Soccer club plays on after team mate dies

Central Brown soccer club players said they felt honour-bound to play on for team mate Grant Innes after he collapsed and died suddenly on Saturday.

Coach Grant Lennon said the 41-year- old Whangarei accountant died of a suspected heart attack at the Otaika clubroom about 1.30pm on Saturday.

He said when the premier team's game was due to start later that afternoon they needed some encouragement to run on and play. "But he would have wanted that. That's what I said to the guys, 'go and do it for him'. And they won."

Mr Lennon said: "He was probably my best mate for 20 years."

He added that everybody was "shocked" and it was a difficult time for the club and for Mr Innes' family as the apparent heart attack had seemed to come "out of the blue".

Mr Innes had previously seemed fit and well, he said. On Saturday he had warmed up to play for the first division side, but had felt unwell and decided to sit the game out.

Part way through the game a Central Brown member had discovered him collapsed in a chair in the clubrooms, and the alarm was raised. Team mates and ambulance officers were unable to revive Mr Innes.

A fellow Central Brown member, Barry Bowness, said his friend's death was a "shattering" blow.

Mr Innes had been a driving force behind the club, frequently serving on the committee. "It was quite fitting he was around the boys when it happened," he said.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)