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Welcome to the manxathletics.com forum. Please share information and your views on the sport in the Isle of Man with others.

The forum has been operating in its present form since April 2004 and I particularly welcome comments from new contributors, whether you live on or off the Isle of Man, if you have an interest in Manx athletics.

Many people have used the forum to give thanks to the officials or their own supporters when they have enjoyed an event. Contrustive criticism is always welcome as an additional means of communication, although it is not intended to replace formal communication between clubs and other bodies and their members.

If you are unable to find information about an event on any of the Manx websites, then the forum is the best place to ask for help from other people. Whilst you can email me at murray@manxathletics.com and I will do my best to point you in the right direction, the people who have the answer to your question are likely to visit the forum so it is better that you ask it here. manxathletics.com is an independent site and I do not hold office within any of the five Manx clubs.

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Thanks for being sensible and I hope you continue to enjoy the forum and the sport.

Murray Lambden

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Subject:		Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008)
Name:		Robbie Lambie
Date Posted:		Mar 24, 08 - 5:10 PM
IP Address:		213.137.30.2
Email:		robbielambie@manx.net
Message:		A wonderful and heartfelt tribute by Ian Turnbull and after reading it over a couple of times, it’s clear that he was the right man for the job. In fact when I read that Ian was doing it, I was both pleased and relieved that someone of Ian’s calibre had decided to take this on, as I know from personal experience when paying a tribute to a close friend what a difficult and heart wrenching task it can be. Ironically and spookily after I wrote a tribute about Robbie Corkish 14 months ago, I received a lovely email from Brian Goldsmith the next day basically saying what a lovely eulogy I had produced on Robbie (aged 52). His words were – you got that spot on about Robbie Corkish and if anybody hadn’t know him before, they will do now. I was touched by that. And would you credit it, here I am on the back of Ian Turnbull’s tribute, unfortunately writing a lengthy piece about Brian, another friend and talented athlete, who has been so cruelly taken from us and his family so early on in life and at only 58. Even more shocking about Brian really as it happened so suddenly. Anyway this my account of how I recall Brian. I’ve known Brian and about him since 1961. He was in the top class at school with my brother Stuart at Ballakermeen. I heard lots of colourful stories from different fellow pupils about Brian in those early days and I knew he was a bit of a character (a challenge to the teachers) and who also was a very talented athlete. When I joined Ballakermeen 4 years later, he was in 5th form (year 11) at St Ninians (all boys in those days) and doing his O levels, as it was called then. The following year when I was in second form or year 8, I won the Victor Ludorum in athletics for my year. Danny Neill won the Intermediate section and Brian won the Victor Ludorum for the Senior Boys. Somewhere in my attic I have an old black and white photograph which was taken in 1967 which shows myself, Danny Neill, Brian Goldsmith and Albert Johnson (my coach and mentor for several years) all with our trophies etc. I must find that photograph. Interestingly enough, some months after that and under the influence of Albert I switched to race walking and soon lost my sprinting ability. Coincidentally Brian also just after that award switched his allegience to another sporting discipline, namely rugby. I don’t ever remember seeing him really sprint after that – aged 17. Just as a footnote, as well as being a very good athlete and rugby player he was one of the best swimmers in his year at school. His times for the 100 yards I think were 11 seconds, 24.4 for the 220 yds and about 54 for the 440. At that period he was the best 17 year old sprinter (Inter school champion) on the Island and Peter Orrell and Denis Killey were the best at middle distance. Prior to that Dave Cowell and Alan Postlethwaite ruled the roost for their age groups at middle distance. It must be said though that Brian was a handy cross country runner and when he was about 16 represented Lancashire in the English Schools cross country champs. He finished about 4 or 5th in the Lancs champs. I think the winner that year was Andy Holden who at that period could beat David Bedford and who both later went on to represent Great Britain in the 1972 Olympics. So the standard was high way back in those days. I think Brian finished 72nd in the English Schools. Brian left school and went to Didsbury College where he studied PE (and French). By the way, I know so much about him simply because he was on the same course as my brother. I think Peter Orrell also went to Didsbury. Three very talented athletes indeed. Brian didn’t really keep the running going and drifted into rugby. He played for the college team as a fullback. He didn’t finish his PE course and realised that teaching wasn’t for him. He toyed with the idea of joining the Army I seem to recall as his older brother had done. I don’t think he went through with it but instead joined the UK Civil Service. I believe he worked as an inspector in the DHSS for many years. At that period at weekends he played rugby for a team in Manchester called Toch H. Brian and Sandie returned to the Island in 1984. It wasn’t long before he got interested in the running again. He started to train with the likes of Ian Turnbull, Irene Corlett, Stan Basnett, Alan Kelly and Mitch Joughin et al. He soon got pretty fit and was doing some decent times. Times like 36.50 - 37 minutes for 10 km was pretty good as he hadn’t run seriously for about 15 years, then a sub 60 minute 10 miler and then soon after a 2.57 marathon and I think he may have completed the TT 40 run. A great achievement for an ex sprinter. The rest of his achievements when in the veterans ranks have already been highlighted by Ian. As Ian mentions in his tribute, soon after this period he got injured and decided to drift into race walking. He liked nothing better to go out on long social training walks and keep everyone amused by his stories. I have to say he was a better runner than walker but I think he recorded times like 57 for 10 km. And as Ian mentions he completed the End to End on several occasions and as the photograph on the homepage shows he competed and finished last years E2E in 8.23.16. Not sure if he completed the Manx Mountain Marathon but he never finished the Parish. That still remained an ambition of his and he took a fair bit of stick about that from fellow walkers. He could have achieved a lot more in his time during the veteran athletics, but he just seemed interested in competing and using the sport as a social event. Brian’s philosophy was simple. Racing regularly, meant that he didn’t need to train much. Given his ability as a junior it would have been interesting to have seen what he would have done on the back of some hard training as a young athlete. Brian was a friendly, lively and personable chap who if he could would always try and do you a turn. He enjoyed a laugh and a pint after a race and was always quick to heap praise on anyone if they’d walked or run a good race. He is a character who will be sorely missed as a person and as a very fine all round athlete. Sympathy is extended to his wife Sandie, son Robert and daughter Kate. Sympathy is extended to his wife Sandie, son Robert and daughter Kate. Robbie Lambie
Replies:
Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008) by Mike Gellion · Mar 24, 08 - 9:37 PM Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008) by Gail Griffiths · Mar 25, 08 - 11:25 PM Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008) by David Griffiths · Mar 26, 08 - 11:36 PM Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008) by Adrian Cowin · Mar 27, 08 - 3:04 PM Re: Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008) by Steve Cain · Mar 27, 08 - 3:46 PM Re: Re: BRIAN GOLDSMITH (24.02.1950 – 22.03.2008) by Maureen Cox · Mar 28, 08 - 12:26 AM

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