I don't see how anyone could actually loath John Vinicombe - he was a really decent fella. As others have already posted, another integral part of our youth is now gone.
IN a world where there are far too many minutes silences, I would like to see a minutes applause for John at the next home game. A Hall of Famer for certain and part of the fabric of the club. I too disagreed with much of John's writing but the day we all agree on football and 'see the same game' would be time to pack it in. Cheers John.
Oh , precious memories. I have half a rain forest of John Vinicombe Albion reports in my loft. He was a one off. I remember us being 4-0 down at Swindon when , fortunately, the match was abandoned. Somehow in his review John managed to draw some positives from that performance !.
Integral part of my Albion loving history, couldn't wait to get the after-match report on a Saturday evening and used to hover outside the newsagents like a stalker waiting for it. Can't think why anyone would have a bad word for him.
Used to stand on the North West Terrace,in front of the press box,a and often used to talk to John.Always a man who had something to say,a true Albion legend RIP.
As someone has already posted, I would have loved it if he had produced an autobiography - warts and all. What tales he would have been able to tell. A Nottingham journalist wrote an award winning book about his relationship with Clough - just think what a book by JV would have produced!
We do have happy memories of reading his reports, and his legacy of the books he wrote about the Albion. I have a copy of "Up and Away" signed by the team promoted to Div 1.
RIP Albion legend.
His reports were an integral part of my Albion obsession as a lad. Travelled back on the same train as him from an away game at Man City once and had a great chat with him.
John Vincombe, Jack Arlidge - names that for many of us were forever linked with the Albion in the days when the Argus was a paper worth reading. Whatever we thought of their reports, especially when we'd been at the games, they were always worth reading. Oh for the days of the "Classified" on a Saturday evening!
When I lived in North America from '71 to '86 my Dad or friends used to send me the Monday Argus with John's write up on Albion's games. Helped to keep me in touch in the days before the interweb. Always enjoyed his reports. R.I.P.
Very sad news. Another link with the glory days at the Goldstone goes. Thanks for all the (often arguable) opinions and a couple of treasured books JV.