Chorley Cricket Club have paid tribute following the death of Terry Ashcroft, one of their greatest ever players.

Terry started his career at Eccleston before moving into the Northern League, playing at both Leyland and Leyland Motors.

He arrived at Chorley in 1969, and was the club’s professional for the next five seasons.

In the third of those, he inspired the team to the Northern League title for the first time in the club’s long history.

During that memorable season, he took 67 wickets at an average of just 12 and also scored 400 vital runs in a low scoring season.

That 1971 season was a memorable one for Chorley supporters and Terry’s medium pace bowling and fine middle order batting was crucial in John Rossall’s side securing that league crown.

Terry was a courteous and modest man and very popular at all the club’s he played for, and was also a loyal family man who was devoted to his wife Margaret and sons Stuart and Neil.

Stuart also played for Chorley and Neil still plays for Leyland.

He continued to live locally in his later years and often visited Windsor Park, and he was named in the club’s ‘All Time Greatest Professionals’ XI’ in the Chorley CC centenary brochure published in 2010.

“Terry Ashcroft was first and foremost a gentleman,” said former Chorley skipper Frank Henry, who was a playing colleague at Windsor Park for many years.

“I have known him in one guise or another, opponent, team-mate, golfing partner, fellow spectator for 60 years but throughout I have mainly thought of him as a friend.

“He was a great bowler and a fine middle order batsman who was strong on the off side.”

Terry died peacefully in St Catherine’s Hospice last week.

He was 78.