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Macclesfield boss Keith Alexander dies

Keith Alexander: November 14, 1956 - March 3, 2010 © Getty Images

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Macclesfield Town manager Keith Alexander has died at the age of 53.

Town's official website confirmed Alexander passed away after he returned home from the club's trip to Notts County on Tuesday evening.

"Keith was a splendid man," read a tribute on the club's website. "He will be sorely missed at the Moss Rose and by everyone involved in football.

"Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family at this very difficult time."

Alexander suffered a brain aneurysm in November 2003 but made a recovery to the extent that he was able to resume work in football management.

He had a short spell away from the club in February on account of illness, but returned to the helm.

"He was a great character and hugely popular," Macclesfield chairman Mike Rance told Sky Sports News. "He loved every minute of what he was doing and that shone through in how he approached the job.

"He recently signed a new contract with the club as we felt he was the perfect fit for us. We are looking at a new stadium and felt Keith was the guy to take us there.

"We lost 1-0 last night to a club with massively more resources than us, but that was what Keith was all about - getting the best out of what he had.

"He was tremendous at doing that and he will be missed not just by us but by the game and a lot of people outside the game as he was such a personal, credible and hard-working individual."

Alexander was a former manager of Lincoln City, Ilkeston Town, Northwich Victoria, Peterborough and Bury before taking charge at his last club Macclesfield.

As a player, Alexander enjoyed notable spells at Lincoln and Grimsby, the latter of whom saw him score 26 league goals in 83 appearances. He also won the FA Vase with Stamford in 1980, and represented St Lucia's international side.

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