Former Southampton player Bryn Elliot and wife Sheila celebrate diamond wedding anniversary (From Daily Echo)

Former Southampton player Bryn Elliot and wife Sheila celebrate diamond wedding anniversary

6:08pm Saturday 6th March 2010 in

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A TRANSFER from Nottingham Forest to Southampton was the move that made Bryn Elliot realise his sweetheart was his true love.

Today former professional footballer Bryn, who played 250 games for Saints from 1949 to 1959, and his wife Sheila are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.

Both sporting enthusiasts, Sheila’s friend said Bryn would be her perfect match so the pair started sending letters to each other every week for three months in 1947 while the footballer was serving in the Army in India.

When Bryn got back to Nottingham they began courting.

But when the midfielder got called up to play for Saints for a transfer fee of £1,000, it was not until they were forced to spend time apart they realised they wanted to get married.

Bryn, 84, said: “It wasn’t until I transferred from Nottingham Forest to Southampton and was forced to live apart did we realise how much we missed each other and wanted to be together for life.”

But despite being a footballer’s wife it was far from the WAG lifestyle footballers’ partners enjoy today.

Bryn took home about £20 per week.

The midfielder, who believes Saints’ best players have been Terry Paine and Matt Le Tissier, added: “We have something for 60 years that money can’t buy. Not many footballers can say the same.”

After his stint in the squad, the couple ran an off-licence in Waterloo Road for 37 years and today still work from home for their office cleaning company.

They put their marriage success down to good health, enjoying life, laughing and appreciating each other.

Bryn said: “We are just relaxed with each other. It is an uncanny something you can’t explain. It just is.”

Sheila, 78, added: “We have always looked forward together and never back.”

To celebrate their day Bryn and Sheila, who live off Winchester Road, in Southampton, were having a family meal with their two children, five grandchildren and six grandchildren.

The pair, who have been members of Stoneham Golf Club for more than 40 years, also plan to jet off to Portugal for a golfing holiday.

But Bryn’s eye is still on the beautiful game. He watches games at St Mary’s in a hospitality box with other former Saints players whenever he can and his favourite player is Rickie Lambert.

He said: “I think they have a few too many points to catch up on to get promoted this year. But if they can keep this team together for next year they have excellent chances.