Golden wedding couple celebrate with a little help from Blackpool FC and their win over rivals PNE

Russell and Pat Jones celebrated their golden wedding at a family gathering with a card of congratulations from their favourite team, complete with signatures from the players.

Russell, 73, who worked as an accountant for John Potter and Harrison in Blackpool and Pat, 71, who was a civil servant, were delighted to get the card as they have followed the team for four decades.

The pair, who live in Poulton, celebrated with family and friends at Singleton Lodge.

Son Daniel and daughter Rebecca arranged with Blackpool FC’s head of media Stewart Hudson to get the players to sign the card.

Daniel said: “They were absolutely delighted. They have been following Blackpool through the ups and downs for the best part of forty years. I contacted Stewart at the club and he was brilliant.

“They went on Saturday for the game against Preston and that topped off their weekend actually.

“It was quite a small gathering, close friends and family, with a meal and speeches.

“We put a video presentation together with photographs and music that they like.

“It was just lovely for everyone to get together, especially after the past two years because of the pandemic which have been quite hard.”

Pat hails originally from Fleetwood and Russell from Bispham. They met at a 21st birthday party at the Marine Hall in Fleetwood.

They were married at St Edmund’s in Fleetwood on October 9, 1971.

Daniel added: “If you have shared interests, something in common it helps keep you together.

“So the video presentation was split into sections for example, the football club, they loved going up to the Lake District, so there were lots of pictures of mountains, travel too.

“We’ve worked out they have been to over 30 countries together, Bermuda, Norway, South Africa, New Zealand and Canada. Its easier to mention the ones they haven’t been to!

“But the main thing with them is their family. Two children and five grandchildren, and they always put them first and that’s why they have stayed together so well.”