I desperately need help from Fulham Fans...

[Chris mcglade]

Hello, my names Chris Mcglade and I am a comedian from Redcar on Teesside and a life long Middlesbrough supporter. On Saturday, my dear friend Mike Findley MBE, died of MND. Mike was a life long Fulham supporter. He was born and bred and lived in Fulham until he met his wife, who was from Teesside, and then he moved up here, but he never stopped going to Fulham games when he could and he supported them right up until his death at the weekend.

Mike was a gem. He became a ward councillor in our local authority and he was re-elected time and time again, because the people in his ward loved him. He had a great sense of humour, he was an honourable, decent, working class 'cockney geezer' and I loved him dearly. I started a political campaign against the local authority that he was a part of, to stop them letting the countries biggest housing developer build a corrupted housing development up here on our coastline. Even though Mike was part of that council, his strong sense of right and wrong drove him to stand shoulder to shoulder with me and the people of the borough that we live in, even though he received death threats from within the council itself. We eventually won our campaign. We beat the council in the house of Lords, changed the law in this country, exposed all manner of corrupt practises and scattered the protagonists to the four winds. It was as much a victory for Mike and his working class, cockney balls, as it was the people of this region.

I could never be able to thank him enough for laying himself on the line as he did.

I only found out that he had passed away, when I walked past a news stand and saw the story of his passing on the front of our local gazette on Monday. I went to see his wife yesterday. She cried and laughed as we remembered all the old times and then she asked me a question. "Do you know anyone with a proper Fulham FC flag Chris?" "Why?" I replied. "Because we want to drape his coffin in one as we carry him in and out of the church, he loved Fulham all his life, it was in his blood and it's what he would have wanted". She went on to say that they had contacted the club but they hadn't been that helpful and they had sold her a cheap one made of nylon which they didn't think would be any good, but they bought it anyway because they were desperate to have something rather than nothing.

So...Fulham fans and supporters, do any of you have a proper, cloth, 'heavy duty' Fulham fc flag, that Mikes family could borrow to drape over his coffin in order to give him the send off that he would have loved to have had? Mikes wife said to me that if I could get one from someone, that they could rest assured that it would be well looked after and returned in pristine condition.

She doesn't know I have come onto this site asking for help, I joined specifically to try and help her and Mikes family. At the end of the day, I support Boro and you all support Fulham, but if there's one thing I have learned about football fans and supporters, it's that whenever the chips are down, we some how forget our differences and we all pull together. So if any of you have a suitable flag that we could borrow, could you let me know by replying to this post...please. Mikes funeral isn't until the 2nd of July, so we have a bit of time yet.

Thankyou for your time and I hope you don't mind me asking...

Peace always, Chris McGlade...

[hovewhite]

Hi Chris firstly a great gesture,the flag shop .com
Do a custom made service try them.
Good luck.

[gang]

Also try Fulham,

[Burt]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the board.

Hoping someone will be able to loan you something.

Here's a bit more info about Mike.

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Tributes paid to Mike Findley MBE - community champion, fundraiser and family man.

The former Redcar mayor, who raised thousands of pounds for charity, had battled Motor Neurone Disease since 2005.

Mike was a well-known and respected member of his community. The former postal worker and union rep loved, and was completely committed to, the area, despite originally hailing from South London.


In June 2005, he was struck down with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and was told, in common with most MND patients, he may have just two to five years to live.

But this never stopped Mike, and he went on to continue to serve as a councillor for the Longbeck ward in the Marske and New Marske area.

He set up the Mike Findley MND Fund and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to help combat the illness.

During his year in office between 2008 and 2009, he also raised £12,000 for charities including the Willie Maddren MND Fund and the Jessica Jewel Trust, a charity set up in memory of seven-year-old Jessica Harrison, who died from cancer in November 2007.

In June 2010, the campaigner, with wife Judith and daughter Rachel at his side, was presented with his MBE by the Queen in Buckingham Palace in recognition of his hard work and dedication to fighting MND.

And in 2013 he was granted the Freedom of the Borough.

He bowed out of public life in 2018 as his condition continued to debilitate.

But in December last year he fulfilled one of his life's ambitions as he took his daughter Rachel down the aisle on her wedding day .

There wasn't a dry eye in the house at Gisborough Hall as Mike, in his motorised wheelchair, joined dental nurse Rachel on her walk up to marry BT engineer Ash Stothers.

"To have actually done it - well, along with my own wedding (to his wife of 40 years, Judith) - it was the best day of my life," he told Teesside Live at the time.

The postal worker had met his wife, Judith, on holiday in Malaga. He then moved to Marske in 1978 and immediately fell in love with the people and his surroundings.

Fulham fan Mike always said it was his family and friends who kept him strong.

In 2015, he said of his wife Judith: "I don't know how she has done it, caring for someone who can't use their arms or hands is hard work.

"She keeps the house going, yet is still involved in the community too."

Scores of people have paid tribute on social media following the sad news of Mike's death.

On Twitter, Redcar MP Anna Turley MP said: "Very sad news. Mike Findley MBE made a huge contribution to the community in Marske, to Redcar and Cleveland as a whole, and was a brave and inspiring fundraiser for tackling MND."

A spokesperson for Outwood Bydales School said: "So sorry to learn of the passing this morning of Mike Findley MBE. A force to be reckoned with, working so hard for Redcar and Cleveland as a councillor, campaigner and mayor."

"He did so much to raise awareness and funds for Motor Neurone Disease, living himself with the condition for 14 years. Our thoughts with his family and friends at this sad time."

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/tributes-paid-mike-findley-mbe-16436888

[Bill2]

Chris,
Looking at the life and times  and great work done by Mike I am sure the Club would be more than happy to lend/provide a flag. If not shame on them. Good luck.

[RaySmith]

Chris,
Looking at the life and times  and great work done by Mike I am sure the Club would be more than happy to lend/provide a flag. If not shame on them. Good luck.

:plus one:   0001.jpeg

[Dodgin]

Some man, Mike Findley.

[hovewhite]

Chris,
Looking at the life and times  and great work done by Mike I am sure the Club would be more than happy to lend/provide a flag. If not shame on them. Good luck.

:plus one:   0001.jpeg

I can't see that,the clubs only interested in making money!

[Burt]

I'll flag this up with the club (pun intended) and see what they can do...

[ealex40]

I'll flag this up with the club (pun intended) and see what they can do...

He already said that "they had contacted the club but they hadn't been that helpful and they had sold her a cheap one made of nylon".

[copthornemike]

Could anyone, eg someone from the FST, draw this to the attention of Carmelo Mifsud, media relations manager, at the club?

[Bill2]

I emailed the Club yesterday and they said it was all sorted. If they have not come up with the goods please advise. I will then reply and give them an earful.

[Andy S]

Sounds like a great man. His family must be so proud

[copthornemike]

I emailed the Club yesterday and they said it was all sorted. If they have not come up with the goods please advise. I will then reply and give them an earful.

Pleased to hear the club saying they will assist - let's hope the words are followed by action, I am sure they will. Football may be a business but what makes it truly special are the fans!!!
Condolences to Mike Findley's family - as others have mentioned it sounds he was a special human being.
Would be delighted if you could provide a word or two to this forum Chris after the funeral.

[Chris mcglade]

If anyone can get me the flag I wanted, I'm in London till Friday, staying in Southfields...

[Jimpav]

Bit of a long shot but might be worth trying some undertakers in the West London area - they may have dealt with similar enquiries before.

Good luck.

[Mike the White]

Wouldn't it nice if the fans from both clubs could get together at our respective grounds and have a collection for the MND fund in memory of Mike and all the others suffering from this dreadful condition

[copthornemike]

Wouldn't it nice if the fans from both clubs could get together at our respective grounds and have a collection for the MND fund in memory of Mike and all the others suffering from this dreadful condition

+ 1
Hope the club have assisted Chris and Mike's family for this worthwhile (to put it mildly) request and cause. Is anyone aware of the club being helpful!!!

[Twig]

Wouldn't it nice if the fans from both clubs could get together at our respective grounds and have a collection for the MND fund in memory of Mike and all the others suffering from this dreadful condition

+ 1
Hope the club have assisted Chris and Mike's family for this worthwhile (to put it mildly) request and cause. Is anyone aware of the club being helpful!!!

+1

[copthornemike]

Wouldn't it nice if the fans from both clubs could get together at our respective grounds and have a collection for the MND fund in memory of Mike and all the others suffering from this dreadful condition

+ 1
Hope the club have assisted Chris and Mike's family for this worthwhile (to put it mildly) request and cause. Is anyone aware of the club being helpful!!!

I decided to contact the club by e-mail earlier today in an effort to draw atention to the request and FoF contributors might wish to be aware of the club's response, which I may say allayed any fears that I may have held and reinforced my faith in our club.
I received a telephone call this afternoon from Carmelo Mifsud, FFC Media Relations Manager, who told me that the club are aware and have been in touch with a member of Mike's family concerning the matter. Unfortunately the club did not have a heavy duty cloth flag but have asked if other item(s) would be acceptable to Mike's family as a token of the club's respect. A sensible and sensitive response in my opinion.
Furthermore the club have offered to mention Mike in a future match programme if, and only if, the family are agreeable.
Something I was unaware of is that the club were indeed aware of Mike and had invited invited him to attend the last away match which Fulham played at the Riverside as the club's guest.
So well done and a sincere thank you to Carmelo and his FFC colleagues. Also from myself I would wish to offer a sincere expression of sympathy to to you Chris and Mike's family.
As a final thought if any supporter in this forum has a suitably sized FFC banner,  or knows someone who has one, if they could arrange to forward it to Chris by Friday that would be great to assist Chris.