Tributes to former Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath football manager

Harry Easton guided Haywards Heath to the Sussex County Football League Championship in 1970, and managed Burgess Hill from 1984-85.

John Buck, who played against Harry, said: “He was a very nice sociable person, he was a man’s man, he fitted in well at Burgess Hill.

“I played against him, he used to play for Horstead Keynes when he was 15 or 16 playing against men. He was a great player then, very skilful.”

A minute silence was held before a 0-0 draw between Three Bridges, who he also managed, and Burgess Hill in a Ryman League Division One South clash last Monday, whilst Haywards Heath held a silence for him before Saturday’s 4-0 loss to Rustington.

Harry also played for Crystal Palace from 1956-62, moving to Crawley later in his career.

John continued: “He took over just after Burgess Hill narrowly escaped relegation. He took over from Kenny Swallow and we finished a respectable 8th.”

John said Harry was ill for three months before he died.

“He was a football person and a great sort of guy,” he added.

Three Bridges FC posted on its website that Harry was ‘credited by many with putting the Sussex club on the footballing map’.

The club continued: “He first came to Bridges for the 1979-80 season, gaining promotion in his first season at the helm at Jubilee Field and ensuring the club became a force in the league’s First Division force.

In 1982 he stood down and later took over the reins at Burgess Hill Town before leaving the area for work and setting up home in Ashford in Kent.

A club spokesman said: “A bubbly character, Harry Easton will be missed by all who knew him.”