It’s with great sadness that I have to inform you all that Old Leazes has past away in China.
For my part, I got to know him personally via this board’s previous incarnation. From there, we would meet up for home games and enjoyed away trips to the likes of Middlesbrough, Nottingham and Peterborough that will live with me forever, particularly the pub in Darlington prior to the boro game! We also enjoyed drinking sessions and afternoon meet ups in Newcastle with another former poster, The Corner, and my best bud John. Seriously good times and memories!
An engaging, very funny and highly intelligent man with an amazing knowledge of history and politics. A man with great awareness. A musician and man of the community in his activities back home. As we do, his passion for NUFC and knowledge of the club and it’s history were boundless. A man of talent.
A man, it has to be said, who was also fallible and openly admitted mistakes he had made in his life. But he had the the guts and determination to make something of his life and was brave enough to uproot and travel the breadth of the world to achieve that.
I am well aware that he could also come across as a character who may have fallen out with a few on here. He was a fella that enjoyed banter and was happy to rub people the wrong way to see the sparks. That is understood and he would admit that. He wasn’t one to suffer fools if he saw it that way. For the sake of his family - who I understand suffered a further devastation as his mother has also past away over the same weekend following the shock she suffered at learning the news of OL, I beg of you not to post anything that could be construed as derogatory. I’m sure you won’t. This is clearly a double tragedy for his family that I can’t imagine.
For me, I am proud to have known him and to call him my friend.
hope you’re ok.
