I met Sam in Accra, Ghana in 1998.  He had come to west Africa to watch the Africa Cup of Nations.  Whilst he was there he met and fell in love with Pippa Jones who was working as a volunteer in Accra who was at the time and remains a great friend.  

Although, I had not seen Sam in recent years it was a privilege to know him.  Some of  my highlights of knowing him were our chats about African history and politics.  Cups oftea and cheeky spliffs out the window in Manningham.  The eclectic people that gathered in Leylands Lane for New Years Eve, him being called Greenpeace in the Bradford City stand for expressing a slightly left of centre opinion about the environment, trying to juggle his new born twins, sitting in a pub with him in Covent Garden whilst he tried to console an escapologist who could not find the correct type of cling film, marching to stop the war and then deciding we had done enough and deserved a pint, singing the Ouagadodo Choo Choo at his and Pippa’s wedding and many others.

We have lost a good one.  My heartfelt sympathy to Ruby and Chester, Pippa and all others effected by the loss.

I hope to raise a glass in February.