Non-Anyone have an update on AlGard?

When all is said and done (fat chance on this board) this club is about people and relationships. The supporters remain through thick and thin. Managers, players and owners come and go. We remain. The core of fans, not the 8502 and the like.

This is my 56th season and I have known some on here for most of those 56 years. There are others like Al, who I have met rarely but is a part of the afcb weave. The fabric. I watched the first game back after the restrictions, sat alone in the south stand. No meeting in the pub beforehand. I didn’t like it. Because it has never been just about the football. It’s about people. People you know well, people you know a little, the people you stand or sit near whose names you don’t know, but are part of what makes a club like ours so dear to all our hearts.

I only met Al a handful of times, but know we had been at (probably) hundreds of the same matches. I had a beer with him on one of his last trips over, the one where he wore a beret and onions in the east stand. It felt poignant as he didn’t know how many more games he would be able to see.

Al, if you are reading this, or having it read to you. Thanks for being one of the people who has always been around. For being passionate. For caring about the club and not caring what people thought of you. A particular kind of bravery. You are one if the people that have made this club so special for me for 56 years.

thank you,
UTCIAD
 
SlowDownDerek said:
Difficult to know what to say because you don't want to write the guy's obituary when he's still fighting but if there's a chance he'll read how highly people on here thought of him it might make a difference one way or another.
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That’s right. I think the sad thing about obituaries is the one person that should hear it the most, doesn’t. So with all the hope it is very premature or not necessary it doesn’t do any harm to tell people what you think. The worst case scenario of writing an erroneous obit being the best case scenario in reality!

Al is one of the great features of our board because he never really cares what people thought, loves a good ding dong, is very kind behind the scenes and always worth reading. I hope his situation is manageable and as positive as it can be.
 
As an ex serviceman Al would also appreciate the story of an old Naval commander (I think, it’s been attributed to a few people like all good urban myths) who when asked about his daily routine replied ‘it starts just after dawn. My helper leaves a copy of the Times by my bed. I open it and turn straight to the obituary page. If I’m not featured in it, I get up and have toast and marmalade.’
 
I don't reckon that Al would have posted his farewell on Twitter if he did not believe it to be a FACT.

It is times like these when my tag line, "Being a Bournemouth fan is to hope for the best, but expect the worst," really does come into play. Where there is life, there is hope.

However, we all have to accept that our little sojourn on this lump of rock is finite and, at some point, it will be time to go. It's brave that Al felt able to do so and says a great deal about the man himself. Al certainly has the courage of his convictions.

All the best, Al, and thank you.
 
Neil Dawson said:
As an ex serviceman Al would also appreciate the story of an old Naval commander (I think, it’s been attributed to a few people like all good urban myths) who when asked about his daily routine replied ‘it starts just after dawn. My helper leaves a copy of the Times by my bed. I open it and turn straight to the obituary page. If I’m not featured in it, I get up and have toast and marmalade.’
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Ha ha, yes I’ve heard that one before …
 
I did speak to Al briefly yesterday. His comment when I mentioned this was "Wow, not seen that".

Being honest I'm not sure if he will be back on (holding out hope he will be) but I can assure you he has seen this thread and I am sure appreciates everyone's well wishes.
 
It has often been said that no news is good news [insert fingers crossed thingy]. Nothing for a couple of weeks now.

Anyone heard anything?
 
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