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As the Rolling Stones once proclaimed on "It's Only Rock n Roll" rel 1975

From Paul Attwood, 8/6/04

Thanks for the supportive text message you sent and sorry for the lack of any response. I have been extremely busy since May.

I have also been putting in extra hours at work to cover an absent colleague, an arrangement that will run for at least another 3 months.

To conclude, I had intended that this year would be the final season playing cricket as I am hoping to travel abroad a lot in 2005 and 2006. Recent events have led me to decide to "retire" from regular cricket with immediate effect. I hope to catch up later in the season to watch part of a game and am pleased that performances this year have been so encouraging.

Please pass on my best wishes to all, I did enjoy the 6 seasons I had with the club.

All the best

Paul

From Leon Yates 1/9/04,

Sorry Pete - still not available. In fact I will probably retire now. I might be going back to Australia before the new season starts.

Cheers,

Leon

From Ian Lay 1/9/04

Hi Pete,

I'm sorry to have to say that I'm going to step down as a full member of the club at the end of this season. I would like to remain as an associate memberfor next season, but I may have well played my last game for Pacific.

The reasons? Well there are many but basically the fact that I will not be able to commit myself to playing regularly again has a lot to do with it. For me playing cricket is a matter of playing regularly and that is something which I can't do now. Football still takes up some of my weekends until early June and then starts again in August (I've already had a couple of games this month). My narrowboat is going to take up increasing amounts of time in the coming of years and I also want to spend more time with my family.

I think last season (when I played only 1 or 2 games) made my mind up to some extent. Though I missed seeing people I'd played with over the years, I didn't actually miss the cricket that much. And although I've enjoyed generally the games I've played this season the appetite for playing has diminished over the past few years.

I can't thank you enough for all the hard work you have put into the club over the years. Without you there would not be a Pacific Cricket Club. And of course there are many others who have put the time and effort into making Pacific a great cricket club to play for.

However, all good things come to an end and my life is moving in a different direction now. This has menat that I have had to make some hard choices to what I keep and what I have to let go. Unfortunately playing cricket is one of the things I have to let go. I came to the decesion that either cricket had to be put on the back burner or playing football. And I'm enjoying playing football far too much to want to give it up.

I have not ruled out playing one last game this season. One of the last two games at Broxbourne may be appropriate. But If not then I would like to say thank you to everyone who I have played with over the years. I have many gr eat memories from the last 18 years and they will live with me forever.

Cheers, Ian