Teacher’s death a dark day for Latics star
Date published: 03 August 2011
OLDHAM Athletic’s Paul Black has paid tribute to his former head teacher, who died after suffering a heart attack.
William Grundy (63), who was head at Crompton House School from 2002-2006, fell ill on Saddleworth Golf Course on July 25.
Now Latics first-choice left-back, Black was a regular in the Boundary Park club’s youth team while studying for his GCSEs at Crompton House.
He was given permission by Mr Grundy — a former PE teacher — to attend training and said: “I was really shocked and upset to hear he had died. He was really supportive when I was at school.
“He encouraged me a lot and he even came down to watch me play. It was never a problem for me to have days off school to train. It’s a really sad loss.”
The funeral is at St Chad’s Church, Uppermill, at noon tomorrow followed by interment at Saddleworth Parish Council Cemetery. Family flowers only are requested. Make a donation if desired to Oshandi Aids Trust in Namibia.
Mr Grundy held an annual plant sale in aid of the trust, which he learned about through the church, and his daughter, Sally, has visited the charity in Namibia.
Her sister Amy said thanked people for their tributes to their father and said: “We have had hundreds of cards and over 1,500 tributes have been left on Facebook.”
Cheques should be made payable to OATIN and sent to Pogson and Armitage Ltd, 53 Huddersfield Road, Diggle, Saddleworth OL3 5NT.
