COACH Dave Walsh admits it will be an emotional occasion at Cuthbury as Wimborne Town prepare to celebrate the life of the late Kevin Hart.

Head steward Hart, 49, collapsed in the entrance to the clubhouse at Magpies’ ground before their Southern League South fixture against Poole Town on New Year’s Day.

He was treated by medics and transferred to hospital where he died later that evening.

Prior to Saturday's Southern League South home clash with Blackfield & Langley (3pm) there will a minute’s applause in memory of Hart, who had given his time for free at the club for more than 20 years.

Walsh told Radio Wimborne: “I want to send my condolences and sadness from our point of view. It was an absolute shock to hear the sad news later on in the evening. Losing Kev is a big blow to us as a football club. It’s like a family member. We know around the ground there will be high emotions and different emotions.

“We are a collective, this is something I’ve learned since I’ve been at the club. Everybody is a part of this football club.”

He added: “I think it’s about telling the players we are here to play a game of football.

“What would Kev want us to do? He’d want us to go out there and play as well as we possibly can and go out to try to win the game.

“That is what we are going to focus on with the players. Obviously, everybody else will have their focus and will do all the right things to celebrate Kev and what he meant to this football club.”