It's a time of much contemplation for me regarding the final goodbye of the old 7071 website. I see it's still actually there, but sadly it is in its death throes as I've stopped the direct debit to dial.space.

I've chosen to re-engage with the real world and leave webspace behind, at least for the time being.

It is very odd hearing that Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Bobby Robson were at Wimbledon, but having no-where to report it! At the 2008 Euro I've seen Franz Beckenbauer and Eusebio... but kept it to myself.

I almost shouted to Kathrin, my wife, when I saw Derek Fazackerley on Sky Sports News, only to remember that, hey, she never was interested and would not have known the significance anyway! (This is only normal and in no way a slur to my wonderfully supportive spouse...)

The odd email comes through asking for team line-ups from 60s sides and I sigh, wanting so much to do it, but trying even harder to not engage with past hobbies.

I like being Bob from Bob and 1970-71 Footballers, but enjoy the freedom of leaving it behind even more. Who knows if I'll ever pick up the mantal again.

The reason for stopping it was really because the site isn't needed any more Wikipedia do a better job than I ever could. The quirkiness of my site looked anachronistic in todays sophisticated world wide web, and not in a good way.

It was also holding me back from other projects I want to explore, which involve more creativity and less cutting and pasting of other people's news.

My wife has often heard the words,'If only I could make money doing it' and now the credit crunch is chomping very close to me it is time to listen to those words and act. I can no longer keep putting this much of my life into a hobby that haemorrhages money, but gets very little back, other than some very kind people who have sent me books and magazines (for which eternal thanks).

So for now all I have left is this not very oft visited MySpace and the wonderful 60s70s Yahoo group page and a head full of happy memories, I probably will be back for a new assault on the world of 70s football, but not for the foreseeable future.

Bob