There was a lot of love for a Farnham legend when the new Sir Alan Jones Stand was opened at the Memorial Ground on Valentine’s Day.

The stand at Farnham Town FC opened just in time to commemorate the fourth anniversary of Sir Alan’s sudden death on February 25, 2022.

And the team responded in the best possible way with a 4-1 triumph against Uxbridge in a perfect day for the club.

Sir Alan was chairman of Toyota UK and moved with his wife from Derby to Farnham in 2016 to be close to their daughter, Cllr Catherine Powell, the North Farnham councillor for Surrey County Council.

Cllr Powell said: “When he moved to Farnham, instead of me being his daughter – as he was well-known and well-loved in Derby – he became my Dad.

“It was a very odd experience for him but he did it for the family and I am forever grateful as it means Mum is close to us now. He threw himself into everything in Farnham and became an active member of the Farnham Lions.”

As a child, Alan Jones wanted to be a footballer and played extensively but went into the motor industry at 16 as an apprentice at Vauxhall Motors, then studied an HND in engineering.

He was one on of the UK’s first Toyota employees; in 1990 he became manufacturing director at the new factory in Derbyshire and was there in December 1992 when the first car – a Toyota Carina E – rolled off the assembly line.

He rose to become chairman and was knighted in 2005 for services to the automotive industry.

He wanted to give other young people a chance so worked to establish engineering apprenticeships in the UK and became chairman of SEMTA (Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies).

He continued to play football when possible. A Luton Town fan, he played at the team ground on April 4, 1962, for Leaside and Limbury against Grange Albion in the Luton District and South Beds League.

He needed clean kit and boots for the final for a presentation to local dignitaries before the game. This worried the 21-year-old Alan as his boots were held together with tape and dried mud and he thought that removing the mud might cause their collapse. He cleaned them, added more tape and, at the presentation, sank into mud which completely covered them.

Another highlight was being on the winning team for Kents Athletic in the South Midlands League Division 1 and scoring a vital goal with eight minutes to go against Premier League team Stotfold.

He later became a keen Farnham Town fan and would also watch Catherine and family playing for Aldershot and Farnham Hockey Club. He joined Farnham Lions and was working to support them right until his death.

Funds for the stand were donated by fans, Howdens Insurance, club chair Harry Hugo and Sir Alan’s family.

Cllr Powell concluded: “The stand is a fitting tribute to someone who loved football his entire life and particularly grassroots football”.