Maccesfield footballer, Richard Butcher died suddenly on 9th January 2010 aged 29. 'Butch' was a massive Blue! He played for Peterborough against Everton in the Carling Cup in 2006. Everton won the game 2-1. For the Evertonian it was a big highlight of his career and he managed to get Tim Cahill's shirt after the game. Apparently this was the only thing he wanted!
The ex-Kettering, Oldham, Peterborough, Notts County and Lincoln City man's death comes less than a year since the loss of Maccesfield boss Keith Alexander.
Maccesfield chairman Mike Rance said: "We're devastated just 10 months after Keith Alexander passed on. We're facing the same sort of issues and nobody at the club can get their mind around what's happened. Richard was an exemplary professional and a thoroughly likeable young man, a total role model for young professionals. He didn't turn up at training this morning and our manager Gary Simpson was concerned, as it's not like him.
After investigation, we discovered his wife was away and that he'd passed away overnight. There's no indication of anything other than natural causes but we don't know any more at this point in time. We are just struggling to cope at this point in time that such a young and likeable individual has been lost."
'Butch' started his career at Northampton before moving to Rushden & Diamonds in 2000. He had spells at Kettering, before signing for Alexander at Lincoln in 2002, before moving on to Oldham in 2005. However, just four months later, he was on loan at the Imps again before following Alexander again to Peterborough in 2006. Butcher played at London Road for a season before joining Notts County, where he made 88 appearances.
He then rejoined Lincoln when Alexander signed him for a third time in 2009, bringing his appearance tally for the club up to 142. The Northampton-born player played 17 times for Macc, including nine appearances this season, the last of which came just a week ago in the 2-0 home defeat by Rotherham.
Macclesfield's npower League Two trip to Burton on Saturday has been postponed as a mark of respect. Deepest Sympathy from all at Blue Kipper.
Tributes
Location: new york
Date: 16 January 2011
Location: Merseyside
Date: 13 January 2011
Location: Sydney
Date: 13 January 2011
Location: Ormskirk
Date: 13 January 2011
Location: Lincoln
Date: 13 January 2011
Location: Sunderland
Date: 12 January 2011
Location: Gloucestershire
Date: 12 January 2011
Location: Warrington
Date: 12 January 2011
Location: New Zealand
Date: 12 January 2011
Location: Finland
Date: 12 January 2011
Location: Aintree
Date: 12 January 2011
