My involvement with websites dates back to the mid-to-late 1990s, a period when dial-up internet was still a novelty and building a website meant teaching yourself every step. My first real foray into digital content began during my time writing for Walton United prior to their merger with Felixstowe Town — a move that stirred its share of local controversy.

The Birth of “The Inner Thigh”

Under the pseudonym The Inner Thigh, I wrote weekly club notes for the Green Un, a staple for Suffolk football fans. Over time, I built a substantial following. However, the club’s restructuring and eventual demise prompted me to step away, retiring both the name and the weekly musings that came with it.

Following advice from a therapist at St. Clements, who believed the act of writing would be therapeutic, I began documenting my recollections. Over a few pints with friends, they encouraged me to take those words online — and that’s exactly what I did.

The First Domains

I registered www.theinnerthigh.com and built a bespoke site for Felixstowe Harpers, mixing nostalgia, insight, and a love for grassroots football. Before long, I was experimenting with Microsoft FrontPage, which inspired the launch of www.verso.me.uk — my creative sandbox and personal blog space for the next five to six years.

With help and encouragement from Andy Proctor, I honed my skills further and soon began designing websites for others, marking the start of a side career in digital publishing and hosting.

Felixstowe Harpers & The Rise of SSF

Unfortunately, unwelcome attention from local football authorities forced the closure of the Harpers website — but that setback only sparked something bigger.

From the ashes came The Suffolk Sports Forum (SSF), co-founded with my friend Gaffer. At its peak, the forum had nearly 300 members, and it became a lively hub for sports discussions, club updates, banter and real-time commentary across Suffolk. We even:

• Sponsored a local darts player for a full year
• Backed a Felixstowe & Walton FA Cup fixture

The forum had its fair share of characters — but not all for the better. After repeated run-ins with football authorities and a particularly ridiculous debate with a member known as “welshwatcher” (who mounted a passionate campaign against darts being considered a sport), we decided to call time on the project.

After SSF

Despite dabbling with other forums and websites, nothing ever quite captured the spirit and popularity of SSF. Over the next few years, I shifted gears to focus on third-party websites and expanded my portfolio of client builds.

But life, as it does, evolved — and a career change reduced the time I could spend maintaining sites for others. The decision was made to consolidate my efforts, and that’s where you find me now: focusing solely on this site.

---

Reflection

What began as football club notes has evolved into a decades-long digital journey, blending passion, frustration, creativity, and community. Whether it was promoting grassroots sport, building a space for local voices, or simply experimenting with FrontPage, every website told a story — and each one played a role in mine.