Over and Out

[CorkedHat]

As some of you will know from Facebook I have recently been struggling with my health. This resulted me in spending the last five days in our local Bush Hospital. I am home now but far from being fit.
When I was in my teens, I made the derision that I was going to live life to the full which at that age meant drinking like a weir, smoking like a power station and eating enough to keep the entire Russian Army on the march.
I decided that if I survived beyond the age of sixty I would have done well. Making it to over seventy is a bonus, but now my dissolute lifestyle has caught up with me. I honestly have no regrets. I had a great life and I would not change a thing so you'll be hearing no remorse or excuses from me.
I won't be posting on here or on Facebook so often in the future. I shall of course be keeping a wary eye on what is going on and I shall return to advise you who won the Finn Christensen Annual Award for Creative Writing which I have instigated amongst our primary school students here in my Australian Bush Town of Rupanyup ( Pop: 390).
I shall of course be forever Fulham. To be truthful I know little about tactics – when I played I graduated from the Bobby Keetch and Alan Mullery School of Hard Tackles which said that if it moved, kick it – and if it still moved, kick it again. Thus the tactics were very simple.
Of course I worshipped Johnny Haynes, and I still do, but I knew that I had no chance of ever emulating his talents.
Thank you to those with whom I have made lasting friendships; some of you I shall continue to communicate through email – the rest of you had better behave and remember that football is only a game.
Over and out.

[The Equalizer]

John, I'm so sorry to hear that you've been poorly and I do hope that you're finally on the up and up.

I will miss having you around on here and FB, but I do hope to keep in touch. If things work out well with my business I'm planning to make a trip out to Australia this december and was thinking of a short detour to Dunmunkle Creek to finally meet one of the FoF legends, and you of course.  :dft012:

Keep well and keep healthy mate, you'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

Tom

[alfie]

You will always remain one of those people whom i have never met but would have loved to, you are not gone and you will NOT be forgotten on here, and i for one look forward to the occasional post or even a good story.

I wish you well
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[Peabody]

Sorry to hear this John, hope you have a speedy recovery. As it happens, I am going in tomorrow morning but just for a minor op. So, when I get home, I shall keep an eye out for you. As for tactics, I certainly do not have a clue, just like most of us I feel, cos if we did, we would most likely be employed in Football.

[TheDaddy]

John,
Im crap at trying to put words down on paper so to speak but i wish you all the best and  thank you for sharing some of your moments in life .

All the best sir.

your be missed so dont leave it to long .

[Burt]

All the best John. Having read your book and knowing a little bit about you via these pages over the years I am sure your fighting spirit will win through.

Chin up, and keep looking in and posting, even if it is to be a bit more occasional  065.gif

[lamby]

Mate, Sorry to hear. Let me know if you need anything.

[sunburywhite]

Sorry to hear that you are batting down the order and fielding out in the deep.

Whatever ails you, I hope it soon clears

[SouthfieldWhite]

John, you have been an inspiration to alot of people on here.

It was an absolute honour to of met you for a few beers over Woodys when Big Ed introduced us a few years back

At the end of the day your health is the most important thing in the world and i wish you a full and speedy recovery

Ive tried and stayed off message boards these last few years as we can all spend too much time on them when theres a big wide world out there

Please keep in touch and look after yourself Sir, maybe we can organnise a FOF trip to Aus to see you, do you have room for a 100 or so ;-)  

Take care mate

All the best Southfield White

[jarv]

John, First of all, thank you for your (long) pm with advice on writing a book. I have the book in my head, have not started yet but apart from being a bit daunting, I certainly don't have your writing skills. One day.

I really enjoyed your book, I could relate to so much of it. Young days growing up in the same area (although I moved to it from Scotland when young). Reasons for supporting Fulham. School days (went to the same school, but I was a few years behind you). Your trips to Scotland to your wife's family, almost in my hometown, and more. I could see many of my own memories in my mind's eye through your words.

Even you saying you worshipped Haynes but was more Keetch than Haynes. Me too, always wanted to be the midfield playmaker but became more of a  Jim Langley all through my twenties.

Look after yourself mate and keep us all informed.

Jarv.

[NogoodBoyo]

I'm struggling to process this and, for once, words are leaky-valving me.  I have to move sheep now - we've lost five lambs and yearlings to toxic plants and parasites since spring.  Sad news all round, but I will really miss Hat's comments on here.  Somebody has to keep the inmates from shanking each other.
Nogood "no Cork, no Hat either, isit" Boyo
P.S.  Let hope it not over out Roger Wilko.

[michaelread]

Mate, I hope you can be on the up and up as soon as possible. The level of respect I have for you as a fan and a mate is definitely big. Hope you can get it all together soon and return to FoF with those witty references that I have to google to find out what they mean, or to comment on my drunken 2am facebook statuses with the "been there, done that" style only Corked Hat possesses. Oh, and lets hope the boys in white can make life that little bit easier for you too.

Keep me in the loop, John, and feel better soon.

[YankeeJim]

As the dean of the expats, you have been an inspiration. I'll keep a good thought for you and hope you'll find it in you to keep us all properly informed.  :down_under:

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

Thankyou for being here and enjoy your retirement,you've been an inspiration  :scarf:

[HatterDon]

I will continue to keep in touch, Corky, although I'll understand if responses are delayed and/or sporadic. Take care of yourself and beware that lizard.

[wadey]

john..i have the privilege of meeting with you,drinking with you, conversing with you..and i,ll never ever forget Derby away...you know where i am mate...stay well ....Wadey

[Fernhurst]

So sorry to hear you have not been well CH ....

Your posts have been one of the bedrocks this board has been built on since its inception.

I have always been in awe of your style and eloquence, please try to visit occasionally if possible just to keep us in check.

Best of luck and deepest respect

Fernhurst

[leonffc]

You know my opinion of you mate. I don't really need to say much more!!
If I can do anything for your 'mob' down my way you know I will, especially that grandson you dote on. Just say the word.
Keep posting when you can please!!
All the very very best to you John
Your Hitchin warrior ;-p
Leon

[Ron Sheepskin]

All the best John.

You were/are (just in case you change your mind) one of the posters that I will take time to read properly. There aren't many left now.

Take care.

[bog]

Morning John. I know all about you by way of OBS. I know this is rather bland but I hope things improve.

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