Tributes have been paid to former White Coppice treasurer Geoff Haydock, who has died at the age of 81.

Haydock was also a former player and occasional umpire but is best known as the club treasurer.

Former player Mark Fishwick said: “Other than his wife, his great loves were White Coppice Cricket Club and Chorley Football Club.

“He was the treasurer at Coppice for many years and organised 39 sportsman’s dinners in aid of WCCC (15) and St Peter’s Church, Chorley.

“He was never short of an opinion and was a true club legend.”

A minute’s silence was observed ahead of Chorley’s game on Saturday vs Spennymoor Town.

White Coppice will be holding a minute’s silence ahead at the start of the new season in April.

Chris Maguire, who is the club’s longest serving player, said: “Geoff was a real stalwart of the club. I used to make a point of trying to avoid him before I batted because he’d always say ‘are you going to get another duck?’. He was nearly always right!

“I was the MC for the sportsman’s dinner for several years and worked very closely with Geoff, who took organisation to a whole new level.

“I used to get three or four phone calls in the week leading up to the dinner and he’d always say ‘you won’t forget to mention such and such’.

“I’m not sure he used the internet because he used to give me these meticulous handwritten notes for everything.

“However, he absolutely loved White Coppice and the club owe him a lot.”

The funeral will take place at 11am on Monday April 7th at St Peter’s Church, Chorley.