Prescot pay tribute to President

Prescot Cables Secretary Doug Lace has paid a personal tribute to George Hayward, the former Mayor of Prescot and Tigers President, ahead of his funeral this week.

Described by the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League club’s Secretary as a 'true Prescotian who loved his town and football club', Mr Hayward, pictured, was 82 when he passed away on Saturday 5 January after suffering a stroke before Christmas.

Tuesday's funeral service is at Our Lady Help of Christians RC Church, Portico Lane, Eccleston Park, at 11.15am and is followed by cremation at St Helens Crematorium at 12.30pm.

Lace said he was 'proud' to count Mr Hayward, who'd been involved at Valerie Park for more than 30 years, holding various posts including Secretary and Vice Chairman before becoming President, as a 'personal friend'.

The former marine engineer served in the Merchant Navy during World War Two and was Mayor of Prescot on three occasions, using his insight into administration and local government in the club's interests, one of his proudest moments coming when he helped to secure a grant to erect Prescot's first set of floodlights.

He leaves a son Christopher, daughter-in-law Christina, and grandchildren Andrew, 17 and Felicity, 14. A former Earlstown player, his wife Pat passed away in August last year. The First Division North club say Mr Hayward, who first saw Cables play as an eight-year-old from an upstairs back bedroom window at an auntie’s house in nearby Halsall Street, will be missed by all who knew him.

Cables Secretary Lace said: "George was a true Prescotian who loved his town and football club. He will be sadly missed, both out and about in Prescot and at the football club.

"I myself will personally miss him as we have been through the good and bad times together at the football club. There are a number of supporters and people involved with Cables that have history with the club and none more so than George Hayward, Club President."

Lace credits Mr Hayward with holding the club together during some of its toughest times and said that the answer his friend once gave when asked in an interview what the club meant to him, summed him up - "Community, that's the first thing that comes to mind," said the late Club President.