There is a certain inevitability about reporting on the passing of old clubmen who we watched grow old and occasionally wise. That makes this post incredibly hard, unexpected and unfair.

Rob played throughout the club for whoever needed him, and what team doesn’t need a 6’5’’ monster.

Others will know him as the man who kept our old boiler and hot water system going, long after, like so many players, it should have retired. He was also the ‘go to’ plumber/heating engineer for many club members who knew they could trust him.

In Aug 2020, in the 1st ease of lockdown, Rob and his family emigrated to Australia. I bumped into him and little Jack, whilst on a socially distanced walk, a few days before they left, his excitement for his family’s new life and adventures was palpable.

Just a year ago, barely two years into their new life, Rob was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, even though he never smoked.

Late yesterday (Australia time) Rob announced that the disease had reached the stage where he felt the time was right for him to utilise Australia’s Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) laws and say goodbye on his own terms.

In his own way, he beat it. He was just shy of his 40th birthday.

Various social media outlets are awash with tributes and stories about Rob but there will be a certain club demographic who won’t see those. Hence this post.

I will share one small story when. A few years ago, on a vet’s tour to Soisson in France, Rob had overdone the bus beers and was late and very ‘unsteady’ when he arrived late to the restaurant. As senior club official on tour and responsible for keeping order, I said I would order for him if he said what he wanted. He persuaded me that it was not a problem because he spoke fluent French. He preceded to summon the waiter and in his best Hoddesdon French dialect, proclaimed “GAR CON, UNO STEAKO PLEASE” At least he said please!

We send our sincere condolences his wife Tess, who was constant presence and keen supporter of whichever team Rob was playing for and his two young sons Jack (7) and Ethan (4).

Rob has many friends, within and without of the club who have supported him and his family over the last year and I am sure will continue to do so.

We will miss that humour, banter, forthright opinion expression and genuine warmth. A giant of a man in every sense.

Rest well Big Man. Your time was short, but it was worthwhile and you have left a legacy.