Very sad news regarding a tremendous servant to Altrincham FC who was an integral member of the most successful team that this club has ever had.
So many happy memories of his playing career as a fiercely competitive and consistent right full back with the Robins from the 1970s Northern Premier League days right up to those hugely memorable opening two seasons of the nascent Alliance Premier League.
He didn't score that many goals but there was that spectacular beautiful freak of a strike at Bath City on Easter Saturday, 5th April 1980. In the 29th minute, Stan launched a hopeful and innocuous-looking punt from inside his own half but as the home side's goalkeeper Bennett ventured out of his goal to collect the ball (and with John Rogers simultaneously turning around to lambaste his team mate for overhitting the intended through ball!), he misjudged its trajectory and it promptly bounced up off the hard, dry pitch and sailed over his head before continuing on its inexorable route into the vacant net.
That very same season, I also recall Stan as an outfield player obliged to assume the role of goalkeeper during that bruising Moss Lane encounter with the heinous Northwich Victoria after the Vics' towering central defender Jeff Forshaw had rearranged Alex Stepney's facial features without the aid of an anaesthetic. Stan went on to keep a clean sheet, too.
My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Time to dig out that famous photograph from the FA Cup Third Round 1-1 draw against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday, 4th January 1975: