A pensioner has stayed truly faithful to his beloved football club from beyond the grave – by leaving them more than £300,000 in his will.
Colin Rowell died aged 79 and left the incredible amount generated from the sale of his bungalow to Bishop Auckland Football Club in County Durham, which claims to be the world’s most successful amateur side.
Club chairman Richard Tremewan said: “Although we have received one or two bequests before, we’ve had nothing like this – Colin’s generosity is unprecedented.
“It’s a stunning amount of money and one that will make a huge difference to the club.”
The club, which was founded in 1886, plays in the Northern Football League and has won the FA Amateur Cup 10 times.
The money is expected to be spent on improving the club’s stadium, Heritage Park and team have said they will name part of the ground after Colin and scatter his ashes on the pitch.
Lifelong Bishop supporter bequeaths £300,000 to the club http://t.co/P9YgiW7z2H
— Bishop Auckland FC (@bishopafc) June 23, 2015
Darren Brown, from Hewitts Solicitors in Bishop Auckland, said: “Colin never married and he had no children so it was, perhaps, the natural thing for him to leave it to the football club that had given him so much pleasure over the years.
“After he died we found a drawer full of newspaper clippings about Bishop Auckland FC and the team’s new ground at Heritage Park. Clearly, he followed them until the end.”
Source: SNAPPA
