TOM Webster is Mr Accrington Stanley FC -- after being a boyhood fan, groundsman, scout, manager and director.

Now he has pleaded with fans to help stop a team dropping out of the football league -- as his beloved club did 38 years ago.

Tom, 74, of Heywood Road, Accrington, has been supporting Stanley since he was six. Now a director of the club, Tom has been involved at all levels and his cousin Dick Webster holds the record number of caps for playing for Accrington Stanley and has also played for Blackburn, Burnley, Sheffield United and Tranmere Rovers.

Tom's plea to help other clubs avoid the drop came as Accrington Stanley held a charity match for Second Division strugglers Bury, whose 115 year history in the football league is at risk.

His at Accrington Stanley included a spell as manager of the junior team in the late 1950s, a role which fell by the wayside because of the club's lack of cash.

One of his favourite memories is taking his junior team to Yorkshire to play a team from Don Revie's Leeds United, a match Stanley juniors only lost 1-0.

As groundsman Tom, who lives in Haywood Close, in Accrington, had frequent fallings out with former club chairman Edwin Slinger.

One time Mr Slinger asked Tom to cut the grass on the playing field much shorter. Tom said: "I told him I couldn't cut it any more and said that if he could manage to cut one strip I would redo the rest of the field myself.

"As soon as he got hold of the mower and pressed down the pedal it raced off across the park leaving him standing there. There you go Mr Slinger, I said, you stick to your job and I'll stick to mine."

Tom's opinion of the current chairman, Eric Whalley is somewhat higher. He said: "He is a good man and he's not afraid to put his money where his mouth is. In fact that's his favourite expression.

"It's good to see Accrington Stanley back on their feet again. I just hope what happened to us in 1962 doesn't happen to anybody else."

Tom said: "When Stanley dropped out of the league it was a terrible time for the town and the club. I just feel like Bury are going down the same road and it is very sad to see.

"I would hate for the same thing to happen to them and the idea behind this match is to raise money but also to get people like the FA to sit up and take some notice of what is going on at these smaller clubs."

Eric Whalley, chairman of Accrington Stanley and boss of EW Cartons in Rishton, said: "When we were in trouble people got quite complacent and thought it wouldn't actually happen. The same thing is happening with Bury so if we can help out and raise some money and some awareness we are happy to do that.

"Hopefully this match has helped out a bit."

Terry Robinson, chairman of Bury, said: "This is a gesture which can't be explained in words alone. For them to think about our position was something we didn't expect and it came as a real surprise.

"It is brilliant. I never realised there would be so much interest in our plight and I would like to thank Eric and the people of Accrington for their support."

Bury have been in trouble since major shareholder Hugh Eaves stopped ploughing money in to the club. They have yet to find a buyer.

Bury supporters Raymond and Margaret Smith and son David said they were touched by what Stanley had done.

Margaret said: "I think it's wonderful what they have done but why couldn't a big club like Manchester United or Manchester City have offered to help?"

Long-term Accrington supporter Les Jarrett, 66, of Windsor Avenue, added: "I think this is a good gesture and a lot of good can come from it."

The match, which Bury won 2-0, drew a crowd of 1,008 and raised £8,000.