Entrepreneur, whizz kid, haggler, dealer and whinger, Elton Murphy can be described using at least one of these five terms - no prizes for guessing which one! Despite that, he is responsible for bringing together the top writers in the angling world to create Anglers' Net. Okay, so he had a few lucky breaks along the way, but what the heck, I'm sure that we can keep that little secret between ourselves!

Elton doesn't really have a fishing career to speak of (okay, he's had a 20lb Pike, 26lb 8oz carp and a 20lb catfish, but they were all flukes..probably!) - a frantic childhood and and even more frantic career development in his adult years has led to a severe lack of commitment to angling, his best months being between the time he was asked to leave one school for defending himself and starting at another school. He fishes whenever he can, but it's never enough. It seems that, just when he thinks he'll now have time to 'get back into' fishing, something comes along to scupper his plans. Anglers' Net is a prime example of this in action....just imagine how much of his 'free' time it takes up! However, if he can just get this project out of the way...

So what keeps him going? Well, the fact that people may actually enjoy this site is a motivational factor, in a similar way that his work with Terry Pratchett's Discworld for his employers, Bob and Trish Baker, seems to be appreciated by those who write in on a daily basis to tell him so. For an unpublished writer, letters of praise and encouragement often mean a great deal more than they would to a 'celebrity'. The fact that Anglers' Net could be the start of something huge also helps through the sleepless nights and bouts of wrist-pain. It is being launched as a high quality online UK angling magazine, something that isn't taken lightly chez Anglers' Net HQ and something that needs to be worked at if it is to remain true. Above all, the main motivational force throughout the development of Anglers' Net has been the huge amount of support he has received from the angling world, people who had never even heard of his name a few months ago.

Why has everybody been so helpful? That's a question buzzing around the Murphy cranium each time he receives a phone call out of the blue to inform him that another top notch angler and/or writer wants to be part of Anglers' Net. The answer contains elements of a multitude of different possible reasons. However, Elton isn't going to worry too much as to why things have gone right in the past, he'll concentrate on making sure they stay that way for the future. To Elton, Anglers' Net is a way that the future can be guided in such a way that 'work' could, just possibly, mean an afternoon fishing on a secluded water. Now that can't be a bad dream to have, can it?

Elton remains indebted to all of his friends, old and new, who have pulled together to help him create this site. It's amazing how an idea for a 'laugh' can turn into something so big, so quickly.

For those who like a bit more history, here it is:

* Born May 5th, 1971, Elton was reared on Greenstead Estate in Colchester, not known as the 'softest' of estates in the area.

* Despite being caned for jumping in the sandpit, Elton passes the 11 plus examination and attends Colchester Royal Grammar School for boys.

* Elton 'leaves' the Grammar School, after discussions with the headmaster. His plan is to turn up at his old school in his helicopter one day and show them just how 'right' they were when they said that he would fail.

* He leaves his new sixth form to earn some 'real' money working for a chain of newsagents and, later, Argos.

* Once he realises that 'real' money doesn't even pay for his flat, he leaves 'work' to become a full-time degree student. Whilst gaining a 2:1 in Business Administration through Nottingham Trent University, he works full time, holds down another part time 'security' pub job, runs a small print business and buys a house and car. It was a hard time.

* Forced to leave college (well, the course finished), Elton leaves to start a job with his new employers, Bob and Trish Baker. Here he is actually treated with the respect that he has longed for for so many years. Uniform is jeans and trainers, his employers are 'real' people and he comes and goes almost as he pleases. Fallen on his feet? Maybe, but he worked like a dog (willingly) in return.

* 1997 and he's standing at the altar, about to marry Tania, Chief Cardiac Technician at Ipswich Hospital. She hasn't escaped yet.

* A passing comment one day, followed by a couple of begging pleas, and Anglers' Net is formed. Please don't think for one minute that this was a one man job, as there are a certain group of individuals without whom this site would never have got off the ground. You know who you are, and I thank you all.