Roy Chuter

[Hamilton]

That is so very sad. When great players die it tends to affect us. This has had an equal effect. I was aware of Roy during the struggles. I hope the club recognises this somehow and I'm sure they will.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

I didn't know him personally, but have seen him around Withdean and am aware of his work. R.I.P. Roy, gone to the great Albion Family in the sky.

 

[Vicar!]

Word reached me yesterday afternoon in Cornwall, where oddly I had a pint in my hand as I read the news. It goes without saying Ros, the boys and I are devisated.

Roy was a witty, intelligent, belligerent old bugger. A true character who would take on the world in his own terms, and probably never had the word compromise in his dictionary.

We met in the summer of 80 on a pre season tour of Holland, and became best friends. We travelled around Europe together, sleeping on stations, trains, floors, opponents dressing rooms, and as work improved five star hotels. (Roy left through the fire exit not wanting to be seen to lower his principles and walk through the main guest lobby.)

He was at my side as best an at my wedding, when I lost my job, when I had my diagnosis. He is truely irraplaceable.

I propose a minutes drinking in Dick's Bar after a match. Details TBA.

 

[Soul Finger]

I go to know Roy well through the troubles. I remember eating huge baguettes with him and Paul C as Dick chain-smoked while they worked on the programme in their flat.

We'd always stop for a chat and discuss what was happening at our club. I popped into his pub in Shoreham with my girlfriend once and we realised we didn't have any money. He lent us a tenner so we could stay for a beer. Latterly, we'd bump in to each other on the last train after a home game.

A great bloke, and unequivocally 'one of us'.

RIP mate. Thanks for the memories...

 

[The Large One]

Make it so TLO, how would we go about that sort of thing?

Suggestion sent out to the appropriate people; came back positive.

 

[Horden]

Hartlepool United supporter here

Absolutely gutted on hearing this news. I knew Roy through meeting him in the Evening Star one wet night in October 2000 after BHA had beat us 4-2 ( zamora hat trick). Kept in touch ever since, visiting Brighton to when pools played there and lately meeting Roy when BHA played in the North East. Roy was one of the BHA fans behind the fundraising for a young Hartlepool goalkeeper who suffered serious injuries in a car crash, that will never be forgotten.I last saw him in May and he seemed okay, obviously being from afar I wasnt really aware of his problems other than his poor eyesight.He has slept on the floor of my flat and drank in both of my local pubs. A brilliant bloke who will be sorely missed by those who knew him. A loss to football as well as life itself, so sad. RIP ROY CHUTER a really canny lad

 

[fataddick]

Can only echo what others have said. Not just a walking encyclopedia of all things Albion, but football in general – we'd often chat in the Star on Saturday evenings during the season, and he usually seemed to know more about the Charlton game I'd just come from (statistical nuances, strange facts about a goal scorer, etc) than I did. Will be much missed by very many, not just within Albion and Dark Star circles, but the wider football and real ale worlds and beyond. RIP.

 

[AnotherArch]

This is the strange "connection" fellow Albion lifers feel.

I never shared a beer with Roy, may or may not have had a couple of conversations with him at some hovel of an away trip, and certainly wouldn't be able to call him a personal friend. BUT ...

... he's one of those faces, one of those fans, that you've just seen around the place, going such a long way back, through good times and bad. I've read his numerous articles down the years, I've heard him interviewed, and know plenty about all he did to get the club to where we are now. All of that adds up to a feeling that I have lost a good friend.

There's something just in the look we all share with familiar faces that says "we've both been through a lot at the Albion." Words aren't always necessary.

RIP Roy. We all owe you a lot.

My sentiments entirely. First spoke to him when he was planning a post-match ambush on Bellotti at some away ground way back in the dark days.
How many people do we see at games who we are only on nodding terms with or, even less, just a knowing look ? Or just the comfort of a familiar face.
I did no know of his background and apparent troubles, but following the Albion has always been a great leveller and 'family' bond. As Bobby Robson put it: "...the feeling of belonging..". So now the feeling of missing a senior 'family' member.

 

[Brian Riggs]

This is the strange "connection" fellow Albion lifers feel.

I never shared a beer with Roy, may or may not have had a couple of conversations with him at some hovel of an away trip, and certainly wouldn't be able to call him a personal friend. BUT ...

... he's one of those faces, one of those fans, that you've just seen around the place, going such a long way back, through good times and bad. I've read his numerous articles down the years, I've heard him interviewed, and know plenty about all he did to get the club to where we are now. All of that adds up to a feeling that I have lost a good friend.

There's something just in the look we all share with familiar faces that says "we've both been through a lot at the Albion." Words aren't always necessary.

RIP Roy. We all owe you a lot.

Superbly written, exactly how I feel. Sad, sad news.

Unfortunately for me, my early morning run yesterday took me over Ham Bridge by East Worthing station. As I rounded the corner I saw a couple of police cars and an ambulance. I put two and two together, kept my head down and ran past thinking of the poor victim and their family and friends. Little did I know it was someone I've seen many, many times over the years at the Albion.

RIP Roy. True Albion legend.

 

[Paris]

With a large section of our media recently talking about the questionable legacy left by last summers Olympic games, it seems a lot more fitting, after reading the many tributes to Roy Chuter from far and wide, to honour the true and lasting legacy left by this Albion stalwart.

UTA

 

[PFJ]

Just found out . I am truly devastated . Have known Roy since the late seventies on the Seagull Special and the like . Pre seasons in Belgium . Lots of memories , one in particular was an ale fuelled afternon in the 'Trip....' in Nottingham . He persuaded me to go to the Monsters of Rock at Castle Donington. They had beer there , but it didn't stop him leading us to The Trip to Jerusalem before going to the festival. We did a couple of those together aong with Greg.We travelled to Port Vale as well to see Motorhead headline there in 1980. I remember being stranded in a waiting room at Stafford station in the early hours and singing Stafford Bloody Stafford to the tune of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. This year I have just completed ny 33rd year at Castle Donington. .... Thank you for the memories Roy !!...
RIP mate

 

[Fourteenth Eye]

Suggestion for a tribute -

Have Dark Star and/or Harvey's brew a special ale in Roy Chuter's memory and have it available at Dick's Bar/Evening Star etc...?

Chuting Star

 

[Brovion]

A powerful reason for the ultimate success of the supporters' campaign for a new stadium was people like Roy Chuter. He was in at the start, raging against the boardroom from the Goldstone terraces. His trade was writing and he became a star attraction of Gulls Eye, reputation sealed with that hilarious letter he wrote to David Bellotti's solicitors, who had threatened to sue him. It remains the funniest piece of satire in a whole decade of campaigning.

It was every man for himself in those early days of campaigning - people used to rock up on a Saturday afternoon with whatever idea they'd dreamt up in the week. An individualist, Roy probably enjoyed this first stage of the stadium struggle more than the later ones. Even so, he linked arms with people like Ian Hart, Paul Samrah and his best friend John Baine to get the snowball rolling in those desperate early days. Without them, there might have been no later days, no Bring Home the Albion or Falmer For All campaigns, no 30,000-seat stadium, perhaps no Albion itself.

Later on, after the men in the white hats had taken control of the club, he felt it safe, with other honourable people, to move from poacher to gamekeeper. He edited the programme in those hand-to-mouth days when everyone from the printers down got used to waiting six months or more for bills to be settled, understanding the terrible lack of cashflow and doing what they could to keep the club floating.

He'd lost more than one huge Albion fan from his own family and one of his great wishes was that there should be a garden of remembrance at the stadium. He helped win that battle and he helped win another one too - that there should be real ale on tap at the Amex. There is perhaps only one way to toast him when we're next in the ground.

A loveable, gentle man, Roy Chuter was a convinced atheist. Right now, let's hope he was mistaken.

Some great posts on this thread but that is the best, an absolutely brilliant post. Over my first wave of grief now but obviously I've been thinking about him all morning. I remember him showing me that letter from Belotti's solicitors in the Prince Albert. I asked him what he was going to do, thinking he might say he'd taken legal advice or something. "I'm going to rip the piss out of it" he replied.

I'm trying to think how many Albion away games (or Attila gigs) I went to back in 'the day' when I wasn't in the same group as him or ran into him somewhere along the line. Not many is the answer, from Wembley to Grimsby he was there. Bomber, Roy and The Vicar, they always went.

'Repent and Defend!' (They made him take that banner down at Stoke. Long story)

 

[BlockDpete]

Such sad news, and gone too soon.

Had many a chat with him in the Evening Star, post match, or whenever I bumped into him. Always such an approachable bloke.

R I P Roy

 

[Mustela Furo]

Gutted by this news ...one of life's good guys and a great help to a fledgling sports writer back in the day. RIP Roy

 

[theboybilly]

I'm not an Albion 'Lifer' but always followed the results and fortunes after meeting a fan way back in the early 70s. I am now a ST holder after moving down to the coast in 1997. I'm glad to say that this gave me the opportunity to meet some wonderful Albion fans and right up there was Roy who always gave me a warm welcome when he ran the Welly. A really nice bloke who liked nothing more than talking beer or footie. I was so sorry to read of this on the Argus website this morning and these tributes on NSC go to show how well he was deservedly thought of.

RIP Roy

 

[The Oldman]

This is awful news. The word Legend gets overused these days but Roy is a Legend. How I hope he is at peace now and Thanks for everything.

 

[bWize]

Didn't know Roy but know he did a lot for the club! RIP fella!

 

[Basil Fawlty]

RIP Roy. Met him once or twice during the 90's and what we were fighting for. A absolute Legend. Had to dish out the Build the Bonfire book last night to re-read his letter to Bellotti, it was pure genius!

Very sad indeed.

 

[Sompting_Seagull]

This is the strange "connection" fellow Albion lifers feel.

I never shared a beer with Roy, may or may not have had a couple of conversations with him at some hovel of an away trip, and certainly wouldn't be able to call him a personal friend. BUT ...

... he's one of those faces, one of those fans, that you've just seen around the place, going such a long way back, through good times and bad. I've read his numerous articles down the years, I've heard him interviewed, and know plenty about all he did to get the club to where we are now. All of that adds up to a feeling that I have lost a good friend.

There's something just in the look we all share with familiar faces that says "we've both been through a lot at the Albion." Words aren't always necessary.

RIP Roy. We all owe you a lot.

Kinda what I wanted to say but put much better, RIP Roy.