A FORMER teacher and life-long Haslingden Cricket Club player and supporter, who picked up the nickname ‘The Major’, has died.

David Craig, 70, had worked in schools across East Lancashire and had been involved with the cricket club from his school days.

The dad-of-one was a teacher from the 1970s, first as a PE teacher at schools such as the now-defunct St Albans RC High School in Blackburn and then as a special educational needs teacher, travelling around various schools in the region before retiring in 1999.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Mr Craig, an opening bowler who played more than 60 times for Haslingden’s first team, was also an avid follower of the English national team and travelled to support them all over the world including Australia, South Africa and the West Indies.

He had a son, Mark, with his former wife Joyce before they separated and he met his new wife Winifred while the pair were working in Wigan.

The couple, born during the same hour on May 19, 1945, were married in 1987 in Blackburn. She said: “He was a larger than life character.

“He had lots of friends and he had a great life.

“David had been ill for quite a while but was brave throughout.

“The family and I, as well as all of his friends, miss him a lot.

“He was always full of stories from the past and people were very fond of him.”

Mr Craig was also a supporter of Bury FC, went to his first match when he was four year -old, and held a season ticket for many years.

He also umpired in the Lancashire League and supported Lancashire Cricket Club.

A spokesman for Haslingden Cricket Club said: “David was an incredibly popular cricketer, not only for his ability on the field but also for his ability off it, a funny guy with a wealth of sporting stories.

“The Major was a regular tourist with the Durham Nomads.

“Many of our former players who were lucky enough to have been ‘selected’ for these tours never forgot them.”