obituary

[samuel]

After an impressive 124 year spell in the top echelons of english football, the time has now come to bow out and with, i hope, my held high.

In my existence i have tried to perform to the best of my ability, i have been involved in some finals in my time, even won a few. I've attempted to compete with the best on offer and even succeeded at times but old father time will wait for no-one and has been proved of late, i am not good enough anymore.

What hurts me more than most is that different people and agenda's have come along of late and tried to keep me at my optimium output with no regard for how i am bearing up, considering my recent exploits (also known as punching above my weight). The truth is i have been not feeling myself for a long time and no matter how many expensive injections they chose to give me to try and encourage my spine to grow again, it wasn't going to happen. I had tried so hard within myself to accommodate their wants but, ultimately, to no avail.

I used to like the first Doctor i was assigned, he really made me move and kept me active, i liked that and because he gave me drugs that no-one else had really tried before.I had never felt so fit and it was all because of these drugs that only this Doctor would try on me, so i started to feel like i was going to win the battle with nature, allbeit briefly.

With my mind and body in a better place than they had been in for many years, my Doctor decided enough was enough and he wanted to try his medical magic elsewhere, i was heartbroken. A new Doctor soon came along in his place, he tried the to use some of the same methods but some of the drugs weren't available to me anymore and i was subjected to some new drugs that weren't compatible with what was already in use , so the the more expensive drugs had to go.

After a plethora of doctors and new drugs and my state of mind and body in turmoil, i was subjected to a new health trust.

"Great news" i shouted, time to continue my battle with old father time.

Little did i know that the new health trust didn't give two hoots about my long term health, they wanted short term results, they forced expensive tried and tested but ultimately unsuccessful drugs on me , along with Doctors that had , I think, lied on their CV to try and get me going again.

As much as i wanted to keep going and enjoy some time with my family, ultimately i was conspired against and conned, the drugs no longer wanted to work for me, the Doctor knew i was a step too far for him but if i had performed one last dance for him, i would be doing all concerned a disservice.

The facts are that i have had my time, i've enjoyed every minute of it but i can no longer go on with the current set up.

Let me take me take this opportunity to thank everyone that has helped me to come this far and i am sorry to have to bow out but it is my time.

Thank you all and goodnight