HEARTBREAKING PHOTO: Tributes to popular Sunday league footballer who died after match

Tragedy struck a Sunday league football game in Bolsover when a young player died shortly after the game finished.
Alan Eggleston and his son Jack, five.Alan Eggleston and his son Jack, five.
Alan Eggleston and his son Jack, five.

Alan Eggleston, 30, felt unwell during the game on Sunday and left the pitch ten minutes before the end, but later collapsed in the changing rooms.

Alan, of Peveril Road, Bolsover, leaves behind a partner, Laura McManus, 34, and a five-year-old son, Jack.

His brother-in-law, Lindsay Kay, said that Alan was a very popular figure in Bolsover, with many friends, all of whom are in a state shock at his death.

He added: “I can’t believe what has happened, we were only with him on Saturday.

“Alan was wonderful person, unselfish and would help anyone. He had a great sense of humour and was a very down to earth person.”

Lindsay said that he and his son, together with Alan and Jack, were all planning to watch the local Manchester derby match on television after the Sunday game as they were all Manchester United fans.

He added Alan was a great father to Jack, and regularly played football with him in the garden, hoping that he too would love football as much as Alan did.

Alan had been playing football in Bolsover since he was young boy, and played for a number of teams over the years.

His father, Alan Eggleston Senior, has been involved in the local game for the past 40 years.

At the time of the tragedy, Alan was playing for the New Bolsover Social Club in the Chesterfield and District Sunday Football League.

A post mortem is being held today (Thursday) to ascertain the cause of death.