By Ajack - A Tiger for a day!
October 12 2003

Just a brief history, three of the posters had heart attacks within the space of one year and as such COYS decided to do a sponsored walk last year raising £3,500. This year far more effort was put in by many people, to raise money for the BHF. My day as a Tiger by Adrian the Mole aged 44 5/6.


With regard to this board it all started with an email from Stopsy: “Ajack Now your name is famous for 1734 posts or something, I feel it only right to sponsor you for the walk. Say 50p a stone or should we just round that down to £10. Let me know the address to send it to etc.”

I replied: “You cheapskate Stopsy, fancy rounding it down that much!!!!! Seriously thanks very much, a lot of people have put in a lot of work on this and I hope it is a big success.” Stopsy returned the mail (which I have unfortunately deleted) with something along the lines of “But of course you will have to do it wearing A Tigers shirt and doing the Clap, clap Tigers song (sic)” I replied “ I have been thinking about your idea regarding the D Garforth shirt and the clap, clap, Tigers thingy and am happy to do this on one condition. If you get more money from the PC site than I can get from the BP I do it, if not I don't, with of course all monies going to the BHF. Most of the BP's will have already sponsored someone, go on just think about all the gloating you could do, you will of course receive a signed photo or whatever you want.

The money is not counting the sponsorship I have, just extra to do it or not, interested?” And as they say the rest is history.

My honest opinion was I would get nothing from the Saints site as everyone was sponsoring someone or another and I might get perhaps £20-30 from this site which I would beat with a post from Wayne Smith or someone, how wrong could I have been?

What a fantastic bunch of people we have on both sites (and the two from the Bath site), Stopsy emailed me again after the first day saying the Tigers site was up to £70 at that amount I was in total disbelief, for the final total and please don’t forget this is just from these two boards to end up at £1610 just leaves me utterly speechless and humble.

St-opsy has been a real star in all this, he truly is a Saint amongst men, I know I can get away with this as he is on business in the USA, see I am getting the hang of this being evil bit and the whole thing just goes to confirm that the game we all love so much is bigger than any player, club or country. The day I can no longer go to a game in total safety, have a drink and the craic with opposition fans and stand where I want without a police escort will be the day I stop going, may that never happen.

To the walk itself, which shirt should I wear? My answer was to wear Barron’s shirt (this is actually a signed shirt that the great man wore in the HEC and as such a treasured possession) kindly loaned to me by Stopspy with my Saints with heart t-shirt as well. I hope the idea was to embarrass me, however it did not feel that way knowing why I was wearing it, it did however raise a few eyebrows at the gardens.

I actually have arthritis in both ankles and despite having had an operation on both they are not good, so a 16 mile walk to me is more than just a stroll in the park and I was genuinely concerned that I might not complete the course, how ever with all this I think I would have crawled the last bit and in the end it wasn’t that bad but I am suffering a bit as I type this.

As the start of the walk was from Wolverton station, about a five minute walk from where I live it did not mean a to early start for me, this however was not the case for all and I know our two Irish guests who joined us for the walk had to be up at 4.00 am and for many others it was a very early start. We were very lucky to have both Mulledwinemarie (Marie) and Noexpert (Pete) join us for the day from the Irish forum and the wonderful support and sponsorship they got from there board, their ability to raise money is second to none (just look at the JC fund) and they did themselves and the BHF proud and both added to the fun aspect of the day, they have however promised to come up with something worse when we go to the Madstad, I can hardly wait!!!!!!!!!!!

The twenty “long walkers” set off about 10 minutes late at 7.45 and soon got into a decent pace and we must have been at least half a mile into the walk when Marie first got her hip flask out, they really are something else!!!!!. The first part of the walk was along the river and it was splendid to see the mist rise and the sun break through and we had fantastic sun shine for the whole day. The first ten miles was done at a good pace and much of the banter was “in jokes” and as such I will not bore you (any more) with. We arrived at our first meeting point the White Hart in Grafton Regis where the very fine Stockers and his good lady wife had arranged for bacon and sausage butties and coffee for all, maybe not what one should be eating on a walk for the BHF but very welcome and tasty none the less.

It was then a short drive to Blisworth in a convoy of cars, me and Chris the ex Ed had done the walk a few weeks earlier, in two parts only to find out a section of footpath was closed so this had to be done, hence the “add on” part around the river at the start, this is where we got to meet up with the “short walkers” and were greeted by Anglia television, anyone living in “gods county” may see a rather chubby chap in a Tigers shirt with an eye patch amongst the many Saints. With our ranks now up to about Forty we set off for the last six miles only to get a couple of miles down the canal to realise we were missing the main organiser, founder member of the “cardiac club” and media tart Sainstby, who was still doing his interview. We then rejoined ranks and set off for the last four miles with blisters appearing and legs now aching. Then came the only bad bit of news about the day (apart from the score) Maggie Barwell (Wife of Keith) was to be joining us but due to a communication mix up was at the wrong place one of the cars set of to find her but all credit to Maggie she refused a lift to “catch up” as she wanted to do the walk. I have however been reliably informed that Keith was aware that “some idiot was doing the walk in a Tigers shirt” so it did get right to the top.

The only other real event was Rich, of Rich, Joe’s dad fame and right hand man to Chris the ex Ed taking a wrong turn, if only he had have read the Saints website. We then all joined up to enter the ground and have a couple of pints before shaking buckets and doing our best to relieve everyone of their unwanted cash. All feeling rather sore and smug with a job well done.

As for the total amount, I am not sure yet, all I do know is that four people between them beat last years total and it will be a while before all monies have been collected but I will inform you when I know.

I honestly cannot put into words how I feel about the fantastic support I and the BHF have received from this site, I never realised I was so popular/ unpopular delete as applicable you truly are a great bunch of people and anyone going to the game on the 25th please hunt me down, the Swan and Rushes prior to the game and the bar in the club after would be a good place to look and it will be my pleasure to buy you a drink. Many thanks to all that have already sent me cheques and the words of encouragement and to all the others please keep them coming and don’t forget your first line of address and post code, that cash back really adds up.

I would just like to give special thanks to Stopsy for setting this all up, he really is a star and also to Ian B for allowing me to take over the board for a few days.

My most sincere and heart felt thanks to;

Stopsy

Denise

The Ref

ChrisC and the Memsahib

Inky

Gaz

Tigerchick

Ian & Ali

Zara

JJ

Menace

BigTiger

Rache

BrummyTiger

Ra

Andy McLees

TJS10

Alibev

Tigers Tigers Tigers

Ro

RandS

Raz Junior

Raz

Dr Bunsen

Duncan Keene

DerbyJim

Andrea & RichW

Lee Walker

Tiger_ess

All at Knapp

Tag.



It was an honour to be a Tiger for a day.