Page 11 - Ashton & Backwell FC v Clevedon Town 151022

We Remember a Friend - Alan Kelly

Non-League Paper

Alan Holly, or “Bean “as he was known to a lot of us, sadly passed away on 4th
August 2022.
Through their mutual involvement in Exeter United, Bean has been a good
friend of our committee member and former Backwell chairman, Phil Rex. Being
a neighbour in Ashton ,I have known him for many years and above all he was
a great friend to local football.
Meet the Player
It would’ve been Alan‘s 62nd birthday this week and Phil felt todays local derby
v Clevedon Town, would be a good way of honouring Alan, with his family and
friends in a fitting way.
He played for a very successful Eden Grove side, won the prestigious Senior
Amateur Cup in the mid 80s. He then joined Ashton Based Exeter United in the
suburban league. In the mid 90s he was part of the Premier Division 2
championship winning side. He was an extremely fit player, so had a long career
with Exeter, playing well into his 40s. He was part of the Exeter group that
merged with P & W United in the early 2000s that formed Ashton United, where
I was manager and had the pleasure of liaising with Bean with his involvement
in the playing & management of the reserves.
He great friend, Mike Shopland, recalls “Alan was a man of high integrity,
morals, honesty and never let anyone down. A wonderful family man, great
company and love to chat!”
Mike’s close mates have organised the raffle prizes, all proceeds from the raffle
plus a donation from our club will all go to the families chosen charity, Cancer
Research to support the money generated by their daughter Jenna who is doing
the three peaks challenge in her dads memory. So please give generously.
Just prior to kick off we will have a minute’s applause for Alan and also please
keep in your thoughts our treasurer and committee member Jonathan Rogers
who passed away very suddenly On Tuesday, the 27th of September.
R.I.P. Alan and Jonathan