Former Cheltenham Town chairman Arthur Hayward dies at age of 81

Cheltenham Town are mourning the loss of former chairman Arthur Hayward, who died on Tuesday night at the age of 81.

Six months into his first reign, which began in November 1983, he appointed long-serving player John Murphy as manager.

Fifteen months later the club were celebrating promotion to the Alliance Premier League (now National League) for the first time.

Hayward famously had to leave Whaddon Road during the final day match against Alvechurch for a walk around Pittville Park in a bid to settle his nerves as the Southern League title was secured with a 2-1 victory.

And at the climax of the last season of his second spell, Hayward oversaw the club's second promotion to the top level of non-league football after a five-year absence, clinched just ahead of rivals Gloucester City by a nail-biting 0-0 draw at Burton Albion in May 1997.

Hayward was succeeded in the top job by Paul Baker the following summer, with the club going on to reach the EFL and turn fully professional in 1999.

Having stayed on as vice chairman under Baker's leadership, Hayward became the club's first chief executive in the summer of 1999.

After stepping down from that role, he remained on the board of directors until retiring in 2011 at the age of 68, after which he remained a keen follower of the club's fortunes and a Whaddon Road regular.

Hayward was born in King's Cross, London in 1943 and played for Brentford Juniors as a goalkeeper.

The lifelong Tottenham Hotspur fan, who also had a soft spot for Margate FC from his time living in Kent, moved to Gloucestershire in the 1970s, working as general manager at Racal Engineering for 23 years.

The managers who served under Hayward during his two spells as Robins chairman were Alan Wood, Murphy, Dave Lewis (caretaker), Jim Barron, Lindsay Parsons, Chris Robinson and Steve Cotterill.

A club statement issued on Wednesday afternoon said: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Arthur's partner Sue, his children and grandchildren and many friends at this sad time."

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