Adam Stansfield: Ben Seymour 'honoured' to wear Exeter City's reintroduced number nine shirt

Adam Stansfield played 158 games for Exeter, and scored 39 goals

Promising Exeter City striker Ben Seymour has been selected to wear the League Two club's number nine shirt, which will be reintroduced next season.

The number was last worn by forward Adam Stansfield and was retired in his memory after he died aged 31 of bowel cancer in 2010.

Last season 21-year old Seymour, who has come up through Exeter's academy, played 23 times in his debut campaign.

"It is just an absolute honour to wear that shirt," Seymour said.

"You grow up in the academy wanting to play the number nine but obviously under the circumstances that there was, there was not a number nine shirt, but there is and it is dream come true.

"When I was in the academy, he was playing in the first team. He was an all-round player and so energetic and I am hoping that I can look up to that and take that into my game this season," Seymour told the club website.

The shirt had been retired for nine seasons in honour of former Hereford United and Yeovil player Stansfield.

Exeter and Stansfield's family decided together to reintroduce the number and give it to a homegrown player.

Exeter's academy has a history of producing future talent, with Brentford's Ollie Watkins, Chelsea and Wales defender Ethan Ampadu and Swansea City captain Matt Grimes all coming through the League Two club's ranks in recent seasons.

"It is a fitting tribute," Adam's widow, Marie Stansfield, said.

"The Adam Stansfield Foundation was created with the aim of helping to give young people the unique opportunity to develop life skills through the power of football.

"We would like to thank the club and supporters for all the love they have shown, and continue to show, to Adam and our family."

Grecians boss Matt Taylor, who played alongside Stansfield at Exeter, added: "This shirt means so much to all associated with the football club.

"The remembrance and recognition of Adam will never pass, and the way he played the game will be embroidered in team-mates' and fans' memories for years to come.

"It feels fitting that the shirt should go to a homegrown player as we know how much this club meant to Adam and how highly the fans hold him in their memories."