TRIBUTE: Irreplaceable Gerry was and always will be a Corby Town legend

We truly lost one of the good ones last week.

Gerry Lucas was, as has been said numerous times of the past week since his untimely death, ‘Mr Steelmen’.

When you’re involved in football, particularly non-League football, you will always come across incredible characters who show nothing but unbelievable commitment to their clubs.

Gerry did that and then some at Corby Town.

He was the secretary, he would later be rewarded for his loyalty by being named as the club president but he was so much more.

He was the voice over the tannoy at both Rockingham Triangle and then at Steel Park.

Hundreds and hundreds of players would have heard their names read out with those dulcet tones.

Many would have been lucky enough to have had their names shouted with a little bit extra when scoring a goal in the black and white colours.

Gerry loved Corby Town, he lived it. Right up until the end.

But probably the most impressive thing about him was that he was, quite simply, a very nice man.

In a sport full of sharks, he was always polite, respectful and welcoming.

He was one of the first people I ever met in the local game.

As a young reporter back in 1999, I was sent out to cover my first-ever game for the then Evening Telegraph between VS Rugby and Corby.

Gerry couldn’t have been nicer in helping me familiarise myself with the Steelmen players of that era.

He would always provide us with match reports for Corby matches when we needed them and he was always the point of contact for me and my other colleagues when we needed him.

I’ve been fortunate to spend more time in his company in recent years as visits to Steel Park became more regular.

It was always a pleasure, especially in the winter months when Gerry would have a heater on in the press box to keep us warm!

It’s fair to say visits to Steel Park will never be the same again.

Indeed, Corby Town will never be the same again. Gerry, quite frankly, is irreplaceable.

Of course, my thoughts are very much with his partner Veronica and his family at this time.

I hope the incredible number of deserved tributes we have seen online over the past week are a source of comfort for them.

Gerry was and will always be a legend of the local game.

He will be sorely missed by us all.