Post by padstow on Jul 20, 2022 11:56:39 GMT
I first met Steve in 1984 when we were both civil servants working for the Dept of Environment and Transport at Tollgate House. We were introduced when he was hobbling along in a plaster cast having recently broken his leg and he was sporting a classic early eighties curly perm. I was to get to know him as we were both active in the trade unions at the time and we always shared similar political views. We shared many a lunchtime pint when drinking was an accepted part of civil service culture watching the world go by in the Mail Coach in Broadmead.
A few years later he began to play cricket for a club that was born out of a group of civil servants who were based in central Bristol and we became known as Lawfords Gate CC. Steve became a stalwart member and a number of close friendships were born during that period. Steve loved cricket, football and darts. Throughout the winter the cricket team would play five-a-side football at Easton Sports Centre and then we would retire to a nearby pub where Steve would regale us with tales of his dart prowess always telling us (once he was well oiled) that he would one day become a professional. We would pull his leg about it once he was sober, but we all came to understand that he was a very accomplished player. His other favourite hobby horse was the alleged murder of Hendrix once he had one too many pints of 'thorn, his then favourite tipple!
As Brian mentioned above, he later became a very active member of the SC in the early to mid-noughties when I together with others was trying to drive change in that organisation. Steve together with Rick Johansen became a very close ally often communicating some very telling messages on what was happening, saying things that I couldn't say in public on my behalf. I fulfilled a long held ambition in becoming chair of the Supporters Club and I can honestly say that Steve's interventions on the internet at the time and at some of the very testing members meetings helped me to achieve that, he was never afraid to stand up and say what he thought. He was part of a very tightly knit group of people who held the same views as myself and helped develop the ideas that changed the SC for ever.
During that period, Steve, Rick, Tim Blake, Nick Day and myself were all writing in The Pirate for Keith Brookman and we became very close in our thinking about Rovers related matters. I think we all brought something to the party but Steve's writing was utterly brilliant, if you had read one of his articles before meeting him and then did, you wouldn't believe that he would be capable of such quality. He was so down to earth and straight talking you wouldn't have thought he would write in the way that he did. Perhaps his love of Shakespeare had something to do with it. After the boardroom split of 2006 not only did Steve find himself out of The Pirate because of his opposition to the status quo but he lost the column that he shared with Rick in the Evening Post. Steve fell victim to an act of petty revenge as a result of his stance.
One of the most memorable days we ever had altogether was a trip to Bournemouth on the train for a cup-tie. We had more than a few drinks when we arrived on the South coast. Steve decided to get us a taxi to the ground in the days long before Uber by asking the bar staff for a few numbers, he got utterly confused and at one point I think we had just about every available taxi in Bournemouth heading our way! The game finished in defeat, but we never stopped laughing.
When his boys were old enough he began to bring them to Rovers and my own son George commented today that his earliest memories of coming to Rovers involved the Slade family and how much Steve made him laugh! On the odd occasion that I ventured onto the West side terrace it was always great to hear Steve offer his sage like advice to the linesman "keep-up lino" was his main catch phrase!
In later years he became involved in club football again and moved into club cricket playing to ripe old age where he also encouraged his boys Ollie and James to play before becoming a distinguished umpire on the local circuit. It was my great pleasure to heckle him at Downend one balmy afternoon!
Over 38 years I never had a cross word with Steve, you always laughed in his company and he had the priceless ability to laugh at himself. I've only just scratched the surface of sketching his character.
My thoughts with Nic, James and Ollie.
Rest in peace my friend.
Regards
Joh
Hello John
Firstly after all these years still can't spell your surname.
But more seriously that is a marvellous tribute to a genuine man who was taken far too young and will be sadly missed by many people
Brian
