Sudden Exit

© 2013 Tommy Sampson. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/17/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-8625-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-8626-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-8627-4 (e)

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Contents

Foreword by Mike Green

Dedications

Introduction

Chapter1   CVA (Cardio Vascular Attack)

Chapter2   Maidstone Hospital

Chapter3   Deaths in the ward

Chapter4   The Black Cat

Chapter5   Christmas Day Dinner

Chapter6   Leaving Maidstone—At Last!!

Chapter7   First step

Chapter8   Sevenoaks Rehabilitation Unit

Chapter9   Home at last!

Chapter10   Botox

Chapter11   Seizure

Chapter12   Getting back to football

Chapter13   Lexie May

Chapter14   Snowed In

Chapter15   Recovery??

Chapter16   On Reflection

Gallery

FOREWORD

By Mike Green

I n 2007 when the author suffered his stroke Mike was 38 years of age and had been for many years previous a free-lance journalist as well as one of BBC Radio Kent’s many sports commentator’s and had followed the authors career sitting beside him at many of the BBC’s outside broadcasts. Mike would also like it known before anything else he was and still is a passionate supporter of the Kent Semi Professional Non-League Football scene.

When I got the phone call asking to contribute to these pages, my first thought was what the hell should I write?

You see for all the things that have ever been said about the man behind the story of this book, he is in my mind one of the all-time legends of Kent football, and I’m pretty sure that his like will not be seen again in our great county for many a long year!

And that makes what happened that fateful day all the more difficult for me to understand and so tough to stomach! Difficult for me to understand; tough for me to stomach—just who am I kidding? A man who I am honoured and privileged to call my friend and who by rights should now be contemplating retirement (or at least a place in a summarisers seat talking about the game he served so well), had his life turned upside down, and had to learn to do what you and I take for granted all over again as he conquered something that puts all of his footballing achievements into sharp focus and places our great sport firmly in its place!

From the first day that I really got to know him in a hotel room in Taunton in Somerset hours before his Herne Bay side were thumped by one of the best Non-League sides I have ever seen, he had that goal—some people would call it an obsession—of winning the FA Carlsberg Vase. And as I followed his progress towards it on behalf of Radio Kent, it was almost like following one man’s legacy… A legacy that would take us to the sporting home of English Football Wembley stadium and on to one of the furthest and bleakest outposts of football I have ever been to Crook Town the far North East of England, and then to an overcast Sunday afternoon in Deal, when at the final whistle of the victorious Semi Final he collapsed into a blubbering wreck live on BBC Radio Kent—and yes I do have the photo to prove it! And then of course there was THAT day in 2000 when the dream was realised on the day that Kent finally won a game under the Twin Towers of Wembley Stadium. And on a day when sitting in the commentary box, I think I blew ever single decibel level set by BBC regulations. Watching him and his trusty lieutenant and skipper of ten years Terry Martin at the post match press conference brought home to me exactly what had been achieved by that wonderful triumph that so gloriously sunny Saturday afternoon as Kent football finally celebrated a win at the old Wembley just months before it was pulled down. Someone later suggested that the old place waited for him, and you know the way the story panned out, I wouldn’t dispute that one bit!

What happened to that team and the club as a whole post Wembley is nothing short of disgraceful, and arguably the biggest what might have been Kent football has ever known. The politicians that refused planning permission to bring Deal Town’s quaint little stadium into the twenty first century, ultimately costing Tom his job and the opportunity for bigger and better things. And you know, I think that it took a while for him to come to terms with the fact that the first part of his dream had been realised and that he wasn’t going to get the chance to complete the job, and where he would focus his energies next. Of course he would probably disagree, but from the outside whilst the same facade was there, there was also to me at least something missing in those post Wembley years.

And that’s what makes what happened that very fateful day in December 2007 even more difficult to take. I will never forget the first time that I saw him post stroke. My wife Liz (who was rather heavily pregnant with our daughter Chloe) and I were invited to a benefit night for him at a pub in Rainham Kent. Prior to the evening, I had spoken with a mutual friend at the Kent County Football Association, Chairman, Mr Barry Bright, who was unable to attend the evening in question and had asked me if I could record something that could be played on the night, As we played Barry’s tribute, I looked around the room, and from all areas and levels of Kent football there were knowing nods and smiles as the recording played—almost as though everyone in that room agreed with every word of praise that Barry uttered. It was almost in stark contrast to some of the muted gasps that went round the room with his arrival as despite his protestations three people had to help him into the pub, whilst Sandie looked on in what I’m sure was a mixture of worry and fright!

The weeks and months that followed undoubtedly were to prove his greatest challenge—a challenge that even he would admit was a thousand times greater than anything he’d faced on the football field. Yet because of who he is, and because of the great game that we all know and love so very deeply, of course he found the inner strength to come back as only he could, and I dare say that he’ll still be giving his opinions to anyone that will listen for what we all hope will be years and years to come. For that is my friend; that is the guy he is; that is the one and only Tommy Sampson.

DEDICATIONS

T his book is dedicated to the following people:

Sandie—My partner and my rock in stormy seas

Tony and Leigh—My brother’s

Lynn—My sister

Danielle—My daughter

Caine Stevens—Sandies grandson who without knowing made it easier to bear for Sandie.

Lexie May—my granddaughter and my inspiration

Kirsty Sharpe—Lexie’s mum and Sandie’s daughter

Maureen Panting—My hero

Steve Lovell—The greatest of friends

Dean Ruddy—Like a son

Lynne Rump—My soul mate

Ken Welshe—Brother in arms

Miranda Houldey nee Oberman—More than just my physiotherapist

Kate Murray—My nurse at the Wellington Hospital, God bless you

Antonio De Encesa—My psychologist at the Wellington Hospital

Sean Prescott—My physiotherapist at the Wellington Hospital

Major Wesley Dinsmore—Salvation Army—My oasis in a very barren desert

Dr Peter Swedziuk—My GP—a friend before just a professional

Melanie George—Who opened my eyes

Vicky Graveling—Pushed me hard on home straight

Kelly Owen—for helping me finish my book.

Introduction

W ho is Tommy Sampson?

Tommy Sampson was 54 years of age when he suffered a massive cardio vascular attack (stroke). He had at the age of 15 signed as an apprentice professional footballer with Millwall Football Club. Where, at the age of 18 he signed a two year professional contract, going on to make his Football League debut at Leyton Orient in 1974.

Two years later when he finally left Millwall he dropped into the semi-professional ranks with Dartford Football Club of the Southern League.

Tom played almost 300 games for Dartford and left eventually to sign for another Kent non-league football club, Welling United of the Athenian League. Here Tom played over 80 games in just under two seasons.

Tom became synonymous with Kent football when in 1982 he signed for Isthmian Non-League team Bromley, staying for three seasons. From there he signed for South London team Tooting & Mitcham, again staying three seasons. However, with Osteo-Arthritis creeping up on him slowly, he started to realise that in his early-30s his playing career did not have long to run. In 1984 he was offered a coaching role at humble Southern League outfit Erith & Belvedere. That coaching role became a player/coaching role as the temptation to keep playing proved too much.

Another 250 games later and with creaking knees, Tom took up the offer of managing another Kent football club, Tonbridge Angels. After two struggling seasons Tom left Tonbridge.

Tom was 36 and determined to stay in the game when he accepted an offer in 1990 to manage Kent League team Sheppey United, where he enjoyed one spectacular season, finishing in a creditable second place. The season included a fantastic 28-game unbeaten run and forged Tom’s reputation as a winner and as a manager of some ability.

At the finish of that season Sheppey United sold their ground to cover mounting debts. Tom then moved on again to another Kent club, Herne Bay FC, who had just finished in third place behind Tom’s Sheppey United in the Kent League. Herne Bay was a progressive club who had a young chairman with lofty ambitions for the club to move up the non-league ladder.

Tom’s arrival at Herne Bay was initially met with some hostility and that only increased as many of the players who had enjoyed that one fantastic season at Sheppey United followed him out of loyalty to the East Kent coastal club. In his own inimitable style Tom then controversially proceeded to break up the Herne Bay team that had enjoyed moderate success in the previous three seasons, fuelling more hostility towards him.

Tom’s drive and determination saw him lead Herne Bay to an incredibly successful campaign, winning the league championship by an incredible 25 points, thereby enhancing an already burgeoning reputation as one of Kent’s most successful football managers. Tom eventually spent seven seasons at Herne Bay, adding two more league championships to his CV, as well as two more domestic cup competitions. During the 1993/94 season in early May, Tom lost his second wife Carole to breast cancer, a devastating blow considering what was in store for him a few short years later.

But Tom was yet to have his best day in Kent football. In 1999 he left Herne Bay to join Deal Town, being joined once again by the majority of his players. Deal Town had been perennial bridesmaids in the Kent League but Tom was to change all that when the following season, 1999/2000, he led the club to their first Kent League championship in nearly 50 years, as well as taking his new charges on a fantastic journey to the Holy Grail of football, Wembley Stadium, to contest a Carlsberg F.A. Vase final against Western League side Chippenham Town winning by a single 87th minute goal.

The Vase was the biggest national cup competition for grassroots football clubs but after a seesaw run through the early rounds Tom found himself at the pinnacle of his short career, leading his players out on a stifling hot day in May 2000 in front of more than 20,000 people. This achievement cemented Tom’s place in Kent football as a highly driven and successful man.

From 1997 Tom’s celebrity was enhanced by a regular slot on BBC Radio Kent’s early evening sports show reviewing the weeks football fixtures and often Summarising on live match broadcasts. Tom worked