Bosham in mourning after death of club stalwart Richard

He leaves his wife of 61 years, Geraldine, and their son, Phillip.

Richard was born on April 25, 1936, in Derbyshire, but his family soon moved to West Wittering and he attended West Wittering and Oliver Whitby schools. He married Geraldine at Birdham church in May 1960 and they moved to live in Southbourne.

Richard was a shopfitter by trade and contracts took him to many countries including Iceland, Cyprus, and Kuwait.

Always a keen sportsman, he played football for local clubs, was a keen golfer and was a member of the Chichester and District Angling Society, where he won numerous trophies.

He joined Bosham FC as first team manager in the early 1970s and both he and Geraldine were instrumental in fundraising for the club to build a pavilion at their ground at Walton Lane.

Richard – who was also known as Dick – had a spell as club chairman, with Geraldine as treasurer.

In the late 1990s the club went through a period of decline on and off the pitch and Richard returned as chairman and, with Geraldine, managed to pull the club out of decline and put it back on a proper financial footing. They were later made vice-presidents of the Club.

He continued to carry out numerous maintenance tasks around the clubhouse until very recently.

Bosham FC said: “Richard will be sadly missed by all those involved in the club past and present, and by those in a much wider community.”