Gary, Gary Gone.

The sad news of Gary Stohrer's departure has filtered through to Patgod Towers and we couldn't let his leaving pass uncommented.  We join every other Poppies fan in wishing Gary all the best for the future, assuming he doesn't join one of our rivals and end up pissing all over us, in which case he can f*ck right off!  We can't believe that we are alone in wondering if letting go of a guaranteed 100% effort midfielder in favour of a succession of unknown signings who could be gone as soon as they arrive is necessarily a good idea....but I guess in Lavery we must trust.

Gary is one of those players who does a lot of the unglamorous hard yards in midfield.  One of those players who rarely shone with a flashy defence splitting pass or 30-yard pile-driver, but you certainly noticed when he wasn't there to break-up the play and set us going forward again.  This season a combination of Gary and Andy Thanoj gave us such solidity in the centre of the park that the players around them have truly flourished, but therein lies the problem.

All players want to play.  All the time.  And it was clear that Gary was going to be trailing behind Andy when it came to the starting XI.  There's only so many times you feel satisfied with a 20 minute cameo from the bench.  If that.  Gary has just got back to fitness and wants to play as much as possible to make up for lost time, and I doubt anyone could blame him for looking elsewhere for that.  Hopefully at a better level than Wellingborough, where he's keeping his hand in presently.

However, Gary's departure leaves a couple of important questions hanging that Patgod needs to address....

Firstly, the title of "Mr Kettering" needs to be re-allocated.  This will probably end up being a straight fight between Connor Johnson and Lewis White, with Dan Jezeph waiting in the wings in case neither of them fancy playing under such an unforgiving level of supporter expectancy.

Secondly, with the departures of Gary Hooper and now Gary Stohrer, the rest of us Garys at Latimer Park all move up a couple of places in the Kettering-Gary-Pecking-Order.  

While I grudgingly accept that perhaps as bona-fide club do-gooders Gary Foreman and Gary Graham probably out-rank a piss-taking blogger, I reckon I've got a fair crack at the nailing down the No.3 Poppies Gary slot.  

I'm certainly going to give it my best effort, but if you're a Gary who frequents Latimer Park and reckon you've got a better claim to the No.3 spot by all means let me know so I can launch a spiteful character assassination of you on this very platform....

What Gary gets up to in the privacy of
his home of an evening is entirely up to him....