shady looking man around to accept the wad of cash he took in anticipation, so me being 14 and him fearing my mum, I was dispatched through the turnstile and it seems fitting the day ended in disappointment. We were back the next year though all ticketed up and saw our second cup triumph.

 

The post Taylor years were a mix of going relatively regularly, to his job stopping attendance for several games in a row, but given the on field spectacle this wasn't the worst thing in the world, plus I was at uni for 3 years. We picked up half season tickets at some point around the League One title win but my memory fails me – we have the stubs ( I have so so much LCFC stuff to sort, he has every programme from games we went to & some we didn’t) so I’ll work it out. It was I think 11/12 when we got half season tickets for the latter half and since then me, him & my sister have been resident in G1 – I don’t need to tell anyone the payoff from the last decade or so.

 

I guess thats part of the point – without my dad I would never have landed on Leicester, would have just been one of the Man Utd / Liverpool / Arsenal fans who were born in the mid 90’s not on the doorstep of a decent sized club. I’m so grateful we got to see us win the League, I’m so so grateful that COVID circumstances meant we could watch us lift the FA Cup – we completed the set together, something that seemed unbelievable when we were scrabbling around in the Championship bottom half with Kevin Pressman in goal and Elvis Hammond up front.

 

Beyond going to games Dad would fight the LCFC cause in any circumstance and was the least objective judge of football ever, which was an interesting dynamic when I was late teens and starting to realise our players weren’t the best out there just because they played in royal blue. He was fiercely protective of those worthy of the shirt, with his hero being Steve Walsh. I remember him being perhaps more intrigued as disappointed when he realised I was wasting exam leave playing what was then Championship Manager. He couldn't resist and I then had to compete with him for time at our desktop PC, where he baffled me with his persistence in playing an ageing, frankly terrible (on the game), Walshy – despite me showing him the success my ritzy signings (but more likely regular games saves) had delivered as I cleared out most of the then squad aside from Muzzy Izzet in my saves.

 

He adored Walshy – it was a spooky coincidence that when I went to my Mums shortly after he passed, I picked up latest edition of his Fox subscription and it had an article on Walshy’s autobiography – a book I know he read cover to cover at least a few times and is amongst the dozens of LCFC books I now have to find a home for.

 

I could ramble for ages so will try to wrap up – I’m slightly scared that the first home game without him is gong to be horrible and will taint the experience forever for me. I have no idea what I'm going to the couple sat next to us who we've exchanged hello's with for the last 6 years or so. I worry that the hour in the car there & back is going to remind me & my sister how his presence is now lacking. What I hope is that we can take comfort in the fact that the passion we have is because of him and we had 3 decades of enjoying Leicester together, with some of that being the most successful periods in the clubs history. Not only that, but I genuinely believe our achievement in 2016 is unbeatable by any set of fans ever, and we got to see it as a family. We’ll keep his ticket and one day I’d love to sit my little girl who has just turned 6 months in the seat that was his (or as close to as the stadium expansion allows)

 

I miss you terribly Dad, but LCFC is one of the greatest gifts you could have given me and the girls, I know you’re there with us.

Sorry for your loss bud, great to read those memories and I hope it helps typing them out :)

  • Like 1
Brizzle Fox

Brizzle Fox

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, hebangsthedrums said:

Im not sure if this is the place for it, but I’m feeling self indulgent and may well delete shortly anyway, read at your peril its a long one...

 

Sadly my dad Ron passed away last weekend after a fairly rapid deterioration from complications relating to lung fibrosis which he was diagnosed with 2 / 3 years ago (ironic as people often hear lungs and assume a smoking issue – he never smoked a day in his life). It was more sudden than I ever expected and he had a few days before been speaking about going to the Brighton game. He didn't feel up to the Liverpool game which is such a shame in hindsight so his last game was us beating Newcastle 4-0.

 

Not being local, we don’t have a circle of LCFC friends so I figured I would share a few memories on here  and its quite cathartic writing things down. I know he used to browse the forum since circa 2007 when I mentioned it to him, but I don’t think he ever plucked up the courage to create an account so lived vicariously through my vary occasional posts. Thanks to ft we (but him in particular) have had somewhere to hear other fans opinions – frankly its ridiculous that in the late 90's he had to rely on a layby in Bedfordshire that he knew picked up radio Leicester and I’m slightly terrified how he discovered that…

 

As I say – we’re not local, Dad picked City to be contrary when most of his mates wanted Spurs to win the 61 Cup Final – he would have been about 8. It sort of stuck and my grandad took him to a few games – would love to have known his first but I never did ask/forgot what I was told. He had the bug and I think from there went to games a few times a season ramping up in the 80’s where he managed to drag my mum along a couple of times. He used to love telling the story of Mum going to him to an FA Cup game (again vs Spurs) where we had a player stretchered off and my mum, being incensed at a spurs fan in front of them heckling the fallen man in blue, fiercely kicked him in the back of the legs. I think he knew he’d picked well then despite mum attending just a handful of games since.

 

Fast forward to the 90’s and I make my debut sometime in the 91 season, I remember him telling me years later I just irritated him for 90 minutes asking what was going on – I have a few scattered memories of sitting atop that shed thing in front of the double decker.

First big milestone was Wembley 92 so dad achieved an ambition of seeing us play there – I can remember him saying after the trio of play off finals that he had waited 30 years to see one, I rock up and see one a year in my 3 first full seasons.

 

First disagreement with him over football was in 1996, where we realised sometime after our late play off surge, that should we get to the Final it clashed with my prebooked Cub Scout Camp in Cheddar Gorge. Not to worry, he reassured me that he would make the trip to collect me for the final and drop me back off – to an 11 year old that seemed perfectly feasible. It was only when we reached the front of the ticket queue outside Filbert Street and he asked for an adult ticket and 2 concessions (I have 2 sisters) I realised this might not be happening, cue a massive strop and horrendous journey home. I think he bought my love back with a Sega Mega Drive game of some sort and my mum was given clear instructions to relay the result to the scout master so I at least knew what had happened, but I still get a tinge of disappointment I missed the Claridge winner and thats the one competitive Wembley Final I’ve missed in my lifetime.

 

We had season tickets in the Carling stand from circa 94 until almost the end of the MON reign and dad redeemed himself further by explaining to teachers I would be very tired at school from an important trip in Spring 97to Sheffield. He was selfless – for the 1999 Final we could only get one ticket – he was adamant he’d buy one from a tout but it seemed tat was the one year there wasn’t a shady looking man around to accept the wad of cash he took in anticipation, so me being 14 and him fearing my mum, I was dispatched through the turnstile and it seems fitting the day ended in disappointment. We were back the next year though all ticketed up and saw our second cup triumph.

 

The post Taylor years were a mix of going relatively regularly, to his job stopping attendance for several games in a row, but given the on field spectacle this wasn't the worst thing in the world, plus I was at uni for 3 years. We picked up half season tickets at some point around the League One title win but my memory fails me – we have the stubs ( I have so so much LCFC stuff to sort, he has every programme from games we went to & some we didn’t) so I’ll work it out. It was I think 11/12 when we got half season tickets for the latter half and since then me, him & my sister have been resident in G1 – I don’t need to tell anyone the payoff from the last decade or so.

 

I guess thats part of the point – without my dad I would never have landed on Leicester, would have just been one of the Man Utd / Liverpool / Arsenal fans who were born in the mid 90’s not on the doorstep of a decent sized club. I’m so grateful we got to see us win the League, I’m so so grateful that COVID circumstances meant we could watch us lift the FA Cup – we completed the set together, something that seemed unbelievable when we were scrabbling around in the Championship bottom half with Kevin Pressman in goal and Elvis Hammond up front.

 

Beyond going to games Dad would fight the LCFC cause in any circumstance and was the least objective judge of football ever, which was an interesting dynamic when I was late teens and starting to realise our players weren’t the best out there just because they played in royal blue. He was fiercely protective of those worthy of the shirt, with his hero being Steve Walsh. I remember him being perhaps more intrigued as disappointed when he realised I was wasting exam leave playing what was then Championship Manager. He couldn't resist and I then had to compete with him for time at our desktop PC, where he baffled me with his persistence in playing an ageing, frankly terrible (on the game), Walshy – despite me showing him the success my ritzy signings (but more likely regular games saves) had delivered as I cleared out most of the then squad aside from Muzzy Izzet in my saves.

 

He adored Walshy – it was a spooky coincidence that when I went to my Mums shortly after he passed, I picked up latest edition of his Fox subscription and it had an article on Walshy’s autobiography – a book I know he read cover to cover at least a few times and is amongst the dozens of LCFC books I now have to find a home for.

 

I could ramble for ages so will try to wrap up – I’m slightly scared that the first home game without him is gong to be horrible and will taint the experience forever for me. I have no idea what I'm going to the couple sat next to us who we've exchanged hello's with for the last 6 years or so. I worry that the hour in the car there & back is going to remind me & my sister how his presence is now lacking. What I hope is that we can take comfort in the fact that the passion we have is because of him and we had 3 decades of enjoying Leicester together, with some of that being the most successful periods in the clubs history. Not only that, but I genuinely believe our achievement in 2016 is unbeatable by any set of fans ever, and we got to see it as a family. We’ll keep his ticket and one day I’d love to sit my little girl who has just turned 6 months in the seat that was his (or as close to as the stadium expansion allows)

 

I miss you terribly Dad, but LCFC is one of the greatest gifts you could have given me and the girls, I know you’re there with us.

That's a beautiful tribute to him. 

 

My dad passed away on the 2nd Jan and it's his funeral on Monday.

 

Similarly if it wasn't for my dad 'encouraging' me to go down the City with him when I was 9, I would have suffered an even worse fate in supporting Notts Forest (it was 1980!). 

 

To all the parents / friends who got us onto this crazy roller coaster ride and are no longer with us, we salute you. 

  • Like 1
  • Sad 1
Unabomber

Unabomber

Posted
Posted (edited)
18 hours ago, hebangsthedrums said:

Im not sure if this is the place for it, but I’m feeling self indulgent and may well delete shortly anyway, read at your peril its a long one...

 

Sadly my dad Ron passed away last weekend after a fairly rapid deterioration from complications relating to lung fibrosis which he was diagnosed with 2 / 3 years ago (ironic as people often hear lungs and assume a smoking issue – he never smoked a day in his life). It was more sudden than I ever expected and he had a few days before been speaking about going to the Brighton game. He didn't feel up to the Liverpool game which is such a shame in hindsight so his last game was us beating Newcastle 4-0.

 

Not being local, we don’t have a circle of LCFC friends so I figured I would share a few memories on here  and its quite cathartic writing things down. I know he used to browse the forum since circa 2007 when I mentioned it to him, but I don’t think he ever plucked up the courage to create an account so lived vicariously through my vary occasional posts. Thanks to ft we (but him in particular) have had somewhere to hear other fans opinions – frankly its ridiculous that in the late 90's he had to rely on a layby in Bedfordshire that he knew picked up radio Leicester and I’m slightly terrified how he discovered that…

 

As I say – we’re not local, Dad picked City to be contrary when most of his mates wanted Spurs to win the 61 Cup Final – he would have been about 8. It sort of stuck and my grandad took him to a few games – would love to have known his first but I never did ask/forgot what I was told. He had the bug and I think from there went to games a few times a season ramping up in the 80’s where he managed to drag my mum along a couple of times. He used to love telling the story of Mum going to him to an FA Cup game (again vs Spurs) where we had a player stretchered off and my mum, being incensed at a spurs fan in front of them heckling the fallen man in blue, fiercely kicked him in the back of the legs. I think he knew he’d picked well then despite mum attending just a handful of games since.

 

Fast forward to the 90’s and I make my debut sometime in the 91 season, I remember him telling me years later I just irritated him for 90 minutes asking what was going on – I have a few scattered memories of sitting atop that shed thing in front of the double decker.

First big milestone was Wembley 92 so dad achieved an ambition of seeing us play there – I can remember him saying after the trio of play off finals that he had waited 30 years to see one, I rock up and see one a year in my 3 first full seasons.

 

First disagreement with him over football was in 1996, where we realised sometime after our late play off surge, that should we get to the Final it clashed with my prebooked Cub Scout Camp in Cheddar Gorge. Not to worry, he reassured me that he would make the trip to collect me for the final and drop me back off – to an 11 year old that seemed perfectly feasible. It was only when we reached the front of the ticket queue outside Filbert Street and he asked for an adult ticket and 2 concessions (I have 2 sisters) I realised this might not be happening, cue a massive strop and horrendous journey home. I think he bought my love back with a Sega Mega Drive game of some sort and my mum was given clear instructions to relay the result to the scout master so I at least knew what had happened, but I still get a tinge of disappointment I missed the Claridge winner and thats the one competitive Wembley Final I’ve missed in my lifetime.

 

We had season tickets in the Carling stand from circa 94 until almost the end of the MON reign and dad redeemed himself further by explaining to teachers I would be very tired at school from an important trip in Spring 97to Sheffield. He was selfless – for the 1999 Final we could only get one ticket – he was adamant he’d buy one from a tout but it seemed tat was the one year there wasn’t a shady looking man around to accept the wad of cash he took in anticipation, so me being 14 and him fearing my mum, I was dispatched through the turnstile and it seems fitting the day ended in disappointment. We were back the next year though all ticketed up and saw our second cup triumph.

 

The post Taylor years were a mix of going relatively regularly, to his job stopping attendance for several games in a row, but given the on field spectacle this wasn't the worst thing in the world, plus I was at uni for 3 years. We picked up half season tickets at some point around the League One title win but my memory fails me – we have the stubs ( I have so so much LCFC stuff to sort, he has every programme from games we went to & some we didn’t) so I’ll work it out. It was I think 11/12 when we got half season tickets for the latter half and since then me, him & my sister have been resident in G1 – I don’t need to tell anyone the payoff from the last decade or so.

 

I guess thats part of the point – without my dad I would never have landed on Leicester, would have just been one of the Man Utd / Liverpool / Arsenal fans who were born in the mid 90’s not on the doorstep of a decent sized club. I’m so grateful we got to see us win the League, I’m so so grateful that COVID circumstances meant we could watch us lift the FA Cup – we completed the set together, something that seemed unbelievable when we were scrabbling around in the Championship bottom half with Kevin Pressman in goal and Elvis Hammond up front.

 

Beyond going to games Dad would fight the LCFC cause in any circumstance and was the least objective judge of football ever, which was an interesting dynamic when I was late teens and starting to realise our players weren’t the best out there just because they played in royal blue. He was fiercely protective of those worthy of the shirt, with his hero being Steve Walsh. I remember him being perhaps more intrigued as disappointed when he realised I was wasting exam leave playing what was then Championship Manager. He couldn't resist and I then had to compete with him for time at our desktop PC, where he baffled me with his persistence in playing an ageing, frankly terrible (on the game), Walshy – despite me showing him the success my ritzy signings (but more likely regular games saves) had delivered as I cleared out most of the then squad aside from Muzzy Izzet in my saves.

 

He adored Walshy – it was a spooky coincidence that when I went to my Mums shortly after he passed, I picked up latest edition of his Fox subscription and it had an article on Walshy’s autobiography – a book I know he read cover to cover at least a few times and is amongst the dozens of LCFC books I now have to find a home for.

 

I could ramble for ages so will try to wrap up – I’m slightly scared that the first home game without him is gong to be horrible and will taint the experience forever for me. I have no idea what I'm going to the couple sat next to us who we've exchanged hello's with for the last 6 years or so. I worry that the hour in the car there & back is going to remind me & my sister how his presence is now lacking. What I hope is that we can take comfort in the fact that the passion we have is because of him and we had 3 decades of enjoying Leicester together, with some of that being the most successful periods in the clubs history. Not only that, but I genuinely believe our achievement in 2016 is unbeatable by any set of fans ever, and we got to see it as a family. We’ll keep his ticket and one day I’d love to sit my little girl who has just turned 6 months in the seat that was his (or as close to as the stadium expansion allows)

 

I miss you terribly Dad, but LCFC is one of the greatest gifts you could have given me and the girls, I know you’re there with us.

Great story mate and the fact that your dad convinced you to support Leicester will mean more to him that you will ever know. All you can do is keep supporting us and pass that passion and commitment down so that future generations can some day experience something close to the sheer joy that we have had over the last decade. 

Edited by Unabomber
  • Like 1
Parafox

Parafox

Posted
Posted (edited)
18 hours ago, hebangsthedrums said:

Im not sure if this is the place for it, but I’m feeling self indulgent and may well delete shortly anyway, read at your peril its a long one...

 

Sadly my dad Ron passed away last weekend after a fairly rapid deterioration from complications relating to lung fibrosis which he was diagnosed with 2 / 3 years ago (ironic as people often hear lungs and assume a smoking issue – he never smoked a day in his life). It was more sudden than I ever expected and he had a few days before been speaking about going to the Brighton game. He didn't feel up to the Liverpool game which is such a shame in hindsight so his last game was us beating Newcastle 4-0.

 

Not being local, we don’t have a circle of LCFC friends so I figured I would share a few memories on here  and its quite cathartic writing things down. I know he used to browse the forum since circa 2007 when I mentioned it to him, but I don’t think he ever plucked up the courage to create an account so lived vicariously through my vary occasional posts. Thanks to ft we (but him in particular) have had somewhere to hear other fans opinions – frankly its ridiculous that in the late 90's he had to rely on a layby in Bedfordshire that he knew picked up radio Leicester and I’m slightly terrified how he discovered that…

 

As I say – we’re not local, Dad picked City to be contrary when most of his mates wanted Spurs to win the 61 Cup Final – he would have been about 8. It sort of stuck and my grandad took him to a few games – would love to have known his first but I never did ask/forgot what I was told. He had the bug and I think from there went to games a few times a season ramping up in the 80’s where he managed to drag my mum along a couple of times. He used to love telling the story of Mum going to him to an FA Cup game (again vs Spurs) where we had a player stretchered off and my mum, being incensed at a spurs fan in front of them heckling the fallen man in blue, fiercely kicked him in the back of the legs. I think he knew he’d picked well then despite mum attending just a handful of games since.

 

Fast forward to the 90’s and I make my debut sometime in the 91 season, I remember him telling me years later I just irritated him for 90 minutes asking what was going on – I have a few scattered memories of sitting atop that shed thing in front of the double decker.

First big milestone was Wembley 92 so dad achieved an ambition of seeing us play there – I can remember him saying after the trio of play off finals that he had waited 30 years to see one, I rock up and see one a year in my 3 first full seasons.

 

First disagreement with him over football was in 1996, where we realised sometime after our late play off surge, that should we get to the Final it clashed with my prebooked Cub Scout Camp in Cheddar Gorge. Not to worry, he reassured me that he would make the trip to collect me for the final and drop me back off – to an 11 year old that seemed perfectly feasible. It was only when we reached the front of the ticket queue outside Filbert Street and he asked for an adult ticket and 2 concessions (I have 2 sisters) I realised this might not be happening, cue a massive strop and horrendous journey home. I think he bought my love back with a Sega Mega Drive game of some sort and my mum was given clear instructions to relay the result to the scout master so I at least knew what had happened, but I still get a tinge of disappointment I missed the Claridge winner and thats the one competitive Wembley Final I’ve missed in my lifetime.

 

We had season tickets in the Carling stand from circa 94 until almost the end of the MON reign and dad redeemed himself further by explaining to teachers I would be very tired at school from an important trip in Spring 97to Sheffield. He was selfless – for the 1999 Final we could only get one ticket – he was adamant he’d buy one from a tout but it seemed tat was the one year there wasn’t a shady looking man around to accept the wad of cash he took in anticipation, so me being 14 and him fearing my mum, I was dispatched through the turnstile and it seems fitting the day ended in disappointment. We were back the next year though all ticketed up and saw our second cup triumph.

 

The post Taylor years were a mix of going relatively regularly, to his job stopping attendance for several games in a row, but given the on field spectacle this wasn't the worst thing in the world, plus I was at uni for 3 years. We picked up half season tickets at some point around the League One title win but my memory fails me – we have the stubs ( I have so so much LCFC stuff to sort, he has every programme from games we went to & some we didn’t) so I’ll work it out. It was I think 11/12 when we got half season tickets for the latter half and since then me, him & my sister have been resident in G1 – I don’t need to tell anyone the payoff from the last decade or so.

 

I guess thats part of the point – without my dad I would never have landed on Leicester, would have just been one of the Man Utd / Liverpool / Arsenal fans who were born in the mid 90’s not on the doorstep of a decent sized club. I’m so grateful we got to see us win the League, I’m so so grateful that COVID circumstances meant we could watch us lift the FA Cup – we completed the set together, something that seemed unbelievable when we were scrabbling around in the Championship bottom half with Kevin Pressman in goal and Elvis Hammond up front.

 

Beyond going to games Dad would fight the LCFC cause in any circumstance and was the least objective judge of football ever, which was an interesting dynamic when I was late teens and starting to realise our players weren’t the best out there just because they played in royal blue. He was fiercely protective of those worthy of the shirt, with his hero being Steve Walsh. I remember him being perhaps more intrigued as disappointed when he realised I was wasting exam leave playing what was then Championship Manager. He couldn't resist and I then had to compete with him for time at our desktop PC, where he baffled me with his persistence in playing an ageing, frankly terrible (on the game), Walshy – despite me showing him the success my ritzy signings (but more likely regular games saves) had delivered as I cleared out most of the then squad aside from Muzzy Izzet in my saves.

 

He adored Walshy – it was a spooky coincidence that when I went to my Mums shortly after he passed, I picked up latest edition of his Fox subscription and it had an article on Walshy’s autobiography – a book I know he read cover to cover at least a few times and is amongst the dozens of LCFC books I now have to find a home for.

 

I could ramble for ages so will try to wrap up – I’m slightly scared that the first home game without him is gong to be horrible and will taint the experience forever for me. I have no idea what I'm going to the couple sat next to us who we've exchanged hello's with for the last 6 years or so. I worry that the hour in the car there & back is going to remind me & my sister how his presence is now lacking. What I hope is that we can take comfort in the fact that the passion we have is because of him and we had 3 decades of enjoying Leicester together, with some of that being the most successful periods in the clubs history. Not only that, but I genuinely believe our achievement in 2016 is unbeatable by any set of fans ever, and we got to see it as a family. We’ll keep his ticket and one day I’d love to sit my little girl who has just turned 6 months in the seat that was his (or as close to as the stadium expansion allows)

 

I miss you terribly Dad, but LCFC is one of the greatest gifts you could have given me and the girls, I know you’re there with us.

Well, that was something...

I guess you will anyway, but I'd suggest you use much of that post as a fitting eulogy to your dad when the time comes to say your last goodbyes. 

If I may add something, my dad passed away in 2007 aged 90. He was repatriated to the UK from Romania after WW2 and never had any allegiance to any English football team, but he kind of thought supporting your own town team is something that you should do wherever you happened to live. Probably would have been the same if he'd been sent to any other town.

He took me to LCFC v ManU when Peter Shilton was our goalkeeper and David Nish was our captain. We were at the front of the stand behind the goal. From then I knew I had to support and follow us no matter what. And to try to be Peter Shilton.

 

Edited by Parafox
  • Like 1
hebangsthedrums

hebangsthedrums

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for reading and the nice comments, it really has helped to read them and to have written something down. 

 

This morning a personalised card arrived from the club which is a lovely touch - turns out my brother in law called them on Tuesday so they turned that around quick

  • Like 1
HighPeakFox

HighPeakFox

Posted
Posted
41 minutes ago, hebangsthedrums said:

Thanks for reading and the nice comments, it really has helped to read them and to have written something down. 

 

This morning a personalised card arrived from the club which is a lovely touch - turns out my brother in law called them on Tuesday so they turned that around quick

A lovely read, thank you - can you take someone with you for that first game back?

  • Like 1
tom27111

tom27111

Posted
Posted (edited)

A beautiful read. 

 

As others have said, what a tribute.

 

My condelances to you and your family.

 

You've got every right to feel self indulgent, but it doesn't come across like that.

 

This is yet another reminder of what a wonderful community we have on here and how lucky we are to have it.

Edited by tom27111
  • Like 1
Guest worth_the_wait

Guest worth_the_wait

Posted
Posted

A lovely read.  I managed to hold it together right to the end, but only just.
 
Writing your thoughts is incredibly cathartic, and I have done the same when both of my parents died.  It somehow helps to make sense of an incredibly upsetting, but unavoidable event in most of our lives.
 
It can also be incredibly cathartic what other people write about our loved ones.   Hand written condolence cards with a personal message, can be so special.  Knowing that someone else found your loved one special, as well as you, is so important.
 
Going off on bit of a tangent here, I found the registering of a death also very cathartic. 

 

The 30 minutes spent with a professional caring person, telling them all the main details of their life.   It was strangely comforting to know that even after their death, it mattered.  To them, to you, and with the beautifully written death certificate.   On both occasions, I have felt strangely uplifted by the experience ... albeit by the overriding sadness of what I've just had to do.

 

hebangsthedrums

hebangsthedrums

Posted
  • Author
Posted
22 hours ago, HighPeakFox said:

A lovely read, thank you - can you take someone with you for that first game back?

We're working out what to do - my other sister works weekends so that might be tricky.

My mum would love to come but she is disabled, but it might be doable as we bought parking in the Filbert Street car park this year as dad struggled to walk far himself.

 

Thanks again all, its nice to check in and see others have been through the same - it feels a little better today. 

  • Like 2
Stadt

Stadt

Posted
Posted

That's a lovely tribute.

 

I sometimes think it's silly how much time & money I spend on football, but when you read something like this - you realise football is more than just a passion, as clichéd as it sounds

  • Like 1

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...