The picture accompanying this article says it all.

In July 1984, I arrived on the Isle of Wight to take up a position as Isle of Wight County Press sports editor as a fresh-faced lad…a long way from my native Chester and with high hopes of a sporting journalism career at the highest level.

But I came to love the Island very quickly, priorities changed, and marriage and a family followed.

Now, nearly 39 years later, I am this week handing over the reins of editorship to my trusted colleagues Lori Little and Lucy Morgan…I know they will keep the CP at the top of its game.

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People ask me what are my favourite memories but it would take pages and pages to recount them all.

There have been thousands of great stories written by the many talented journalists I have worked with; there has been laughter and tears along the way and there has always been the sense that I had a huge responsibility to hold those in power to account.

The trolls on social media accuse the CP of being everything from Pravda to the Daily Mail with all the political leanings those things entail.

But those are not the real people of the Island.

The opinions of the CP that matter are those of the people who don’t hide behind internet curtains but instead tell you to your face what they think.

I recall 20-odd years ago being shouted at in the CP office by a woman who blasted “your arrogance will get you into trouble young man!” at me…and she was right.

I have learned to listen and encourage all my team to do the same.

Read more: County Press commended for campaigning content at national awards

One highlight was certainly the Fight for the Wight campaign which saw us deliver 10,000 signatures to Downing Street demanding a better deal for the Island (the jury is still out on that one!).

As for the fun things of the job, interviewing musical heroes and chatting to sports stars is great but I have had the best times being asked to open the new changing rooms at Brading Football Club and being lucky enough to assist the real good folk of the Wight…such as Rachel Thompson, now of Pan Together, and Karen Eeles, who has helped so many good causes over the years.

I am going to miss it terribly, I know I will, but I am not departing Island life and am sure many of you will see me popping up in various positions in the months and years to come.