Darblade/Ainsley Harriott RIP

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?


Been dreading this sadly inevitable thread.

My first experience of Matt was years ago when he was still really young, probably early 20s at the most.

If I'm honest I wasn't sure at first but after having a drink with him a couple of times in SBTs old pub I had a different view.

What you saw was what you got and underneath he was in the right place.

In this modern world too many play to the gallery on the Internet and like to portray themselves in a way that they're really not when push comes to shove.

Matt didn't shy away from his views no matter if controversial but his heart was in the right place and was a solid down to earth lad.

Tragic for him and his young family.

RIP ❤️
 
Woke up to read this and it's knocked me side ways, I never met him but spoke to him often on here, and had so much time for him, one of life's good uns

How he kept his sense of humour while going through what he did was nothing short of inspirational.

Will be so so missed, condolences to all his family and friends, my thoughts are with you
 
Went to one of those blades forums that occasionally happened when Kevin McCabe did one of his motivational speeches to rally the troops.
Got talking to this lad and when I mentioned I posted on Bladesmad he introduced himself as Matt/Darblade.
Was a prolific and popular poster who said it as it was,he didn’t half love his team tho❤️
One of those people you took to straight away,a top blade.
Very sad news,taken far too early x
 

Been pretty distant from this place for a few years now and I had no idea he was ill. Got a ping on messenger from a member yesterday telling me the news, absolutely devastated.

He was part of the furniture around here, one of the lads I used to interact and speak with the most. Been going through some of his posts on the mental health thread and it's heartbreaking, but massive respect to him for speaking so openly and to all those who were there for him.

Rest easy mate.
 
Davalon said:
Matt didn't shy away from his views no matter if controversial but his heart was in the right place and was a solid down to earth lad.
Click to expand...

RIP Matt/ Ainsley, one of my favourite posters.

Agree….he often had different and interesting ideas and thoughts giving alternative view points. Remember him well in the covid19 thread.

I listened and take all opinions on board, others posters would try to shout him down or insult him, which is sadly the fashion these days. People become emotionally attached to their opinions and it becomes part of their identity, almost like being part of a gang. Credit to Ainsley he would never allow himself to be shouted down and still came back with alternative viewpoints and supporting evidence in a respectful way.

Always wonder why can’t people just give counter arguments and then just agree to disagree instead replying with sarcasm and insults. Ainsley stood out as being open and honest (especially about mental health) and having the bravery to raise his head above the parapet, so he massively earned my respect.

You’ll definitely be missed by me.
 
Last edited:
RIP and my thoughts are with his family and friends.

Never met/ knew but he was a great poster and I'm sure husband/ father.

Only a few years older than me, very upsetting.
 
Greeny96 said:
My beloved cousin Darblade (Admin edit: aka Ainsley Harriott), passed away last night after a long fight with cancer. I know some of you may know him from these forums, especially Blades mad, and some of you will have had the pleasure of spending time with him home and away.

Dar took me to my first proper away game (3-0 away to Crewe) and many more over the years. He was a massive blades fan, and hopefully some of you who met him will agree he was a genuinely fantastic person to be around.

His stories and jokes would bring a smile and laugh to anyone and he will be missed immensely.
Click to expand...
Very sad news. R.I.P.
 
I was really shocked by the news. Although I have been in lots of discussions with him having not been on the mental health thread I wasn't aware of his illness. Having read his posts on there now it's clear that having this forum to vent his feelings, and getting support from fellow posters, was one of the ways he coped with the awfulness of his situation. RIP
 
Greeny96 said:
My beloved cousin Darblade (Admin edit: aka Ainsley Harriott), passed away last night after a long fight with cancer. I know some of you may know him from these forums, especially Blades mad, and some of you will have had the pleasure of spending time with him home and away.

Dar took me to my first proper away game (3-0 away to Crewe) and many more over the years. He was a massive blades fan, and hopefully some of you who met him will agree he was a genuinely fantastic person to be around.

His stories and jokes would bring a smile and laugh to anyone and he will be missed immensely.
Click to expand...
Just saw this. RIP Ainsley. Noticed he'd not been on here lately and did wonder.

Best wishes to his real life family, and friends.
 
I was an old poster on blades mad and unitedite . I knew dar years. I used to pick him up at 5am on a Saturday for the handsworth away coaches.
You could not wish to meet a more caring bloke and such humour .
Having moved away from sheffield 7 years ago I've lost touch with most things .
We lost granny a few weeks ago a top blade and now dar .
Its heartbreaking I've travelled allover as friends with these lads .
Dar loved his kids and his partner .
R.i.p to a true blades legend
 
This is truly heartbreaking news, no matter how eventual it may have felt. It weighs really heavy. We're the same age. His poor family, wife and girls.

I originally remember Matt from the BladesMad days, as Dar. What a bloody funny bloke. We then chatted a fair bit on and off over social media over the years, and then on here, and it's strange how you can feel like you know someone a little, without really knowing them too personally. Certainly not as well as some on here.

We'd have been early 20s back then, and memories of then were of his footy shirt collection, his love of shit shirts 😆 and how it'd get to the end of most weeks and he'd ask "Dev?", asking forum posters scattered all over he UK whether they were coming for a pint at his local...

We met up just the once, at the Peschisolido and Kozluk evening. What a lovely lad, up for a sup and a laugh. It can't believe that was 10 years ago, bonkers. I'm saddened that that's the only beer I had with him over the years.

Did we agree on everything? No. We had polar opposite opinions on many things, on here, and on social media. But as others have said, he was clear with his opinion, and backed it up with his reasoning and respect, even if you didn't agree with it or always feel comfortable with it. You can't say fairer than that.

Mostly though, we were amongst the usual bunch posting utter nonsense on here, that same silly sense of humour. Typified perfectly by this:

IMG_20231112_123606.jpg

We became Dads around a similar age, his eldest is a bit older than my girl and that's what makes this hit hardest.

My thoughts are with his wife, daughters, family and friends.

For now, I'll have a brew and just pause. I'll raise a pint of sumat stronger to you later, too. RIP Pal, and UTB. ⚔️❤️

IMG_20231112_094707.jpg
 
Although I didn’t know Ains, being a previous cancer fighter myself and having a daughter at a very similar age I couldn’t help but feel a personal connection to his story.

RIP, and thank you for giving others strength by sharing your own courageous fight.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

Back
Top Bottom