'This one's for John' - club remembers WW2 veteran founder

A minute's applause has been held in memory of a World War Two veteran at the football club he set up 77 years ago to give local boys somewhere to play.

John Dennett from Wallasey, Wirral, who was a Royal Navy anti-aircraft gunner and took part in the D-Day landings, died in hospital on Sunday aged 101 after a short illness.

He founded Ashville FC with his wife in 1949 and went on to be the club's president.

The applause rang out for Dennett earlier as Ashville hosted Market Drayton Town, with a special memorial service held beforehand at Fort Perch Rock, New Brighton.

Before the match, which Ashville went on to win 2-0, manager Sam Vicker said the game was "a chance to honour John, a huge part of this club" and to reflect "what he stood for and what this group is about".

There was a minute's silence at the service of remembrance and the Last Post was played, with the Italy Star Association and his nephew, Tony Franks-Buckley, sharing stories about the war veteran's life.

Dennett had signed up at 17 against his mother's wishes in 1942, and had been accepted without anyone seeing his birth certificate.

He served at every major Allied landing: North Africa, Italy, Normandy.

Dennett was one of 23 veterans who visited Normandy in June 2024 to mark the 80th anniversary of the largest military seaborne operation ever attempted, and he returned to France the following year, with eight other veterans.

Gemma Simmons, a club committee member, said Dennett meant "so much to everyone at the club and the wider grassroots community".

"You could tell that today by just how many people showed up.

"We loved him like family and will carry on his legacy and keep our promise to be custodians of his beloved club from 75 more years."

Ashville Football Club, who play in the North West Counties Football League, described him as "a true legend" and said his legacy would "live on in our club forever".

A mural of him was painted on the clubhouse to mark his 99th birthday.

The club secretary Lynn Kennedy told BBC Radio Merseysidethere were mixed emotions for the last home game of the season "as they remembered John".

She said there would be a drink or two after the North West Counties First Division South match at Ray Parker Stadium "to celebrate his wonderful life".

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