http://www.chelseafc.com/article.asp?hlid=351409 Tony Banks - a Chelsea life Sunday, Jan 08, 2006 Nothing gave Tony Banks, who died earlier this evening, greater pleasure than spending time with his football heroes of the 1955 Championship team. In 1995, 40 years after they had won their title, he united the remaining members of the side at a dinner at the House of Commons. Many of them had not met for those 40 years. It was the team's first reunion, and it was a major feat to find them and bring them together. He did it for one major reason — the players themselves. He wanted them to be acknowledged for their achievements, and believed the only way to do it was to make them a team again. Then, despite being a campaigning left-wing Labour MP, he took them to the office of Conservative prime minister John Major, a Chelsea fan himself who had attended games that Championship season, and introduced them to the leader of the country. Since then, Tony has spent many hours in supporting those old boys, players who never enjoyed financial success from the game. He tirelessly raised money for them, organised regular reunions, and continued to enjoy their company. But that wasn't his only Chelsea team. Every side since then has been a team he has supported. In the last few years he has held regular lunches to discuss and celebrate all things Chelsea, including organising pressure to bear on Chelsea authority on numerous issues, at which ex-players and supporters spanning the last 50 years have been present. One moment encapsulates his attitude to supporting Chelsea perfectly. On the night of January 25th, 1997, he had a dream. Chelsea were playing Liverpool next day in the FA Cup and won 4-2. Next day on January 26th, of course, Chelsea were playing Liverpool in the FA Cup. So he put ￡20 on us winning 4-2. At half-time Liverpool led 2-0. With ten minutes remaining Gianluca Vialli scored for Chelsea to lead 4-2. Tony was sitting in the directors' box, and raced forward to shake chairman Ken Bates from behind and tell him how glorious the afternoon was but that we mustn't have anymore goals. He returned to his seat as the teams kicked off again, but immediately went storming back down to the chairman, shook him once more and exclaimed: “Oh, **** it! Let's score again!” Once he became an MP in 1983 and found it easier to gain access to the people in authority at Chelsea, he was constantly at their door and on the phone. He developed a love-hate relationship with Ken Bates, he openly challenged the assumption that the arrival of Roman Abramovich was automatically good, he met regularly with new chairman Bruce Buck in order to express and allay his fears, and ultimately he joined the Centenary Committee on which he was the leading light. Recently he had been in talks with the club about setting up a trust fund for old players who hadn't enjoyed the benefits of the lucrative years of being a footballer. In essence, if someone was ‘Chelsea’ he loved them because they shared his indomitable passion. He loved the European trips. Earlier this season he was out in Seville for Chelsea's game with Real Betis, walking round the city with a group of friends, enjoying the local restaurants, and speaking out about the dull pre-match press conference which he managed to witness and the disappointing performance of the team. His time as sports minister interfered with his support of Chelsea, and he regularly dashed by train or plane from some function in order to make Stamford Bridge at kick-off. He cursed his responsibilities — and he cursed them colourfully — when he had to miss a match. Like any fan, he was in love with the club because he loved being at matches. He kept books, programmes, mementoes, he bid at auctions for memorabilia — especially if it was going to a Chelsea cause, he became a regular on Chelsea TV where he was always entertaining. Last time he was on live he joined 1955 hero Frank Blunstone, and took him out for dinner afterwards. At 62 years old, he may have died young, but with his incomparable energy he has packed several lifetimes of supporting Chelsea into his own. Many people, especially the players of 1955, will miss him enormously. But all fans and the club itself will miss his contribution to our progress. A very bright light has gone out. Thankfully, it has left its mark. by Neil Barnett -- 當我漫遊在斯坦弗森林時，我看見了雀爾西，米爾斯的女兒，在傍晚初升的明月中， 在泰晤士河旁一處林地空間上翩然舞蹈。所有痛苦的記憶都離開了我，我像落入迷離 幻境中一般，因為雀爾西是伊露維塔兒女中最美的一位。她身上那襲藍色的衣裳宛如 萬里無雲的晴空，她灰色的眼睛像是傍晚群星閃爍的天空；她的斗篷上繡著金色的花 朵，她的頭髮漆黑如暮色中的陰影。她的榮光與美好，就像樹葉上的光芒，像是潺潺 流水，像是這迷離世界上方閃爍的繁星；她臉上有閃亮的光輝。 --

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