DEVASTATED players have vowed to try and win the league and cup double for their manager who died suddenly of the eve of the new season.

Barry Edwards died of a heart attack just four days before Oaklea FC were due to kick off their Accrington Combination campaign.

Players were shocked by the death of their much-loved manager but vowed to play on in his memory.

Paul McIntyre has been appointed manager while Stuart Biggs and Tony Brereton will run the administration side of things.

Tony said the team were going to postponed their opening league fixtures because of Barry's death but after speaking to his family, Oaklea decided to carry on.

Tony said: "Barry's death came as a shock to all of us. We thought long and hard about postponing the first game of the season but it is not what Barry would have wanted and that is what his family told us.

"Now we will have to go and win the league and cup and do it for Barry."

Last season, Oaklea finished runners-up in the Towneley Cup and fifth in Division Three.

On Saturday the team held a minute's silence and wore black arm bands as a sign of respect before their match with Broadway, which they won 4-2.

Barry, who was once a close friend of George Best, had known the players for a number of years having been with them both at Enfield Colts and Abbey FC.

League secretary Brian Rutter said a minute's silence will be observed at the next league meeting which takes place on Thursday, September 16.

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