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Losing my LFW virginity to remember a dear friend and for a worthy cause
at 14:30 21 Aug 2024

Hi all. Like many who read this forum I have often meant to post but not gone round to it until now. I’d like to introduce myself and most importantly tell you about a dear friend and fellow R who we lost last year, how wonderful our club were to him, and a good cause in his name.
But first I must add my sincere thanks to Clive for all he does (and helping me finally get this post on the forum) and all of you here who never fail to make me smile. I’d also like to thank Dave and all at AKUTRS for their dedication and especially Julie who always brightens up a match day.
So I’m Dom in Kingston and some of you may recognise me as I used to regularly call in to Phil Parry’s show on BBC London in the ‘90s. Born in ‘62 and early years brought up by Chelski Dad including a home made Peter Bonetti outfit when 5 years old. Move on a few years and when first watching the Big Match in the late ‘60s I had my epiphany and started my journey on the roller coaster ride we have all been on since we first fell for the team in blue and white hoops. My first game was WHUFC at LR in ‘74 and took my younger brother (himself a life long hammer). We lost 0-2 but I was hooked and spent the ‘70s either in the Loft or East Paddock before graduating to the Ellerslie Road from the ‘80s onwards. My parents were publicans and amongst their pubs were the Robert Peel here in KIngston and the KIngs Head on the Fulham Palace Road. Both pubs long gone now. Maybe some of you enjoyed my Mums (Pam) hospitality or were barred by my Dad (Tony)? I originally went to St Paul’s in Hammersmith (a public school) but at 13 I was taken out (my headmaster once wrote that ‘Dominic’s vocabulary was more akin to the public bar than the public school”) and sent to Sir Walter St John’s (Sinjuns) Grammar School in Battersea. I arrived with the accent of Lord Snooty and soon got that kicked out of me. The school was split 50/50 between those two teams we love to hate but there was a handful of us who kept the blue and white flag flying…..like many of you of a similar age we never had it so good as that team in the mid ‘70s. My old school mates and I still meet up (where did the last 50 years go?) and the two of us who are loyal R’sss have to suffer the slings and arrows from those that follow those other two teams, but we give as good as we get. You can see from my Avatar (thanks to Art of Football a treasured possession) who is my eternal hero. So many memories of Stan and what we now call ‘different times’….like you all I could drone on for hours but there was one goal that stands out……looking on from the paddock as Tony Currie hit an Exocet on the volley from a sublime pass by Stan against FFC back in ‘79. Although the best goal I have ever seen was of course Trevors.
So here we are in 2024 and the love affair endures no matter how infuriating our team has been for what has been too long.
Sadly one person who is no longer with us is my dear friend and fellow R - Rick Bewsey - who I first met when I joined the CAA in 1990 and with whom I shared many happy times either at LR or on the road with our families. I remember a few years ago the two of us being the only ones in the Goldhawk for a midweek game against Waaallll when the pub was suddenly invaded by what seemed 100’s of the c**ts in their pink polo shirts. In seconds the pub was surrounded by riot police and Rick remained calm throughout until they finally left and we got a beer on the house for being brave…although we were sh*tting ourselves. The Goldhawk was our home from home and it was there that we heard “no points deduction’ before the Leeds game. What a p*ss up that was only matched by the one after THAT game at Wembley and THAT goal by Bobbie……we shared those celebrations with our kids and great friends the Holdings and Ingles and I know they read this forum so a big shout out to them! Rick was one of the kindest people I have ever known and I always aspired to be like him. Even in the darkest times for our club he always said “Keep the Faith’ and for every game predicted a ‘nervy 2-1 to the R’s’. We lost Rick last year after the bravest of battles against a brain tumour that we thought he had beaten only for it to return. Those who knew and loved him miss him very much. His eldest Mark is running the London marathon next year in aid of St Catherines hospice that took such good care of Rick. I have asked Mark to provide a few words and to tell you how wonderful our club were to Rick and his family…..

‘ Dad chose to support QPR when taken by his Dad in 1966 to a London game chosen at random which happened to be QPR 6-1 Millwall. He was hooked and now we have 3 generations of R's fans in the family, including 4 grandkids who are/ will be QPR fans, one (Harrison) who aged 6 is utterly obsessed even though he's yet to see a win (he's been 7 times).
The club were incredible when they found out about Dad's illness . We were hosted by Ruben in the Directors box for a game in December 2022, and extremely well looked after. Paul Morrissey (PR) and Andy Sinton in particular were so good, but it has to be said that it was Ruben who reached out and supported us, was very generous and gave us so much time.
Having been going since 1966 and sitting mainly in the loft or ER stand, his final game was in the Directors box. Sadly his health declined rapidly after that point. The club were keen to help introduce the next generation and my son had a wonderful pitch side experience last season
This all coincided with awful form on the pitch, but the personnel around the club couldn't have been better and made us even more proud to support the R's.’

If any of you knew Rick and/or would like to make a donation to this worthy cause then Marks link is:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/mark-bewsey

I feel I have already outstayed my welcome so will say Ta Ta for now. If you have got this far then my sincere thanks and before I go…..I love cheese and if pushed it would have to be Cashel Blue…..Cheers. It would only be fitting in Ricks honour to go for a “nervy 2-1” this weekend.

U R’ssssssssss!!

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Dominkingston

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