John Boyman has recently left the Basingstoke Gazette having spent the last eight years covering sport in north Hampshire, a time which has given him a unique opportunity to meet a whole host of sportspeople. Here he looks back at some of North Hampshire's Alternative Sporting Heroes.
“Over those eight years, north Hampshire has boasted a number of sporting heroes. Justin Rose, Alex Danson, Robert Tobin, Tom Rees, Tom Croft and Charlie Purdue have all achieved things on the world stage, but you know all about them," John says in a farewell tribute.
“I'm more interested in introducing you to local sporting stars there's a good chance you won't have heard of. None of them have succeeded at the highest level, yet at least, but they are heroes just the same.
“Some of them are mavericks, some of them are journeymen and some of them are club legends, but they all come with great stories that deserve to be heard, so sit back and enjoy as I take you through 'North Hampshire's Alternative Sporting Heroes.'
Keith Lovelock
IN THE modern age, there is no bigger sign that you have hit the big time than having a parody Twitter account set up in your name.
It's a strange honour, but one that has been bestowed on long-serving Hook and Newnham Basics all-rounder Keith Lovelock. I won't share the Twitter handle here, some of the Tweets are a little fruity for a family publication, but it is a highly amusing account.
First things first, let's be clear. In his pomp, Lovelock was an excellent cricketer. In fact, his total of 3,656 runs at an average of 40.18 still has him third in the all-time list of Southern League Division Two batsmen.
By the time I started covering Hook, Lovelock was no longer a fixture in the first team, but I did have the pleasure of watching him play on one memorable occasion.
It was July 2010, and Lovelock had been handed a surprise call-up to the Hook first team to face defending Southern League Division One champions Rowledge.
Hook batted first and Lovelock came in at number eight, with his side in a decent position at 197-6.
It didn't take the veteran long to discover a liking for the bowling, hitting a string of extravagant strokes on his way to a quick-fire 26.
He then opened the bowling, being hit for just 24 runs in a tight eight-over spell that also saw him dismiss Chris Yates, the best batsman in the division, as Hook won by 32 runs.
However, as well as being a fine cricketer, Lovelock is a larger-than-life character, and it's for that reason that he makes this list.
While covering a game at Hartley Wintney, I was told of a time that Lovelock, in his customary manner, smashed the bowling to all parts, making a decent score.
As he came off, the Hartley scorer asked to take his name for the book. "Just put me down as Legend," came the reply. And who am I to argue?
However, when it comes to Hook and Newnham Basics, there can be no denying that Lovelock really lives up to his self-appointed title. The last time I checked, he was chairman, putting in countless hours for his beloved club, while still turning out on a Saturday, showing the young guns how it is done.
James Taylor
THE Green Day song St. Jimmy regularly pops up on my MP3 player while I am out running.
Every time it does, I cannot help but smile and remember James Taylor, Basingstoke Town's own St Jimmy. Billie Joe Armstrong probably didn't have the striker in mind when he penned the song, but the Californian somehow managed to sum him, and especially the way he played football, up perfectly.
If you asked anyone who saw Taylor play during his time at Bashley, Havant, Eastleigh, Town or Totton to describe him in one word, I can almost guarantee that aggressive would be the reply.
I think I'm right in saying that The Camrose still bears a scar of Taylor's aggression. One cold Tuesday night in early 2007, the striker took out his frustration at another defeat on the players' entrance door as he made his way back to the changing room.
It was one kick, but it made a big impression on the door, leaving a gaping hole.
This was around the time when Town players were regularly referred to as mercenaries, drawn to the club by money, but in that instant, Taylor demonstrated that his passion was for results, not cash.
Taylor was an old-fashioned centre-forward. He put himself about, with many a defender getting on the wrong end of his elbows and even more referees feeling the sharp end of his tongue.
He was a battering ram of a player, but his determination and work-rate could never be questioned, while he also played a massive part as Basingstoke pulled off a remarkable escape at the back end of the 2006-07 season.
It was my first season covering the club and despite a fantastic FA Cup run, which peaked with a spectacular victory over Chesterfield, they looked doomed to relegation at the turn of the year.
Taylor however, had other ideas, scoring 13 goals in the last 24 games of the season as Town completed the great escape.
He didn't do it alone, I remember Anthony Storey making a huge difference when he came in, but without Taylor's 20 goals, it's fair to say that Basingstoke would certainly have been relegated. James Taylor, AKA St Jimmy, the patron saint of Basingstoke Town.
Tommy Flanders
WHATEVER Hartley Wintney bowler Tommy Flanders does, he does it in his own indomitable style.
He's actually a very good bowler, pushing the ball through at a very good pace, and while he can be a little wayward at times, even his bad balls can tempt batsmen into getting themselves out.
However, when it comes to fielding, he has a highly idiosyncratic approach.
To say he likes to relax between deliveries is an understatement. If anybody leaves a chair unattended anywhere near the boundary, the chances are they will come back to find it inhabited by Flanders, resting up ahead of his next spell and rising only if the ball approaches him, letting off a stream of expletives for every misfield.
His approach to batting is equally entertaining. If he has ever played a defensive shot, I've certainly never seen it.
I once saw him hit the winning runs in a match. It was the final over and he was the last man in, with only a couple of runs needed for victory.
Did he take a single and give the strike to the already set batsman at the other end? No chance. Instead, he waltzed down the pitch, smashing the ball back past the bowler for four, while for some reason shouting "Barry!" at the top of his voice.
He's a strange fellow, but watching Hartley Wintney is a far duller experience when he is not in action.
Chris Chandler
THERE can have been few better servants to Basingstoke and North Hants Cricket Club than Chris Chandler.
The seam bowler, affectionately known as Tugboat by his team-mates, has been in and around the first team for the best part of two decades.
Every time you think you have seen the last of him, he gets called up again, and if the 2015 season is anything to go by, expect to see him in action again next summer.
Nigel Williamson
FOR years, he was Chandler's partner in crime, the wicket-keeper who clung on to all of the edges. Watching Williamson with the gloves at his peak must have been a delight. I only saw him play when he was in his late 40s, and he was still one hell of a wicket-keeper, keeping much younger men out of the side. In one match, he stood up to the stumps as Gavin Tonge, who went on to play for the West Indies, sent down 85mph bombs. He didn't even wear a helmet. Legend.
“Over those eight years, north Hampshire has boasted a number of sporting heroes. Justin Rose, Alex Danson, Robert Tobin, Tom Rees, Tom Croft and Charlie Purdue have all achieved things on the world stage, but you know all about them," John says in a farewell tribute.
“I'm more interested in introducing you to local sporting stars there's a good chance you won't have heard of. None of them have succeeded at the highest level, yet at least, but they are heroes just the same.
“Some of them are mavericks, some of them are journeymen and some of them are club legends, but they all come with great stories that deserve to be heard, so sit back and enjoy as I take you through 'North Hampshire's Alternative Sporting Heroes.'
Keith Lovelock
IN THE modern age, there is no bigger sign that you have hit the big time than having a parody Twitter account set up in your name.
It's a strange honour, but one that has been bestowed on long-serving Hook and Newnham Basics all-rounder Keith Lovelock. I won't share the Twitter handle here, some of the Tweets are a little fruity for a family publication, but it is a highly amusing account.
First things first, let's be clear. In his pomp, Lovelock was an excellent cricketer. In fact, his total of 3,656 runs at an average of 40.18 still has him third in the all-time list of Southern League Division Two batsmen.
By the time I started covering Hook, Lovelock was no longer a fixture in the first team, but I did have the pleasure of watching him play on one memorable occasion.
It was July 2010, and Lovelock had been handed a surprise call-up to the Hook first team to face defending Southern League Division One champions Rowledge.
Hook batted first and Lovelock came in at number eight, with his side in a decent position at 197-6.
It didn't take the veteran long to discover a liking for the bowling, hitting a string of extravagant strokes on his way to a quick-fire 26.
He then opened the bowling, being hit for just 24 runs in a tight eight-over spell that also saw him dismiss Chris Yates, the best batsman in the division, as Hook won by 32 runs.
However, as well as being a fine cricketer, Lovelock is a larger-than-life character, and it's for that reason that he makes this list.
While covering a game at Hartley Wintney, I was told of a time that Lovelock, in his customary manner, smashed the bowling to all parts, making a decent score.
As he came off, the Hartley scorer asked to take his name for the book. "Just put me down as Legend," came the reply. And who am I to argue?
However, when it comes to Hook and Newnham Basics, there can be no denying that Lovelock really lives up to his self-appointed title. The last time I checked, he was chairman, putting in countless hours for his beloved club, while still turning out on a Saturday, showing the young guns how it is done.
James Taylor
THE Green Day song St. Jimmy regularly pops up on my MP3 player while I am out running.
Every time it does, I cannot help but smile and remember James Taylor, Basingstoke Town's own St Jimmy. Billie Joe Armstrong probably didn't have the striker in mind when he penned the song, but the Californian somehow managed to sum him, and especially the way he played football, up perfectly.
If you asked anyone who saw Taylor play during his time at Bashley, Havant, Eastleigh, Town or Totton to describe him in one word, I can almost guarantee that aggressive would be the reply.
I think I'm right in saying that The Camrose still bears a scar of Taylor's aggression. One cold Tuesday night in early 2007, the striker took out his frustration at another defeat on the players' entrance door as he made his way back to the changing room.
It was one kick, but it made a big impression on the door, leaving a gaping hole.
This was around the time when Town players were regularly referred to as mercenaries, drawn to the club by money, but in that instant, Taylor demonstrated that his passion was for results, not cash.
Taylor was an old-fashioned centre-forward. He put himself about, with many a defender getting on the wrong end of his elbows and even more referees feeling the sharp end of his tongue.
He was a battering ram of a player, but his determination and work-rate could never be questioned, while he also played a massive part as Basingstoke pulled off a remarkable escape at the back end of the 2006-07 season.
It was my first season covering the club and despite a fantastic FA Cup run, which peaked with a spectacular victory over Chesterfield, they looked doomed to relegation at the turn of the year.
Taylor however, had other ideas, scoring 13 goals in the last 24 games of the season as Town completed the great escape.
He didn't do it alone, I remember Anthony Storey making a huge difference when he came in, but without Taylor's 20 goals, it's fair to say that Basingstoke would certainly have been relegated. James Taylor, AKA St Jimmy, the patron saint of Basingstoke Town.
Tommy Flanders
WHATEVER Hartley Wintney bowler Tommy Flanders does, he does it in his own indomitable style.
He's actually a very good bowler, pushing the ball through at a very good pace, and while he can be a little wayward at times, even his bad balls can tempt batsmen into getting themselves out.
However, when it comes to fielding, he has a highly idiosyncratic approach.
To say he likes to relax between deliveries is an understatement. If anybody leaves a chair unattended anywhere near the boundary, the chances are they will come back to find it inhabited by Flanders, resting up ahead of his next spell and rising only if the ball approaches him, letting off a stream of expletives for every misfield.
His approach to batting is equally entertaining. If he has ever played a defensive shot, I've certainly never seen it.
I once saw him hit the winning runs in a match. It was the final over and he was the last man in, with only a couple of runs needed for victory.
Did he take a single and give the strike to the already set batsman at the other end? No chance. Instead, he waltzed down the pitch, smashing the ball back past the bowler for four, while for some reason shouting "Barry!" at the top of his voice.
He's a strange fellow, but watching Hartley Wintney is a far duller experience when he is not in action.
Chris Chandler
THERE can have been few better servants to Basingstoke and North Hants Cricket Club than Chris Chandler.
The seam bowler, affectionately known as Tugboat by his team-mates, has been in and around the first team for the best part of two decades.
Every time you think you have seen the last of him, he gets called up again, and if the 2015 season is anything to go by, expect to see him in action again next summer.
Nigel Williamson
FOR years, he was Chandler's partner in crime, the wicket-keeper who clung on to all of the edges. Watching Williamson with the gloves at his peak must have been a delight. I only saw him play when he was in his late 40s, and he was still one hell of a wicket-keeper, keeping much younger men out of the side. In one match, he stood up to the stumps as Gavin Tonge, who went on to play for the West Indies, sent down 85mph bombs. He didn't even wear a helmet. Legend.