This is the end, beautiful friend, the end

Quote: Saddened! "I'm going to be quite emotional for me. Knowsley Road has been one of the only constants in my life, it's been there, unmoving for as long as I have memories. I remember walking into Knowsley Road for my first ever rugby league game, being so, so excited that my Dad finally said I could go with him. I remember him carrying me out of the same game, so strong like he was made of iron. I can remember when I was a little bigger running around behind the away end at Knowsley Road with the friends I'd taken to the game, I remember kicking the cone style hats off the policemen's head in the corner when they had a seat there. I remember having my first kiss there, a girl from St Helens called Hayley. I remember going to the games against Warrington fearing that elusive defeat would finally happen and I would be slaughtered in school, I remember the delight in it never materialising. I remember being there for my Dad's first heart attack, being so scared. I remember him walking back to the town centre for my Mum to pick us up before he collapsed. I remember his first game back after that, being so relieved that he could still go. I remember cursing him as I dragged him drunk back to Morrisons for our lift home one time, I remember him carrying me back when I'd had too many during my teenage years. He's had three heart attacks since and yet he's made all but a handful of the games there. I remember all the chats we had there, about leaving primary school, GCSE's college, uni, work, girls, having my first son. I remember us going and seeing my Dad cry as he watched me carrying my son back to the car, sound asleep, after his first game.

The worst thing about Friday is that my Dad isn't going to be able to come. He's in hospital and his health is deteriorating fast, so the passing of one of the constants in my life is likely to closely coincide with that of another.

I hope we don't lose.'"

Great post.

Similar, the family friend who introduced me to St Helens will not be able to make it. If it wasn't for him, I would probably have become a Goon. He got a bout of stomach cancer around the same time as Prekky. He is now too weak to make Knowsley Road. I still visit him once every month to chat rugby and keep him up to tabs with Saints.

He introduced me not long after my parents divorce, he had no business to if he didn't want, but saw a kid who needed to get away and just started taking me. Then Monday morning when he would come to do the books on my grand parents farm, we would plan the next week. It became a trend until I moved south and could only go every so often.

Then my dad and step mum had the worlds messiest divorce. I started getting the train to Knowlsey Road on my own, and going standing with Critch. At that point, I got back into going every week, getting the train up on a Friday night after school to then going across to my dads or my nans for the night, before getting back to play cricket the next day.

Friday, I will be thinking of all the fleeting acquaintances, all the great friends I now have, those who I knew who are no longer with us.

Good god, I'm going to miss it.