I WAS sad to see in the press notification of the deaths of two long serving Guisboroughborn stalwart supporters of the NYSD circuit John Bird and Edward (Dick) Rowlinson.

To share a bench at Guisborough with the Bird twins was an enjoyable experience, listening to them putting the world to rights and discussing team selection of both Guisborough Town Football Club and Guisborough Cricket Club.

Edward was known to all as Dick and lived in Redcar for many years. He was a keen Redcar fan and also watched the fortunes of Saltburn, Marske and Guisborough when Redcar had away games away from the East Cleveland area.

A devout football fan, he rarely missing a game for Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park and the Riverside, he also was a regular visitor to Feethams. I am not sure whether he ever attended the Arena.

He enjoyed visits to the outgrounds, Middlesbrough, Marske and Scarborough for Yorkshire and Darlington and Stockton for Durham.

I am sure had he lived he would have been at both Riversides revealing in Middlesbrough's 8-1 victory and seeing Durham beat Yorkshire.

Future visits to Guisborough and Redcar won't be the same, the two gentlemen will be sadly missed.