Memories of Colin by Alan (Smudge) Smith.

Colin became my Friend when he was Chairman of Clevedon (2006) in the Western League and he appointed me as manager. After the well published demise of the team Colin and a previous Chairman began watching games together. After a season out of football we were travelling back from a preseason friendly at Bishop Sutton , when Colin said we should call into the Club at Wrington Redhill for a pint. I don’t recall ever having visited the club during my football career. I remember the length of grass was the same length, long and didn’t know where the pitch was. Just before entering, Colin ambushed me. He told me that the club had been bottom of lowest league in Somerset and had been for several seasons. He asked if I could speak to the Committee and tell them what was going wrong. On entering I was met with a circle of strangers and one empty chair. I was grilled for an hour and pulled no punches. I explained how to build a successful team. One member of the committee asked why they should believe me. Colin, who was stood at the bar jumped up and asked me to pop outside. All I could see was my previous two chairman in animated conversation. When I returned, they asked me to run the team. I laughed. I didn’t want to manage, let alone the worst team in Somerset. Colin bought me a pint and said imagine the Journey. Worst to Best. I called my coach, Lee Probert. When he stopped laughing, heagreed. On returning I demanded a number of guarantees. A decent playing surface, thanks Trevor. Decent kit and training facilities, thanks Marco Pierre White and Nick Taplin. Total support from the Committee, Thanks to John Clements,Simon Bull, Bill Gough & Nick Finch. Colin was part of the deal helping on the management side.  Promotion upon Promotion. Great players and great fun. Colin always there picking me up after a defeat and putting my feet firmly on the ground when I got above myself. My Final season saw us finish near the top of the Premier Division . Our final game was The Somerset Cup Final, which we won, topping 125 years Wrington History. This is one of the few pictures you will find of Colin in one of the best days of our life.