My most heartfelt condolences to all the Abbott family, Fred touched me with his fervent passion for the game of Soccer/Football and became a long time friend and mentor. He was a pioneer of the sport in Minnesota and leaves a great legacy in the North St. Paul/Maplewood community. He was so proud of his soccer field and was always asking me to make sure it was well used, even abused – he knew that the more wear on it was key to kids increasing their playing ability. His passion for his beloved Burnley Football Club bubbled over as they found their way into top flight soccer in the English Premier League. I will miss my bi weekly hour long phone conversations with him as he railed me on my former Club West Bromwich Albion and their struggles. Fred really enjoyed rubbing it in on the fact that his weather in California was always better than Minnesota. I often asked him if he had taken a meteorological course at a local community college because he always piled on the rhetoric of climate difference. Because of my soccer background I was always treated to the latest gossip and activities of Major League Soccer. His pride in the leadership that Mark Abbott was wielding over the League always came over strong and loud. His voice always took on a different tone as he gave oversight of Marks activities, actions and triumphs. I always enjoyed his ‘state of the game’ soccer analysis. I always felt his passion and desire for the game of soccer to flourish in the States as strongly as it is regarded in his motherland of England. In our conversations I found out more about the inner workings of the Minnesota Kicks a team I played for and captained for 6 years – he always had snippets of information or anecdotal comments that were insightful and amusing. My most humble and sincere regards to you all in your time of loss, I intend to celebrate his life with fond memories, his spirit remains with grass growing in Maplewood and with Burnley FC on FOX. Alan Merrick.