Alan Beecroft - one year

[ClaretTony]

It's a year ago today that my good friend Alan Beecroft passed away after a battle with Motor Neurone Disease.

His name is never far away. I was speaking to the New Zealand Clarets on Friday and their weekend organiser made reference to Beeky.

I, like so many, miss him. There are so many Burnley fans who do. I've had a text message this afternoon from his wife Georgina. The family have all had a socially distanced walk today and she said they'd laughed a lot at some of things Alan said and did.

Had he been here, he'd be whinging I would expect given yesterday's performance.

You are missed Beeky, more than you will ever know.

[conyoviejo]

Yep,he certainly was a character and a great lad and good mate of mine in our youth. Sadly missed.

[beddie]

I knew who he was but didn't know him. I can't believe it's a year since he passed away. It will be a day of memories for his family and friends. I'm sure they'll make them all happy ones.

[TsarBomba]

My family and I knew him well, and have many fond memories over the past 25+ years.

Sorely missed.

[Herts Clarets]

Beeky (never knew him as Alan) was a friend of my step father for over 40 years through British Gas. There were some real characters who used to come round. The usual was he would have an apprentice with him at lunch time during school holidays. Reckon you can have him he would ask my 2 brothers and I, which was the start if a barrage of cushions as we laid into the poor apprentice. Then Big Kevin Hunt came around who really was not a bloke you messed with. Same question, same onslaught which ended with a bloidy nose for Kevin.

The above events led to a nickname for us. In walks Beeky and as usual it was non stop gags, stories and general mayhem. I've heard about you 3 he said. Bloody apprentice Kray Twins aren't you. We tried protesting, Beeky's response was there are 2 things I can't stand, bad ale and lippy kids.

One hot summer day, we decided to go to Downham and Beeky turns up in his ex army Land Rover with canvas hood. We had a choice. Go in a Ford Cortina with the parents. Or in the back of an open top Land Rover piloted by Beeky. No contest for 3 excited kids. We ended up following the parents until we came to a corner with a grass verge on the inside. As the Cortina made its way around the corner Beeky launched the Land Rover across the verge, coming out in front of the Cortina, much to the amusement of the 3 of us in the back.

We always looked forward to Beeky calling as we never knew what was coming other than it would be loud,funny and more often than not outrageous. He was one of a kind was Beeky, so many great memories growing up and later years spotting that bloody hat at an away game and stopping to listen to him (I would say chat but that would suggest I had a chance to get a word in). He is fondly remembered and greatly missed by our family. RIP Beeky

[TheFamilyCat]

Alan was a good mate of my Dad's and as kids, me and my brother spent a lot of time with him and Simon watching NCC, chasing trains, at the Hippodrome and watching Burnley, Alan took us to away games up and down the country. Whatever we were doing - however bad the football was or however long we were stood in a freezing cold field waiting for a steam train - there was never a dull moment.

My brother doesn't post on here but asked me to share a couple of tales of Alan's acts of kindness that sum the bloke up.
His mate went travelling and on his way home bought him a portable minidisc player from Kowloon in Hong Kong when they were all the rage. Cost him about £200 which was a lot of money for a 20 yr old in 90’s. Anyway, the thing broke not long after having it. Word got back to Alan about this and as it happens he was off to Hong Kong for work. He got the receipt, took the player and went out of his way to huntdown the very electrical shop in Kowloon (there’s hundreds of them) and exchanged it and brought it back. Unbelievable act of kindness, wonder if his in built sat nav spoken about at his funeral worked there too??
The second tale was Alan pulling some strings while working for Airtours and somehow getting him home from Ibiza when he found himself skint and stranded (possibly deported, there is still some mystery around this incident).
A great man
RIP Alan

[ClaretTony]

Alan was a good mate of my Dad's and as kids, me and my brother spent a lot of time with him and Simon watching NCC, chasing trains, at the Hippodrome and watching Burnley, Alan took us to away games up and down the country. Whatever we were doing - however bad the football was or however long we were stood in a freezing cold field waiting for a steam train - there was never a dull moment.

My brother doesn't post on here but asked me to share a couple of tales of Alan's acts of kindness that sum the bloke up.
His mate went travelling and on his way home bought him a portable minidisc player from Kowloon in Hong Kong when they were all the rage. Cost him about £200 which was a lot of money for a 20 yr old in 90’s. Anyway, the thing broke not long after having it. Word got back to Alan about this and as it happens he was off to Hong Kong for work. He got the receipt, took the player and went out of his way to huntdown the very electrical shop in Kowloon (there’s hundreds of them) and exchanged it and brought it back. Unbelievable act of kindness, wonder if his in built sat nav spoken about at his funeral worked there too??
The second tale was Alan pulling some strings while working for Airtours and somehow getting him home from Ibiza when he found himself skint and stranded (possibly deported, there is still some mystery around this incident).
A great man
RIP Alan

"Acts of kindness" - when I see those three words it always makes me think of Alan. No matter what it was, he always seemed to be there. His wife Georgina is just the same. He was no saint, far from it, but when help was needed, Beeky was there.

[Loyalclaret]

Alan was a good mate of my Dad's and as kids, me and my brother spent a lot of time with him and Simon watching NCC, chasing trains, at the Hippodrome and watching Burnley, Alan took us to away games up and down the country. Whatever we were doing - however bad the football was or however long we were stood in a freezing cold field waiting for a steam train - there was never a dull moment.

My brother doesn't post on here but asked me to share a couple of tales of Alan's acts of kindness that sum the bloke up.
His mate went travelling and on his way home bought him a portable minidisc player from Kowloon in Hong Kong when they were all the rage. Cost him about £200 which was a lot of money for a 20 yr old in 90’s. Anyway, the thing broke not long after having it. Word got back to Alan about this and as it happens he was off to Hong Kong for work. He got the receipt, took the player and went out of his way to huntdown the very electrical shop in Kowloon (there’s hundreds of them) and exchanged it and brought it back. Unbelievable act of kindness, wonder if his in built sat nav spoken about at his funeral worked there too??
The second tale was Alan pulling some strings while working for Airtours and somehow getting him home from Ibiza when he found himself skint and stranded (possibly deported, there is still some mystery around this incident).
A great man
RIP Alan

Not surprised to hear kind words about Alan. Like in your in brother's case, I saw him help many people out of a jam.
Think one of his trips to Hong Kong coincided with England playing there, where he hung a large BFC flag.

Absolute top bloke

[TheFamilyCat]

"Acts of kindness" - when I see those three words it always makes me think of Alan. No matter what it was, he always seemed to be there. His wife Georgina is just the same. He was no saint, far from it, but when help was needed, Beeky was there.

The list of things Alan has done for us and the family over the years would be almost endless.

My grandma told me a story over the summer which made me smile; three years ago she moved into a retirement home in Lytham. After she'd been there a few weeks she was returning to her flat after lunch and Alan and Georgina were sat in the corridor. She was a bit surprised and asked what they were doing there: "Just came to see you" was his reply, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to do.