Mr Notts County Passes Away

[jackal2]

Years ago my Dad fell quite seriously ill. I contacted Notts to see if they might send a get well card to the QMC, Colin delivered it to his bed. It thrilled my Dad and he always spoke about the chat they had. My Dads ashes are buried at pitchside at the tunnel exit but I'm sure he'll be chatting again to Colin right now. Thanks for all the memories Colin. Sleep well.

Nice story. Speaks volumes about the man.

[Pies4u]

We have lost a true icon and a man fully deserving of the much over used accolade of "legend".

It is impossible to put in to words what the Club and its supporters have lost -or what the Club and its supporters meant to Colin.

Aside from anything else, Colin Slater was my friend - I have known him for the best part of 60 years. He was a long standing family friend, close associate of my late father and I have spent many happy times in his company. I will miss our regular lunches out and about at various eateries but most of all, I will miss him.

The work that he has done in the community and charity sectors is sometimes overlooked, as the efforts that he put in on behalf NCFC take centre stage for most supporters - but his impact on the wider community was immense, as was his contribution to the Church of England. True scholar, gentleman and quite frankly, the most honourable and dignified person I have met.

We will never forget those magic moments that Colin commentated on or the occasions where he expertly compered evening events.

St Peter will welcome with open arms. Rest in peace good, loyal and trusted servant your work here was well done.

[Dunkirky_Pie]

I'm not sure whether this has been posted elsewhere, but Monday night's tribute programme on Radio Nottingham is available on BBC Sounds:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bcqzs7

[Shropshire_Pie]

RIP Uncle Colin. I'll never forget your radio updates of Notts away games in the seventies. Especially the 1-0 win away at Leeds in the League Cup 1975 with the Super Notts chant in the background.

[DaveSmithRules]

A Tribute to Uncle Colin (by me).
https://www.leftlion.co.uk/read/2022...mbe-1934-2022/

[Glad2BeAPie]

I'm not sure whether this has been posted elsewhere, but Monday night's tribute programme on Radio Nottingham is available on BBC Sounds:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bcqzs7

Downloaded Sounds app, can't find the programme

[Dunkirky_Pie]

Downloaded Sounds app, can't find the programme

Finding stuff on BBC Sounds is notoriously problematic. Search for "Arun Verma" (the programme which the tribute replaced). Monday night's episode (January 10th) is the one you want.

Alternatively you can just listen via the web link I've posted; you don't need to use the app.

[laddo]

A Tribute to Uncle Colin (by me).
https://www.leftlion.co.uk/read/2022...mbe-1934-2022/

An excellent and fitting piece. Always enjoyed reading anything Notts based in the Left Lion when enjoying my Friday pub lunch ritual when working in the city centre.

Being of similar age no doubt we share many a same fond memory of Mr Slater (RIP) on Radio Nottingham especially in those glory days of the very late 80s/early 90s.

I still remember well spending many a midweek evening glued to the radio hearing his words as Notts played at difficult places to go such as Boundary Park, Selhurst Park and Bramall Lane.

At that age and unable to go to evening away games unless local due to school the next day they always sounded exciting almost mysterious places. I've been to all 3 since and although good atmospheres at all of them when I went, none could be classed as exotic.

[BigFatPie]

We have lost a true icon and a man fully deserving of the much over used accolade of "legend".

It is impossible to put in to words what the Club and its supporters have lost -or what the Club and its supporters meant to Colin.

Aside from anything else, Colin Slater was my friend - I have known him for the best part of 60 years. He was a long standing family friend, close associate of my late father and I have spent many happy times in his company. I will miss our regular lunches out and about at various eateries but most of all, I will miss him.

The work that he has done in the community and charity sectors is sometimes overlooked, as the efforts that he put in on behalf NCFC take centre stage for most supporters - but his impact on the wider community was immense, as was his contribution to the Church of England. True scholar, gentleman and quite frankly, the most honourable and dignified person I have met.

We will never forget those magic moments that Colin commentated on or the occasions where he expertly compered evening events.

St Peter will welcome with open arms. Rest in peace good, loyal and trusted servant your work here was well done.

That’s a lovely tribute.

[upthemaggies]

I'm not sure whether this has been posted elsewhere, but Monday night's tribute programme on Radio Nottingham is available on BBC Sounds:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bcqzs7

Just finished listening to this - Two hours including live call-in tributes from Les Bradd, Neil Warnock, Tommy Johnson, Craig Short, Mark Stallard, Shaun Derry, Gary Mills and Martin Fisher ('Match of the Day' commentator, formerly with Radio Nottingham). A pity they couldn't get Dean Yates on, who spent the most time of all alongside Colin, but it was great to hear from Warnock and Craig Short revealing that his brother Chris does an impression of Colin describing Craig's goal in the 1990 Play off final (Chris was one of the first people ever to co-commentate alongside Colin at the Spurs FA Cup Quarter final).

Lots of mentions of Harry Ramsden's (If there's one thing better in life than a Notts win on a Saturday afternoon, it's a quality bag of fish and chips) who set up close to where Colin was born and bred, coincidentally the same area, north-west of Leeds, was where I moved back to Nottingham from in the mid-1970s., Sadly, unlike Colin, I didn't retain the semi-rural West Yorkshire accent.

I did receive a letter from him when I was researching Notts' TV appearances, I shall treasure that always, as well as the memory of sitting just a few seats away from him at Old Trafford - The first match back in the top flight under Warnock, I could tell he was absolutely in his element broadcasting from one of the top grounds in the country again. If truth be told, a man of his talents should have been covering a much more successful club than Notts. We were very lucky to have him. Who was reporting on Fword for Radio Nottingham when Clough won promotion and then went on to win the 1st Division? I have no idea and nobody else seems to know either, it's only with Fray (since 1993) that they've managed to settle upon on somebody they can truly describe as the voice of Nottingham Forest.

Worth bearing in mind also that Colin Slater didn't begin regularly commentating on Notts until he was in his mid-50s. Aside from a handful of special occasions, he had been employed by Radio Nottingham for the first 20 years as a Notts County reporter, not as a commentator. To go from 2/3 minute updates and post match summaries to having to talk for 90 minutes non-stop - with no co-commentator for the most part until 2000 - was a big ask but it was as if he'd been doing it all of his life.

What will happen to his note books which include his match reports? I'd like to think that some sort of book could be produced from them.