Richard Butcher, along with his team mates was due back in training this morning, just 24 hours after the devastating news that Keith Alexander had passed away.

The midfielder joined the Silkmen in early February and in doing so renewed his relationship with the Gaffer, one that goes back to 2002 when Keith signed him from non-league Kettering Town and gave him his chance at Sincil Bank.

Butch enjoyed three years under Keith at Lincoln City before a spell under his stewardship at Peterborough United, and knows him better than anyone. In fact he was one of the last people to speak to Keith before his untimely death, having shared a car with him to and from the game with Notts County at Meadow Lane on Tuesday night.

"It's just hard to believe really," said Butch, "I got a lift to the game with him on Tuesday night and everything seemed fine. He was happy within himself and I just couldn't believe it when I heard the tragic news."

"I'm just devastated and in a state of shock. He was a top man and you would never go out there and not try for him. You knew when he was the boss but away from football he was a friend."

"I've lost a friend not just a manager and it's going to be hard. But he'll have expected us to go out there and play the next game as if nothing had ever happened. That's the sort of person he was."