The Retirement of a club legend  KEVIN WHITWORTH: An appreciation.Scanning the papers this morning I was struck by the number of high profile retirements this weekend.
Becks, Scholesey, Fergie, Neville-y, and Michael Owen, though technically speaking he's been un-officially retired for a few seasons already. A truly stellar list of names, rightly applauded in the media for their remarkable achievements in the game we all love. Slipping under the press radar, well the Guardian and Independents anyway, was the final bowing out of one of our own Mr.Kevin Whitworth. You may also know him as Victor Meldrew, Riverdance, the Windsor love machine (copyright Mrs.W, unless anyone knows otherwise), the list is probably endless. Doodesy has a particular term of affection for him that unfortunately has no place in a family article.
As we all know, mostly because he never stops banging on about it ,Kev has been wearing the green of Hale End Athletic since the era of rationing, cholera,Zeppelin raids, highwaymen and prostitutes being disembowelled in the alleys of Whitechapel, or as people of Kevs generation refer to it.."..the good old days". Most of us have only really known him for a couple years. Though I think everyone will agree it seems longer..much, much longer. Yet in that time I think we've all found a little place for him in our hearts. Not the place where we keep the really good stuff but a dusty shelf somewhere underneath. And his presence in the Vets has helped usher in an era of success for the club, kick started by our league win last season and followed this season by a league title for the 3rd team and promotion for the 2nds. And now he's retired things can only get better. But dry those tears. This is not the end of Kevin and Hale End Athletic. In his position of President he will continue to serve the club in the same level headed manner as he did as a player... except for that time threw a wobbly pre-season, oh, and that other time when he got subbed and the toys came out of the pram.. ahh the memories. Seriously though our team is not only losing a good..(ish) player but a top bloke its been a personal privilege to know and ponce drinks/money from.
Well done Kev. Hale End LEGEND.
I have a sneaky feeling this isn't the last time any of us will share a football pitch with Kev, but if it is, the pleasure of matchdays will be lessened by his absence.
Probably. |