Strathmore and Perthshire Cricket Union Handbook 2010

18 hated not being able to work on a full-time basis. However, after he stopped the cricket he continued with his other loves of pool and darts and watching football, rather than playing it.” Gordon Morton, a team-mate of Allan’s at BCC in both first and second elevens added: “This is very sad news and will be a real downer for everyone who had the opportunity to play alongside Eck. He was the sort of individual whom everyone wanted in their team, bringing a great will and desire to win every game. I remember as his skipper when he was a young lad he was sitting very quietly in the changing room at Guthrie Park, probably a bit nervous. I went over to him and introduced myself and I’ll never forget the answer. He said ‘My name is Allan, but you can call me Eck!’ He was a great bowler. However I also recall a game against RAF Leuchars. he came in to bat with me and said to me, ‘Gordon, I am just going to pat the first one back to the bowler’. The bowler ran up and promptly had the ball smashed back over his head for six. That was “Ecky”, never predictable. A lovely lad, who people probably didn’t know as well as we did at the Cricket club and he will be sadly missed by all of us.” Alan is survived by his mother Grace, stepfather Alan, father Dennis, brother Billy and son Glen. (c) Johnston Press plc I played both with and against Eck for the best part of 20 years, firstly as an opponent and then for five years as a team-mate at Brechin. As a bowler, he was always tough to face as he could move the ball late and he certainly claimed my scalp on many occasions. As a team- mate, he was an ideal companion when things were tough as he never knew the meaning of the word surrender. We had a great respect for Eck at Lawside although we did doubt his ability as a judge of cricketing talent when he declared Deek McDonough to be a great batsman who could hook, pull and drive. There was a suspicion that his eyesight, which was never great, might have been even less sharp than usual when he arrived at that opinion! What couldn’t be denied was his enthusiasm and spirit - we enjoyed many rare battles at Guthrie Park and at the Park at Lochee. If anyone could have been an honorary Son of The Desert, Eck would have been top of the list. He will be sadly missed by all of us. Richard Miller