Charity match residue given to centre

Sean Sallis, Tony Dineen and Mick Fogden present the cheque to Sussex MS Treatment Centre manager Alan Taylor, second left

The money was raised at a memorial football match for Melvyn Hocking, described as ‘the kind of person that non-league football simply would not have operated without’.

The charity football match, on Sunday, September 29, was held to raise money for a memorial bench.

It proved so successful, hundreds of pounds were left over for the charity, which is based in Croft Avenue, Southwick, but serves the whole county.

Paul Symes, secretary of Southwick FC, said: “The cheque for £600 was the money remaining after buying a picnic bench in the memory of Melvyn Hocking.”

In the memorial match, a team of Shoreham football legends beat Southwick veterans 6-2.

Funds were boosted by be a raffle and an auction, which included a signed Arsenal Championship shirt from 1990/91 and a signed copy of the iconic photo of Sir Geoff Hurst completing his hat trick in the 1966 World Cup Final.

Melvyn, who died in May, had been a key figure at Southwick FC for nearly 30 years and was well known to players and supporters.

Mr Symes added: “Melvyn had loads of friends and drinking buddies, lots of football mates.

“He was well known and everyone was fond of him.”