Tributes to March Town legend Archie Tinkler

Tributes have been paid to a popular former March Town FC player and manager who has passed away.

Archie Tinkler was a much admired centre half for the Hares in the 1950s and 60s and also had a three-year spell as player manager at the club. He died aged 86 after a long battle with cancer.

Tinkler was March born and bred and went to the old Hereward School before taking up an apprenticeship as a plumber, a profession he stayed in.

He played nearly all of his career for March, apart from a brief spell with Chatteris Town, and also had a trial with top professional side Burnley, but curtailed his stay there as he was missing home.

He married March girl Enid in his thirties after meeting while while doing a job at the family home in Dartford Road. They lived in Norwood Road but moved to Caister-on-Sea near Great Yarmouth when his football career came to an end.

Former team mate, centre forward David 'Buster' Blackmore, who still lives in March, said: "He was a lovely chap, very down to earth. We spoke occasionally on the phone and I last saw him last year when he came to Chatteris for a 50th wedding anniversary celebration."

Builder Blackmore, who was once on the March board himself, added: "He was a fine player too."

Another former team mate, right back Ken Loughton (73), who lives in Estover Road, March, still regularly watches March Town, along with Wisbech Town and Wisbech St Mary. He said: "I remember being a ball boy when I was eight years old and Archie was in the team then.

"And when I got in the first team ten years later, he was the manager. He was a very good player, brilliant. The best centre half I have ever played with and I've played alongside (Wisbech legend) Bill Clarkson."

Loughton, also a plumber, who has worked as well as played alongside Tinkler, added: "He could have been a football league player but he was just so laid back, not at all serious. He was a very nice fellow and never worried about anything."

Sid Dickinson, who still runs Dickinson Builders in Mill Hill Lane in the town, was a young winger when he played in the same team as Tinkler.

Dickinson, who went on to play for King's Lynn, Cambridge United and Wisbech Town before playing hockey for March for 15 years, said: "He was a good player, excellent in the air, and a very nice bloke too."

A graveside funeral for family only will be held on April 29, with a celebration of life service to be organised after the coronavirus lockdown - details to be published on this website.