Since I wrote the previous introduction 7 years and 8 matches have taken place and I feel that it needs bringing up to date. I do not, however, wish to change anything I said there so will leave the original as it is.
Apart from the event that took place in Great Yarmouth shortly after the first version was written all subsequent matches have been in Dover (True up to and including 2006 – after that you’ll have to wait and see! DS) and while this will continue if no-one has an alternative venue to offer it has been remarked recently that it is becoming difficult to tell each year’s match apart. For my part I have had to perhaps concentrate on aspects of our 3 days away having less to do with the fishing and more to do with the socialising than previously – after all I can only describe the Dover venues so many times without boring my audience. Some of my colleagues, however, never fail to do amusing stuff to give me something to write about!
With the changes to rules about “eligible” competitors and “guests” the teams have changed over this later period and may well do so again. With this in mind I shall take no chances and revise the “thanks” bit to cover (in no particular order) David Sh. (87 to 99), Ian H. (87 to date), Mike J. (88 to date) David T. (95 to date with us but there since before I started), Iain S. (95 to date), Mike T. (95-96), Gary C. (95 to date) Keith P. (97 to date) and Kim F. (98 to date). Thanks guys!
Finally, a word about the distribution of this document. The first “print” of it ran to the end of the 1998 match and copies were given to Mike J., Ian H., David Sh. (who were involved in most of it and for whom I, to some extent, wrote it), and Gary C. (who expressed an interest). It was not intended to be “published” as such although I have never made any secret of the fact that I was writing it each year. Lately I have been asked if I would distribute it to a slightly wider audience and as I like to oblige people I will probably do so. However, to avoid offending anyone I must reiterate that this is a document written primarily for my own amusement. It is, as stated above, my own fallible recollection of how things happened and I am NOT interested in getting into any arguments, legal or otherwise, with anyone who recalls things differently! As stated in the first introduction – if you disagree, write your own version and send me a copy. I will not argue with you about it – it’s only a few fishing matches for heavens sake!
David S. 28.11.2004
