Belated but sincere condolences...

Clare informed me of your sad news Weds afternoon but it's taken me 'til now to face the board and catch up with the messages in memoriam. I'd been Wrath binging since last Saturday's game, reading every single post like I used to back in the Wrath glory days of pre-match Squares meet-ups in the early 00s, and so come Weds I was in need of a Wrath break as the negativity and infighting was getting too much. Unfortunate timing for myself then but at least this has put everything in perspective and hopefully pulled together a lot of disparate City fans.

There's not much I can add that's new but I can certainly echo what most have already said below.

Those glory days I mention included many a late night session, as Tim mentioned, and so I too would often be having random conversations with Suggy. I only wish the Wrath records could stretch back that far to dig them up.

I can count myself amongst a good few who've said they had private email conversations with him, mine being in the days of his tgaf filthwizard address - I don't even need to check my email account for that as it was such a memorable address and so like him to name it like that. Coincidentally only recently I did come across what was probably the last email from him from a good few years ago as a reply to something stupid I'd forwarded on, Suggs in typical form telling me how s**te it was. I was in the process of spring cleaning emails dating back over the last 10 years, so I'm bound to come across more from him as I work my way back. Some should be about his work as he used to chat to me about forklifts asking my advice as I used to drive them at the time and he was a manager of some inbound logistics office or similar and was looking into some purchases/hiring or somesuch. Tim remembers his work better than me and what Tim said about thinking Lyndsey was the daughter he was worried about living away from home rings a bell, so he possibly mentioned you to me too.

One of the first few tributes I read mentioned and linked to his Holty song from a few years ago. I don't think I'd heard it before (I'm only a part-timer, once every blue-mooner/show up when the big boys are in town type of Wrather these days) so it was great to hear one of his more recent works. I fondly remember his earlier work in the Worthy promotion era, songs about Malky, Flem, Steeno & Holt (the first GH). Earlier today I had this thread open to comment about it as everyone was mentioning Holty but I hadn't come across any about the older stuff - then I spotted s10 yellow's post & Arizona Bay's & Brom's replies, so I'm glad I'm not the only one to recall them. He had them up on some random site that I'm pretty sure I returned to years back but it was gone. I should have them stashed on some old memory card if I'm lucky, unless I just had weblinks. Think they were titled The Barclay Choir and had many guest Wrath regulars providing additional vocals. There was a good album's worth. I can remember him trying to rope me into providing some beats or somesuch due to my 'dj background'. Unfortunately I never did collaborate.

Also unfortunately I never did meet him, like many have said before me. I can't spot who but someone did say they met up with him at Tamworth. I'm gutted to find that out as I was 1 of the 922 City fans at that game and so missed out on an opportunity.

I too hold him in high regard and with great fondness and like many have said, he lit up this board and was one of those who when you logged on and scrolled down, if you spotted he'd posted you smiled as you knew you were in for a good evening's Wrathage.

This has become a rather rambly late night post (like how I always used to do). My Wrath experiences were full of turning up in the small hours, reading everything and posting replies long after conversations had died, with obviously no replies forthcoming. I'd then amuse myself with replies to myself. Someone posted a link to where Suggs had done just that as it was something the linker loved about Suggs, which pleased me to see I wasn't the only one daft enough to do that. It was that sort of silliness mixed with ascerbic wit and genuine creative talent that warmed everyone to Sugbad. He kept you on your toes, but only because he kept tickling your feet!

I started that paragraph as an excuse to crowbar mention of U4E into my ramblings (but then got sidetracked with another memory of Suggs popping into my head), as a good few had brought him up in their posts. Alan definitely stands alongside Richard in the alltime Wrath legends pantheon. I was at least fortunate to have spent many a match day in Ulrika's company way back when.

I feel a bit embarrassed about this messy and indulgently lengthy post - especially as I've had time to write a considered piece the likes of Tim's tribute, but I have so many memories of Suggy that I just wanted to jot down what came to mind and add my weight to the shared memories that other posters have of him.

I'll end with a suggestion/wish that the most fitting thing the team could do today (considering it's already well into Saturday now so I should go to bed), would be to beat Man City. Stranger things have happened... Perhaps I could try and score a goal in his honour in my own Saturday League game (I've only scored 7 in my 'career' so it'd be just as unlikely an outcome)...

Again my apologies for this rubbish ^^^ and I'll raise a glass of beer to The Bad man during Match of the Day tonight...
OTBC
Gonna miss you Suggs; feeling very sad now...x :'(

Posted By: DJ Ginga, Feb 8, 01:52:13