Jim was solely at Watford for a short while however he actually loved every little thing that went on there. He liked his initiation, the place he needed to be taught and carry out Gangsta’s Paradise in entrance of the entire squad. He approached that in his standard style: he labored actually arduous to get it proper however he had quite a lot of enjoyable with it. He liked every little thing about Watford and he was actually excited to get began there. He picked up a little bit harm in a pre-season sport, which aggravated him, however he couldn’t wait to be match once more so he might get going and present everybody what he might do. Again at United, the squad at the moment was so arduous to get into, with a lot competitors in each place, that realistically we’ve no concept what Jim’s subsequent step would have been in his profession after Watford.
The tragedy is that we’ll by no means know.
On 8 August, 2003, Jimmy was at his lodge in Watford the night time earlier than the primary sport of the season. He knew he wouldn’t be enjoying, so he determined to come back dwelling to Redditch for the night time with the plan of getting up early and heading again to Vicarage Street so he might have some physio and be on the sport. He was attributable to drive again early along with his mate Tim. So he got here again, he and Tim went out into city and he acquired a taxi dwelling within the early hours.
I heard him are available in. I used to be solely half-asleep as a result of, while you’ve acquired children, you’re by no means actually asleep after they’re out, are you? Jim would usually clamber onto Ry’s mattress and provides him a cuddle whereas he was asleep, so I heard him try this and I went to sleep.
Once I acquired up the subsequent morning, Jim’s footwear have been within the corridor, which struck me as unusual. They have been the footwear he was alleged to be sporting to the sport. So I attempted phoning him. No reply. I saved making an attempt him however couldn’t get in contact.
Then, later that morning, when the information was introduced that the Watford sport was cancelled, I knew one thing was flawed. I phoned the police station in Watford they usually couldn’t inform me something. I simply saved saying to them that I had an terrible feeling as a result of I couldn’t get in contact with Jim.
Not lengthy afterwards, the police turned up at our door and that was it. The terrible information. Jimmy had set off for Watford within the early hours, crashed his automotive and died.
I simply misplaced it. I couldn’t cope. I couldn’t course of what it meant.
Our Jim was gone.
You wouldn’t want that feeling in your worst enemy, let me let you know. It’s at all times so unhappy and horrendous to lose anyone you’re keen on, however the best way we misplaced Jim and the impression it had on these of us who have been left behind… it was simply heartbreaking.
Due to the circumstances, as a result of he had alcohol in his system, some journalists wrote some actually crappy issues about Jimmy initially. I might have punched a few of them for what they wrote. Jim would go and have a bevvy with the lads on the proper time, however that was it. That was one of many hardest facets of the entire thing, for me. So far as we’re involved and so far as any of us can inform, Jim made one mistake and paid for it along with his life. It simply wasn’t him. I didn’t get it then and I nonetheless don’t get it. None of us do. We’ll by no means, ever perceive.
Apart from these few journalists, the response we acquired from individuals was completely beautiful. The home was filled with flowers, the backyard was filled with flowers. The playing cards, I’ve by no means, ever seen something prefer it. A whole bunch of them. I didn’t open them for some time however all people was so beautiful.
Sir Alex got here to the home with Les Kershaw to pay his respects. My mother reacted like Frank Sinatra had walked in – he will need to have been supplied 10 cups of tea whereas he was right here – and United introduced all the first-team squad to the funeral. David Beckham had simply left for Actual Madrid, however he got here again specifically. Actually, in the event you’d met Jim, he touched your coronary heart.
The funeral was chaotic. Folks in every single place. You couldn’t get anyone shut. I vaguely bear in mind there being a number of individuals on the grass verges on the best way in. On the visitors islands on the best way in, there have been a number of United supporters. There have been lots of of individuals outdoors the venue. Inside there have been the gamers from United, Watford and Swindon, his household and closest buddies. All people else was outdoors. They put audio system outdoors so that folks might hear what was occurring inside.
We have been all brightly dressed. There was no manner our Jim would have needed us all turning up in black. Lots of people wore soccer shirts. Kate wore a pink go well with, I used to be in pale blue. All of us tried to make it as vibrant as we might.
My brother, Michael – who had pushed previous the scene of the accident shortly after it occurred with out figuring out it was Jimmy’s automotive – learn a passage from the Bible which, for years, he had at all times mentioned was Jim’s verse: Isaiah 40:29-31.
It goes: “He provides power to the weary and will increase the ability of the weak. Even youths develop drained and weary, and younger males stumble and fall; however those that hope within the lord will renew their power. They are going to soar on wings like eagles; they’ll run and never develop weary, they’ll stroll and never be faint.”
Younger males stumble and fall. I’ve acquired that passage on the kitchen wall.
Jim’s good friend Tim spoke about him as a footballer and a mate. His girlfriend Melissa wrote one thing about how she discovered being in a relationship with him. And Kate, she was so courageous. She wrote a tribute to her brother. It wasn’t a full eulogy as a result of it was too arduous to try this for someone dying that younger; the place do you begin when there isn’t an finish? She simply wrote about what he did as a brother and the way grateful she was to have had him.
I liked their relationship. Jim and Kate each liked their music and dancing. Storage, R&B, they have been mad for it. Again then he at all times had the newest CDs and he and Kate would nick them off one another. He’d be midway dwelling, pull over and ring Kate and yell: “Have you ever had that CD out of the case?” One time Kate had simply purchased a Wayne Surprise CD and seen it was lacking on the identical day Jim had gone again to Manchester. She rang him up. He answered however didn’t communicate; he simply performed the music actually loud down the cellphone as a result of he knew what she was calling about. We performed that music at his funeral. Kate put a load of empty CD sleeves in his coffin with him as a result of that was their little joke with each other.
The way in which every little thing was dealt with was improbable. On the day, with such nice turnouts from United, Swindon and Watford, it was so respectful. Sir Alex and Jim’s different managers, Andy King from Swindon and Ray Lewington from Watford, have been all so beautiful. We couldn’t ask for any extra from anybody.
