... that I must inform this forum of the passing of John Ford, the founder of SportsMatch UK.

John was a true gentleman, as well as a genius, and his passing will be mourned by so many, from our sport and beyond.

John forsaw the 'pre-charged revolution', and working alongside Gerald Cardew, developed and produced the SportsMatch GC2 rifle, which was so far ahead of its time that we springer enthusiasts shook our heads at the folly of it all. John recognised the importance of the PCP system, along with the desire of the top shooters to use something that pushed that system to its limits. John was right, and the rest is part of our sport's history.

In addition to the production of his company's excellent mounts, John's talent for invention took him to a huge variety of product destinations, including sports wheels for cars, part of the equipment that captured the first photographic evidence of the DNA molecule, and an underwater bicycle ... yes, really.

John retired to Spain some years ago, leaving his son, Matthew, in charge of the SportsMatch factory, and it was Matthew who called me today with the sad news. John was 76, and he packed plenty of remarkable times into those years. He was a great friend, and a great man, and I'll never forget him. There will be a full tribute to John in Airgun World in a future issue, although I'd need several magazines to tell the full, remarkable story of this truly special man.

Rest in peace, John - you've earned it, mate.