Burnley FC boss Vincent Kompany hailed a 'true gentleman' after emotional meeting with blind great grandad (88)

An 88-year-old blind great grandad, who is no longer well enough to watch his beloved Clarets play, was moved to tears when he met Burnley FC boss Vincent Kompany this week.
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Ronald Crowther thanked the new manager for 'bringing Burnley to me' during the chance meeting outside Turf Moor.

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The moving encounter came when Ronald's daughter, Janet Crowther Hindley, was shopping in the Clarets store with her daughter Sarah and son in law Stephen, with their little boy Harrison (six) ahead of his first game on the Turf this Saturday. Janet came out to check on her dad, who was waiting in the car, when she spotted Vincent Kompany in another vehicle.

The moment Ronald Crowther met Burnley FC boss Vincent KompanyThe moment Ronald Crowther met Burnley FC boss Vincent Kompany
The moment Ronald Crowther met Burnley FC boss Vincent Kompany
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Janet, who lives in Padiham with her husband Steve, said: I said 'I'm sure that's Vincent Kompany.'

"He smiled at me so I asked him if he would be kind enough to have a photo with my dad. He got out of his car and came over to mine and opened the door and said to my dad 'Hi, I'm Vincent Kompany.'

"My dad got all emotional and upset but he got out of the car and shook hands with Vincent and told him he had made his day and he wished he was still able to go on the Turf.

"What a true gentleman Vincent Kompany is, he shows it takes nothing to be nice and he made my dad's day."

Ronald Crowther with his Dorothy, his cherished wife of 65 years who died in 2020Ronald Crowther with his Dorothy, his cherished wife of 65 years who died in 2020
Ronald Crowther with his Dorothy, his cherished wife of 65 years who died in 2020
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And what a story Ronald will be able to tell to his other great grandchildren, Grace (14) who plays for Burnley Ladies and is part of the under 14s Lancashire squad and nine-year-old Olivia who plays for Barnoldswick Barons under 10 girls and is in training for Burnley under 10s

The chance meeting is a moment to treasure for the family as, two years ago Ronald suffered the devastating loss of Dorothy, his wife of 65 years, in tragic circumstances.

He was cruelly robbed by opportunist thieves who entered his Brierfield home while Dorothy lay dying upstairs after suffering a fatal aneurysm in the early hours of the morning.

Two months later Ronald was struck down with covid pneumonia which he bravely battled to fight his way back to health.

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