Unfortunately Stephen "Willie" Wells has passed away. He was a Rossendale Claret and attended most home and away games. R.I.P

Jimjan - I dedicated my match report to him. I’d have been with him tomorrow at the U23 game.

Sad news. Big claret and regular at Rawtenstall Cricket Club. RIP Stephen.

Did he sit (stand) at the back of the longside near the press box?

Local cricketer wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 07, 2021 9:37 pm

Did he sit (stand) at the back of the longside near the press box?

I think he did

Steve-Harpers-perm wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 07, 2021 9:35 pm

Sad news. Big claret and regular at Rawtenstall Cricket Club. RIP Stephen.

Dedicated supporter of Rawtenstall

Hi Tony , just read your dedication. He was my age, and I had known him since childhood. A massive clarets fan

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 07, 2021 9:49 pm

I think he did

Very sad news and like you say was Rawtenstall through and through

Hi Tony , just read your dedication. He was my age, and I had known him since childhood. A massive clarets fan

Local cricketer wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 07, 2021 9:37 pm

Did he sit (stand) at the back of the longside near the press box?

From the early 70s through to the revamp in the 90s Willie stood at the very back of the Longside, maybe 40 yards along from the open end.

When the Longside went he immediately secured a seat in what he felt was the nearest spot to where he'd been before.

I was at school with him and we travelled to games home and away through the early 70s. His droll deep voice sometimes belied the passion he had for everything claret and blue

. One of his favourite stories told of when he attended his first game..his dad had spoken often about Willie Irvine..describing him as the very little centre forward..leading Willie to mistake the mascot for our hero for all the warm up and handshakes etc.

Thanks for the memories Stephen..hope you've got a good seat up there.

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 07, 2021 10:12 pm

From the early 70s through to the revamp in the 90s Willie stood at the very back of the Longside, maybe 40 yards along from the open end.

When the Longside went he immediately secured a seat in what he felt was the nearest spot to where he'd been before.

I was at school with him and we travelled to games home and away through the early 70s. His droll deep voice sometimes belied the passion he had for everything claret and blue

. One of his favourite stories told of when he attended his first game..his dad had spoken often about Willie Irvine..describing him as the very little centre forward..leading Willie to mistake the mascot for our hero for all the warm up and handshakes etc.

Thanks for the memories Stephen..hope you've got a good seat up there.

I didn't know Stephen,that's a great story .......,I read about his death on the Edgeside FB page sounded like he was a very popular guy...RIP Stephen.

RIP.

The surname rings a bell, might I have known him as Bunny?

claptrappers_union wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 07, 2021 10:55 pm

The surname rings a bell, might I have known him as Bunny?

Never heard that but there again I'd never known him as Willie

Tony he was always be known as "Willie" when were kids.

Hi Tony, he was known as "Willie " when we were kids in Waterfoot/Edgeside area of Rossendale

I didn't know the name, but I've just googled "Stephen Wells Rawtenstall " and his photo comes up. I certainly recognise him and I think he sat near me at the top of the Longside.

Condolences to his family and friends.

I didn’t know him but I’d like to offer my sincere condolences to all him family and friends. Another true claret lost. RIP Stephen.

Just checked Google and I recognise him from the early days of Rossendale.Clarets when I used to travel with them. Always polite and good company. RIP Stephen.

lakedistrictclaret wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 12:09 pm

I didn't know the name, but I've just googled "Stephen Wells Rawtenstall " and his photo comes up. I certainly recognise him and I think he sat near me at the top of the Longside.

Condolences to his family and friends.

Yes, that the man I knew as Bunny, I heard through my family that he was unwell last week. I used to talk to him all things Burnley FC in the Royal in Waterfoot. Time certainly flies, I bet that closed down coming up to 20 years ago now. It's probably last time I saw him to speak to.

Really nice man. As mentioned further up the thread. He used to stand at the back of the Longside near the press box and travelled with Rossendale Clarets.

Was Stephen son of Billy Wells who had a Chemist in Waterfoot.If so I knew Billy well and through him met Stephen.RIP Stephen.Also just heard Russell Ashworth from Crawshawbooth another big Claret fan has died.

Jimscho wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 1:13 pm

Was Stephen son of Billy Wells who had a Chemist in Waterfoot.If so I knew Billy well and through him met Stephen.

They lived close to Waterfoot although I don’t know whether his dad had a chemists. His dad is in his 90s now.

RIP Stephen Wells.....I didn't know him personally but, a face I'd see around Rawtenstall and at the football. God Bless.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 1:18 pm

They lived close to Waterfoot although I don’t know whether his dad had a chemists. His dad is in his 90s now.

Billy is in his 90s and last i heard was in a care home but his son was hoping to bring him home.

Very sad to hear this news.

As a southern Claret, over the years it's always been a pleasure to get chatting to fans from Lancashire who travel down regularly. Some years ago, whilst chatting to Bev who organises Rossy Clarets travel, Steve joined in the conversation, and from that day on whenever we bumped into each other, he was always keen to have a good old friendly chat. He'd told me about Waterfoot and so when I saw his name and Waterfoot linked in this thread my heart sank.

Goodbye Steve, thank you so much for your friendship.

Jimscho wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 1:50 pm

Billy is in his 90s and last i heard was in a care home but his son was hoping to bring him home.

Stephen’s dad is in a care home so it looks as if you have the right person.

Jimscho wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 1:13 pm

Was Stephen son of Billy Wells who had a Chemist in Waterfoot.If so I knew Billy well and through him met Stephen.RIP Stephen.Also just heard Russell Ashworth from Crawshawbooth another big Claret fan has died.

Yes.. Billy was Stephens dad who drove us to a few away games.. Hence the use of "Willie"..very common around those parts to use dads name for the son.

Jimjan wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 12:04 pm

Hi Tony, he was known as "Willie " when we were kids in Waterfoot/Edgeside area of Rossendale

Did he play football Jimmy would I have know him?

Jimscho wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 1:13 pm

Was Stephen son of Billy Wells who had a Chemist in Waterfoot.If so I knew Billy well and through him met Stephen.RIP Stephen.Also just heard Russell Ashworth from Crawshawbooth another big Claret fan has died.

Is Russell the big lad from Crawshawbooth with Ginger hair,maybe about 65/66?
RIP Russell.

Steve1956 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:29 pm

Is Russell the big lad from Crawshawbooth with Ginger hair,maybe about 65/66?
RIP Russell.

Yes thats Russell he was 69.His younger brother Peter another big Claret fan died far to young a few years ago.
RIP Russell.

Thanks Jim,big Crawshawbooth character and a massive Claret.RIP

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 07, 2021 9:50 pm

Dedicated supporter of Rawtenstall

He certainly was and was incredibly loyal to the cricket club, even though we've had a few poor seasons on the pitch recently.

Barely missed a game home or away.

Rest in peace Stephen, not a good couple of weeks for RCC..

R.I.P. Stephen a great fella ...
I didn't know about Russell, worked with him for a while and was another character .. sad times

Andreshotboots wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:44 pm

He certainly was and was incredibly loyal to the cricket club, even though we've had a few poor seasons on the pitch recently.

Barely missed a game home or away.

Rest in peace Stephen, not a good couple of weeks for RCC..

Be strange not seeing him on the bench at the top as you walk up the slope. As you say a sad few weeks for RCC.

Steve-Harpers-perm wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:59 pm

Be strange not seeing him on the bench at the top as you walk up the slope. As you say a sad few weeks for RCC.

He was a fixture there at Rawtenstall, always sat there with Phil who I’ll be going to the u23s with tonight.

So sad to hear of Russell`s death, I went to school with them and played football at Goodshaw with them, as has been said claret through and through as was Peter, so sad both taken too soon. RIP Russell

Steve1956 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:26 pm

Did he play football Jimmy would I have know him?

He only played at kickabouts on Edgeside, I think following the Clarets was more important to him than playing in local leagues.

Sad sad news. I knew Ste for about 45 years. First met him when I got a lift with him and his dad in their Maxi to an Easter game at Blackpool in the 70’s. Then in the later years with Rossendale Clarets. When Rossy Clarets didn’t run a coach, I’d drive, Bev, Chloe & Ste to away games. Always met up with him stood outside the bookies before home games, and was always at any game involving a clarets team. A great bloke, a true Claret.

Condolences to all family and friends. Especially Bev from Rossendale Clarets, who I know will be devastated.

RIP Ste.

There's a fitting tribute to Stephen /Willie on Rawtenstall CCs fb page.

I hadn't initially realised when I read the match report who Stephen was, but reading the thread I now see he was the guy I always knew as "Willie", right from being a lad in Waterfoot back in the 60s and 70s when his dad ran the chemist at the bottom of Turnpike Road and Booth Road. I saw him regularly at BFC matches, but even more regularly at Lancashire League cricket where he was a great supporter of not just Rawtenstall, but of the league in general as he turned up to all sorts of random fixtures. Just a couple of years older than me and was (I think) in the same class as my brother at school. I'm shocked and saddened at this news.

He was missed at the under-23 game last night and was the talking point for much of the game. Just so hard to believe he wasn’t sat there with us.

It's Stephen's funeral this Friday (26th November) - details below and link

St Anne's Church, Ashworth Road, Waterfoot, Rossendale, BB4 9JE, at 10am.
Cremation at Burnley Crematorium streamed live at 11.30am.

Details for stream:

https://wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view
Login /Order: 666933
Password: fhsakjbu

Only found out last night at the West Yorkshire Clarets meet in Halifax & felt really sad.Known Stephen for years but only to chat to at the match & once memorably at Bacup Cricket Club when they played Rawtenstall & I asked him how long he had supported Bacup CC…knowing he lived at Waterfoot.He gently told me it was Rawtenstall he supported.Saw him in Burnley centre once as a “man with a van”….RIP old chum!

PS,watched the live feed from Burnley crematorium a few minutes ago.

Pete, sorry you had to find out in those circumstances. Take care mate and see you soon.

John

What a turn out for him at both the church and the crematorium with a few laughs from Phil who did the eulogy in church.

I’m told the funeral service from the church will be on YouTube later this evening.

Another great Claret gone. Thanks for the friendship Stephen. I’m even on my way to Rawtenstall CC now. He wouldn’t have wanted us to go anywhere else.