Tributes have poured in from across the world of rugby after the death of former Salford Red Devils Loose Forward Eric Prescott at age 75.
After spending more than half his professional career playing for the Red Devils, and racking up almost 600 senior apperances, the Loose Forward died at age 75 on Monday 21 August.
A member of the great 1970’s Salford team, Eric spent his professional career playing for Widnes ICI RUFC, at representative level rugby league (RL) for Lancashire, and at club level for Widnes and Runcorn Highfield, and St Helens, who first recognised his potential.
Eric not only had one lengthy spell at Salford Red Devils, from 1972 to 1980, but also returned in 1983 for a further season.
Salford Red Devils shared a statement on Eric’s passing. It read: “Everyone at Salford Red Devils has been greatly saddened at the news of the passing of the their marvellous, former loose forward, Eric Prescott.”
A fierce competitor on the field, Eric worked full time as a painter and decorator with Widnes Corporation, then Halton Council, and as a dedicated father to the late rugby league star Steve Prescott MBE, who died of cancer in 2013.
What Steve achieved in the remaining time he had left, which proved to be considerably more than the few months originally estimated, by means of the Steve Prescott Foundation, lead to him being awarded the MBE for his services to rugby league and charity, in the 2010 New Year’s Honours List.
The statement continued: “Eric, therefore, was the yardstick by which his remarkably splendid, younger, son, measured himself, and what greater form of flattering acknowledgement can there be, for any father!”
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