Alan Leather, who has died aged 84, was a very professional Membership Secretary of Addiscombe CC for ten years from the early 1990’s to the early 2000’s and on his retirement from that role the Club invited him to become a Vice-President.
It was though as a football administrator that Alan hit the heights. He famously said: that his ultimate football highlight was being part of the triumphant England party on that famous day one July afternoon in 1966; yes the 30th of course. The Football Association appointed Alan as Match Liaison Officer, World Cup England and he was annexed to the England team. A proud moment.
Alan’s professional career in football administration took off when he was appointed Assistant
Secretary at Tottenham Hotspur FC in 1957, where he headed the Club’s match & ticket operation through the ‘Double Years’, which included two FA Cup finals and the European Cup-winner’s Cup triumph in Rotterdam in 1963.
Other positions in Football administration followed. He was Secretary, arguably designated Chief Executive in this day and age, for Coventry City FC from 1966 to 1967, in the Jimmy Hill era and then he moved to Brighton, again as Secretary in 1968, before being head hunted for the job of Secretary at Crystal Palace FC in 1973. And there he stayed until his retirement in 1991.
Alan was elected to the Middlesex Wanderers Association Football Club in 1977. He served on the
executive committee from 1982 and he was made Wanderer of the Year in 2011. In 1997 further honours followed when the Football Association presented Alan with a special Long Service Medallion in recognition of 50 years’ service to the National Game.
Alan was born in March 1930 and lived in Palmers Green North London, where he attended
Franklin House Preparatory School and Southgate County Grammar School where he played in both
their football and cricket teams. National Service followed with the RAF where he honed his admin skills by being personal secretary to the Wing Commander and in addition he kept his passion for football alive being selected to play for the RAF Cottesmore team.
Alan also had a great interest in cricket. He was a member of Southgate County Old Boys Cricket
Club, where he played as wicketkeeper for the First XI in the early 1950s. He was a Life Member of
Marylebone Cricket Club, became Membership Secretary at his local club, Addiscombe CC, and on his retirement from that role was made a Vice-President. He was also a member of Arundel Castle Cricket Club.
And for something completely different, he enjoyed being a member of the Max Miller Appreciation
Society.
His contributions to the Addiscombe committee were much appreciated with his wide experience of committees being freely passed onto those in the clubs administrative roles. Not only that but he was a much liked gentleman who was well respected by one and all. Neither was he ever short of a story from the bowels of Selhurst Park!!, be it about Malcolm Allison, Terry Venables, Steve Kember, Alan Mullery or Steve Coppell. Great listening.
Alan passed away peacefully on 2nd January 2015, after a short illness.