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The Watermill Wino

Coach Guru⭐🦐
It was a sad day all round yesterday as we discover that Christopher (He's Always Late ) Berry was running his Last coach for the Shrimpers Trust yesterday.
For 7 Long and late years he has organised, rearranged, delivered Shrimpers, answered the calls of the stranded and taken abuse. It was a huge task he undertook but never waivered from the call. Chris had tried to quit the post a number of times because of the demands on him and his family but still couldn't or more acurately was persuaded not to.
In those years of travelling the Berry Bullet he has seen our beloved team go from us facing conference football,falling attendences, scandels to bankruptcy staring us in the face to where we are now.
You could say he's been a Bloody Jinx and good riddance.
Only kidding, Chris has done a fantastic job for the Trust as well as the club with all him and his families efforts and should be recognised for this.
Apart from the Abuse have you ever wondered what is involved in organising away trips? Easy is it? I don't think so. Sometimes he and Rosemary would have their whole lounge floor covered with paper so they could make sure they haven't forgot anyone, Chris would sometimes wake up in the middle of a game, no I meant in the middle of the night just to check that EVERYONE was definitely accounted for.
As for phone calls some people? would ring him up at 5-30 am like yesterday to see if their was any seats left, or 5 plus calls on Christmas Day to try and book for Norwich, or he would run around to collect spare tickets for fans who didn't have any for a game. He would also ring round to confirm flimsey "could i reserve a seat and confirm with you later" calls.. Bearing in mind he Never got paid by anyone for these tasks we are losing a Hero.
In his time of office? When we first hooked up with him, we have been some of the 26 fans who went to Swansea in the LDV when our recent history really started.We broke down a few times, the worst was Swansea again getting home at 8 o'clock in the morning. The record we set at Reading services when we got Free refills of soft drink some 64 times and the receipt we used for these free refills was found anyway.
The fancy dress awaydays when I wandered onto the Grimsby pitch and stood eye to eye with a police horse...I was dressed as a Womble. The coach attack at Hull, the grief at Carlise when we sent them down and who can forget our chipshop stop at a small country village on the way back after games. Even here he would phone through the orders so when we arrived they were waiting for us, then we would get off the coach walk towards the chippy and go straight passed it and into the George pub. Not of course forgetting the Finals and Big cup games.

Thanks to all your efforts in the past Chris, Rosemary, Thomas and Ben
 
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Top man, sorted out extra coach for Ipwich within minutes of saying it was fully booked, but relising he needed more he was straight on the case and called me back about an hour later saying there were now an extra coach running so i could go :)


Top top bloke
 
Yeah chris has been a great help during the day ie for yesterdays game i phoned on the friday night when i phoned at 8:30 got me on the coach i wanted and also said they were seeing tickets at the ground only for me to get on the coach and find i had a ticket there waiting
 
I can't imagine what a pain in the a**e that job is, especially when grumpy b&stards like me start moaning. Well done mate for lasting so long, you've done a great Job!
 
Just been trying to book seats for away travel to souhampton, t'internet only gives the number of chris berry anyone have any idea of who to contact.
 
Just been trying to book seats for away travel to souhampton, t'internet only gives the number of chris berry anyone have any idea of who to contact.

Try those numbers, Chris does not 'retire' until after the Southampton Game
 
You can still book seats via Chris, it was his running of coaches which is up.His replacement(s) will be announced in due course by The Shrimpers Trust.
You can still book in the Shrimpers bar on match days as normal.
 
Firstly thanks to everyone for the words of praise for my (and my family's) efforts from the last seven years. I am packing up organising the travel at the end of the season, I must admit that I wanted to pack before Christmas but was talked out of it, the reasons for which I will not prepared to go into at the moment.

I will still be taking bookings for the away matches against Preston, Plymouth and Southampton so keep ringing the usual numbers (but not at 5.30 in the morning!!). I will not be running the coaches on the day of these games due to other commitments.

There is a chance that I may end running a coach to Southampton, on the last day of the season, as people are giving me stick about not doing that game by coach. IF there is to be a last "late" "Berry Bullet" that day I will try and do something special for the occasion.

Who knows, whoever takes over may ask me to run a coach on matchday in the future (if they can put up with me!!) so you may not get rid of me that easy !!

Thanks Again
 

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