I first met David (as he was formally introduced to me, never Dave...) around 22 years ago when I had been going out with Steve for just a few weeks. The meeting took place at the Hamilton pub with his friends Big Al and Phil, before heading to watch the Rovers at Ewood Park. Steve had briefed me on some football questions to ask his dad (something about flat-back-fours and a sweeper system?) and I had diligently learnt the names of as many Blackburn players as I could. From the word go there was nothing but laughter and I felt at ease and welcomed as part of David's family immediately, although I think I was the butt of the jokes that day due to my lack of football knowledge. A trip to Cardiff in 2005 to watch the FA Cup Final against Arsenal, despite the wrong result for Steve and David, would always make us laugh, after the consolatory drinks ended with a game of Cheeky Cheeky, leaving an oblivious David with cigarette ash all over his face ... I think a policeman told him on the walk back to the station that he needed to find some better friends. David was always full of fun and so young-at-heart. On his birthdays he would always insist he was just 37 years old. When we were having Lucy, we discussed beforehand what he would like to be called by his grandchildren. He decided he was far too young to be called Grandad, so we settled on Hops-the-Pops, which he was affectionately known as from then on by us all, more recently adjusted to Hops-le-Pops once we moved to France. He spent lots of time visiting us in London, Berkhamsted, Chicago and more recently Paris and we shared lots of special memories and fun times with him. His 60th birthday trip to Las Vegas with Matt, Lauren, Lynn, Big Al and Lynnette was an epic celebration and we will cherish the video of David and a 3-year old Lucy dancing to Gangnam Style in Little Grandma's living room forever. A walking trip to the Lake District with David, Steve and myself in 2017 was an unexpected source of entertainment (and near broken-bones), as Steve and his Dad both turned up in very insufficient footwear, with David ending the day cold, wet and caked in mud. Daniel will remember his daily Zoom maths lessons with Hops-the-Pops during lockdown, which, with Janet's English classes, was a lovely and very helpful connection during those isolated months. Over the last few years David spent many hours with Steve watching both Lucy and Daniel play football and David ensured they were always kitted out with the latest Rovers kit for their birthdays. We are so happy to have spent some time together with him just before Christmas when he visited us in Paris. I will always remember David as a loving, supportive, selfless, kind and funny Father-in-Law to me, and Hops-the-Pops to Lucy and Daniel. RIP David xxx