An Emotional Day For Cotto
Mon 26th April 2010 | Newcastle Town | By Ian Templeman
Amidst the celebrations at the Lyme Valley after Newcastle Town were presented with the Premier Division trophy, there was one man in particular who found the occasion a bit more emotional than most.
A man often dubbed as "Mr Newcastle", John Cotton has been involved with Town right from the start of their existence since they amalgamated with Parkway Clayton FC in 1982, and has lived with the highs and lows the club has experienced ever since.
There was no one more delighted than Cotto when Town made their sensational start to the season, but as most people will now be aware, he has not been able to attend as many games as he would have liked as he has been undergoing treatment for cancer.
"When the team made their great start I was confident it was going to be our season, but when I was told in November that I had cancer, I wondered if I would live to see the day that they lifted the championship trophy", he said. "So it was an emotional day for me and it was great to be there and be a part of it.
"I'm so pleased for all the people at the club who have been there for years. Myself and Colin Spencer, who these days is the groundsman at Newcastle Town, helped get the club established when we entered the Staffordshire Senior League in 1982, and became the first Newcastle Town team to play in Saturday football. We're still there now, and we always said we'd finish together, but we we're not planning on giving up yet.
"We've been the nearly men for so long and when you look our record, I think we've finished in the top six 18 times out of the 23 years we've been in the league. We only really had one bad season, and at last we've made it".
Looking ahead, although Step 4 beckons for Town, Cotto is determined to keep in touch with his many contacts around our league.
"I will miss so many friends around the league when following Town, but I intend to stay in touch by standing for re-election to the League Management Commitee. People have asked me to stay on, so I must be doing something right and must know something about non-league football".
Going back to Saturday, as the picture above shows, Cotto was enticed into the post match celebrations by the Town players, a moment that meant a great deal to him.
"It was great when the players all shouted for me to come and join them, and dragged me into the celebrations. Because of my treatment, I've had to stay off alcohol, and the first drop I've had for three months was when I sipped some champagne out of the trophy, so that wasn't a bad way to start back again.Â
"Being part of those celebrations on Saturday was, without a doubt, my best moment in all the years I've been involved in football".
In the meantime, there's more positive news to report as Cotto is responding well to the treatment he has been receiving.
"I finish with the radiotherapy and the chemotherapy this week, and then have six weeks rest before going back to the surgeons for a review. They'll tell me what I need to do from there, but they are happy with how I'm progressing.
"My grandson Mitchell had his birthday in March, and he was asked what he wanted for his birthday. He said there were two things he wanted - Town to win the league and for Grandad to get better, and he's got his wish on both counts".
An Emotional Day For Cotto
Mon 26th April 2010 | Newcastle Town
By Ian Templeman
Amidst the celebrations at the Lyme Valley after Newcastle Town were presented with the Premier Division trophy, there was one man in particular who found the occasion a bit more emotional than most.
A man often dubbed as "Mr Newcastle", John Cotton has been involved with Town right from the start of their existence since they amalgamated with Parkway Clayton FC in 1982, and has lived with the highs and lows the club has experienced ever since.
There was no one more delighted than Cotto when Town made their sensational start to the season, but as most people will now be aware, he has not been able to attend as many games as he would have liked as he has been undergoing treatment for cancer.
"When the team made their great start I was confident it was going to be our season, but when I was told in November that I had cancer, I wondered if I would live to see the day that they lifted the championship trophy", he said. "So it was an emotional day for me and it was great to be there and be a part of it.
"I'm so pleased for all the people at the club who have been there for years. Myself and Colin Spencer, who these days is the groundsman at Newcastle Town, helped get the club established when we entered the Staffordshire Senior League in 1982, and became the first Newcastle Town team to play in Saturday football. We're still there now, and we always said we'd finish together, but we we're not planning on giving up yet.
"We've been the nearly men for so long and when you look our record, I think we've finished in the top six 18 times out of the 23 years we've been in the league. We only really had one bad season, and at last we've made it".
Looking ahead, although Step 4 beckons for Town, Cotto is determined to keep in touch with his many contacts around our league.
"I will miss so many friends around the league when following Town, but I intend to stay in touch by standing for re-election to the League Management Commitee. People have asked me to stay on, so I must be doing something right and must know something about non-league football".
Going back to Saturday, as the picture above shows, Cotto was enticed into the post match celebrations by the Town players, a moment that meant a great deal to him.
"It was great when the players all shouted for me to come and join them, and dragged me into the celebrations. Because of my treatment, I've had to stay off alcohol, and the first drop I've had for three months was when I sipped some champagne out of the trophy, so that wasn't a bad way to start back again.Â
"Being part of those celebrations on Saturday was, without a doubt, my best moment in all the years I've been involved in football".
In the meantime, there's more positive news to report as Cotto is responding well to the treatment he has been receiving.
"I finish with the radiotherapy and the chemotherapy this week, and then have six weeks rest before going back to the surgeons for a review. They'll tell me what I need to do from there, but they are happy with how I'm progressing.
"My grandson Mitchell had his birthday in March, and he was asked what he wanted for his birthday. He said there were two things he wanted - Town to win the league and for Grandad to get better, and he's got his wish on both counts".
