Tributes as ex-Swans player dies FORMER Swansea Town player, musician and newsagent Alan Hole has died at the age of 83. Mr Hole returned from national service in the RAF to sign professional terms at the Vetch Field in July 1953 and made 21 Second Division appearances for the Swans before joining Kettering Town with his brother Colin in July 1954. The centre-half moved to Llanelli in May 1955 and also played for Pembroke. Remarkably, Mr Hole, of Oldwalls, Gower, was one half of four sets of brothers who played together at Swansea Town in the 1950s, alongside Colin, Len and Ivor Allchurch, Cyril and Gilbert Beech and Cliff and Bryn Jones. RELATED CONTENT High price for former Swansea star's rare honour Swansea Town memories His father Billy Hole played for Swansea Town and Wales in the 1920s, and they were followed to the Vetch Field by his brothers Colin and Barrie and nephew Carl Slee. "After football on a Saturday he would rush down to the Caswell Bay Hotel to play double bass in the Billy Hole trio, the family band he played in with his brother," said his son Andrew Hole. "He also played piano. "His dad Billy Hole started the family business of newsagents in the 1950s and they stretched from Port Tennant in the east, Morriston in the north, Dunvant and Killay in the west and Sandfields in the south where the family grew up. "Alan started the Goodnews chain and spent 40 years in 'his' shop in Woodfield Street as he loved Morriston. "He was a gentleman who lived and passed away with dignity and will be immensely missed by the people of Swansea." Mr Hole leaves a wife, five children 17 grandchildren and two great- grandchildren. He was a true gentleman , I frequented the Morriston newsagents on the way to work ,always a smile even at that ridiculous hour RIP
