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A Match for James (Walker)

I sponsored James Walker's shirt back in the day and my wife has been badgering me to get rid of it for ages.

Garry James Walker.jpeg


I had it on eBay but the original buyer didn't pay or turn up to collect it.

I therefore relisted it and fortunately @Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset saw it and contacted me (not knowing that I was the same person he was already regularly in contact for the pre-Match thread when there's a SUEPA guest!).

I've withdrawn it from eBay and will be donating it to be auctioned off for James' benefit.
 
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Ahhh reminds me of the time I was banned for showing James Walker look a like porn on SZ, to be honest there was nothing naughty being shown!!!!

Jokes aside I hope he gets better soon and it’s lovely to see the efforts being made to support him!

Also superb donation from @Shrimperstrust well done!

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I sponsored James Walker's shirt back in the day and my wife has been badgering me to get rid of it for ages.

View attachment 24886


I had it on eBay but the original buyer didn't pay or turn up to collect it.

I therefore relisted it and fortunately @Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset saw it and contacted me (not knowing that I was the same person he was already regularly in contact for the pre-Match thread when there's a SUEPA guest!).

I've withdrawn it from eBay and will be donating it to be auctioned off for James' benefit.
This was one of those random bits of timely luck when Andy saw this on ebay a few weeks back. Thank you so much for this.
 
Heartbreaking to hear and like many, I wasn't aware of him falling ill.

I started attending Blues games regularly in 2008 so he was a regular in my earliest years as a supporter.

Didn't score many but when he did, they were cracking goals. I seem to recall one against Orient in particular?

Will be attending the charity game without a doubt.
 
Is the auction on the day ? And biddings only of the day or accepting pre bids ?
I believe SUEPA are auctioning it at the Dave Smith event tomorrow evening. @Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset will confirm - I’m handing the framed shirt over to him before the game tomorrow.
 
Heartbreaking to hear and like many, I wasn't aware of him falling ill.

I started attending Blues games regularly in 2008 so he was a regular in my earliest years as a supporter.

Didn't score many but when he did, they were cracking goals. I seem to recall one against Orient in particular?

Will be attending the charity game without a doubt.

Last minute of injury time on my birthday saving us from defeat to the O's. Ever grateful for that moment!
 
We've taken James's mum to view the venue of our 'A Match for James' on 28 May 2023. We received a warm welcome and were very impressed! Thank you Bowers, great people!

Lots of prep going on. The list to put on a match is endless:

Insurance (yawn but necessary) - sorted
Ref team - being sorted
Physio - Ben Clarkson is limbering up
First aiders - hmmm, will need to work hard on that and tell them it's now't to do with Ronald
Players - got a manager, sourced a few players, zoom call later this week. 442? Assistant manager, is Pep available?
Opposition - sorted. A team of knights, they look fierce
Guest stars - loads of ideas. Just need to improve my contacts book to take it a notch above Dorset garden centres
Kit - sorted, 08/09 replica. Two keeper tops or one though? And do we size them all 5XL?
Shirt sponsors, will work on that soon
Bid to play on the legends team? Top idea (not mine), put it on the list
Sponsors - some fantastic interest already, could do with more
Donations - going well, will up the anti
Ticket sales - minimal so far, just need to sign up Messi to nudge these along a bit
Campaign slogan - got a great one with some lovely input already, watch social media in next few days for this, will it bomb or go viral? Too many questions
Contacting James's old school - done, need to follow up tho
Contacting James's old school chums - in hand, and Fabrice Muamba was in his class too (how strange is that?), gotta speak to him
Auction items, the Walker shirt bidders last Sat, wow, thank you guys, and we've now got it to auction again
Other items - starting to come in, maybe something from 1973 that will make a few of you explode with happy thoughts, some great stuff from Newcastle United, and some just fantastic help from Queens Park (the Scottish QP). More to source, my dining room starting to look like a bring n buy sale
James's other clubs - some good help already from the Gas and Stortford, O's fans talking, lots more to sort (James moved around a bit), on the to do list for next week
Mascots - well, we'll invite Sammy of course, but the human ankle-biter sort maybe? James's three young daughters will be there, will sort them kits (and one for James so he can kick the game off in style)
Trophy? Mmm, maybe, or is it OTT? Got a supplier willing to do a 30% discount, but maybe we can do better
Stewards - yep, will need some of these, possibly got a source for them, need to follow up
Catering - B&P doing that, but something for the players/Walker family. Speak to Dawn
Pre match entertainment - got an idea for that, waiting a call back
Half time penalty comp. Gotta have one of those, £2 a go to beat a top shot stopper
Balls - yep, sponsor for them needed
Programme - got a good man to do that, need to supply him with content headers etc, printing and graphics and sponsor of it to sort
Anything else? Yep, am sure there is. Just run out of steam for now

@OldBlueLady and me gonna be busy

Ideas, help, donations, expertise, cup of tea, all welcome





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The Legends squad for our 'Match for James' on Sunday 28 May is continuing to grow - Leon Cort, Andy Edwards, Mark Gower and Leon Constantine have now been added, and Tilly tells us that some top further names will be added very soon too.

It is going to be a great, and we are sure emotional, occasion, James and his family will all be there and the plan remains for James to kick the game off. Get your tickets now at: https://shrimperstrust.co.uk/shop.asp?catid=5

We will post out tickets for all tickets purchased online via the Trust website - it is really simple to use

Suqad 2.jpg

With some great sponsorship now in we have all anticipated costs covered so 100% of ticket sales and fan donations will go towards helping fund those much needed additional therapy sessions for James to help, as his therapist says, 're-wire his brain'

The Legends team will be smartly kitted out in a replica (from World Retro) of the 2008/09 kit that James played in, with Baily & Taylor being the kit sponsors:

20230311 Southend United 2008-09 home version 2.jpg
The donations and help so far have been truly humbling. And from some surprising quarters too - Queens Park FC in Glasgow for instance have given the appeal extensive coverage and auction of three shirts they donated is set to net over £300. We've also had Luke Purcell send us a few shirts for the match day raffle and there is currently a very special signed print (by all 12 of the team involved in that 1979 match v Liverpool) being auctioned (see SUEPA social media). Chrissy Powell is getting us something quite special (especially after the England match last night) to auction too

Plenty more to tell but that will do for now. More news will follow in a couple of weeks but you can keep up to speed with things as they happen on SUEPA Facebook/Twitter.

We hope to see you at the match - any questions or ideas please do get in touch either via private message on SZ or by email to suepassoc@gmail.com

Thank you to all for your interest/donations/ticket purchases etc to date, you are all brilliant!
 
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