I thought he came across very philosophical when commenting about his illness in the thread that Nug started. I remember thinking at the time, how do you reply to that and I didnt. I wish I had done now.
I thought he came across very philosophical when commenting about his illness in the thread that Nug started. I remember thinking at the time, how do you reply to that and I didnt. I wish I had done now.
Thoughts to his family.
I remember that comment. I too was particularly affected by it and for days it helped put my own troubles (trivial in comparison) in perspective. I had forgotten the name of the poster and the thread but after reading the original post on this thread was wondering if it might have been Bryan. Just checked the thread you mentioned and found the comment. Realising that deeply personal feelings that he decided to share on here had been popping into my head for several days if not weeks after I read them makes this even sadder for me. Condolences to his family and friends.
Like everyone else, I was very sorry to hear about Andy. He wrote an article for VOTV106 (April 2013) under the thinly-disguised nom de plume of Ryan Knibsie. It seems a good way to remember him to reproduce it here…
Last month I went to Peterborough for the evening game. It is a trip I thoroughly recommend if you get the chance.
Tickets were sensibly priced and we had that rarest of treats these days - the choice to stand or sit. Along with a sizeable majority of the travelling Addicks, I chose to stand.
I would certainly say that the "standers" and the "sitters" both had their evening's experience enhanced by this.
Entering Posh's old terrace before the start aroused deep, suppressed feelings that I find hard to describe in words. Something tangible washed over me as I climbed the old steps from behind the end and it opened out on to a covered terrace that could have been our old Covered End's smaller brother. It seemed about half the size, although the official capacity is stated to be 4,000.
I wonder how many we rammed into the Covered End for games against the likes of QPR, West Ham in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
I used to like arriving early in the Covered End for evening games as a lad. Sometimes we'd come in at the side by the big advertising hoarding, and sometimes I would go round the back and up the steps so that the vast stadium opened up like a desert flower, blooming after a downpour.
I rarely entered from the east side. Either way, I'd wander over the whole area, back to front and left to right, before it filled up too much. I didn't know it at the time but I was soaking it up.
Eventually we'd settle on a spot, not too far back, more often than not on the right hand side, with a pillar-free view that gave some perspective on the pitch with a lovely side-on view of our iconic old main stand and, hopefully, an unimpeded view of most of the game.
At Posh, there was something about the emptiness and the lights illuminating some - but not all - of the concrete and crash barriers, that swept me back some 40 odd years.
A few people had already claimed prime crush barrier slots, some preferring to be behind the barrier for easy leaning or resting of tea-cups, and some preferring to be just in front (a habit formed, so I'm told, for protection from surges).
As it started to fill up (all right, I accept that 700-odd Addicks on a 4,000 terrace is stretching the definition of "fill"), people selected their slots.
I was reminded of the way that would gradually happen in the Covered End while the pre-match anticipation built. Even though we had a good spot in the middle behind the goal, I couldn't resist a little reconnaissance in case there was a better one. We duly moved further back!
Even Posh's tannoy seemed reminiscent of the good old Covered End. I think Posh's DJ must have played some crackly 45s by Rod Stewart and the Faces, or maybe Mud or Slade.
If you travel with the Addicks you will be familiar with the vocal quality of our away support. There is no doubt Posh's terrace enhanced that atmosphere.
Before kick-off, Posh's mascot, no doubt thoroughly used to it at every game, seemed to revel in coming down the pitch for his regular ritual abuse.
The lobbing around of toilet rolls was perhaps a teeny bit immature but no obvious harm came of it. The goals were celebrated by what seemed like travelling hordes in an old-fashioned way.
I saw no flares and no crush barriers were ripped out and hurled onto the pitch. The whole evening's experience seemed to be lapped up by young and old alike. A disappointing and softish late equaliser didn't seem to spoil it too much.
At Posh we had the terrace to ourselves and it made 700 go a long way (700 sat in 4,000 seats is not greatly impressive, as those who went to Hillsborough for example will confirm).
But in the old Covered End we often had the dubious pleasure of sharing our accommodation with spectators following the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham City, Cardiff City and Leicester City, as well as the inevitable neighbours from Millwall and West Ham United.
Funnily enough I have no recollection of any Palace fans joining us under the Covered End, but perhaps that's just my memory.
These frequent incursions made the watching of football, shall we say, rather more "interesting" in the Chinese sense!
The violence we can definitely do without, but that was not about terracing as much as the lack of any attempt at basic segregation.
In the Covered End, the bouncing was regular and spontaneous and there was no need to announce that we were "going to bounce in a minute".
I don't understand why fans are routinely denied the opportunity to stand safely. The irony of the long-running "safe standing" debate is that standing is safe as long as overcrowding is not permitted.
It inconveniences nobody as long as those who prefer or need to sit are offered the facility as well, like at Posh. I think it is well established that standing areas enhance the atmosphere at football grounds - or to put it more accurately, all-seater stadia do the opposite.
Anyway, "unsafe" standing is prevalent in certain seating areas in most grounds. This does tend to inconvenience other spectators and is certainly much less safe than a terrace, because of the presence of all those hard immovable objects to topple over or bang your shin against (i.e. redundant seats).
I'm not saying The Valley was better with a 70,000 capacity and less than 3,000 seats. But I think it would be better now with a 30,000 capacity and 4,000 capacity terraces at both ends, with seating behind.
The Germans seem to have sussed it and I hope it won't be too long before the football authorities here take a similarly enlightened view. I hope it won't be too long, but I bet it will.
I always wonder in these difficult situations, if I know who Andy is. As in I'll probably recognize hundreds of Charlton supporters without knowing their name.
If it was felt appropriate and anyone could post a photo of Andy, WITH PERMISSION OF ANDY'S FAMILY OR ADMIN ON HERE, I would be most interested. If it is not felt appropriate, then I of course entirely understand.
RIP Andy and thanks to Airman for reproducing the above. It touched me.
I didn't know him well, think I may have met him but much like CE said I'm not certain... Which sounds awful!
I don't really know why but his passing is really getting to me? It's probably the nature of his last posts being so casual.
Think the last year of addicks passing on is finally getting in my head a bit. Terry was the one I knew most, we spoke occasionally due to living near eachother and my adoration of the old A217 Charlton flag.
Those that know me [even some who don't know me] are aware I've known loss growing up and bar one person, it's never really got me down.
Andy's passing just really tops off the feeling that the last 12 months have been full of people I know/know of dieing and football has really become secondary too often.
I didn't know him well, think I may have met him but much like CE said I'm not certain... Which sounds awful!
I don't really know why but his passing is really getting to me? It's probably the nature of his last posts being so casual.
Think the last year of addicks passing on is finally getting in my head a bit. Terry was the one I knew most, we spoke occasionally due to living near eachother and my adoration of the old A217 Charlton flag.
Those that know me [even some who don't know me] are aware I've known loss growing up and bar one person, it's never really got me down.
Andy's passing just really tops off the feeling that the last 12 months have been full of people I know/know of dieing and football has really become secondary too often.
I don't know what to say other than RIP Andy.
Nice post Dazzler. I think that like most of us that are on here most of the time, Andy was a considerate and respectful member, who often posted decent comments and engaged on here the way people should, as part of a bigger online community. I've already posted my condolences to his friends and family, but just wanted to say that this, and what others have posted is a nice thing to do. If appropriate then you would hope these comments are shown to his loved ones to let them know how well he was thought of, by people that didn't know him in person
Comments
Thoughts to his family.
RIP Andy - heartfelt respects to a proper Addick
Sorry now I was too lazy to lol his recent post about his mate nearly losing his foreskin on a Dyson Airblade but did chuckle.
Thoughts with family and loved ones.
Last month I went to Peterborough for the evening game. It is a trip I thoroughly recommend if you get the chance.
Tickets were sensibly priced and we had that rarest of treats these days - the choice to stand or sit. Along with a sizeable majority of the travelling Addicks, I chose to stand.
I would certainly say that the "standers" and the "sitters" both had their evening's experience enhanced by this.
Entering Posh's old terrace before the start aroused deep, suppressed feelings that I find hard to describe in words. Something tangible washed over me as I climbed the old steps from behind the end and it opened out on to a covered terrace that could have been our old Covered End's smaller brother. It seemed about half the size, although the official capacity is stated to be 4,000.
I wonder how many we rammed into the Covered End for games against the likes of QPR, West Ham in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
I used to like arriving early in the Covered End for evening games as a lad. Sometimes we'd come in at the side by the big advertising hoarding, and sometimes I would go round the back and up the steps so that the vast stadium opened up like a desert flower, blooming after a downpour.
I rarely entered from the east side. Either way, I'd wander over the whole area, back to front and left to right, before it filled up too much. I didn't know it at the time but I was soaking it up.
Eventually we'd settle on a spot, not too far back, more often than not on the right hand side, with a pillar-free view that gave some perspective on the pitch with a lovely side-on view of our iconic old main stand and, hopefully, an unimpeded view of most of the game.
At Posh, there was something about the emptiness and the lights illuminating some - but not all - of the concrete and crash barriers, that swept me back some 40 odd years.
A few people had already claimed prime crush barrier slots, some preferring to be behind the barrier for easy leaning or resting of tea-cups, and some preferring to be just in front (a habit formed, so I'm told, for protection from surges).
As it started to fill up (all right, I accept that 700-odd Addicks on a 4,000 terrace is stretching the definition of "fill"), people selected their slots.
I was reminded of the way that would gradually happen in the Covered End while the pre-match anticipation built. Even though we had a good spot in the middle behind the goal, I couldn't resist a little reconnaissance in case there was a better one. We duly moved further back!
Even Posh's tannoy seemed reminiscent of the good old Covered End. I think Posh's DJ must have played some crackly 45s by Rod Stewart and the Faces, or maybe Mud or Slade.
If you travel with the Addicks you will be familiar with the vocal quality of our away support. There is no doubt Posh's terrace enhanced that atmosphere.
Before kick-off, Posh's mascot, no doubt thoroughly used to it at every game, seemed to revel in coming down the pitch for his regular ritual abuse.
The lobbing around of toilet rolls was perhaps a teeny bit immature but no obvious harm came of it. The goals were celebrated by what seemed like travelling hordes in an old-fashioned way.
I saw no flares and no crush barriers were ripped out and hurled onto the pitch. The whole evening's experience seemed to be lapped up by young and old alike. A disappointing and softish late equaliser didn't seem to spoil it too much.
At Posh we had the terrace to ourselves and it made 700 go a long way (700 sat in 4,000 seats is not greatly impressive, as those who went to Hillsborough for example will confirm).
But in the old Covered End we often had the dubious pleasure of sharing our accommodation with spectators following the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham City, Cardiff City and Leicester City, as well as the inevitable neighbours from Millwall and West Ham United.
Funnily enough I have no recollection of any Palace fans joining us under the Covered End, but perhaps that's just my memory.
These frequent incursions made the watching of football, shall we say, rather more "interesting" in the Chinese sense!
The violence we can definitely do without, but that was not about terracing as much as the lack of any attempt at basic segregation.
In the Covered End, the bouncing was regular and spontaneous and there was no need to announce that we were "going to bounce in a minute".
I don't understand why fans are routinely denied the opportunity to stand safely. The irony of the long-running "safe standing" debate is that standing is safe as long as overcrowding is not permitted.
It inconveniences nobody as long as those who prefer or need to sit are offered the facility as well, like at Posh. I think it is well established that standing areas enhance the atmosphere at football grounds - or to put it more accurately, all-seater stadia do the opposite.
Anyway, "unsafe" standing is prevalent in certain seating areas in most grounds. This does tend to inconvenience other spectators and is certainly much less safe than a terrace, because of the presence of all those hard immovable objects to topple over or bang your shin against (i.e. redundant seats).
I'm not saying The Valley was better with a 70,000 capacity and less than 3,000 seats. But I think it would be better now with a 30,000 capacity and 4,000 capacity terraces at both ends, with seating behind.
The Germans seem to have sussed it and I hope it won't be too long before the football authorities here take a similarly enlightened view. I hope it won't be too long, but I bet it will.
If it was felt appropriate and anyone could post a photo of Andy, WITH PERMISSION OF ANDY'S FAMILY OR ADMIN ON HERE, I would be most interested. If it is not felt appropriate, then I of course entirely understand.
RIP Andy and thanks to Airman for reproducing the above. It touched me.
I don't really know why but his passing is really getting to me? It's probably the nature of his last posts being so casual.
Think the last year of addicks passing on is finally getting in my head a bit. Terry was the one I knew most, we spoke occasionally due to living near eachother and my adoration of the old A217 Charlton flag.
Those that know me [even some who don't know me] are aware I've known loss growing up and bar one person, it's never really got me down.
Andy's passing just really tops off the feeling that the last 12 months have been full of people I know/know of dieing and football has really become secondary too often.
I don't know what to say other than
RIP Andy.