Hinckley AFC are saddened to learn of the passing of long standing servant of football in the town, Derek Loakes.
A native of Northamptonshire, Derek moved to Hinckley with his job in 1970 and first watched Hinckley Athletic when they entertained his home town club Wellingborough Town on Boxing Day 1970.
Athletic lost 8-0 and in typically forthright fashion, Derek voiced his opinion on how poor Hinckley were, comments overheard by Glenn Farmer who responded “come and help us if you think you can do better”. And there began an association of over 40 years with football in Hinckley.
He joined the board, was elected Chairman and, along with Glenn and others, was instrumental in ensuring the club survived some very dark days in the 1970s when the easier option would have been to walk away, and football in the town is indebted to Derek Loakes.
Having steered the ship through choppy waters, he vacated the Chair to Mick Voce but stayed on as a valued member of the board with Athletic, later carrying out a similar role with Hinckley United after the merger before retiring. He would be a regular visitor to watch AFC in their first season before ill health.
Derek enjoyed a long and happy marriage to Margaret who pre-deceased him.
