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Outstanding article from Paul Haywood as he fights cancer







W.C.

W.C.

New member
Oct 31, 2011
4,927
Thanks for sharing that, I had no idea. What a wonderful piece.

I met Paul briefly when helping organise some events for 'More than 90 minutes'.

If you are reading this, I hope your recovery continues apace and that the Albion do their very best in helping you along the way. Perhaps Baldock can provide a few dinks of his own?
 


N

n1 gull

Well-known member
Jul 25, 2003
4,638
Hurstpierpoint
Excellent writing and I agree with every sentiment, sport transcends all parts of life. I just don't understand people who say they don't like sport?
 


H

Hastings gull

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2013
4,635
Miami Seagull said:
Not sure if this has been mentioned anywhere on here but I just read this article from fellow BHA fan Paul Haywood of the Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...n-Carter-gave-me-hope-in-fighting-cancer.html

As usual from him it is an outstanding and thought provoking article. Get well soon Paul.
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Absolutely. Great article and I wish Paul all the very best for the future in his battle against what is a dreadful disease. Get in there, mate and may the Albion help you along.
 


Bevendean Hillbilly

Bevendean Hillbilly

New member
Sep 4, 2006
12,805
Nestling in green nowhere
What an inspirational piece. The troubles I have are firmly back in perspective. Thanks for posting.
 




M

Mo Gosfield

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2010
6,284
n1 gull said:
Excellent writing and I agree with every sentiment, sport transcends all parts of life. I just don't understand people who say they don't like sport?
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Sport mirrors life. It has the ability to enthral, excite, frustrate, anger and depress in equal measure. Its real life drama, played out by individuals trying to outperform others. No different from the classroom or workplace. We were put on this planet to express ourselves physically just the same as the animal kingdom. To run and jump and stretch our bodies. If you've never indulged in sport, you've never tested your body. Never stretched yourself. Never had the opportunity to dredge up those last sinews of effort that you didn't think were in you. Never experienced that moment when your mental and physical well-being is in turmoil and you find that inner strength to go on and not give up.
Cancer demands that of you. It drags you down to a point where it is easier to give up. Day after day of sickness. You feel degraded. Normal functions no longer become normal. Your body is injected with powerful poison, that targets the good as well as the bad within you. It leaves you feeling like a shell of the person you are. You look around you in the cancer clinic/ward and you see others, just like you, grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters and young children, all fighting, all trying to summon up that extra bit of effort. You see others laughing and joking and it uplifts you.
If you are lucky enough to get the all-clear it is a feeling like no other. You float in a sort of surreal world of calmness, whilst the rest of the world is rushing about. You feel you have been in a titanic struggle and emerged the winner. It must be like boxers, hammering each other to the point of exhaustion and then, when its all over, showing the ultimate respect to each other. Nothing can get near. Nothing else in life. All the pain, all the struggle was worthwhile. That's why sport is so important because athletes bare their soul to you and you see what the human mind and body can achieve when under pressure.
Good luck Paul.
 


H

Hastings gull

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2013
4,635
Mo Gosfield said:
Sport mirrors life. It has the ability to enthral, excite, frustrate, anger and depress in equal measure. Its real life drama, played out by individuals trying to outperform others. No different from the classroom or workplace. We were put on this planet to express ourselves physically just the same as the animal kingdom. To run and jump and stretch our bodies. If you've never indulged in sport, you've never tested your body. Never stretched yourself. Never had the opportunity to dredge up those last sinews of effort that you didn't think were in you. Never experienced that moment when your mental and physical well-being is in turmoil and you find that inner strength to go on and not give up.

.
Cancer demands that of you. It drags you down to a point where it is easier to give up. Day after day of sickness. You feel degraded. Normal functions no longer become normal. Your body is injected with powerful poison, that targets the good as well as the bad within you. It leaves you feeling like a shell of the person you are. You look around you in the cancer clinic/ward and you see others, just like you, grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters and young children, all fighting, all trying to summon up that extra bit of effort. You see others laughing and joking and it uplifts you.
If you are lucky enough to get the all-clear it is a feeling like no other. You float in a sort of surreal world of calmness, whilst the rest of the world is rushing about. You feel you have been in a titanic struggle and emerged the winner. It must be like boxers, hammering each other to the point of exhaustion and then, when its all over, showing the ultimate respect to each other. Nothing can get near. Nothing else in life. All the pain, all the struggle was worthwhile. That's why sport is so important because athletes bare their soul to you and you see what the human mind and body can achieve when under pressure.
Good luck Paul.
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Excellently put -far better than I ever could.
 


The Oldman

The Oldman

I like the Hat
NSC Patron
Jul 12, 2003
7,106
In the shadow of Seaford Head
2 wonderfully written pieces by Paul and Mo Gosfield. Best wishes to all looking to win their personal battle against disease whether physical or mental. Sport does indeed have the ability to lift you out of your life's everyday problems. For those few moments when some sports person does something magical nothing else matters. Music can also give you moments of exquisite joy and take you out of yourself . Let's hope the Albion will provide us with more magic that will give inspiration to all.
 






N

northstandsteve

Well-known member
Oct 9, 2003
1,691
Hove
A big Albion fan, and all round nice guy, always happy to discuss all things Brighton.Get well soon Paul, your articles are fantastic.
 


Wozza

Wozza

Shite Supporter
Jul 6, 2003
23,616
Online
"Can't say I'm a big fan of your writing in general Paul Hayward but I certainly hope you make a full recovery very soon. Best wishes."

The Internet, there.
 












portlock seagull

portlock seagull

Why? Why us?
Jul 28, 2003
17,071
Blood hell! I didn't know he was ill. Get well soon Paul, been an avid fan of your journalism since 80s. Before knew an Albion fan.
 




Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
59,523
The Fatherland
Stumpy Tim said:
Can't bring myself to read it. A good friend of mine was recently diagnosed with leukaemia and her diagnosis brought me to tears in my quiet moments. I'm not good at dealing with this sh*t
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Try and read it if you can; it's inspiring.
 


Not Andy Naylor

Not Andy Naylor

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2007
8,798
Seven Dials
Fourteenth Eye said:
We are delighted to announce that Paul will be our guest at the Albion Roar live show at the Rialto Theatre on the 3rd Dec along with Nick Szczepanik
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I don't believe Paul posts on here, so I think I can freely say without fear of embarrassing the man that everyone in the sportswriting profession who knew about his illness was pulling for him because he's not only the best in the business but he's an absolutely top bloke. As those of you who came to the Exeter Street Hall sports writers' panel last year* will know, he talks about the game as well as he writes about it, so I can promise that the above event will be worth attending.

* Another is planned for January - watch this space.
 




P

Pogue Mahone

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2011
10,733
Blimey.

Paul was a good friend of mine in the nineties. We played football together every week in Preston Park, and did many things together socially. He was a lovely bloke. We drifted apart - his job meant he was rarely about, mine meant that it was hard to commit to social things as often as I'd have liked. And our kids were slightly different ages.

I had no idea that he was ill. It's a real shock. Positive vibes to the fella, I hope he can make a full recovery.
 


P

Pogue Mahone

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2011
10,733
Not Andy Naylor said:
I don't believe Paul posts on here, so I think I can freely say without fear of embarrassing the man that everyone in the sportswriting profession who knew about his illness was pulling for him because he's not only the best in the business but he's an absolutely top bloke. As those of you who came to the Exeter Street Hall sports writers' panel last year* will know, he talks about the game as well as he writes about it, so I can promise that the above event will be worth attending.

* Another is planned for January - watch this space.
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My son went to that event, and Paul was very generous with his time, offering advice (my son wants to be a sports journalist) and talking about the old days when we knew each other.

You're right, a top bloke.
 


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