Paul Whelch RIP

[Brovion]

Don't think I ever met him personally but I often heard his name 'mentioned in despatches'. Thank God there were people like him around when we needed them.

Thank you sir, and RIP.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Extremely sad news. I spoke to paul many times and he was very knowledgable and pleasant guy.

His efforts in saving our club and making all this possible cannot be underestimated.

RIP Paul.

 

[Claude samdamme]

RIP Paul

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Funny memories of litter-picking after games at Withdean under Paul's organisation. He would give you the picker and a bag and then give you your route and remind you how to do it. There was no need for him to do that, because the people who volunteered would have cleared the area without guidance, but he just cared and wanted to know he'd done everything necessary to see the job done well. It was that sort of attention to detail that got the stadium.

The residents of Withdean who were so against us playing there, at first, were sad to see us go in 2011, because the area was so clean & tidy, due to Paul's diligence.

 

[ROSM]

As others have said , he was a quieter but no less forceful person. With an analytical and quizzical mind.

During the Bring Home the Albion campaign, he was atvthe forefront of a battle that helped strengthen our case.

Initially, SWEAT (save withdean environment action team) had carte Blanche to say they spoke on behalf of all of that area in opposing us playing there. But Paul who had been born and brought up in the locale and with family still there, was able to pull together a group of such a size that we could demonstrate that the anti group weren't speaking for everyone. That group WISH (withdean invite the seagulls home) was key in neutralizing and marginalizing the anti argument.

He was a quiet general all the way from the fight against archer , through the battle for withdean and on to fight for falmer.

A true fan

 

[half time scores]

Rest in peace Paul,
Thank you for everything you did for our club.
My thoughts are with you and everyone you loved.

 

[surlyseagull]

Decent guy who never sought the limelight but did so much for our beloved club .RIP old chap

 

[bravohotelalpha]

The residents of Withdean who were so against us playing there, at first, were sad to see us go in 2011, because the area was so clean & tidy, due to Paul's diligence.

I remember so many of the locals sadly waving us goodbye when the time to leave Withdean

 

[Hamilton]

Without people like Paul Whelch, and the many others that did so much to raise awareness of what was being done to our club - you know who you are - there would be no Amex; there would be no hope of promotion to the top flight.

Everything we are experiencing now; every emotion, is thanks to people like Paul.

Yes, Dick Knight stepped in and did amazing work with Martin Perry in steering the club through dark years and back to Brighton. Yes Tony Bloom has done amazing things in building the club up and in retaining so much of the culture that is important to Brighton - a true fan. But, without those original campaign heroes, there would be nothing at Falmer but a field with cows grazing in it. We'd be passing the Goldstone retail park each day and banging the steering wheel in anger and with regret. Our youngsters would be wearing Chelsea shirts and never believing that Brighton ever had a team that played at Wembley.

People like Paul Whelch, Sarah Watts, Roy Chuter and others saved this club. They don't need a statue or a plaque or anything like that, but they deserve to live long in our memories.

 

[The Oldman]

Such sad news. Another hero of ours gone too soon. Roy, Sarah and now Paul. Thank you for all you have done. I hope Paul's family find some consolation in all the tributes here. RIP Paul.

 

[1234andcounting]

RIP Paul. A quiet but fundamentally decent man who worked hard for what he believed in without expecting any praise or glory. Thanks for all you did during those turbulent times, I hadn't realised how much you had done.

I don't believe in an afterlife, but if there is such a thing, it would be nice to think of Paul, Roy and Sarah sitting together in a celestial executive box watching our first game in the PL.

 

[Mr Blobby]

I have known Paul for a long time, enjoyed many a pint with him, usually in a pub near the staton at some northern town after an Albion defeat in the dark old days. He was a true hero in the battle to save our club. He was always there to do the litter patrol after the Withdean games as promised by the club, he was instrumental as other have stated more eloquently than I can in the battle to get our club back in safe hands. I will for a long time still expect Paul to pop up at random away games and have a chat about the game we have just seen and the beers discovered that day. Sadly another familiar face gone but will not be forgotten. RIP mate.

 

[rocker959]

Without people like Paul Whelch, and the many others that did so much to raise awareness of what was being done to our club - you know who you are - there would be no Amex; there would be no hope of promotion to the top flight.

Everything we are experiencing now; every emotion, is thanks to people like Paul.

Yes, Dick Knight stepped in and did amazing work with Martin Perry in steering the club through dark years and back to Brighton. Yes Tony Bloom has done amazing things in building the club up and in retaining so much of the culture that is important to Brighton - a true fan. But, without those original campaign heroes, there would be nothing at Falmer but a field with cows grazing in it. We'd be passing the Goldstone retail park each day and banging the steering wheel in anger and with regret. Our youngsters would be wearing Chelsea shirts and never believing that Brighton ever had a team that played at Wembley.

People like Paul Whelch, Sarah Watts, Roy Chuter and others saved this club. They don't need a statue or a plaque or anything like that, but they deserve to live long in our memories.

Superbly put . RIP to all 3 of them . The campaigners and protesters efforts should never be forgotten .

 

[Brian Fantana]

Life can be so cruel sometimes. RIP Paul

I can only re-iterate what others have eloquently said on the thread so far - a REAL hero. If there was any more motivation required for us to get over the finishing line during the next few weeks, doing it for Paul, Sarah and Roy should be right up there.

 

[DerekZoolander]

Will completely admit to not knowing who he was, seeing as I would have been 3/4 years old when all the original protests were going on etc. But just reading what people were saying about his tireless efforts to save the club that he loved, just as I love it now, will mean I'm forever in his debt.

Rest In Peace Paul.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Without people like Paul Whelch, and the many others that did so much to raise awareness of what was being done to our club - you know who you are - there would be no Amex; there would be no hope of promotion to the top flight.

Everything we are experiencing now; every emotion, is thanks to people like Paul.

Yes, Dick Knight stepped in and did amazing work with Martin Perry in steering the club through dark years and back to Brighton. Yes Tony Bloom has done amazing things in building the club up and in retaining so much of the culture that is important to Brighton - a true fan. But, without those original campaign heroes, there would be nothing at Falmer but a field with cows grazing in it. We'd be passing the Goldstone retail park each day and banging the steering wheel in anger and with regret. Our youngsters would be wearing Chelsea shirts and never believing that Brighton ever had a team that played at Wembley.

People like Paul Whelch, Sarah Watts, Roy Chuter and others saved this club. They don't need a statue or a plaque or anything like that, but they deserve to live long in our memories.

There are plaques/memorials in the Remembrance garden at the Amex.

 

[rippleman]

Such very sad news but some really wonderful tributes from those who knew him well.

If it comes to pass that we achieve promotion this year we should take a moment to remember those who worked so hard for our club over many years but who are no longer with us to share our moment of joy.

Thank you Paul. RIP

 

[The Albion Roar]

On the day the Amex Stadium opened, and Radio Reverb allowed us to have the 'Breakfast' slot on the Saturday morning from 8am-10am.

Paul Whelch was our first guest on that day, and he covered the early parts of the 'War Years' story. You can hear his enthusiasm and tenacity coming through that historic morning.

You can listen to Paul on his first appearance on The Albion Roar from that day - 30th July 2011.

http://albionroar.co.uk/media/files/download.php?file=breakfast-show-part1.mp3

 

[pearl]

I never met him, but knew who he was. Sad news

Rest in Peace Paul

 

[Titanic]

I met Paul a few times, through Seagulls over London, always got on very easily - lots of stories to tell! It's great to read and hear more about him here.

RIP Paul... and Up the Albion!