Diamond date for sports fans

Barbara and Dennis Whiteman celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary

A LOVE of sports led to a perfect match for Dennis and Barbara Whiteman who celebrate their diamond wedding today.

Romance blossomed for the Manchester United and Oldham Athletic fans when they met at their local youth club. They wed two years later at Parkfield Church, Middleton, and Barbara (77) said: “We liked the same things.

“We both enjoy football, we like watching sport on TV and we used to go to the speedway and wrestling at Belle Vue.

“Dennis was a Manchester United supporter when he was younger and I still support Oldham Athletic with our two daughters. I am a season-ticket holder.

“When we got married I converted him — I had always gone to Oldham Athletic with my father.”

The couple ran Whiteman’s newsagents in Middleton Road, Westwood, for 12 years from 1962 before moving to their current home in Sands Avenue, Chadderton.

Dennis (79) also worked as an electrician for the former Middleton Council while Barbara was a nursing assistant at the Royal Oldham Hospital for many years.

They have two daughters, Christine (58) and Lynn (53), two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Friends and family celebrated their 60th anniversary with a party on Saturday