A FOOTBALL loving resident from Wickmeads care home in Tuckton near Christchurch was recently presented with a special gift from the team at Care South – an AFC Bournemouth signed football shirt mounted display.
Stan played football in the 1940s and 1950s for clubs including Brockenhurst FC and Sway FC, with his Sway FC teammates winning the cup in 1947/48.
In 2022, Stan celebrated his 100th birthday with a VIP visit to AFC Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium with assistant club secretary and club historian Neil Vacher.
During the Second World War, Stan was lucky enough to meet Dame Vera Lynn whilst serving out in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and exchanged communication with her and her family in later years.
Wickmeads activities coordinator, Hudson, who helped arrange the 100th birthday celebrations for Stan, was pleased to present him with a mounted display featuring the letters, as well as a newspaper clipping of Dame Vera’s visit to the troops and photos of her, which really brought a tear to his eye.
