John Boal

[Jurgenflopp]

The words below from someone at Beith. It is now time for the wosfl to take cognisance of this situation. Good people are being put in horrible positions. It is time for the league to be scrapped and a fresh start next season for the safety of everyone.  

Today for me has to be the worst day in living memory in the history of Beith Juniors. I was in conversation with John Boal who today has been admitted to hospital suffering with Covid. I’m absolutely devastated to break this news that John Boal has resigned his position as President of Beith Juniors FC. This legend lives, works and breathes Beith Juniors but his position was untenable and he’s left with no option but to go. He, coincidentally or not, along with others who attended a meeting of Beith Juniors “Executive Committee” succumbed to Covid infection. John being the principled man that he is suggested that as they had caught Covid then enough should be  enough and no one player or committee member or supporter should ever be in a position to suffer from Covid infection when they could perhaps help prevent it. Suggesting that we should follow the lead of Talbot and Kilbirnie to stop playing until this pandemic was over. As an aside another sensible reason to do this is that it could very well be financial suicide to continue as the club would bleed money and there would be no bank of money there to start the season in good stead. 
John Boal was told by “Executive Committee members” that they would continue to play. John Boal refused to be party to endangering anyone. He has stayed true to his principles and resigned. That is a sore loss to Beith Juniors as the work and monetary support the he puts in to the club along with support from friends he has made over the years working with WH  Malcolm will be hard to replace. John Boal will not continue to support pursuing glory when his fellow Beithites are left susceptible to Covid infection. 
In my opinion, he also has been treated dreadfully by the “Executive Committee”by the refusal to follow his lead for the safety of others they left him no option but to resign. 
Beith supporters should question why Jim Brown. Gordon McLeod and myself have withdrawn from the committee after many years service. 
Mr Boal I salute you for your dedication to Beith Juniors and your unwavering principles.  COTM
Maggie

[Essdee]

Best wishes to John for a full recovery. One of the good guys.

[cmontheloknow]

All the best John!

[gaswork]

Let's just get to point here the OP is using a club president's unfortunate situation to push ahead with agenda.  Instead of just wishing the man all the best and informing people on here the op is using it to get all football stopped at our level when the vast majority of clubs,  committees,  players and fans are happy with playing games and playing a season. 

No one person at a club is bigger than the institution of a club and its committee as a whole no matter how much good said person has done through the years. 

Yes its unfortunate its come to Mr Boal leaving his position but the will of the overall committee and playing and management staff obviously want to continue to play and they have every right to do so .

 

Edited November 5, 2020 by gaswork

[WilliamBragg]

30 minutes ago, gaswork said:

Let's just get to point here the OP is using a club president's unfortunate situation to push ahead with agenda.  Instead of just wishing the man all the best and informing people on here the op is using it to get all football stopped at our level when the vast majority of clubs,  committees,  players and fans are happy with playing games and playing a season. 

No one person at a club is bigger than the institution of a club and its committee as a whole no matter how much good said person has done through the years. 

Yes its unfortunate its come to Mr Boal leaving his position but the will of the overall committee and playing and management staff obviously want to continue to play and they have every right to do so .

 

I love John Boal to bits for everything he has done for my club and I wish him nothing but the best in health and life in general. 

I think the posting shows no class and is totally unfair on the rest of the committee,  indeed I think John himself would be horrified by it.

Good luck John and thanks for everything. 

[Lokloyal]

That is a massive loss to Beith on all sorts of levels and very sorry to hear of this.A very decent guy who gave everything and more to that club.

[Andy groundhopper]

Sounds like a decent clubman to me, obviously made the decision on health grounds, trying to protect. Best wishes for a recovery, can imagine many committees are split over to play or not.

[Blackie Gold]

Get well soon John. A Beith legend and true gentleman.

[glensmad]

John Boal is one of the nicest people I have ever met, a true gentleman in every respect. Hopefully he is back to full health very soon.

[Chis]

Best wishes John for a full and speedy recovery. Very disappointing that he along with colleagues has had to take this stand but has had the courage to back up his principals and beliefs. Huge loss not only to Beith but to football in general.

[holmparkheroes]

All the very best wishes to John, probably the most liked and respected man at our level of football.

[Sancho Panza]

Very best wishes from across the loch.

Get well soon big man.

[Arthurlie1981]

John Boal was one of the best people I have ever met. Loved Beith and you could see that with the passion he had for them. He provided me with some sage advice on a number of occasions and always invited me in for hospitality when visiting bellsdale.

 

Get well soon John.

 

[Wild Winton Rover]

Best wishes to John and hope for a full and complete recovery for him. The best and most respected official in the game.

[BANKIEBILL]

This is absolutely dreadful news on a number of levels. John sums up to me what was the best I found in the Juniors. I understand that he's on road to recovery which is good and is the most important thing. I know that Maggie - another club stalwart - and he were very close so perhaps understandable if she's been impacted very badly by his condition.

Hopefully they are able to stand away and take some time after what's undoubtedly a very principled stance and return to the fold when things return to normal. Things are bad enough without the club losing such big figures. 

All the very best to them both and to the Mighty. 

[Darvel legend]

One of the if not the nicest guy in junior football

i wish u a speedy recovery john 

[The Roxy]

I would like to wish John Boal a full and speedy recovery and hopefully he will return to the club he loves. We could lose a man from our grade who donated the gate receipts from a cup tie to a team that was financially struggling at the time and I think that is one example of the measure of the man.

This was the main reason we as a committee withdrew from the league. Like most clubs we have an ageing core of helpers and we didn't think it was right to put them in a precarious position. Since our decision I know of 2 officials who have left their respective clubs due to this and I believe more will follow with this news.

I know clubs have their reasons for continuing and have being pushing their own agenda which is their right. Mental health seems to be one the main driving point for many to soldier on and nobody is allowed to question it. It's as if football is the only outlet there is and to hell with the communities physical health which I personally think is a selfish choice.

I know this is an unpopular opinion but if a club has the slightest doubt they can't protect peoples lives then they shouldn't continue. If they can, then good luck with their and season but please don't berate the rest of us for taking this very difficult decision. 

[BANKIEBILL]

1 hour ago, The Roxy said:

I would like to wish John Boal a full and speedy recovery and hopefully he will return to the club he loves. We could lose a man from our grade who donated the gate receipts from a cup tie to a team that was financially struggling at the time and I think that is one example of the measure of the man.

This was the main reason we as a committee withdrew from the league. Like most clubs we have an ageing core of helpers and we didn't think it was right to put them in a precarious position. Since our decision I know of 2 officials who have left their respective clubs due to this and I believe more will follow with this news.

I know clubs have their reasons for continuing and have being pushing their own agenda which is their right. Mental health seems to be one the main driving point for many to soldier on and nobody is allowed to question it. It's as if football is the only outlet there is and to hell with the communities physical health which I personally think is a selfish choice.

I know this is an unpopular opinion but if a club has the slightest doubt they can't protect peoples lives then they shouldn't continue. If they can, then good luck with their and season but please don't berate the rest of us for taking this very difficult decision. 

Not sure what your team is but I think every team's decision on this needs to be respected. There are now around 1/3 of clubs that have withdrawn and I'm sure that within those clubs that haven't ( yet ) withdrawn, there will be a range of opinions internally - like at Bellsdale. 

Tbh it does seem like the majority of noise on the subject - on this forum anyway - comes from folk at clubs that have decided to withdraw. That may be a defensive reaction or that they genuinely believe that the continuers have made a serious mistake. Only time will tell with that tbh so hopefully after 11th November ( final deadline for withdrawls ) we can allow things to continue and hope that correct decisions have been made.

I do hope that we see all teams start 2021-22 for a competitive and back to normal season. 

[the don revie]

This is sad. A true gentleman who has given everything to Beith, All the best John

The words below from someone at Beith. It is now time for the wosfl to take cognisance of this situation. Good people are being put in horrible positions. It is time for the league to be scrapped and a fresh start next season for the safety of everyone.  

Today for me has to be the worst day in living memory in the history of Beith Juniors. I was in conversation with John Boal who today has been admitted to hospital suffering with Covid. I’m absolutely devastated to break this news that John Boal has resigned his position as President of Beith Juniors FC. This legend lives, works and breathes Beith Juniors but his position was untenable and he’s left with no option but to go. He, coincidentally or not, along with others who attended a meeting of Beith Juniors “Executive Committee” succumbed to Covid infection. John being the principled man that he is suggested that as they had caught Covid then enough should be  enough and no one player or committee member or supporter should ever be in a position to suffer from Covid infection when they could perhaps help prevent it. Suggesting that we should follow the lead of Talbot and Kilbirnie to stop playing until this pandemic was over. As an aside another sensible reason to do this is that it could very well be financial suicide to continue as the club would bleed money and there would be no bank of money there to start the season in good stead. 
John Boal was told by “Executive Committee members” that they would continue to play. John Boal refused to be party to endangering anyone. He has stayed true to his principles and resigned. That is a sore loss to Beith Juniors as the work and monetary support the he puts in to the club along with support from friends he has made over the years working with WH  Malcolm will be hard to replace. John Boal will not continue to support pursuing glory when his fellow Beithites are left susceptible to Covid infection. 
In my opinion, he also has been treated dreadfully by the “Executive Committee”by the refusal to follow his lead for the safety of others they left him no option but to resign. 
Beith supporters should question why Jim Brown. Gordon McLeod and myself have withdrawn from the committee after many years service. 
Mr Boal I salute you for your dedication to Beith Juniors and your unwavering principles.  COTM
Maggie