ALAN HARRIS RIP

Our team-mate and friend Alan Harris passed away just before Easter. All at Much Wenlock Bowling Club would like to pass on our condolences to wife Jo and their family. A lovely glowing tribute was paid to Alan in the Shropshire Star, an extract from which is printed below (the full version including the recollections of friends can be seen on the Shropshire Star website). We will truly miss our mate who is now gone but not forgotten. Alan's funeral is due to be held at 1pm Friday 24th April at Holy Trinity Church Much Wenlock. RIP - Alan.

Tributes paid to Telford United legend and former Express & Star executive Alan Harris

Tributes have been paid to Telford United legend turned Express & Star executive Alan Harris, who has died aged 77.Mr Harris played more than 700 games for the Bucks during a 13-year career with the club, making him one of the longest-serving players in club history.He played at Wembley in two separate FA Trophy finals, and World Cup winners Bobby and Jackie Charlton turned out for his testimonial in 1977.

He retired from Telford United in 1980, but went on to enjoy a successful career at Midland News Association, the parent company of the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, rising to the rank of managing director before his retirement, after 45 years’ service, in 2012.

Mr Harris grew up in Oakengates, and attended Trench Modern School.He signed for the then Wellington Town in 1967 as an 18-year-old, following brief spells at Aston Villa and Wolves. He joined the Shropshire Star the same year, initially working as an administrator before later transferring to the advertising department.

Initially playing as an inside forward, he scored in four rounds of the inaugural FA Trophy, helping the renamed Telford United to Wembley in 1970 before losing to Macclesfield.This disappointment was erased the following year when Telford beat Hillingdon in the final.

He later moved into defence, and was just 31 when he retired from the club, wanting to spend more time with his young family and also to concentrate on his career with the newspaper. He played under 12 managers, including George Antonio, Geoff Hurst and Gordon Banks, and was inducted into the Telford United Hall of Fame in 2010.

While he stopped playing for the Bucks in 1980, he did not hang up his boots completely, continuing to play for Shifnal Town, and also becoming joint manager of Wellington Casuals. Mr Harris joined the board of the Express & Star in 2000 as advertising director, and five years later joined the board of the parent company, taking over as managing director in 2008. He retired in 2012, after being honoured for 45 years’ service, remaining as a non-executive director for a short while.

Former Express & Star chief photographer Dave Bagnall recalled “my wife Judith introduced her best friend Joanne Harper to Alan and in no time at all we became a foursome, dining out at The Huntsman in Little Wenlock twice a week and catering for each other at Jo’s and Judith’s family homes when their parents were away.” Jo and Alan married in 1973, and had two sons, David and Nick, later moving to live in Much Wenlock.

Widow Jo described her husband as a modest man who was nevertheless proud of what he had achieved in life. “He was very much a family man,” she said. “He was a private man, but he was very proud of his football career, and of his work for the paper.”

She said that in his spare time, he enjoyed playing golf for Wrekin Golf Club, and twice a week he would play crown-green bowls for Much Wenlock.”

Mr Harris died on Saturday (March 28) at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, where he was being treated for cancer. Wife Jo was at his side.

As well as Jo, David and Nick, he leaves daughters-in-law Clare and Cherry, and grand-daughters Francesca and Natalia.