Boreham Wood FC have sadly learnt that one of its lifelong supporters Colin Lawler passed away in the small hours of Saturday morning. Can we on behalf of everyone at the club, pass on our sincerest and heartfelt condolences to Colin’s wife, children, family and friends.
Chairman Danny Hunter said “Colin was a thoroughly honest and decent man. He was a family man, frequent church goer, he liked a pint and he loved his local football club, following us both home and away throughout his life”..
“Colin was very supportive of me during my Chairmanship and remember that included both the promotions but more importantly the relegations and I was always very appreciative of that”..
“I’m sure Colin’s family would not mind me sharing a story with our supporters that always amused me. It was no secret that Col liked a pint or three on a match day and we were playing at some obscure place back then in the Ryman North division. As per normal Colin had somehow found his way there by public transport and in truth we were shocking on the day and got soundly beaten”..
“As our team coach was about to depart their car park. I could see Colin leaving their club house looking decidedly the worse for wear. I told the driver to stop our team bus and decided to bring him back with us.. He loved it, he was very grateful and we ensured he had a drink in his hand and that it was topped up throughout the long journey home”..
“He was very amusing on the bus and explained to me and especially the gaffer, where he felt we were lacking as a team and even where the gaffer was lacking tactically. He meant every word, he spoke with conviction but was never rude in his delivery. I sat there quietly watching this scene laughing to myself, as it was a typical scenario of why we all love non league football, non league supporters and what makes it special”..
“Anyway we arrived safely back at Meadow Park, sometime after 8 o’clock, all now having had a drink and we decided to have one more for the road in the club house. Colin was very happy with this, as I think he now thought with his opinions listened too and with the extra drink inside him, that he was now part of the coaching team??”
“Well as can happen at our little club, ‘one for the road’ then turned into three or four for the road and by the time we left, we were all in the proverbial doghouse with our other halves”..
“Colin was perhaps a little worse for wear than me and he had now somehow lost his glasses. We finally ordered a cab sometime after 10pm and I dropped Colin off home minus his spectacles of course. Looking at the time and with Colin talking jibberish I knew that Mrs Lawler would not be happy with the little man. However as we pulled up outside his house, we both seemed to find it all the more amusing and somehow our three nil defeat didn’t hurt us quite so much”..
“The next time I saw Colin was at our next home game, I sidled up to him and asked him how he was and had he enjoyed his day out the previous week. He said he had and though he wanted to support me as Chairman on reflection he felt our performances were so poor that I had to get rid of the manager ha ha”..
“Well I didn’t take that advice, the gaffers is still here all these years later and Colin did subsequently change his opinion on the manager after a few subsequent promotions. I’m also glad to say he found the strength from his wheelchair to see us get our first win in the new National league against Halifax”..
“We chatted for 10 minutes after the Halifax game and you could see Colin was so proud of his club.. He is the epitome of what makes non league and non league supporters like him so special. He is one of ‘Woods’ finest, rain or shine, home or away, thick or thin he’d always find his way there, even if he sometimes struggled to find his way home on time”
FAREWELL OLD FRIEND
