Few footballers get a minute’s silence before they die, but that is exactly what happened to one North-East legend when false rumours of his demise reached his old club. Helen Smithson reports.

A FORMER star of amateur football declared himself fit and well last night despite being declared dead by his old club.

Tommy Farrer skippered the Bishop Auckland team which took on a barefoot Nigerian X1 at the town’s Kingsway ground in 1949.

He played for the Bishops from 1945 to 1953 – a golden age when the team reigned supreme as the greatest amateur side of its generation – and was hailed as one of the club’s greatest players.

Since then Mr Farrer moved away and is no longer in day-to-day contact.

But even he was surprised to hear that the crowd at last Wednesday’s home match against Benfield had held a minute’s silence as a mark of remembrance.

Despite the honour, it turned out that the 86-yearold was not dead at all.

Bishops bosses only realised their mistake when club chairman Terry Jackson rang Mr Farrer’s wife, Gladys, to offer his condolences at the weekend, only to be told he’d just popped out to get a paper.

After hearing of her husband’s demise, a baffled Mrs Farrer told club chairman that if he cared to hang on for a minute or two he could tell Mr Farrer himself, as he would soon be back from the shops.

The couple, who now live in Maidstone, Kent, saw the funny side and last night assured everyone that Mr Farrer is very much alive and kicking.

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

Mrs Farrer, 87, said: “We are very sorry people have had all this hassle.”

Mr Farrer said he was particularly touched by a tribute published in the match day programme which said: “Some bad news – we have just learnt of the death of two blues legend Tommy Farrer who, although born in the south, lived in Bishop Auckland for some years. Our thoughts go to his family and friends.”

Mr Farrer said: “Whoever it was who told people I had died obviously contacted the football club and they decided to go the whole hog by arranging the silence. I’m very moved that they went to such trouble.”

And not just the club. A glowing tribute was also paid in The Northern Echo’s Backtrack column the same day.

During his time with the Two Blues, Mr Farrer won eight amateur international caps, and was on the losing side in three Amateur Cup finals.

He was one of 18 postwar Bishops’ players to represent their country.

Because amateur footballers were not paid during the Fifties, Mr Farrer worked as a clothing designer.

Mr Jackson said: “It is the first and, hopefully, the last time something like this has happened, and it was done with the best intentions.

“When any ex-person involved with the club passes away, we always try to make sure there is some kind of remembrance.

“The news came via Bishop Auckland Social Club, and we took it very seriously. We thought it was very clear.

“But it’s quite evident that we had not been told the right information. We were very keen to pay tribute, and were victims of our own efficiency.

But we’re glad to hear that Tommy is still with us and hope he remains in good health for many years.”

After leaving Bishop Auckland FC, Mr Farrer joined Walthamstow, now known as Dagenham and Redbridge, before retiring from football.