Wanderers staff past and present have paid tribute to former club secretary and life member John Goldsworthy, who died on Sunday 15th August at the age of 90.
John was a hugely popular character whose association with the club stretched back to the FA Amateur Cup Final in 1931, when a young John followed the Blues to Wembley as a supporter and instantly developed a fond affection for Wycombe Wanderers Football Club.
In the eight decades that have followed, John has touched the lives of many staff, players and supporters with his infectious bubbly nature, and it is no surprise that the tributes have been pouring in since the news of his death was released.
This page will be updated as more tributes come in and if you're a friend or former colleague of John and would like to express your condolences, please ring 01494 455710 or send an email to
media@wwfc.com.
Glyn Creaser (former player):
"I do believe I still have 'Golders' signature on my original contract which I still have and cherish to this day. I'm proud to say I knew John and will remain so.
"As 'Gupps' says we could all recall fond memories of 'Golders'; I'm just delighted that we posted a picture of the great man, as I don't think I actually saw him without that mist rising over his face.
"I would like to add my condolences to John's family and reassure them that this man was and will remain truly loved by all he touched."
Vince Faulkner (former player):
"I would like to add my condolences to John's family. I first met John when I joined the club in the 60s. I enjoyed the many chats we had after each game and at social events. He deserves all the accolades that people are writing and his contribution to WWFC will not be forgotten."
Steve Guppy (player, 1989-94, 2004-05):
"I first met John in 1989 when the manager at the time, Jim Kelman, offered me a semi-professional contract and I went to see John to sign it. He was waiting for me in a porta cabin at Loakes Park and as I walked in, I was instantly hit with a wall of smoke and coughing and spluttering - I quickly signed it and left.
"It turned out the one-year contract I thought I was signing was in fact a two-year contract, but I think looking back now, John was looking after me there as that extra year helped me a lot.
"John was such a likeable guy and I took to him straight away, and when the news came to Gary Smith and I out here in Denver, Colorado, about his passing, we both recounted some great memories of our time at Wycombe and it is our hope that he enjoyed those times as much as we did.
"Wycombe have been very fortunate over the years to have people like John at the club and for me he helped make my Wycombe experience such an enjoyable one. Thanks for the memories John."
Lisa Belcher (current club administration assistant):
"I knew Johnny G, as I called him, for just over five years, as I met him through work but he soon became an extremely special friend to me and one I will treasure forever. Up to November of last year, he used to come in every day for two hours and sit with me in the reception area. He would park his car just outside, but how he parked I do not know - sometimes he took the wall with him or anything in his path.
"He would stagger up to the main doors and say 'good morning my lovely' with a lovely beaming smile. Often he would have roses with him picked from his garden for my reception area, which smelt beautiful. He himself would always smell lovely too; he wore lovely fragrances.
"I would by this time have a coffee waiting for him and he would soon sit down and we would discuss and chat just about anything. We covered so many topics and not always football. For an elderly gentleman he was very current and would want to know about all the latest gadgets he had read about. He was very interested in my home life and especially my two children and always wanted to know what I was up to.
"My daughter's competition dancing and son's football would take me on some long journeys and he would always worry about my travelling, so much so that he and his lovely wife Trudy bought me a sat nav. He would always check my route in advance for any weather or traffic problems and alert me in time, and he always wanted me to phone him to say I had arrived safely.
"I lost my own father nearly 14 years ago but John has filled so much of that emptiness and he resembled my dad in many ways - for that I will always be grateful. A true true gent who was very down to earth, principled, thoughtful to the end and I will miss him terribly. I feel like I have lost my dad all over again. God bless John and I love you very much xxx"
Mike Phillips (current promotions manager):
"I first met John at Loakes Park in 1978 when I was interviewed and subsequently employed by Wycombe Wanderers as lottery manager. I instantly formed an opinion of John that he was a man of honesty, integrity and loyalty. This was how he was in all aspects of his life, at work, at home, at Loakes Park and here at Adams Park.
"He was such an interesting man recounting all his stories of his past experiences, especially regarding the subject of football and those from the war. He was also very appreciative of anything that anyone did for him.
"Wycombe Wanderers were incredibly fortunate to have had the services of someone who did an enormous amount of work for no remuneration and I am proud to have been a friend of his. RIP John.
"I express my sincere condolences to Trudy and his family."
Alan Hutchinson (long-serving press officer):
'Hutch' has penned a fitting tribute to John which can be viewed
here.
Keith Blagbrough (former director):
"Wycombe Wanderers today will be a poorer place with the passing of John. Quite simply he loved this club and was a fantastic supporter and servant of the Wanderers. You just could not keep him away from Adams Park.
"I first came into close contact with John when I was the first secretary of the Official Wycombe Wanderers Supporters Association. I was writing their rules and constitution and sought his advice on various points, advice that was freely and generously given. But that epitomized John, a real gentleman who was always ready to help.
"My wife and I will miss him, and our thoughts are with his family."
Keith Allen (current club secretary):
"On my first day at Wycombe Wanderers, John Goldsworthy was waiting for me and showed me to my office with the words: "This is your office, you know what you are doing and I will be sitting there if you need me. Good luck".
"I knew from that moment I had struck gold and couldn't go wrong; John was never one to push himself, but always ready to help with advice and assistance if you felt it was required.
"From that moment we became firm friends, for six years travelling to every away game in his car. He would drive there and I would drive back...until one day I looked across at this 84-year-old man with an angina tablet on his tongue, driving in the fast lane at 80 mph.
"After that I did all the driving, but we shared a myriad of stories about our non-league days and the people we both knew, which it appeared was just about everyone.
"I have missed his company at away matches for some time now and he will be sorely missed, not only by me but by everyone whose life was touched by his warmth.
"It is with great humility that I hope I have carried the administrative baton he handed over to me on 1st November 1999 with distinction. If I have a fraction of the respect in which he was held and I am half the man he was, then I will be twice the person I believe myself to be."
Matt Bloomfield (current player):
"John was one of the first people I met when I signed for the club and he was so nice to me. Although he hasn't been working for the club in the time I've been here, I often saw him at the ground and he was always a great person to have around the club. He will be sorely missed by all."
Jim Gardner (long-serving groundsman and kitman):"I'm proud to call him a close friend and I travelled with him to many games for ten years on the trot. We went to the play-off final at Wembley and the FA Vase finals at Villa Park and we had some great times together. With regards to his driving, it got to such a stage that I had to drive to games which was only marginally better!
"He loved a cigarette and I remember you used to have to crawl on your belly to avoid the smoke if you wanted to speak to him in his office! He also used to smoke at the front of the team bus when we went away and Martin O'Neill used to tell him off!
"He was a well respected secretary and he knew everyone in non-league football - when we went to games I knew ten people and he knew 200!
"He was a great friend and I'll miss him dearly. My thoughts are with his wife and family and I will be thinking about them at this very sad time."
Keith Ryan (player, 1990-2005; coach, 2005-07):"You will never meet someone with a more welcoming character. I remember meeting John for the first time like it was yesterday - he had such a lovely, calm manner about him.
"He was a true, true Wycombe Wanderers supporter who will be dearly missed. I always read and enjoyed his programme column when he was secretary and I know he was a fond wine lover, so I will have a glass in his memory. My heartfelt thoughts go out to his family."
John Gorman (manager, 2004-06):
"He was such a gentleman and a lovely man - he loved talking about football and I remember him going to a lot games with Hutch (former press officer Alan Hutchinson).
"He loved being in and around the team and we loved having him. He was a great ambassador for Wycombe Wanderers and I have fond memories of him; my thoughts are with his wife and family."
Steve Brown (player, 1994-2004; coach, 2004-2007):
"John Goldsworthy was what you would call a true clubman. When I signed for Wycombe I spent time with John sorting things through and his knowledge and enthusiasm for the football club was immense.
"He will be sadly missed and he was a person that will always remind me of why I loved Wycombe Wanderers Football Club from the moment I joined. He always used to give me his Italia football magazine once he'd read it and we would sit and talk about many different levels of football, especially the local non-league clubs.
"I could go on, but John you were one of the finest gentleman I have ever met. Condolences go out to John's family. Gone but never forgotten."
To read tributes from supporters, please visit the Gasroom, an unofficial message board, by clicking
here.
