Alan Daley

Posted: May 11th, 2011

Alan Daley, ex Mirror Circulation Manchester, died recently aged 70. He joined the Mirror Circulation Department during the golden years in the late 1950’s. Alan sold his shop to join the Mirror but, never one to miss an opportunity, he continued selling cigarettes from the bottom draw in his desk for several years – many an editorial messenger was grateful for this, especially on a wet day.

Alan was a quiet, easygoing, generous and very likeable man. A very strong snooker player he competed against some of the best players in the country at that time. He forecast ‘Hurricane’ Higgins becoming world champion almost before Higgins had set foot in England and many years before he took the title. Alan was also an accomplished crown green bowler winning many trophies.

To say Alan liked a ‘flutter’ was like saying bookies like winning. Not that he had a bet every day, he didn’t, but when he did…it was BIG! Alan believed you had a bet because you expected to win so why not win big. For this reason he always carried a ‘safe’ in his back pocket which he called a wallet, just in case an opportunity presented itself he had to have plenty of ‘readies’.

Occasionally this was a problem. For many years Alan had a ‘dickey ticker’. Sometimes he was taken ill in the office and he would panic if – before the ambulance took him away – he couldn’t pass his bulging wad to his colleague Joe Moore for safe keeping.

Alan left the Mirror, along with a lot of other good people, during the Maxwell cull. This gave his wife Eileen and himself the opportunity to really go to the races. They had many a good weekend visiting the courses around the country – staying away overnight depended on how lady luck had treated them.

Alan’s favourite course was Weatherby, the final furlong of which he always said he wanted his ashes to be scattered. Eileen has spoken to the course officials and they have arranged for her to carry out his wishes. So next time you have a bet on a horse running at Weatherby, in the true newspaper tradition, raise your glass to Alan.