Dave Edwards
West Ham United have lost one of their greatest fans, Hong Kong Football Club Rovers have lost one of their key players and staff on the South China Morning Post sports desk have lost a much-loved colleague.
Dave Edwards, who died suddenly this week, aged 47, was an avid sports fan and keen sportsman. His devotion to the Hammers was touching - a typical Saturday night at work would include the sound of Dave, monitoring his team's fortunes on the Internet, exclaiming 'Yes!' or, sadly for him, more often 'Oh, no!' as the goals went in.
Dave loved West Ham, but he was no one-eyed fan. He appreciated great teams and great players and was a champion of fair play. The only occasion his colleagues could ever remember him becoming angry was during the last World Cup when a French player was wrongly sent off after an opponent had faked injury. Dave's sense of injustice over the incident summed up his belief that dishonesty and deceit had no place in sport.
Dave's passion for football was matched by his fondness for horse racing. A common sight in the office was Dave striding into work in the early evening following an afternoon at the track, tapping a rolled-up Racing Post against his thigh, with a spring in his step if one of his bets had paid off.
Football, racing, rugby (union or league), golf, baseball, tennis or just about any other sport - Dave liked them all and displayed a knowledge of them that his colleagues could only envy.
And if Dave wasn't watching sport, then there was a fair chance he was playing it. He was an enthusiastic cricketer, a highly capable golfer (he regularly represented the Post in pro-am events) and he continued playing football right up until his untimely death.
His family, friends and colleagues in the office are left with a huge sense of loss for a modest, friendly, outgoing man who was always ready to help and always liked to be involved, whether at work or play.
Dave was one of life's good guys - and that is how we will remember him.
