Keith Alexander dies aged 53

[Dunny]

Tributes pour in for Macclesfield manager Keith Alexander, who has died aged 53

LMA chief executive Richard Bevan has paid tribute to Macclesfield manager Keith Alexander after his death at the age of 53.



By Telegraph staff and agencies
Published: 3:58PM GMT 03 Mar 2010

Passed away: Keith Alexander recently took time off due to illness Photo: ACTION IMAGES


Alexander, who suffered a brain aneurysm in November 2003, passed away after arriving home from Tuesday night's 1-0 League Two defeat at Notts County.
In a statement on the LMA's official website, Bevan said: "Our thoughts are with Keith's family at this very difficult time. This will have been a dreadful shock to his wife Helen, their two children Jack and Jenny and his two other sons Paul and Matt.

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"He will be sorely missed by the LMA, its members and the whole of the football community. Keith was an active member of the LMA and our projects with The Prince's Trust in particular, and his contribution to the well-being of the game is widely acknowledged.
"He was a champion of civil rights and equality issues and was also active in the Black Coaches Association."
Along with MK Dons manager Paul Ince, Alexander was one of only two black managers working in English management throughout the 92 clubs.
The Nottingham-born manager recently celebrated two years in charge of the Silkmen and their chairman Mike Rance said: "We're all absolutely devastated.
"I spoke to Keith last night at about 11.15pm after our game at Notts County and he was in good spirits because, although we lost, we had given a team chasing promotion a good game.
"We were chatting about an FA hearing after he had a row with a referee at Bournemouth, which just shows how passionate he was about the game.
"It was perhaps fitting that the last conversation we had was about football."
The exact cause of Alexander's death remains unclear, but Rance said: "He went home after the game last night and collapsed. Tragically, he never recovered."
Alexander had built a reputation in the lower leagues for working effectively within a tight budget and Rance added: "Keith was the perfect manager for a club like ours.
"He was totally pragmatic about managing in League Two and the constraints involved.
"He was a splendid man, a real gentleman and an absolute privilege to work with."
Macclesfield are scheduled to play Hereford at Edgar Street on Saturday but the match could be postponed.
Rance has already spoken to Hereford chairman Graham Turner and explained: "Graham also knew Keith very well and the decision as to whether Saturday's game goes ahead will be taken by Keith's family shortly.
"I know what Keith would have wanted, but it will be his family's decision."
Assistant manager Gary Simpson told Sky Sports News: "He was a larger than life character - an honest man, a splendid man and he will be missed by people in all walks of life. He was an absolutely superb human being.
"He was always there and together we just got on with stuff. In the difficult times we've had, we've helped each other through things and he was just a rock."
Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney said: "I am shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Keith Alexander. The thoughts of the Football League, its clubs and football supporters everywhere will be with Keith's family and friends.
"He was a tough, dogged competitor as a player and as a manager and will be greatly missed."
The most notable spells of Alexander's playing career were at Grimsby and Stockport, while he also had a stint with Lincoln, where he became manager for the first time in 1993, making him the first black professional football manager in the UK.
His stay lasted less than a year but, after spells with Ilkeston and Northwich, Alexander returned as director of football and assistant manager before eventually replacing Alan Buckley at the helm and becoming a fans' favourite.
In November 2003 Alexander suffered a cerebral aneurysm and was taken to hospital for vital surgery before returning to work in February 2004.
He left Lincoln by mutual consent in the 2005/2006 season and had a spell in charge of Peterborough before taking the position of director of football at Bury.
He took charge of Macclesfield in February 2008, but his health recently took a turn for the worse when he was forced to miss the goalless draw with Accrington last month due to illness.
Alexander helped Lincoln to the play-offs for four consecutive seasons between 2002-06 - the only manager to achieve that feat.
Imps chairman Steff Wright said: "Over and above being the absolute professional in everything he did, Keith was one of the nicest guys you could ever wish to meet.
"It goes without saying that our thoughts are with Helen and the family at this extremely difficult time."
A Bury spokesman said: "Keith Alexander was one of the most genuine people you could work with, to know and to have the pleasure to meet.
"There are a lot of heavy hearts around Gigg Lane this afternoon and as a club, we wish to pass our condolences to Keith's immediate family, his friends and all supporters, players and officials at Macclesfield Town."

[Raggs]

seems a nice enuff guy.....R.I.P

[Karl]

Pretty young guy to go so early...pity.
RIP!

[Dunny]

Keith Alexander will be a massive loss to both his family and to his football family.
As the first black professional football manager in the UK he was a pioneer in many respects and to lose him at the tender age of 53 - when he still had so much to offer - has left a lot of people shocked and devastated.

Alexander: died this week, aged 53
Some people reading this article might not know much about Keith Alexander, but everyone who knew him in football had tremendous regard and respect for him. He gave great service to a number of lower-league teams, in particular at Lincoln City where he achieved so much.
After taking charge at Lincoln in the early nineties, he returned for a second spell as assistant manager to Alan Buckley in 2001. The club finished the 2001/02 season just above the relegation places and they were facing liquidation, which led to Buckley moving on.

His effort and his energy were apparent in his playing days and the word 'commitment' became synonymous with him as a manager.

Keith Alexander
Quotes of the week

Keith took over what was not the most glamorous of jobs, but he attacked it with the commitment that he had always demonstrated as a player. His teams always boasted the dual qualities of passion and commitment and Lincoln's were soon galvanised despite a lack of resources.
Unbelievably, Lincoln got into the play-offs in four successive seasons and failed to go up on each occasion. Bent, but definitely not bowed by the experience, he left the club in 2006 having secured a place in their folklore.
He was an outstanding man and at that level he was an outstanding manager. People go mad about statistics and maybe Alexander's stats would argue against that, but when you look at the financial restraints he was operating under, you can understand his true worth.
Hard-working

He will be remembered as the UK's first black manager but he never wanted any special treatment because of that. In fact, he was quite embarrassed by all the focus on him.
He was what he was; an honest, hard-working guy with a deep love and passion for a game that hadn't always been kind to him in his playing days.
I remember seeing him playing as a gangly centre-forward at Barnet. When you watched him you realised he used everything available to him. He was very resourceful as a player and even though he wasn't the most technically gifted, the centre-halves who played against him weren't able to switch off for a second.
His effort and his energy were apparent in his playing days and the word 'commitment' became synonymous with him as a manager.

Ethic

I personally remember him as an honest and straightforward guy. I recall playing for Scunthorpe against his Lincoln side once and having only recently left the Premier League, it was a real shock to the system for me.
They were very feisty and committed and they had a full-back called Mark Bailey who was kicking lumps out of me for the whole game. I don't know if that was under Keith's orders or not, but it was the right thing to do to win the game.
After the match I told a radio interviewer it was the worst game of football I'd played in throughout my career - although I did go on to praise the team ethic of Lincoln and the way they achieved results.
Unfortunately Keith only heard the first part of the interview and a while later I was doing some scouting at a game and he came over to me for a conversation. As honest as he was, he didn't say anything behind my back and instead asked me to my face what I'd been saying about his team.
I explained to him what I'd explained to Hawksbee & Jacobs on the Monday after the game. I told them that after 48 hours of contemplation I still thought it was the worst game of football I'd ever played in!
But I explained that it was because Keith had done his homework and had figured out how to stop me and my team from getting the ball. If he'd allowed me to play then maybe the result would have been different. Basically I felt he'd done a good job.
The fact he came straight over to talk to me showed the honesty of the guy. Honesty is an old-fashioned value that's maybe not as valued in football today as it once was.

Shock

The news of Keith's death on Wednesday came as a huge shock, even though it was well documented he had a brain aneurysm in 2003.
I feel it was quite fitting that England's senior team and Under-21's wore black armbands on Wednesday night to show their respect and appreciation for him. I was watching England in the Sky Sports studios and when they went 1-0 down to Egypt I was desperate for them to turn it around; largely because I wanted them to win it for Keith. I felt a win would be a fitting tribute.
For similar reasons, I think it's right that Macclesfield are going ahead with their match against Hereford on Saturday. Like England, perhaps they can use the occasion as a celebration of his life and a motivation for a positive result.
Much like his time at Lincoln, Keith came to Macclesfield when they were in a desperate situation. He took over from Ian Brightwell with the club just above the relegation zone, but he won four and drew three of their last nine games to steer them to safety.
His record might not look spectacular and he didn't work with the elite teams, but in his own right he deserves recognition.
Our heart-felt sympathies go out to his family and his friends. And I think I can say that on behalf of the whole of the football community.

[Dunny]

Keith’s spirit lives on


By DAVID MOORE
Published: Today





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"THIS", said Keith Alexander, was "the big one - the one we have to win!"

"Those were just about the last words Keith ever said to me," revealed Macclesfield caretaker boss Gary Simpson.
So while there were tears and tributes aplenty at Edgar Street on Saturday, including a special poem printed for visiting fans, there was also a football match.

PAYING TRIBUTE ... Macclesfield players honour the late Keith Alexander

Not just any old football match either but one that late Macc manager Alexander rated as vital.
This is the tough end of the League with the threat of relegation to the Conference in the background.
It was a fight that filled Alexander's every minute before he died, aged 53, in the early hours of last Wednesday.
Simpson said: "We were talking on our car phones just before midnight following Tuesday's narrow 1-0 defeat at Notts County, with Keith driving to his Lincoln home and me nearly back to Sheffield.
"Keith was the same as ever, except he'd had hiccups for a couple of weeks and we were beginning to turn our thoughts to this Hereford trip.
"When his son Matt called me at about eight the next morning, the news was like hammer blow for me.
"I'd been with Keith right through his management career at Ilkeston, Northwich, Lincoln, Peterborough, Bury and Macclesfield.
"I needed several minutes to try to compose myself.
"In the next hour, there were 200 calls either received or waiting.
"Keith was black, and proud of it. But it was never any kind of issue, for him or anybody, because he was an outstanding person and personality, a lovely bloke and good at his job. It's a tough week ahead.
"A trip to Accrington on Tuesday, Bury at home at the weekend and then Keith's funeral in Lincoln next Monday. Somehow, we have to get through it.
"But we'd already decided to go for broke against Hereford.
"We... sorry... I mean I decided on a 4-3-3 formation and it worked nicely."
Skipper Paul Morgan, who also had six years with Alexander at Lincoln, was almost overcome by emotion.
While the rest of the squad saluted the travelling supporters, the Northern Ireland-born defender quickly retreated to the dressing room for a few moments of privacy.
Morgan said: "Really, I didn't want to play. It's been very difficult. We are all devastated."
Midfielder Richard Butcher added: "Quite simply, we did it for the Gaffer. He'll be up there now, savouring such an important result."
And Paul Bolland said: "The sight of grown men in tears isn't something you'll ever get used to. But there is no shame in that. His loss has affected us all.
"The gaffer had spoken about the importance of winning games against sides around us in the table and, hopefully, when he heard the result it would have brought a smile to his face."


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This would have been Alexander's 100th Macc match. Chairman Mike Rance, who handed out the poetic tribute to fans with vice-chairman Andy Scott, said: "We recently extended Keith's contract.
"We thought the world of him. This fixture went ahead only after Keith's wife Helen and son Matt gave permission.
"In the circumstances, our young team were magnificent. They knew, we all knew, that Keith would not have wanted us hiding under a stone."
The players wore T-shirts with the words 'Rest In Peace Gaffer' during a minute's silence for the Big Man.
As visiting fans chanted 'Keith Alexander... his spirit lives on,' the Silkmen were always superior in this League Two tussle.
A fact underlined by Ricky Sappleton's excellent 20-yard opener after 16 minutes and Emile Sinclair's second-half strike.
Hereford boss John Trewick said: "Their fans were terrific and it seemed to inspire their players."
Moss Rose chairman Rance thanked the Bulls for playing their part on a poignant day.
He added: "The sight of the Hereford fans staying behind to applaud our players and supporters at the final whistle was very touching."