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Alan Leather RIP

Last updated : 11 January 2015 By CCFPA

Alan Leather RIP (1932 – 02/01/2015)

 

Secretary- Leather, A (Alan)Alan Leather, another link to the era of Jimmy Hill’s ‘Sky Blue Revolution’ of the 1960s passed away within days of former Sky Blue players Ken Hale and Peter Hill. Jimmy Hill brought Alan to CCFC to be club secretary in October 1966 and he stayed in the role for two years.

Alan had a long and distinguished football career.  Between 1947 and 1952 he played for Middlesex Youth, Tufnell Park and Enfield.  In1952 he was appointed secretary of the Northern Suburban Intermediate League a post he held until 1957 when he was appointed as Assistant Secretary of Tottenham Hotspur FC and was there during their golden period of the early 60s.  In 1966 he was asked by the Football Association to be the Liaison Officer for the World Cup and the successful England team and after the Tournament became Club Secretary at Brighton.

He replaced Paul Oliver as Club Secretary at Highfield Road and during his time with the Sky Blues he saw the side win promotion to Division One as well as overseeing the building of two new stands and an increase in season-ticket sales from 5,500 to 11,000. After the Main Stand burned down in March 1968, Alan rallied the troops and somehow got the ground in a fit state for the visit of Manchester United ten days later dealing with all of the ticketing and other challenges with a cool head. The game – in front of a 47,111 crowd, City’s second biggest crowd of all-time –went like clockwork thanks to Alan’s administrative skills.

He never really settled in the Midlands, however, and in 1968 the club released him, From 1973 until 1991 he had a long and successful career as Club Secretary at Crystal Palace FC. He was also Secretary of London Football Coaches Association from 1983 to 1987 and Honorary Secretary of the Football Secretaries and Managers Association (a fore-runner of the modern day League Manager’s Association) of which he remained an enthusiastic member until his death aged 83. He was Secretary of Aldershot in 1991 and from 1992 until 1997 was Secretary of the South East Counties League.  In 1997 he was awarded the Football Association Long Service Medal and from 1990-2014 was Chairman of the World Cup (1966) Association.

Apart from his love of football, Alan was a keen cricketer playing for Southgate CC and was a Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).  He was also a Member of the Friends of Arundel Castle C.C. Alan was also elected to the Middlesex Wanderers in 1977 and was the club’s Administration Secretary from up until 2000.  He was made Wanderer of the Year by them in 2011.

The Coventry City Former Players Association sends its sincere condolences to Alan’s family and friends.