Emotional day in store for Town's Andy Booth
Apr 24 2009 By Mel Booth
Former player Jon Dyson, ex-manager Andy Ritchie and recent coach Martyn Booty were among the first people to contact Booth and wish him all the best for the future.
"I’ll miss the dressing room, I’m sure, but I will still be around the place to enjoy some banter with the players," he added.
"I’m also intending to keep myself reasonably fit, because my registration is being retained in case of dire emergency. I think I’d only be considered if we hadn’t got a striker left in the club and there was no other option, so it really isn’t my intention to play again.
"First up this summer I’m going to enjoy our holiday and maybe play a few games of cricket, and then I’ll be looking forward to getting involved back at the Galpharm again."
Wife Cheryl is delighted with how things have worked out and that her husband will still have the club very much in his life. This is his second spell, of course, returning from Sheffield Wednesday in March 2001 to re-assume his place at the top of the supporters’ affections.
"I’m really pleased for Andrew, especially as the kids are starting to grow up and do things on a Saturday which he doesn’t now have to miss out on," she explained.
"There is no way I’m going to moan because football is a great profession and has given us a wonderful lifestyle – it’s not a hard job to have to put up with – but we are looking forward to doing normal family things, perhaps going on holiday at different times in the year and just having a more stable set-up."
So has the right decision been made at this time?
"I think when you are comfortable with a decision then you know it’s the right one – and we are," she answered.
"I’m sure he could have carried on for another year but, physically, it would have been tough. Playing matches isn’t really a problem but he does struggle to recover from them phycally.
"There were times after he had the back surgery that I wondered if he would ever play again, so it’s been great for him to get back – but I am pleased he’s giving up now.
"It’s the ideal time, too, because he is really excited about the new role he’ll have and the fact it enables him to maintain all his ties down there.
"Had he been leaving football and also leaving the club, then I think it would have been very hard for him.
"With that not being the case, he’ll still be involved and that’s brilliant, because it would be hard to imagine Andrew not going down to the club."
Cheryl views tomorrow’s match – already pinpointed as a ‘tribute’ to the No23 – as a new beginning for the family.
"He’ll finally be able to chill out and enjoy the whole of our holiday, rather than thinking about pre-season training, I’m sure he’ll play a bit more cricket and golf and I know he’ll enjoy doing more things with the kids on a weekend, because he’s a good hands-on dad.
"They will love having him around a bit more as well, especially Harrison at the moment because he’s playing cricket with Hall Bower Under 9s and loves it as much as his dad.
"I think it will be strange for all of us tomorrow, and definitely a bit emotional. While it’s a new start, it will be sad for him to play his last match in front of the home fans, although I’m sure they’ll give him a good send-off because he deserves it for what he’s done and his contribution to the club."
A ‘good send-off’ is probably the understatement of Town’s century. There won’t be a seat occupied, in the nicest possible way, when his name is read out last from the teamsheet.
