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Losing Three Amigos.
July 16, 2008
There’s not much a manager can do in such circumstances other than wishing the player all the best and thanking him for all he’s done for the club. Jono, I didn’t quite get round to the thanking part because as you know I was about to get my eye’s tested when you phoned.
To transgress slightly - “Guess who I bumped into in Optical Express?”.
“Everybody!!!!!” One of Jimmy Murray’s I’m afraid.
Back to Jono. In his time at the club he was a delight to manage. Sharp as a tack, fast as **** and when he put his mind to it as good a centre half as I’ve ever managed. To be fair to the big man he put his mind to it every time a big game came around.
Jono was a Spartan great and he could have been our most famous player ever. Had he managed to connect correctly 5 yards out against St Mirren in the last few minutes a couple of years back he’d have been up there in Scottish Football giant killers like Sammy Reid and Adrian Sprott.
All the best big man - our door is always open.
I can’t talk and thank Jono without doing the same to the two Kevins who have departed since the season ended.
Kevin Brown was all I ever ask for in a goalie. Reliable, professional, a safe pair of hands who at times made saves that won or kept us in games. I’ve managed in 8 or 9 Qualifying Cup Finals and won every one. The nearest I ever came to losing was against City where it was decided in a penalty shoot-out. Kevin won that shoot-out for us. Kevin won us that Qualifying Cup.
He played the last couple of seasons carrying a knee injury and under increasing pressure at home, as his family grows, and work. Thank’s for everything goalie.
Smiler signed for Berwick three times according to the Record before he actually signed for Stenny but like Jono he kept me in the loop. With a left foot to die for he was a exceptional player in his time with us. His goal against WW at Preston will live long in the memory and I thank him for that and all the other memories he leaves.
On my wall in the hall is a picture of a Spartans team. It has a caption - “Spartans FC Scottish Qualifying Cup Winners Season 2001-2002″ It might actually have been taken not long after Kevin’s penalty shoot-out heroics. It was also probably the last time Derick Rodier wore a tie. I assume he didn’t have one on at Hampden on the 3rd as he’d surely have hung himself with it after the vote.
Anyway Kevin B was in that photo and although Jono and Smiler will be in group shots of the team they wont ever appear in an official photograph of Spartans which is sad.
Why is that? Because we don’t have a home - that’s why. Things will change when we get to Ainslie Park and I hope group photos of Spartans teams through the years, past, present and future will hold pride of place. Smiler and Jono deserve that.
The King is dead - long live the King.
As three players leave us so five at least join us. Will I be singing their praises in a few years time - of course I will. It’s the way of football.
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