Obituary for a fansite: AJAX USA (1995-2008)

[Zitgaar]

Jim / Menno Thank you!

[SydAjax]

Hey guys, I've made a bunch of updates to my page, I'd really appreciate you taking a look!

http://ajaciedinamerica.blogspot.com/

-syd

[ZoefdeHaas]

I dont know if ya'll remember me, but ya I did say I would return when Ajax wins but it looks like Ajax USA won't be the same anymore. So I'd like to use this opportunity to say thank you to those who dedicated time to put this site together, and let's hope Ajax make it to the CL next season and finally win the trophy!!

[ajaxusa]

Folks, the legacy web site is about to disappear...

The site is hosted on "GetActive CMS" which is going to be de-commissioned at any moment.

I do have a back-up copy of the site (downloaded last month), and I will eventually re-upload the great original content (almost entirely by Ko) elsewhere. But that might not happen for a while, as I will have find a new hosting service, upload and then edit the content (fix navigation, images, etc.) significantly to make it usable. I don't think that'll happen too soon.

Also, it's almost time (January) to decide whether to renew my domain names of ajax-usa.com and ajaxusa.com. I'm inclined to let them go, but what do you think? Will it matter if you must browse to homepage.hostingcompany.com/ajaxusa?

[Cedric]

It would not really matter to me but I think it's better to keep those URL.
But that's not my money of course...

[666]

Renewing those URLs sounds like a good investment. Maybe you can sell 'em to the club? AFC Ajax NV may have a few pennies to spare when they sell Suarez.

[ajaxusa]

And so it has come to pass, at around noon today Pacific US time...

http://ajax-usa.com = "Service Unavailable"

Pour out a beer for everybody's favorite long-dead, now gone web site (which may indeed come back as an archived web site in 2011 if I get my shit together).

Ko, I kinda wish I was in Amsterdam today so we could have a drink...

[SPL]

and at the moment Jol goes. What timing!! Thanks for all you great work and bringing Ajax to alot of english speaking fans.

[Amol]

Jim, thanks for keeping the site alive this long. You guys were the only place where I could get my Ajax news before google translate came along. I still miss reading all of Menno's match reviews on ajaxusa.

Here's to hoping that we get ajaxusa back in some shape or form in the future HUP AJAX

[Kowalczyk]

Ko, I kinda wish I was in Amsterdam today so we could have a drink...

Yeah... Would be even better if I was in California, tho...

K.

[aveslacker]

Ko, I kinda wish I was in Amsterdam today so we could have a drink...

Yeah... Would be even better if I was in California, tho...

K.

That's it then. Let's all nip over to Jim's for a drink.

[ajaxusa]

Ajax fans are always welcome here. That much hasn't changed. We're not The Ritz, but the price is right.

[Kowalczyk]

Somehow it feels appropriate to post this here...

Sunday 22 May 2011 was a day of mixed emotions.

It was great to see pictures, posted on Twitter, of the old Ajax USA crew, re-united out in DC for Ajax's DC United friendly. Jim, Ben, Ray, Mystery Bob... It's been ten years since our very first Ajax USA trip and I hope to meet you all again at some point. The Ajax USA site is dead, but the Ajax USA spirit lives on - and I find that moving.

I didn't just meet Americans (and a few Canadians) thru Ajax USA, I also got in touch with a motley crew of Ajax supporters from the British isles, known today as the infamous Cockney Cloggies. Many of them once had (or still have) Ajax season tickets. They are over quite regularly for Ajax games and we went on many European trips together.

I am very sorry to tell you that one of the Cockney Cloggies, the fantastic Allan 'Jock Cloggie' Finlay from Edinburgh, Scotland, passed away yesterday evening, after a battle against cancer that he could impossibly win. He was registered here on Ajax Talk (as 'jock cloggie'), but did not post much. We had great times in Amsterdam, London, Milan, Rome, Florence and Munich together, to name but a few. He will be terribly, terribly missed.

Rest in peace, Jock Cloggie. You'll always be with us on our Ajax travels.

K.

[SPL]

I am sure I met him at Derby and Notts Forest a few years ago ? Menno walked into a pub full of Notts Forest fans and I was with jock cloggie (sure it was the same person) and said to him let Menno do the talking and we pretend to be dutch who do not speak english. They were all friendly and we did admit to being from Worthing and Edinburgh.

I seem to remember the next day Menno took the 2 of us into the caves underneath Nottingham Castle, entrance via some shop in the shopping mall !!!

I am sure that was the same person a sad loss to his family and to all who met him .

[ajaxusa]

I am very sorry to tell you that one of the Cockney Cloggies, the fantastic Allan 'Jock Cloggie' Finlay from Edinburgh, Scotland, passed away yesterday evening, after a battle against cancer that he could impossibly win. He was registered here on Ajax Talk (as 'jock cloggie'), but did not post much. We had great times in Amsterdam, London, Milan, Rome, Florence and Munich together, to name but a few. He will be terribly, terribly missed.

Ko, thanks so much for posting. I don't know if I ever met Allan or not. I suppose I did, years ago. Anyway, your description speaks volumes, and I'm sorry for him, and for you. He will be missed, for sure.

It was so poignant to see the old guard yesterday. We've all aged, but we're all just the same.

[SE6Ajacied]

I am very sorry to tell you that one of the Cockney Cloggies, the fantastic Allan 'Jock Cloggie' Finlay from Edinburgh, Scotland, passed away yesterday evening, after a battle against cancer that he could impossibly win. He was registered here on Ajax Talk (as 'jock cloggie'), but did not post much. We had great times in Amsterdam, London, Milan, Rome, Florence and Munich together, to name but a few. He will be terribly, terribly missed.

Rest in peace, Jock Cloggie. You'll always be with us on our Ajax travels.

K.

Terrible News, R.I.P. Allan, a really nice guy who I had the pleasure of meeting on a few occasions. I remember on one of my trips to Ajax I actually "was" Allan, at least that's what the Seizoenkart said....

Will be sadly missed by many I'm sure anyway, I didn't know him well but didn't have to to realise what a top bloke he was.

[aveslacker]

RIP Jock Cloggie. I hope that Ajax finally winning the league gave him some joy in his last days.

[Blind3]

RIP ALLAN . I had the esteemed pleasure of meeting Allan three times on my Ajax travels. A terrific gentleman and hardcore Ajax supporter in equal measure. Heaven just took on a Rood en Wit hue. My heartfelt condolences to Allan's family and friends .

[arizonaajax]

I wish that Ajax USA would exist on facebook as a group.

[rjf1]

Sorry -- I won't have anything to do with facebook.

[aveslacker]

I wish that Ajax USA would exist on facebook as a group.

Fantastic idea, imo.

[ajaxusa]

I like the idea of a Facebook group. Seems like the most natural way to stay in touch and (quietly) welcome new fans to the fold... I'll look into it.

Meanwhile, I've begun the process of re-publishing some of the more important content from the old website. For now, you can find it here:

Ajax USA Archives

The original History, some of the 15 Years Ago series, and a few of the translated chapters from Simon Kuper's book, are already up there. Unfortunately, much of the content didn't make it successfully through the export process, so this will never be a complete archive. (None of the image files made it, for instance. Major bummer, that. Tons of work went into those.) But I still have hundreds of pages to edit and re-post, including most of the match reports, guest commentaries and player interviews.

Please have a look-see.

[Blind3]

Love the idea of existing on Facebook . JIM , THANK YOU for republishing the history !! Great stuff . MENNO , THANK YOU for writing the history !!