The Slanch Report

In a touching moment, 2,000 fans of the Bishop Auckland soccer team stood for a moment of silence in memory of Tommy Farrer, who played for the club from 1945-1953. There was just one small issue with the moment, Farrer isn’t dead!

As the fans stood heads bowed, Tommy Farrer, 86, was at his home, 300 miles away alive and well. The team also placed a tribute to Farrer in the local Bishop Auckland paper as well as mentioning it in their Wednesday program, saying “We have just learned of the death of Two Blues legend Tommy Farrer. Our thoughts go to his family and friends.”

The team only found out that their mistake, after they had paid their respects en masse, when the team president called Farrer’s wife, Gladys, to express his condolences. The very surprised Mrs. Farrer told the club’s president he could pass on his comments to her husband himself, adding: “He will be back in a minute. He’s only popped out to get a paper.”

Tommy Farrer who was a bit bemused by the whole affair had this to say, “I feel sorry for the fans who stood freezing in the stadium. My wife and I go for a half hour walk every day and are still fit and well.”

“I’m very moved that they went to such trouble for me, I played for them a very long time ago.

“Whoever it was who told people I had died obviously contacted the local football ground and they decided to go the whole hog by arranging the silence.

“We are not upset, but we did think it was a bit of a joke at first.”

[The Telegraph]