A KEEN footballer for Cherries and other local clubs, Dennis Bushby died on October 3, aged 83.

Mr Bushby was born in Wallisdown on Christmas Day, 1933, to chauffeur Cecil and Ethel, who worked for the Bournemouth branch of Marks and Spencer.

His older brother Bill, who served in the Far East during the Second World War, worked for Bournemouth Corporation and as a bricklayer, and was also a footballer, with Poppies.

Mr Bushby played for Poppies youth team, after leaving East Howe School at 15 to train as an electrician.

He then spent three years in the Army, based in Germany, as part of his National Service.

When he returned to Bournemouth he started work at the gasworks in Branksome and played wing-half for the football team.

In an interview with the Daily Echo a few years ago he said: "I was spotted by Boscombe (Cherries), and invited to a trial match, but only played for about half-an-hour before they took me off.

"I was disappointed... until they said not to worry, they’d been impressed, and wanted me to sign."

Mr Bushby made his League debut for the Cherries in a 1-1 draw against Watford in December 1956, playing at right-half.

He joined the club for one season as an amateur and two as a professional.

He subsequently made five Third Division (South) appearances before moving to Peterborough United in 1959, but he would eventually return to his home town to play for clubs including Poole Town, Parley Sports, Christchurch, Ringwood and Cowes. He went on to become manager at Ringwood.

Along with his teammates, Mr Bushby would often go to support England, and was in the Wembley crowd for the 1966 World Cup triumph.

When he retired from football he began work as a self-employed electrician, but he never lost his passion for watching the game.

Mr Bushby met his first wife, Angela, in a coffee shop in Richmond Hill.

They married and had two children, Darren and Martine, and lived in a house that Mr Bushby built in Normanhurst Avenue in Queen's Park.

Sadly the pair were to divorce in 1978.

A couple of years later he married Anita, who lived in nearby Feversham Avenue, where the couple would spend more than 30 happy years together.

He used to enjoy cruises and watching football - both Match of the Day and as a season ticket holder at Cherries for many years.

Anita died of cancer in August 2014, and at around the same time Mr Bushby developed Alzheimer's disease.

Eventually he had to go in to a care home, The Aldbury in Poole, where he was well looked after.