A life well lived….sorry I won't be at the service Steve so bear with me here. We started as fierce competitors but it was a competitiveness based on respect, courage, a winning heart, I could go on with all the positive things about sport but no need you know what I mean. Our lives had crossed as we battled it out for a couple of years in Primary B Division at age 10/11. You broke my nose twice in one game at Grange PS, you belted a ball downfield at close range my head and nose just happened to be too large and in the way at close range. I had never been hit so hard in the face, I could tell my nose was out of place badly listing to starboard as I fell forward to my knees - the ball landed at your feet - you swung at it again, missed, delivering a boot/ball/nose connection which nicely adjusted my nose back into place! After the bloody nose was attended to we went at it as fiercely as before. I think Grange won the league and St Mary's the cup that year it was 52 years ago. I remember your mum at every game 'COME ON STEVE!!' very loud and without stopping...you were an awesome footballer, Ann always the proud mum! Perfect. That year we were both picked to play for Gosport & Fareham and both of us had a hand in winning the Harrison Cup beating all the bigger cities across the county but more important was that we had formed a bond based on respect and winning that set us up for the future. Following that year we moved on to Bridgemary and built on the previous year or two by playing football and rugby together. My favourite story is the game we lost at rugby. In the Gosport Rugby Sevens we played a strong Swanmore side big farm lads, it was the semi-final but it was the best game of the whole tournament. We were playing older lads, they had scored a try and a conversion in the first half (6-0 in those days I think). You had taken a massive hit to the head in the second half and had gone off to be evaluated. You came back on and we scored a try to make it 6-4 with minutes left on the clock. The try was right between the posts…… Me: Steve, are you OK? You: Yeah I can take it.. Me: Are you positive? You don’t look good. I can take the kick that was a heavy hit on the head earlier. You: No, I can do it…. You placed the ball back about 15 yards from the try line right between the posts and promptly aimed and kicked it 2 yards wide…………….you kicked it in the direction of the other goal posts in your head you wally - so much for evaluating head injuries in those days….you seemed shocked at first but it sank in as the whistle blew for full-time. Nothing more to do than go to the pub for a beer as all 16 year old rugby lads do LOL. We lost that game, had a beer, and won a memory for a lifetime. The next year we earned another, this time the school rugby scoring record by beating Swanmore 84-0. You came and lived at my house for a brief time when we were about 17/18, you were the brother from a different mother. We both got our arses sorted out by my two sisters I was so happy to share that experience with you haha. You were there when my dad, then gran, then mum passed away. We went our own way as I moved around the next 30+years but always we’d get together and it was like we had talked yesterday. There are a limited number of people like that in our journey through life and they seem to stick from childhood. We were lucky enough to meet and marry our future spouses and friends for life. You married well me old mate. It has always been a privilege knowing you all these years, and an even greater privilege holding your hand for your final breath. I’m happy that my mum dad and gran are there for you, we all love you Steve! Until we meet again. Ian