AFC Totton
FRONT AND CENTRE: The late Ross Spicer, pictured with his Totton Football Club teammates, circa the late-1960s.
“A REAL GENTLEMAN and a true supporter of the club”; words spoken in tribute to a lifelong fan of AFC Totton and resident of the town who recently passed away.
Ross Spicer was born in Totton in 1937, and soon emerged as a talented local footballer with Totton Youth in the early 1950s. He began his working life as an Admin Clerk on the docks before, in November 1955, has was called-up to do two years of National Service in Cyprus.
Upon returning to England, Ross joined the Maintenance Dept. of Mullards in Millbrook, and began playing for Totton Football Club, with whom he remained from 1958 to 1972 while also regularly turning out for the highly-successful Sunday league side, Totton Wanderers.
Ross then worked on the production line for Dimplex, before making a move to the British electronics company Racal Holdings, where he was a Production Controller/Buyer for the rest of his career until he decided to take early retirement.
Living in the same bungalow in Rushington for more than 60 years, Ross had two sons, Darren and Leigh, and one of his great joys was taking family caravan holidays in Cornwall. Later in life, he was also a regular visitor to the Greek Islands.
Ross Spicer (front row, second from the left) pictured with his Totton Youth Club team in the mid-to-late 1950s, and more recently.
After the 1975 amalgamation of Totton FC and Totton Athletic, Ross was a big supporter of the new club, often travelling to away games with his mates on the team coach. Supporting The Stags was a great pleasure for him and something that he continued to do for as long as his health would allow.
Despite being diagnosed with cancer five years ago, Ross continued to follow the team’s fortunes very closely. At home games, he liked to stand close to the dug-out so he could pick up on the vibe from the AFC Totton management team.
A keen gardener, and a regular at Paultons Golf Club for many years, Ross — who was aged 87 when he died — was a very popular member of the Totton community who will be sorely missed by his many friends.
A funeral service in Ross’s memory will be held at the Test Valley Crematorium on Wednesday 05 March, beginning at 12:00-noon. All those wishing to pay their respects to Ross and his family are welcome to attend. After the service, there will be a celebration of Ross’s life at the Salmon Leap Pub.
Before AFC Totton’s home match against Merthyr Town on Saturday 01 March 2025, fans of both clubs celebrated Ross’s life with one minute’s applause immediately prior to kick-off.
Test Valley Crematorium, Ridge Lane, Romsey SO51 6AB;
Salmon Leap Pub, Testwood Lane, Totton SO40 3BR.
By Ben Rochey-Adams with the assistance of Barry Yeates, Bryn Bratcher, Paul Maiden and Darren & Leigh Spicer.
