FORMER Chorley footballer Reg Cunliffe has died in hospital after a brief illness. He was in his 80th year and lived at Freckleton.

A memorial service will be held at Holy Trinity Church, Freckleton, on Sunday, September 3.

A centre half, Reg played for Chorley from 1951 until retiring from the game in 1955 following an injury that affected his breathing.

His son, Brian, was the team's mascot for a time.

Reg will be remembered by older Victory Park fans as a powerful defender.

He played in the same Chorley defence as Ernie Rigby, who also had a greengrocery business in Freckleton.

A native of Wigan, Reg played for Wigan Athletic after service in the Second World War and spent the first few postwar seasons with Swansea Town (later renamed Swansea City), making two first-team appearances in season 1946-47.

One of them was against Manchester City, who ended the season as Second Division champions of the Football League.