Perpetual Runner Up Strikes Gold

It maybe a long standing joke amongst our circle of friends that Stuart never wins anything and always finishes runner up, although he knows that isn't exactly true. This weekend sees him marrying his long term beau, Aimee, a partnership in which he has always been a winner.

Although we were in the same year at school, it wasn't until our GCSE year that Stuart and I became friends outside of school and Stuart started coming to occasional Gillingham games with me.

Becoming friends with Stuart was a defining point in terms of the basis of our group dynamics. If I hadn't have become friends with Stuart, I wouldn't have become as good friends with Gareth, nor introduced to Mark, Reaso or Will.

Like me, with Steph, Stuart met Aimee at a fairly young age. The exact circumstances on their meeting are a little frosty, but I think it was through a friend of the golf club, Darren, whose sister, Sarah had a stunningly beautiful best friend called Aimee, or at least that's what was said at the time.

The comparison with Stephanie and I, and how being together through our defining years, from teenager to adult is also evident with Stuart and Aimee. You are brought up by your parents, with your parents morals and values, but your are moulded and sculptured by the relationship you are in. You can see the influence that both of them have upon each other and how they have built a solid partnership based upon love, trust and devotion to each other.

If the other person in your life is a massive inspiration and helps nurture you, your friends too have an important role. Like Will whose single minded determination to succeed has got him where he is now, Stuart shares that attribute in having a goal and moving heaven and earth to get there, nevermore so than his two year quest to become a fireman.

For me, having friends around that are that way minded is something to look up to, just as Aimee's ability to support Stuart in his dreams, no matter how dangerous they are, or what repercussions that they could have back upon her should be respected and acknowledged.

Although being a fireman has it's potential pitfalls, it does have it's benefits in the shape of four days off after a four day working week. Stuart is unable to sit still for no longer than 30 seconds and so to fill the time productively has taken up plastering. With this, combined with Stuarts work ethic and the unwavering ability to want to help anyone and everyone (another trait shared with Aimee) has meant that half the people in Gravesend now have shiny new walls, including yours truly! Oliver wanted me to say thank you, he cannot wait to see how long it lasts when he starts kicking a ball up against your hard work when the goal is finally installed!

So apart from the fact that Stuart has a relationship most of us would be jealous of with a women most of us would like to be with and has a job that is social one of the most desirable (who wouldn't like to have women baring their chests at you when driving past in your uniform?) is it really any wonder that he comes second best in a game of tiddlywinks, go-karting or apple bobbing?

Stephanie, Oliver and I wish you both the very best as Mr and Mrs Wickens, we hope that your day is as special as it deserves to be. Stuart, take it easy on the lager tops mate. I know that you can drink four pints by the time I have finished my first, but you also spray when you talk after a few beers and we haven't got an umbrella for the speeches!