Thank you and good bye from me x

First Team News and Views
1

Well the time has come to put down the pint glass, let go of the pump, hang up my apron, turn off the fryers and, heaven forbid, hang up my headphones…
For the first time since i started, at Witton Albion, I’m calling time.

It’s nearly 12 months since I first told the board my desire to leave the role as social club manager. Thanks to the help of my wonderful staff, Daz, Emma, Kareena, Shane, Dylan, big Gaz, Matt, Katie, Daisy, liv, of course Chairman jnr and Helen who have helped keep me sane for the second part of my tenure.

This is certainly not the long goodbye or a dear John letter. I will be down at the club plenty this season to see all the friends and people i consider family. As I said to Mark, there are so many people who i love to bits there. It’s truly a family. One or two arseholes mind but hey ho.

To those wittoners close to me you’ll know I’ve not been very well, esp recently. I haven’t been to the doctor’s since i was a child and the only time I’d been to a hospital was for Archie being born. This year it feels like I’m never away from them. I can’t juggle everything and keep putting my health on the back burner. We’re a long time dead my friends.
I got involved with the place in 2013 and when I took the job in 2015 I only intended to do it for 12 months so someone more capable could take the bar on and hopefully i could continue with some of the fantastic events we produced.
The Roaring Laughter comedy club, frozen, fantasia, take that. It cost me a fortune but wow, we entertained.

So the thank yous, well from the top i have to thank my good, good friend, Jimmy Powell. Eternal custodian of the witton way, forever general of the witton army, perpetual pervy disc jockey, always the man with witton branded into the flesh of his heart and will always be my best mucker. Cheers for everything from day one Jimmy. I love you immeasurably.
Next, it’s the WAFC SC front line, Matt cat, debs, anne Marie, Amy, Becca!! big Gaz, the lovely Phil and Helen, Jeff, John, Big Trev S (sorry Trev, old joke, but thank you mate, from the bottom of my heart, the legend that is Chris. Ps can i adopt him?, Alan spruce, James, kev, Edgy, Kelly, jo heffey, Steph, of course Nige Nutt, Pauline, Tracey and rebecca… Phil flav, John flav (will they be happy being mentioned in the same sentence?) Ralph, then of course all the coneelys, thank you for the bookings. Don’t forget, Prew, and drew. Shittest double act name ever.
Massive thanks to Jamie Thompson, Robbo X
Ian Stanley and co, thanks for coming to so many events, mostly you were the only wittoners… Mike Collins too.
Old des, Alan spruce, Kevin and James, Pauline, Tracey, Rebecca, VJ, Bill and Eric, or ‘Billeric’ as i secretly named them because you never saw one without the other! Former MI6, MI5, MFI, FbI, CiA, C&a, And KGB man, Doorman Gordon Knopp, who knows everything witton related before witton does!
Pauline and John spruce, the witton old guard, Pete McKenna, Jo heffey, and everyone who ever came into the bar…

Thanks to Mark, Andrea, Adam and to Neil, John Salmon, Reg, Judith, and Peter Williamson, it was a pleasure.

You’ve got some great people looking after the club now, I’m working with them to make sure they hit the ground running and get the leg up i didn’t. This season is going to be exciting. Keep supporting your club.

For one last time, UTA…
See you all for a pint soon xxx

2

Thank you Noel.

My biggest regret is that my enforced absence has covered the majority of the time you spent running our Social Club. None of us know what’s around the corner or what lies ahead. Your posting is full of sincerity and you’ve made a huge difference to the club and to the lives of so many people. I’m pleased that you are not going to be a stranger to us and thank you for everything. I will get back back there one day in the future and hopefully before too long when I hope to be sharing a drink with you on many occasions.

Thank you once again Noel.

UTA.

3

Take care of yourself, there is only one you!
WHS.

4

Lovely words Noel, it’s been a pleasure working alongside you and I’d like to thank you for some great memories, the Fantasia Christmas parties were Spectacular and will be sadly missed along with the Comedy nights and many other fab events you made happen.
Look after yourself and your lovely missus and get ya ass down to some away games on the fun bus.
Cheers for everything x

5

All the best Noel, thanks for all your efforts for the club.

6

Great post Noel. It has been a great pleasure working with you, and more importantly, getting to know you as a close friend. Hope your health improves!

7

Thank you for everything you have done Noel, you certainly made the club a fun and vibrant place to be on match day both for home and away supporters. Hope you continue to visit WP when you can and wish you all the best mate. UTA

8

Good luck, what a great job you did! You have also convinced to be a member , and then you leave ! sorry to see a good man go !

9

Noel, I have a tear in my eye reading this. Good luck for the future and Im looking forward to seeing you and Emma down the club soon. You are a very hard act to follow. You did a lot for the social club and you have made it one of the best functions to book in the area. Thank you for everything and for looking after my little motley crue of a school reunion. Your health is very precious so take care of yourself.

10

Good luck for the future in anything you may turn to and it will always be a pleasure to see you back down at the ground !