Graham Bint RIP

[Rhodes]

Really shocked and saddened to hear that Graham Bint died last Wednesday, I knew he had been ill and, as a result, had reluctantly stepped down as Secretary at Chalk Lane. I'm sure that many of us dealt with Graham over the years in our administrative duties when Cockfosters were an SSML Club and met him at games, RIP Graham, you will be missed:

Graham Bint, the much loved and widely respected former player and Club Secretary of Cockfosters, died yesterday at the age of 77. 

Graham joined Cockfosters as a young goalkeeper in the late 1950s, and apart from a single season at Hertford Town, spent the whole of his sporting life with the Chalk Lane club, being an essential part of the Herts County League winning side of 1966/67. 

After his playing days were over, Graham took on many different roles at the club, and in 1988 became Club Secretary, a role which he fulfilled with quiet dignity and ruthless efficiency until last week, when his condition finally forced him to step down. In his working life, Graham had been an assessor in the insurance industry. This, it is believed, is the source of the rare form of asbestosis which ultimately led to his death. 

Graham's death leaves an enormous hole in the already tiny family that is Cockfosters - an absence that will be felt every single day. 
 

[Savagebee]

4 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Really shocked and saddened to hear that Graham Bint died last Wednesday, I knew he had been ill and, as a result, had reluctantly stepped down as Secretary at Chalk Lane. I'm sure that many of us dealt with Graham over the years in our administrative duties when Cockfosters were an SSML Club and met him at games, RIP Graham, you will be missed:

Graham Bint, the much loved and widely respected former player and Club Secretary of Cockfosters, died yesterday at the age of 77. 

Graham joined Cockfosters as a young goalkeeper in the late 1950s, and apart from a single season at Hertford Town, spent the whole of his sporting life with the Chalk Lane club, being an essential part of the Herts County League winning side of 1966/67. 

After his playing days were over, Graham took on many different roles at the club, and in 1988 became Club Secretary, a role which he fulfilled with quiet dignity and ruthless efficiency until last week, when his condition finally forced him to step down. In his working life, Graham had been an assessor in the insurance industry. This, it is believed, is the source of the rare form of asbestosis which ultimately led to his death. 

Graham's death leaves an enormous hole in the already tiny family that is Cockfosters - an absence that will be felt every single day. 
 

Very sad newes.

I always enjoyed my visits to Cockfosters FC its a nice little club and I remember that they used to produce a decent programme as well.

I was told a few weeks ago that former Hanwell Town FC striker and Club Legend Will Healey has signed for Cockfosters FC.

Edited August 25, 2019 by Savagebee

[Winslow Boy]

Didn’t know him, but clearly a non league man and a proper club man. Not many left. Sad news. 

[Rhodes]

Winslow Boy - Graham was known as 'Mr Cockfosters', that says it all really, as you say they don't make them like that anymore:

https://essexseniorleague.co.uk/sad-news-cockfosters-fc/

 

[Jonno]

Very sad indeed. Known Graham for many, many years and his loss will be felt by Cockfosters and local non league football as a whole. 

[Rhodes]

Just so Graham isn't forgotten, not that he ever will be, an Essex Senior League fixture was played in his honour on Saturday 17 October between Cockfosters and Hashtag United, fittingly there was a sell out attendance at Chalk Lane:

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/cockfosters/news/its-top-of-the-table-for-the-top-man-2576907.html

Edited November 6, 2020 by Rhodes

[Daily Dose]

Lovely fella, RIP ❤️

[petethegreek]

Top guy was Graham.

[agamemnon3]

You probably didn't notice, but the brief obituary which you purloined from another forum and reproduced in your original post, was written by one agamemnon3.

On the other forum's old operating system, it was possible to ascertain how many viewings each individual post had received.  At Graham's funeral a few weeks later, therefore, I was able to show Margaret, his widow, that more than nine hundred people had read what I had written about him.  She was very touched.

A good and decent man, sorely missed. 

[Winslow Boy]

20 hours ago, agamemnon3 said:

You probably didn't notice, but the brief obituary which you purloined from another forum and reproduced in your original post, was written by one agamemnon3.

On the other forum's old operating system, it was possible to ascertain how many viewings each individual post had received.  At Graham's funeral a few weeks later, therefore, I was able to show Margaret, his widow, that more than nine hundred people had read what I had written about him.  She was very touched.

A good and decent man, sorely missed. 

Well done mate, what a nice thing that you were able to do something to bring her some comfort b

[agamemnon3]

Thank you WB.

Margaret isn't remotely interested in football, and so was amazed to find that so many people would be interested in reading something about Graham.  She was also only expecting about thirty at the funeral, rather than the one hundred and twenty who turned up.  She's a nice woman, and I'd like to think that it made a difficult day for her just that little bit easier. 

 

[Rhodes]

Yes, well done Agamemnon3, it was also nice that the Non League Paper mentioned Graham's sad passing in their Sunday 1 September 2019 issue:

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-non-league-football-paper/20190901/282153587954667

[Rhodes]

On 07/11/2020 at 17:23, petethegreek said:

Top guy was Graham

Well at least we are finally agreed on something. I see that it will be Cockfosters Centenary next year and it's such a crying shame that Graham won't be here to enjoy it. He must have enjoyed the Chalk Lane Club's 75th anniversary campaign in 1996/97, the season prior to the Spartan League and South Midlands League merging to form the SSML, Cockfosters were founder members and placed in the Premier Division South however finished bottom that first campaign and were relegated to the Senior Division. Graham is pictured on the standard front cover of all the programmes that season, this one happens to be against Ruislip Manor in a SSML Premier Division South fixture: 

[Rhodes]

Remembering Graham Bint shortly after the third anniversary of his sad death on 21 August 2019, it's three years ago already since Graham was cruelly taken from us but he will never be forgotten, I believe Cockfosters hold a Memorial Day at Chalk Lane every year:

[Rhodes]

The Cockfosters v Biggleswade United Premier Division fixture on Saturday 6 April will be a Memorial to Graham Bint:

[agamemnon3]

Anyone intending to pay their respects to the great man should be aware that this game is now being played at Biggleswade.

Somewhere in the great football crowd in the sky I can hear Graham laughing...