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King Michel - a final tribute



Hiney

Super Moderator
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
19,396
Penrose, Cornwall
I think it is a good job I was spending a few days away from nsc at its request last week as I learned that my hero, my passion, my leader, my god, Michel Kuipers - Brighton and Hove Albion number one was no more. I may not have been responsible for my actions had I not been.

It is impossible for me to sum up the way this man has touched my life and all of yours in his decade-long success story in mere words. Indeed, I could not do so even with emotion and action too. But I will try.

For as long as I can remember, Michel has been a flair icon, goalkeeping genius and all-round good egg. He will probably never know just how much he has meant to me for so long, and will continue to for as long as I walk this land. From the moment I set eyes on him I knew I was in love. Big, strong, black, lovely voice, fit, and utterly flair - EVERYTHING you want in a goalie. In my opinion, this man was more responsible for us winning two championships in a row than Bobby Zamora and he is the ultimate albion hero of my time by some way. He should be remembered as so by a lot more people.

For many it is about the saves - Bristol City, Forest, Wolves, Blackpool and all the rest. But for me it has been about the flair. Hot-headed, rash and eager he was, committed and sometimes wrong most certainly. But this made him all the more perfect.

I will not go into what I feel about Gus Poyet for this heinous act, or Tony Bloom for allowing it to happen and not overruling his blundering manager. This is a tribute to the man who has shaped my teens and early 20s. Life will not be the same, Brighton and Hove Albion will not be the same. I am considering my own future in light of this, and not renewing my ST is a possibility for the first time in 12 years. A part of me and part of my support has died and will never return. But Michel, do not have this on your conscience. You gave your all, you saw off 25 other keepers, and whatever we paid you you were worth DOUBLE. There will never be another.

All I have now are the memories, but they are enough to keep me going for a lifetime.

Thankyou for listening and god bless,
x

Get over it you f***ing BENDER
 








hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,763
Chandlers Ford
Let me get this right? He was worth DOUBLE the NOTHING we paid for him...?

:dunce:
 


philsussex

New member
Dec 9, 2006
5,266
Good Old Sussex By the Sea
A little OTT but there's no doubting he was a GREAT servant to the club.

Very glad he'll be back at the club in some form in the future.

Good luck Michel and look forward to your testimonial and having you back at our club in the future. :thumbsup:
 










mcshane in the 79th

New member
Nov 4, 2005
10,485
Probably just me, but did anyone else see the title and starting reading the first sentance and think he was posting about Michael Jackson?
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Probably just me, but did anyone else see the title and starting reading the first sentance and think he was posting about Michael Jackson?

No as soon as I saw who had posted it I knew that it would be to praise Michel Kuipers and slate Poyet and Bloom for realising that his best years are behind him and that we now have a better all round keeper whether he be the no 1 or back up to a new No 1 in Beezovan. With Mitch Walker being such a good prospect there is simply no room for MK on the playing staff. Does anybody know what his non playing role will entail. Good luck for the future Michel and thanks for the good times.
 




SW17

New member
Jan 2, 2007
177
South London
Bit deep really. But he was a legend. Remember that game against Tranmere in 2001? Tranmere wouldn't have got past him if they were still playing now!
 


SULLY COULDNT SHOOT

Loyal2Family+Albion!
Sep 28, 2004
11,344
Izmir, Southern Turkey
TCB... I appreciate everything you say. We have all idolised playersd who made an impact when we were young. But surely if you are a committed supporter the club is bigger than the team? You really are playing into the hands of those who have attacked you in the past by suggesting that your support of the Albion depends on one player. It devalues you.

Kuipers gave you ten years... think yourself lucky.. soem of us never got more than a couple of years out of our idols... or then again maybe that made it easier for us to value the club over one player.
 




Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Love Story

On a dark moonless summer night, with only occasional bolts of heat lightning to relieve the blackness, complete Badger stretched her stiff legs as best as she could while driving the rented moving van. All her worldly possessions were stuffed behind her as she drove the long five hour trip. She turned left onto a gravel road, almost there now, almost to her new home in the country and to her new life in nearby burgess hill.

Off in the distance, an orange, yellow, and red glow flickered on the horizon. A fire! Oh no! complete Badger pulled into the long winding driveway as flames leaped, dancing in the wind, while devouring the old weathered wood barn. She jumped from the van and ran toward the blaze. That barn was supposed to be an animal shelter and headquarters for her new job. complete Badger felt like she was watching a funeral pyre for her new life. What kind of sign was this for her new beginning?

The fire, hot as the hinges of hell, singed her brown hair as she ran into the choking cloud of billowing black smoke. She collided into what felt like a brick wall and her knees buckled.

"Whoa, little lady." Large gentle hands clasped her shoulders to stop her from falling upon impact, and then guided her back out of the heat.

complete Badger's heart caught at the sound of the deep, rich baritone voice. His chocolate eyes locked onto her blue ones then widened with surprise. Or was it appreciation? Perhaps the scorching heat was roasting her thinking processes? Something soft squirmed against her chest before she realized his brawny arms were filled with whimpering ferrets. He was rescuing the baby animals! Although glistening with sweat and smudged with charcoal, too sooty to distinguish his features, he seemed like a knight in not-quite shimmering armor. "Who are you?" complete Badger whispered.

"I'm Michel." Michel remembered his manners at the same time as the wiggling weights in arms. "Here." He thrust the bundle of panicky ferrets into her arms before brushing a stray lock of brown hair from her lovely heart-shaped face. He took a giant step back, away from the temptation of her feminine and voluptuous form. Michel wondered why no one warned him that she was such a beauty. "You must be complete Badger, the new vet," he tossed back over his shoulder as he again ran toward the barn to save more animal shelter strays.

complete Badger settled the newborn ferrets on the grass, well away from the blazing barn, as fire engines roared into the driveway. Firemen hollered out directions to each other, working in harmony with hoses to blast water into flames. Michel hauled out the baby ferret's mother, handing it and three more strays to complete Badger, before dashing back for another rescue.

Professionals that they were, the firemen had the inferno down to a smolder in no time. One of the fire fighters led complete Badger to a large neighboring ranch house at the end of the lane and told her the owner said for her take care of the rescued animals there.

Although she kept her hands busy by washing the smoky scent from the ferrets, her mind zoomed from one worry to another with the speed of a NASCAR race. What would she do now? What about her job at the animal shelter? Now that the barn burned, where would she live if not in the loft? Did God have something personal against her, for her fresh start to begin with disaster? Wasn't it all but a flashing neon sign advertising that she'd made a wrong decision to move here?

Oh no. Would her new veterinarian partner want to rebuild the animal shelter? She'd never spoken with him directly, but had been interviewed by the relocating vet who was to hire a replacement partner. What did the future hold for her?

complete Badger sighed deeply. Only two hours ago she was giddy with glee, full of positive attitude, and excited at the potential for the new direction she was taking with her life.

Despite the animal shelter in ashes down the lane, again and again, she wondered just WHO precisely was Michel? Where had he come from and would she see him again? He wasn't what she would call handsome, covered head to toe in grime, but there was something about him -- something she liked. Something she hadn't felt for a very long time. Something that happened instantly when their gaze met. Well, complete Badger conceded, their head-on collision could have knocked her senses out of whack. She'd simply misread their physical impact. Nah. It wasn't chemistry.

She no sooner settled the ferrets into a make-shift bed, than she heard the smooth baritone that complete Badger recalled from earlier. She turned her head toward its source and her mouth went dry. Surely this wasn't Michel? This man was freshly showered, his features no longer smudged and indistinguishable. She inhaled deeply as she detected the pleasant sensation of his pure masculine scent. With his ebony coloring, black hair, and chocolate eyes that also held a mixture of humor, wisdom, and kindness, the man before her could give any number of professional male models a run for their money in the fluttering-of-the-female heart department. The smoky voice was saying something, but her heart was thudding too unevenly to hear. This man couldn't possibly be Michel-the-ferret-rescuer, could he?

Yet he smiled slowly at her gaping mouth and that rich deep tone rumbled, "You okay, complete Badger?"

Wow! Swallowing hard, she forced her gaze away from his chocolate one before her face could betray her thoughts. He looked like a modern-day gladiator with broad shoulders, corded neck, and perfectly sculpted face. When she dared another glance, he stared at her for a moment. From the twitching at the corner of his mouth, complete Badger guessed he was trying to hold back a laugh. She wasn't sure if she wanted to slap him or kiss him now. Instead, she cleared her throat. Twice. "I'm fine thanks."

Michel leaned his back against the wall and stuck his hands in his belt loops, regarding her with that same lazy, sexy smile. Disturbed, complete Badger looked away.

Michel held out one large hand. "I'm Michel Kuipers by the way." When her much smaller hand gripped his in a handshake, Michel attempted to regulate his breathing. He'd prayed for God to make the way clear, to make the path obvious in the direction Michel should take his life. Now this woman was fresh-out of places to live until the barn was reconstructed. How did you invite a gorgeous woman you've just met to spend the night without making it sound like a pick-up line? "Welcome to burgess hill, complete Badger."

She snorted ineloquently. "Yeah sure. I arrive just in time for heat lightning to strike and start an inferno. Some omen, huh?"

Michel tried to catch his breath, reminding himself of why he couldn't let himself like her. Or touch her voluptuous body. Yet he couldn't release the smooth peaches and cream hand in his. Her touch was affecting him like being struck with a white-hot bolt of heat lightning. "Hmm. Start an inferno is right."

He reluctantly released her hand when she tugged. She nibbled on her bottom lip as her blue eyes narrowed on him. Her honey-sweet voice seemed to pick up a little spice when she asked, "How was it that you were there at the fire so quickly?"

"I live here."

She swallowed hard, then practically squeaked her realization. "YOU." It wasn't a question. For the first time, Michel wondered if the attraction went both ways. She didn't sound necessarily pleased about it. In fact, her next statement sounded more like an accusation. "YOU are my new partner!"

Michel nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Dr. Michel Kuipers D.V.M. at your service." When she all but growled her frustration, he added, "Don't worry. We'll rebuild."

She tossed her hands in the air before hitching a thumb back toward the lane. "I can't exactly live in that moving van while the shelter is under construction."

Michel took a step toward her and closed the gap. He watched her breathing speed up. "You can live with me until then. There's lots of rooms to choose from. I look forward to a long and fruitful relationship."

She shook her head, flipping brown hair back over her shoulder, then tipped her stubborn chin in the air. "That's partnership, mister. Not relationship."

"Yes," Michel agreed. "That too. It takes an equal partnership for any relationship to work. After you interviewed for the job, the vet you're replacing told me you're sweet, big-hearted, and a good doctor. He failed, however, to mention how beautiful you are."

She grumbled, "He failed to mention my future partner could double for a male model if he needed a change of employment." She whipped her eyes off his form-fitting t-shirt.

Michel shook his head. Oh yes, this would be interesting. She was definitely interested in him whether she wished it so or not. God had definitely handed Michel a blessing when He sent complete Badger. The animal shelter burning down was like a flashing neon sign for Michel's life, sending complete Badger into more than his business, sending her into his home as well. God was looking out for complete Badger, too. She just didn't realize it yet.

Michel motioned toward the hallway. "Pick a room, any room, for your stay. Then I'll help you carry in your suitcases so you can shower away the smoke and soot from the fire. In the morning, I'll help you unload the moving van." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Welcome home, Dr. complete Badger ."

With that, complete Badger spun around and practically stomped toward the hallway.

Michel smiled after her. Feisty. Dang but if he didn't like that about her too.

The End - Happily Ever Afters.



*sniff*



Personalize and Create Your Own Summer Romance Story
 




Barrel of Fun

Abort, retry, fail
I think it is a good job I was spending a few days away from nsc at its request last week as I learned that my hero, my passion, my leader, my god, Michel Kuipers - Brighton and Hove Albion number one was no more. I may not have been responsible for my actions had I not been.

It is impossible for me to sum up the way this man has touched my life and all of yours in his decade-long success story in mere words. Indeed, I could not do so even with emotion and action too. But I will try.

For as long as I can remember, Michel has been a flair icon, goalkeeping genius and all-round good egg. He will probably never know just how much he has meant to me for so long, and will continue to for as long as I walk this land. From the moment I set eyes on him I knew I was in love. Big, strong, black, lovely voice, fit, and utterly flair - EVERYTHING you want in a goalie. In my opinion, this man was more responsible for us winning two championships in a row than Bobby Zamora and he is the ultimate albion hero of my time by some way. He should be remembered as so by a lot more people.

For many it is about the saves - Bristol City, Forest, Wolves, Blackpool and all the rest. But for me it has been about the flair. Hot-headed, rash and eager he was, committed and sometimes wrong most certainly. But this made him all the more perfect.

I will not go into what I feel about Gus Poyet for this heinous act, or Tony Bloom for allowing it to happen and not overruling his blundering manager. This is a tribute to the man who has shaped my teens and early 20s. Life will not be the same, Brighton and Hove Albion will not be the same. I am considering my own future in light of this, and not renewing my ST is a possibility for the first time in 12 years. A part of me and part of my support has died and will never return. But Michel, do not have this on your conscience. You gave your all, you saw off 25 other keepers, and whatever we paid you you were worth DOUBLE. There will never be another.

All I have now are the memories, but they are enough to keep me going for a lifetime.

Thankyou for listening and god bless,
x

:clap:

Take each day as it comes. The hurt will subside. The memories are there forever.
 




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