Macclesfield midfielder Richard Butcher dies aged

[madmurray]

Macclesfield Town midfielder Richard Butcher has died at his home in Manchester at the age of 29.

Butcher, who joined Macclesfield in the summer and scored in the 2-2 draw with Bury on New Year's Day, passed away in his sleep.

"He was an exemplary professional and a thoroughly likeable young man," the club said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with his wife and family at this very difficult time."

Professional Footballers Association chief executive Gordon Taylor said: "It is a terrible shock.

"We've lost Adam Stansfield at Exeter and to lose Richard Butcher is just terrible and quite tragic and on behalf of all the members and staff at the PFA we wish to offer our most sincere condolences to his family at this terrible time and our prayers and thoughts are with them.

"We will be in contact with the family to see what help we can provide at this sad time."

Butcher started his career at Northampton and had spells at Lincoln, Notts County, Peterborough, Oldham, Kettering and Rushden & Diamonds.

[Robin]

Macclesfield Town have announced that midfielder Richard Butcher has died at the age of 29.

The ex-Kettering, Oldham, Peterborough, Notts County and Lincoln City man's death comes less than a year since the loss of Macc boss Keith Alexander.

Macc chairman Mike Rance told BBC Radio Manchester: "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."

Rance added: "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."

Butcher only joined the Silkmen in the summer on a two-year deal following a successful loan spell, having initially been signed by Alexander, for the fifth time in his career, on 9 February 2010.

But Alexander died less than a month later, on 3 March 2010.

No details have been given regarding Butcher's death.

He started his career at Northampton before moving to Rushden & Diamonds in 2000, but did not make his first-team debut in the game until moving to Kettering the following year.

He was then signed for the first time by 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.

Notts County chief executive Jim Rodwell, who was at Rushden with Butcher, told his club's website: "It is a massive shock to hear the news.

"He was my boot-boy during my time with Rushden & Diamonds.

"He was a great personality with a lot of friends and he'll be sorely missed."

[Robin]

Really shocked by this! He was a great player for Notts and I saw him on a number of occasions. Helped keep us in the League a few seasons ago. RIP

[madmurray]

I just put this up in gubbings.

It is a tragedy at such a young age.

[wonderwall]

fed up of all these deaths

[Maximo Mark]

Very sad. R.I.P.

[ThinWhitePuke]

Very young age could only really have been suicide or an undetected medical condition but he was a good player

[ligerdog7]

sad dude how hppen
kool dude
chhers
ruufyyyyyyyyyyyy wuufyy moo
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uppppppppppppppp

[Robin]

Big respect to Taylor-Fletcher at Blackpool, after he scored the opening goal last night against Liverpool! Apparently TF is a Liverpool fan and Butcher was an Everton fan!