Alan had coached a great many of last seasons senior colts through from when they were six and seven years old at Manchester Rugby Club - his loss comes as a great shock to us all. Prior to joining Manchester he had a long career as a player at Burnage and Sale.

Those of you who knew Alan will know that just underneath his prop forward exterior was a passionate, considerate and kind hearted man who believed in fairness, equality and providing the best opportunities for young players to develop.

His strength of commitment to an inclusive team ethos was tangible and brought us through many tough games when our backs were against the wall.

We will all miss him.

Keith Richardson