Ian Laws

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I feel bad that I've waited all this time to pay my respects to Ian on the board but having been a close friend of his for over 20 years it has been tremendously difficult to accept that I'm never going to see him again.

I used to stand with him on the Roker End in the Smith/Crosby/Butcher/Buxton/Reid era and then sat alongside him and his brother in the North Stand of the SOL until he deserted us to take up his dream job as sports reporter at The Sunderland Echo.

It is true that he spent one season supporting our "friends" up the road (this was before I knew him so don't blame me for that). I think it was a lad called Mark Wayman that led him astray but he was only a schoolkid at the time and he soon realised the error of his ways so I think we can let him off.

Lawsy was as passionate a Sunderland fan as you could expect to meet. Every time we won his face would light up and there was no removing that beaming smile from his face. However, he took defeats really badly and I learned pretty quickly to give him a wide berth when things didn't go our way. Thankfully he was in the press box and not sitting near me during the 19 and 15 point seasons. I think he would have been unbearable then.

Knowing how much SAFC meant to him and how passionate he was on matchdays it always surprised me that he managed to keep his cool in the press box as, when he was on the terraces, each blatant miss, incorrect refereeing decision or bad tackle by an opponent was met by a volley of abuse from Ian. I guess that proves how good he was at his job

He was a smashing lad, always there when you needed him and always able to brighten up any situation with his extremely dry sense of humour. We were drinking buddies for many years and often I would come back from the bar to see someone talking to him. At the end of their conversation when the other person walked away I would ask "Who was that?". Quite often he would reply "Don't know Bri, never met them before in my life. They just recognised me from The Echo." I think that sums him up - he was just as happy talking to complete strangers as he was people he had known most of his life.

I've spent quite a bit of time with Ian's family since he passed away and although they are, unsurprisingly, completely devastated they have taken great comfort from the huge number of tributes that have been paid to him on a wide range of websites and social media. I would particularly like to thank Graeme Anderson and Martin Emmerson for the lovely words they wrote about him.

As Echoboy has stated the funeral is next Monday and if anyone can't make it through to Gateshead for the church service there will be a short service at Sunderland Crematorium at 3pm followed by a celebration of his life (I think that's better than calling it a wake) at the SOL from 4pm. His wife told me this afternoon that she hopes as many people who knew Ian as possible can attend this as it is a fantastic gesture by Sunderland Football Club and a great opportunity to share memories and stories of Lawsy.

RIP mate

Great post Bri.
 
Not sure how to get the image up centrally on smaller format screens AB... :neutral:

Any good with websites?
 
I feel bad that I've waited all this time to pay my respects to Ian on the board but having been a close friend of his for over 20 years it has been tremendously difficult to accept that I'm never going to see him again.

I used to stand with him on the Roker End in the Smith/Crosby/Butcher/Buxton/Reid era and then sat alongside him and his brother in the North Stand of the SOL until he deserted us to take up his dream job as sports reporter at The Sunderland Echo.

It is true that he spent one season supporting our "friends" up the road (this was before I knew him so don't blame me for that). I think it was a lad called Mark Wayman that led him astray but he was only a schoolkid at the time and he soon realised the error of his ways so I think we can let him off.

Lawsy was as passionate a Sunderland fan as you could expect to meet. Every time we won his face would light up and there was no removing that beaming smile from his face. However, he took defeats really badly and I learned pretty quickly to give him a wide berth when things didn't go our way. Thankfully he was in the press box and not sitting near me during the 19 and 15 point seasons. I think he would have been unbearable then.

Knowing how much SAFC meant to him and how passionate he was on matchdays it always surprised me that he managed to keep his cool in the press box as, when he was on the terraces, each blatant miss, incorrect refereeing decision or bad tackle by an opponent was met by a volley of abuse from Ian. I guess that proves how good he was at his job

He was a smashing lad, always there when you needed him and always able to brighten up any situation with his extremely dry sense of humour. We were drinking buddies for many years and often I would come back from the bar to see someone talking to him. At the end of their conversation when the other person walked away I would ask "Who was that?". Quite often he would reply "Don't know Bri, never met them before in my life. They just recognised me from The Echo." I think that sums him up - he was just as happy talking to complete strangers as he was people he had known most of his life.

I've spent quite a bit of time with Ian's family since he passed away and although they are, unsurprisingly, completely devastated they have taken great comfort from the huge number of tributes that have been paid to him on a wide range of websites and social media. I would particularly like to thank Graeme Anderson and Martin Emmerson for the lovely words they wrote about him.

As Echoboy has stated the funeral is next Monday and if anyone can't make it through to Gateshead for the church service there will be a short service at Sunderland Crematorium at 3pm followed by a celebration of his life (I think that's better than calling it a wake) at the SOL from 4pm. His wife told me this afternoon that she hopes as many people who knew Ian as possible can attend this as it is a fantastic gesture by Sunderland Football Club and a great opportunity to share memories and stories of Lawsy.

RIP mate

Nice one Bri.

It's funny - my Mrs was asking if I was going to the funeral and I said probably not, as a) I can't stand funerals and b) I wasn't really a friend.
I mean, we knew each other since we were kids, and I'd speak to him when we met, but that was pretty much it. Then it dawned on me that she'd been there the last few times I'd seen him and we'd had a good chinwag, and automatically assumed that we were best mates. I think this just echos what everyone else has been saying - he had time for anyone (especially pissed up dafties bouncing around in 7even, or at Frank Turner ;))

Anyway, this SoL celebration seems like a great idea. I'll try and get some time off and head over.
 
Great stuff Bri.

That was indeed Ian, exactly as you write

I have updated the site in tribute to Ian, I shall leave it like that for 1 year

http://www.markdentonphotographic.co.uk/

That's lovely Mark. I've made Kelly aware of it but told her to have a tissue handy.

Nice one Bri.

It's funny - my Mrs was asking if I was going to the funeral and I said probably not, as a) I can't stand funerals and b) I wasn't really a friend.
I mean, we knew each other since we were kids, and I'd speak to him when we met, but that was pretty much it. Then it dawned on me that she'd been there the last few times I'd seen him and we'd had a good chinwag, and automatically assumed that we were best mates. I think this just echos what everyone else has been saying - he had time for anyone (especially pissed up dafties bouncing around in 7even, or at Frank Turner ;))

Anyway, this SoL celebration seems like a great idea. I'll try and get some time off and head over.

Get yourself along ya daft numpty. Any fan of Frank Turner is a friend of Lawsy.
 
Nice one Bri.

It's funny - my Mrs was asking if I was going to the funeral and I said probably not, as a) I can't stand funerals and b) I wasn't really a friend.
I mean, we knew each other since we were kids, and I'd speak to him when we met, but that was pretty much it. Then it dawned on me that she'd been there the last few times I'd seen him and we'd had a good chinwag, and automatically assumed that we were best mates. I think this just echos what everyone else has been saying - he had time for anyone (especially pissed up dafties bouncing around in 7even, or at Frank Turner ;))

Anyway, this SoL celebration seems like a great idea. I'll try and get some time off and head over.

Hope to see you both there

Having nightmares with the site if anyone knows any web designers that dispense free advice!

Centering a web page where the content is narrower than the screen is easy - but here I've designed the page at 1900 pixels wide and I want the image to appear in the centre on 1024, 1280 etc resolution.

Otherwise the text isn't visible without annoying scrolling

After a couple of hours scanning the web I still can't do it :neutral:

edit: sorry for going off topic, inappropriate I think

. I'll start a new thread when the web designers at back at their desks tomorrow
 
I hope as many people as possible from here will attend on Monday.
I can't speak for Ian's family, but I know for those of us at the Echo, the overwhelming response to his death and the genuine outpouring of emotion has been a huge comfort.
It's been a tough enough few days for us, and one can only imagine how awful it has been for Ian's nearest and dearest, but I'm sure they, like us, have taken comfort from the very real affection in which he was held, even by those who barely knew him.
Please make an effort on Monday - there'll be a large group of us at the church and I, for one, will be nipping home afterwards to get changed into my strip before heading to the SoL to toast Ian's memory.
I sincerely hope we see you there.
 
Anyone not sure of where the church is, iy is right next to the new Asda opposite Gateshead Stadium.
 
I feel bad that I've waited all this time to pay my respects to Ian on the board but having been a close friend of his for over 20 years it has been tremendously difficult to accept that I'm never going to see him again.

I used to stand with him on the Roker End in the Smith/Crosby/Butcher/Buxton/Reid era and then sat alongside him and his brother in the North Stand of the SOL until he deserted us to take up his dream job as sports reporter at The Sunderland Echo.

It is true that he spent one season supporting our "friends" up the road (this was before I knew him so don't blame me for that). I think it was a lad called Mark Wayman that led him astray but he was only a schoolkid at the time and he soon realised the error of his ways so I think we can let him off.

Lawsy was as passionate a Sunderland fan as you could expect to meet. Every time we won his face would light up and there was no removing that beaming smile from his face. However, he took defeats really badly and I learned pretty quickly to give him a wide berth when things didn't go our way. Thankfully he was in the press box and not sitting near me during the 19 and 15 point seasons. I think he would have been unbearable then.

Knowing how much SAFC meant to him and how passionate he was on matchdays it always surprised me that he managed to keep his cool in the press box as, when he was on the terraces, each blatant miss, incorrect refereeing decision or bad tackle by an opponent was met by a volley of abuse from Ian. I guess that proves how good he was at his job

He was a smashing lad, always there when you needed him and always able to brighten up any situation with his extremely dry sense of humour. We were drinking buddies for many years and often I would come back from the bar to see someone talking to him. At the end of their conversation when the other person walked away I would ask "Who was that?". Quite often he would reply "Don't know Bri, never met them before in my life. They just recognised me from The Echo." I think that sums him up - he was just as happy talking to complete strangers as he was people he had known most of his life.

I've spent quite a bit of time with Ian's family since he passed away and although they are, unsurprisingly, completely devastated they have taken great comfort from the huge number of tributes that have been paid to him on a wide range of websites and social media. I would particularly like to thank Graeme Anderson and Martin Emmerson for the lovely words they wrote about him.

As Echoboy has stated the funeral is next Monday and if anyone can't make it through to Gateshead for the church service there will be a short service at Sunderland Crematorium at 3pm followed by a celebration of his life (I think that's better than calling it a wake) at the SOL from 4pm. His wife told me this afternoon that she hopes as many people who knew Ian as possible can attend this as it is a fantastic gesture by Sunderland Football Club and a great opportunity to share memories and stories of Lawsy.

RIP mate

Lovely tribute Brian - I can't make the funeral because of work commitments but should get to the SoL.
 
Absolute shivers down the spine. John Murray paid tribute to Ian in the middle of commentating on QPR Wolves on 5live

I will find it on iplayer later

Must have known him well, it was a very heartfelt mention
 
Use to be the milkman for a lad who knew him well from Stratford Avenue and use to talk SAFC with him while collecting. Its was when we were in for Carsten Fredgaard and he told me Ian had been over to Denmark to see him play and do a write up on our new signing and basically said Fredgaard was total wank and knew he wouldnt make it here but couldnt really say this in his write up in the paper about are new signing :lol:

Sad loss and condolances to his family and friends RIP
 
Just back from the church - popped into the office before heading for the stadium.
Brilliant turn-out today. Thank you so much for everyone from here who made the effort to attend.
You did Lawsy proud.
 
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