goodbye to all

[4timeschamp]

Just to let you all know before it goes round on the Bar Billiard grapevine, i am retiring from Bar Billiards. I have not taken this decision lightly and a lot of things have been taken into account to come to this decision. Circumstances in my life have changed dramatically(i am going to be a dad, Heather is due in February) and i have been losing a bit of interest over the last couple of years in BB.
I will be in Jersey this year and look forward to seeing you all over there, hopefully i can go out with a bang.
Finally i would like to thank all Bar Billiards players for their friendship over the years and hope i dont lose touch with all the friends i have made through this great game.

A mixture of good and sad news.

Good luck with being a dad and your retirement.

[Kevin Pringle (R.I.P.)]

Jim, may I be one of the first to say that you will be missed in Bar Billiards and for the achievements you have done over the years. I have never met you in person that I recall but feel you can be called one of the greats.
There are more important things in life than BB and I feel maybe to more players than just yourself the interest is deminishing.
I doubt I will make Jersey but is a possible, hope all goes well with the birth which has to be your priority now.
Look after yourself Jim and your family, pop in and say hi to the forum and to all your friends here in the future, your account will never be deleted.

Kevin

[Chris_Sav]

Wow, there's a bombshell!!



Good luck to you & especially Heather.

Sav.

[Q]

Congratulations to Heather & yourself, very good news indeed. Though it is a shame about your retirement, you will be greatly missed.
Maybe by giving it a rest for a year or so the spark will return, I personally hope so.

See you in Jersey, if not before, good luck to you both.
Bernie

[Owners' Account]

Wow, don;t know what to say. Congrats must certainly to both of you....

I will catch up with both you guys soon.....

Take care now.......

Jim,
Bar Billiards will be poorer without your involvement.
At the moment no-one can match your achievements - the fact that you retired once before for quite a long period (- seven years ?) makes them all the more incredible.

You have been an influence in your "refusal to be beaten" style of play and have provided me with the odd useful word of advice (at the risk of giving away trade secrets !) which I have found invaluable.

You will be missed.
Good luck to you and Hevvie on the impending little one. And I'm sure you'll eventually make another comeback - but only when you're good and ready.

[milko]

Oh no !!, that’s sad news, just when I’ve started beating you, :)what is it 6-3 to you on wins, I’m sure you’ll know.

Jim, to echo Tommos comments, anybody who has won 3 British Open or World Championships must go down as an all time great, “Hall of Fame” if we had one!!

Good luck to you & Heather in the future, also for the birth of the baby.
See you both in Jersey, catch me at the bar & I’ll buy you both a drink ……… did I really say that !!? ;) ;D

Keith

P.S That will be two of us missing from the International scene next year, because I've retired from that for good now. Bring on the young blood!!.

milko said:

P.S That will be two of us missing from the International scene next year, because I've retired from that for good now. Bring on the young blood!!.

Yes England selectors reading this, bring on the young blood 8-) ;)

I am gutted I will never meet you Jim. I looked forward to meeting the best ever England player! I guess I can only look at what you've done rather then hear it from the man himself :( ;)

I hope you enjoy life. By all means quit if you are losing interest, I would do the same in that situation. You have more on your plate and thats understandable.

Hope to see your kid repeating your fame! ;)

You will be greatly missed by everybody in the Bar Billiards world.

See ya, and 'ave a good'un ;D ;)

[Sparky]

Jim
We may not have met often but I shall miss your cheerful greeting.

Your achievements speak for themselves and it is a great loss to BB but, maybe you will return one day and I look forward to that possibility.

Many congratulations to you and Heather and I wish all three (?) of you the very best for the future.

Graham

[davejones]

Good luck Heather and Jim.

Family life is much more important than BB.

You had a great BB life and thank you for great memories, even though you did sit on my car roof top once!

Good luck for the future

[iang]

Good Luck to you & Heather enjoy the joy of being parents.
I have had the pleasure of watching you play but not against you (phew). I 'm sure I will see you at some point in the future so I wont say goodbye but see you soon & maybe some day you will return.
All the best.
Ian :) :)

[NigelS]

Good luck to you and Heather.

I have enjoyed many cracking nights as your team mate and your opposition.

Thank you also for all the encouragement and support you have given me whilst I have been learning the game.

I am sure I will see you around soon.

[FeedTheGoat]

All the very best.

You will obviously be missed. Stadium v Tap won't be quite the same :)

Thank you so much for the incredible amount of help and support you have given me in my first few years. It has without doubt helped me a lot.

Chris

[barneybear]

Blimey James there's a shock!

If you're missing a drinking partner for Jersey I'll take up the sauce again if it will change your mind!

[WolfLord]

Congratulations on the news about becoming a dad and good luck on your retirement. You will certainly be missed. It is still my greatest achievement in beating you at the Lancing Legion six years ago.

[Richard]

Hi Jim

Great news for you and heather with a new baby on the way.

Its a shame you are retiring.

It has been great playing as one of your team mates in interleague, we always had a great laugh. Thank you for all your help and support over the last couple of years.

Hopefully we can still talk you in to playing the occasional game especially if you become 4 times champ as then you will have to defend the title next year.

See you soon

[fazza]

Can I belatedly add my good wishes.....



....but oh no, it will be such a loss to the game.



Does that I mean I will never get to play with you......


in the Mixed Pairs?



We will miss Jim a bit too...... ;D

[fazza]

So, after so nearly pulling it off in Jersey, any second thoughts?

We will all miss you!

What about that Mixed Pairs? Still looking for a partner!

[davemay]

Jim

Firstly, let me add my congratulations to you and Heather on the news of your coming parenthood.
Secondly, I hope that you will still attend Bar Billiards events, even though you have decided to hang up your cue. Going out at the very top of any sport is everyone's idea of success, and you have certainly achieved that.
I have had the pleasure of watching you win your 3 world titles, and all were well merited.
There is no doubt that you, and Heather will be missed on the circuit, but parenthood brings other responsibilities, and other interests.
Please look up all your many friends at the Sussex open, and other Opens, if you can make it, so that everyone can keep in touch.
May you and Heather have a Happy Christmas, Pleasant new year, and a safe and healthy baby when he/she arrives

Dave May

[bigtj]

May I add my congratulations to you both, and wish you all the best for the future. Hopefully you will grace us with the occassionally with your precence at the open events. I have known you for a number of years and the encouragement and advice you have given on how to play the game has always been first class. So not only will you be missed as a player but as an ambassador of the game,

Jim,
I know you didn't quite make The Big One to make it four-times-champ, but - hey - you got the FINAL which in itself is a fantastic achievement and well beyond the capability of most of us.

All the best for your second long-term-break and we'll no doubt one day witness yet another comeback, this time with a 'little-un' in tow. ;)