I first got to know John Lancaster back in the day roundabout 1989. We had won the licence to broadcast Sunset Radio across Manchester and we were looking for premises in which to set up the radio station.

Last Monday the great and the good of the Basketball world joined members of the family and friends from school for the funeral of Sheila Hopkins, one of basketballs greatest fans and hardest working volunteers.

Well last Sunday morning the alarm went off at 4:30 as per usual and I got up had a shower, jumped in the car and headed for BBC Radio Manchester to present the Sunday Breakfast programme. As usual the car radio was on Radio 5Live and it was then that I learned of the death of Whitney Houston. To put it mildly I was shocked.

Sheffield Sharks legend Todd Cauthorn has announced his retirement from the game. Cauthorn, aged 39, has decided to call time on a glorious career after spending the summer considering whether to play one final season for the club which he first joined in 1994.

Lynard Stewart is truly one of the legends of the British Game. Having won just about everything he gave an exclusive interview to mikeshaft.com. This was the first time that he hinted that he might be coming to the end of a glorious playing career.

Another friend has passed my way. It is with great sadness that I report that my friend and colleague Pete Jacques passed away at 2:00pm today, Friday 16th of April. He is survived by his wife Pauline and Daughter Lucy

I really cannot remember exactly when I met Duncan Smith for the first time, but my earliest memories of Duncan were some glorious nights at his fantastic studio in his old house in Heywood. Duncan was a gentleman of the highest order. If you are a regular reader of the Mike Shaft web site, you'll know that he has been mentioned on my tributes page from the first day I decided to include that page.

Well I must admit this came as a bit of a surprise to me. I have known Henry Mooney for a number of years ever since he brought me over to Liverpool to do some game night commentary for him.

Recently, I was invited to give a short inspirational presentation to students at The Oldham College. The event was the launch of their Young Professionals and their slogan Careers not Courses.

Today I met a remarkable young woman, The Manchester Mystics’ Georgia Jones. She not only plays with passion and commitment, but she does so in the face of great adversity. Georgia, 17, is one of 250,000 people in the UK who suffer from type 1 diabetes.