International match tribute to dad
FOOTBALLERS took to the field for an ‘international’ match in memory of a Macclesfield player who appeared for teams at home and abroad.
Tom Crowley, died in February aged 41 having fought an eight-month battle with cancer.
He had played for his local Sunday league team the Mulberry Bush, a pub in Hurdsfield, and was a well-known person.
But he moved to Barneveld, in Holland, after meting his wife Anna - who he married in 2013 and the couple had two young children Max and Lily. Here he began playing for local team Barneveld VVB and they travelled to the UK to play the Mulberry Bush on Saturday, November 3, as a tribute to Tom.
In the end home advantage told with the Mulberry Bush winning 7-4 but it was a day when the result was unimportant.
Wilbert Besselsen, who was a teammate of Tom’s in Holland, said: “Our team is a friends’ team and Tom was a member from the beginning.
“He was always enthusiastic and a welcome addition with his strong ‘English’ playing style. He was also really social and his and Anna’s door was always open for everybody who would like to go for a drink or a bite to eat.
“One of his dreams was that his old pub team would play our team. In August we played a match between family and friends against Barneveld VVB.
“On Saturday we played the return match in Macclesfield. We were looking forward to seeing where our friend grew up and of course seeing the Mulberry Bush where his shirt is proudly hanging on the wall.”