Nigel in gesture to fans

Dec 31 2009 By James Cartledge

GRIEVING Nigel Kennedy put aside his heartache to help make the day for fellow Aston Villa fans.

The star violinist gave away six tickets to his side’s game against Arsenal on Sunday.

The tickets were meant for his family but several relatives decided not to attend the match in London after the death of Kennedy’s mother, piano teacher Scylla Stoner, last week.

So Kennedy asked for the spares to be handed out to Villa fans who travelled to the game without tickets.

The violinist was unavailable for comment today but Heroes and Villains fanzine editor Dave Woodhall, who was asked to hand out the tickets, said it was a “fantastic” gesture at a difficult time.

“I know him from down the match so he asked me to give them away to people looking for tickets,” Mr Woodhall said. “A couple made charitable donations. It was a fantastic gesture.”

It was not known exactly when or how Ms Stoner died. Kennedy has previously spoken of how he was placed in a cot under the piano while she gave lessons.

The violinist’s family is steeped in music.

His grandfather, Lauri Kennedy, was principal cello in the BBC Symphony Orchestra and his father, John Kennedy, became principal cello in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Thomas Beecham.

But he moved to Australia and Kennedy did not meet him until he was 11.

His mother remarried and moved to Solihull.

Writing on the Stirrer website, run by Birmingham Mail columnist Adrian Goldberg, Mr Woodhall said Kennedy was a genuine Villa fan regardless of his celebrity status.

“Celebrity supporters usually come in for some stick and quite rightly so,” he said.

“Most of them wouldn’t have known one end of a football from the other before the ‘beautiful game’ got fashionable, but Nigel isn’t like that at all.”

And in a message to Kennedy, he added that his mother would have been proud of him.