Express & Star

Steelmen tribute to Turner brothers

A football stand named in honour of Bert and Dennis Turner will be a "lasting memorial" to the brothers, a Bilston Town stalwart said today.

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The Steelmen's chairman Graham Hodson said the pair had been great supporters to both the town and the Queen Street club for decades.

And now, in honour of their achievements, a new covered area for disabled supporters will be called Turners' End with a capacity for 30 people.

"Bert and Dennis are synonymous with everything Bilston," Mr Hodson said. "Bert in particular has been a great advocate and supporter of the club.

"We were looking at what we could do to pay tribute and this seemed like the logical thing to do.

"Bert was over the moon about it – hopefully it's a fitting tribute to them.

"You can't talk about Bert or Dennis without talking about Bilston. This will be a lasting memorial to the Turners."

Bert is a long-serving Labour councillor for Bilston East on Wolverhampton City Council. His brother was the late Lord Bilston who was an MP for Wolverhampton between 1987 and May 2005.

The new stand will be unveiled before the club's first home game of the season against AFC Bridgnorth on Saturday kicking off at 3pm.

Bert will open the stand with Dennis's widow Patricia at 2.15pm.

Mr Hodson said the concrete terrace would have seats installed in it over the coming months.

MP Pat McFadden, who succeeded Lord Bilston, will also be attending.

He said: "This is worthy recognition of both Dennis and Bert Turner, who have devoted most of their lives to serving the people of Bilston.

"Dennis Turner spent 50 years in public service, his whole adult life. I think it's great that both Dennis and Bert will be honoured in this way. I look forward to being there on Saturday."

Plans were also recently unveiled to name a passageway linking Bilston with its proposed £176m Urban Village after Lord Bilston, who died in February aged 71.

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