Macclesfield manager Keith Alexander dies aged 53
Published 12:35 03/03/10 By Mirror Football
The Macclesfield Town manager Keith Alexander died aged 53.
The former Grimsby and Lincoln forward, who recently took time off due to illness, passed away after arriving home after last night's defeat to Notts County.
Alexander had been in hospital early yesterday but had attended Town's match as normal.
A statement from the club said: "It is our sad duty to report that Keith Alexander passed away today after arriving home from Macclesfield Town's game at Notts County last night.
"Keith was a splendid man. He will be sorely missed at the Moss Rose and by everyone involved in football.
"Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family at this very difficult time."
Alexander, who suffered a brain aneurysm in 2003 when manager of Lincoln City, was taken to hospital before the Silkmen played Bournemouth in March 2009 after complaining of feeling unwell.
He was later given a clean bill of health.
He said of the 2003 illness: "I'm lucky to be here. Cerebral aneurysms are burst blood vessels in the head and, when doctors went through the back of my skull to operate on me, they found two.
"So when I didn't feel well before our game against Bournemouth, they were never going to take any chances.
"Our club doctor advised me to get it checked out, and that I would be back at the ground in time for kick-off.
"Everything was fine, except I didn't return from hospital until 5pm and we had lost 2-0. But to put it in perspective, only today I received a letter from a woman whose sister is very poorly after a similar aneurysm illness, and she didn't think the outlook was good.
"I rang her up and told her I felt like that for a couple of months afterwards, but I'm still here, out and about.
"People know I came through it and, if I can help others to do the same, that is the least I can do.
"There is no evidence that, in my case, it was brought on by the stress of being a manager in the lower divisions, which is just as well."
Keith Alexander: A Tribute, by Kick it Out campaigner Leon Mann
