Having just spoken to his wife Becky I can sadly confirm that John Hawksworth aka Monkeybutt passed on this morning at 10am.

John has been suffering for some time with non-Hodgkins lymphoma which for those unaware is a cancer that starts in the lymph nodes and spreads from there. John has been through the range of treatments including chemotherapy but tragically it was unsuccessful. He came out of hospital around 10 days ago with a prognosis of a few weeks but he succumbed this morning.

Many of us know the two sides of John. There is the wind up merchant on here who refused to follow the politically correct line and was castigated by some. Then there was the other side; John was a father and grandfather who doted on his kids and grandkids. I got to know John well when we set up the supporters trust he was a passionate Pools supporter and worked hard as membership secretary. Those of you who were members with kids will have seen the selection boxes arrive without notice. That was entirely John's idea and his doing and tells you more about the man that his thousands of posts on here.

I'll miss Monkeybutt and his irreverence but I'll miss the warm genuine human being John Hawksworth more. I'm sure I speak for us all when I say that we send our condolences and regrets to Becky and John's family.

RIP John.

Nice words Mr I. He sounded like a good bloke. I never knew him but have read his comments on here and on Facebook for a number of years. Always enjoyed his jokes thread and the moaning that it caused. He’ll be missed by many.

nice write up Mr I for a nice genuine fella

God bless you John and rest in peace. Our sympathies to your family and close friends at this very sad time.

Good write up Mr I. I only met him once and found him easy to get on with, one thing that came across was how much he loved pools, RIP John.

Sad news.

RIP John

Always looked forward to what John would post.RIP

Hear Hear Mr I

It was obvious from his posts the passion he had for pools, RIP.

Great and true comments Mr I, going to really miss my mate.

never met the lad but recognised hime from the photo. doubt due to his comments he could be described as being grey. best wishes to all his friends and family at this lousy time for them.

Well said Mr I.
My feelings are with his family.

Sorry to hear. Thought are with his family.
Always came across as a passionate fan even though he supported the wrong team

Condolences, RIP John.

Just heard the news and having met John he was a nice bloke and his alter ego on here was chalk and cheese to his true persona, at the moment there are some very big pools fans who will not see the new season including Mickey Evans who tragically passed away at work last month, this year just gets shitter by the week.
RIP John

Monkeybutt Forum...............great idea!!!!!

RIP John.
I enjoyed your company.
Best wishes to his family.

First spoke to Johnboy at a cafe in Boro while ordering a breakfast and he spotted my Pools logo. We became good friends over the years mainly due to Pools or work. I also met Becky and the kids a couple of times at their Greatham home and always came away smiling. John used to be the landlord at a pub in Greatham ( the one now gone on the right coming from Sapers corner) and Becky a barmaid thats how they met. He was a very funny bloke who always had a big cheeky smile a truly genuine man with a heart of gold. He moved up here and adopted Hartlepool United and for me became a better supporter that most of us. Thinking of Becky and the kids at this terrible time. Paint some blue stripes on those white clouds mate R.I.P. to one of the very best.

What a cafe that was his food was top notch

I used to laugh when he worked alone and had to take orders / cook / and serve while posting messages on the bunker every couple of minutes. He loved his job but was totally addicted to Pools and the Bunker. Such a sad loss just pleased I got to know the real Johnboy.

That's a nice write up Mr I..i feel real sorry for them poor kids in the photo..RIP Mb.

Sadly, I never had the pleasure of meeting John who, by all accounts, was a highly respected man. Precisely the type of lovely person this increasingly lousy world could ill afford to lose.

That said, he provided me with many a chuckle on the Bunker with his wit and clever comments. Others have referred to meeting John at the Torquay match which is one of my regular away venues but, unfortunately, I couldn't make that particular game as I was on holiday.

I can only add to the previous comments and send my condolences to his family and friends.

I would like to say a big "Thank you" to Mr I for your warm tribute to John.

RIP Mb.

Shocked and saddened. RIP to a true poolie.

There was a great turnout along the streets of Greatham yesterday as Johns coffin passed the mourners many of which were dressed in Pools attire or blue and white, a fitting send off for a friend and fellow Pools supporter who will be sadly missed by all.

R.I.P. Big fella, gone but never forgotten.

Yes it was great turnout and good to see Angus there.
A slice of humour we all need at this time has been lost.
RIP John.

Really sorry that I couldn't have been there.

I really miss Monkeybutt's irreverence on this forum.


Not any where near as much as John's family are no doubt missing him.

Sad sad.

I hope that all those that gave him grief on here are staring at their feet in shame.

Here here!

Indeed.

So true!

think a lot might learn something from this. everyones points of view, even if you do not agree with em, deserve some slack. at least they have a point of view.

Been away and just found out. Shocked, he was round our house relieving me of a Dyson in June trying to convince me he could make a bugger work.
Sometimes the relationship between the character on the board and the real person can be sadly misconstrued by some people. I found him a gent.
We’ll never know if Dyson’s work now..

Too true Snowy there some people on here, and they know who they are, gave him hell and had no idea about the real person. I've noticed how quiet they have gone.

Mr. Butt was a wind-up merchant who enjoyed puncturing the vanity of people on the Bunker who took themselves too seriously. I didn't know him but I doubt very much he took a scrap of notice of narky comments from thin-skinned types.

The tributes to him on this thread from those who did know him tell their own story.

I think it was all water off a ducks back to him he loved to dish it out and he could certainly take it vack

He had a certain person hook line and sinker all day, it's certainly a lot quieter now, for the worse.

A man I never met, yet a man I appreciated, and a man I'd liked to have met.

I appreciated his Humour on the Bunker. I had some of his Bread smuggled to the Metropolis. I appreciated his work for HUST. We PM'd quite a few times about...well nowt. It's taken me a while to think of something to write...yet I can't think of nowt Clever, except I'll really miss a bloke who I've never met.

A great tribute Mr Bishop, I guarantee you would have enjoyed his company, I still miss him and testing each others breads we baked. He will never be replaced that's for sure.

Monday was the anniversary of John's passing. 12 months without his banter and his incisive comments on how shite the catering is at Pools has made this year even longer.
RIP John.

I wonder if he’s got that bloody Dyson working yet.

Aye sadly missed.
R I P Mr Butt.

John give his all to pools especially in giving his time and great effort in helping the club survive. A real and genuine pools supporter mainly through bad times. The last time I met him was November 2019 in Guisborough and although I was negative about pools ever getting back to L2 anytime soon he was positive and said it would happen in a few seasons if not sooner. Before he left he said stop being so bloody negative and get more positive and it will happen. Well Johnboy was spot on and I know for a fact he will be sat in the millhouse with pride watching his team back in L2 saying I told you so. He is a big loss to pools a large loss to his friends /bunker but a huge huge loss to his family.

Met him once at Torquay United and just knew it was him. Rest in peace John. The Pools are back which is the best legacy to you.

A fine man - who made me laugh so much. Thanks for the memories Mr Butt.

I miss the big fellas bread recipes.

When he first appeared on the board I was a bit baffled. It was in your face constant, incessant and I wondered where he’d came from. Thing was, it was all just harmless fun in reality and the over reaction of some ‘maiden aunts’ was nothing short of ridiculous.
The criticism, which was unjustified, won me over to him and I actually turned quite defensive when he got called.
The Dyson joke ended up in pm’s being exchanged until I told him he could have the bloody thing, he arrived shortly afterwards to claim his ‘trophy’ convincing me it would work in the end ........after he ‘modernised’ it
He left a benign but funny presence which is still missed. He was still emotionally located in the foothills of adolescence....... which is no bad thing.

Mates like John can never be replaced or duplicated, a one off and hugely missed.