[Phil Whalley]

Condolences to Eric's family. His achievements at Stanley make him a major figure in our history, and - as with all leaders - he could be as rebarbative as he could inspirational. But there is no question that he grabbed the club by the scruff of its neck and hauled us up the steep incline of the non-League pyramid - the most difficult ascent in English football.

Here's a quote from Dave Mooney about playing for Eric in the late 80s when he came back to the Crown as manager. I think it sums up Eric's approach well:

“There was certainly a sense that you could see the top of the pyramid, and Eric was very ambitious and I’ve no doubt that that what was he was looking at. It seemed a long way away, as it was, but for someone with his ambition it was certainly a target to aim for. I think for Eric, Accrington Stanley was where he always wanted to be and he had the ambition to move on and up as far as it would take him.

“Eric had his own language – and it varied from the rude to the obscene and then worse than that! But it was accepted in the dressing room and all taken in the right way, I can’t remember anyone ever taking anything personally, because everyone used to love playing for him, he was a magnanimous bloke who drew people towards him and made them want to play for him. We always had to stop on the way back from a game and have a drink and he used to buy a round for everyone. We also had club nights after training where Eric would take us for meals. It was a brilliant time, he always had a positive outlook. He was a player’s manager – win, lose or draw, as long as you’d done your best then you deserved a drink and to relax and enjoy what you’d achieved on the field.”

Old school for sure, but it took us a long, long way. Thanks for everything, Eric.