SALFORD GATHERS TO SAY FAREWELL TO FORMER SALFORD ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHER AND ADMIN ALBERT SPIBY

People from all over Lancashire came to celebrate the life of Salford born, Albert Spiby at the Station Bar, Eccles, yesterday, Sunday 19 January who died after a short illness in December 2019

Albert was a well known and well loved figure in the Salford and Eccles area and to be honest he was hard to miss with his all black army style fatigue clothing, camera and zoom lenses strapped around his neck and his ever present can of Diet Coke!

He was a well known figure at any demonstration in the area and was at Barton Moss almost every day when the anti- fracking demonstrations were on and was to suffer for his cause when the police wrongfully seized his car, which was returned to him.

He would take me out to many stories I was reporting at SalfordOnline, going as far as Warrington on one occasion to interview a 98 year old chap, Charlie Oldham, who had memories of a famous football match at Salfords ground in 1947/8.

It will be more for his political outspoken stance that Albert will be remembered and loved and so it was as people crammed into the pub to celebrate his all too short life and hear stories about him.

Debbie Critchley Spiby thanked everybody for coming and told us all about Albert's childhood growing up in Salford and very soon a pattern was established as his refusal to conform became apparent! a proper little rebel even as as a kid.

I spoke about the times we had shared together, and couldn't resist reminding people of his bloody awful jokes he would tell, and his strange habit of putting curry powder in hot-pot to flavour it!, his views on gun control, capitalism, New World Order and his love for Guinness and pool.

It was good to see a couple of his friends, Jonathon Yates sharing their memories who told us that he, "felt safe when walking around Eccles with Albert" and the times they would spend in the pub together, his friend John Corboy echoed these sentiments, also the owner of the bar, Paul Quinn got up and told us how when he had a spot of bother with the police, Albert came to Court with him everyday to give moral support and advice.

Then the mysterious fat Ben Affleck look a like and former Winton playboy Craig Littler, who doesn’t do social media, made a rare public appearance and even rather graciously waived his usual fee to talk about Albert and basically switch the conversation to himself as often as possible...

So all in all a sad but splendid afternoon get together to celebrate Albert's life, and raise a glass to him, Albert you were a top bloke and I and many more people will miss you.