Cecil Duckworth: Former Worcester Warriors owner dies at the age of 83

Macclesfield-born Cecil Duckworth made his fortune as the owner of heating giants Worcester Bosch

Former Worcester Warriors owner Cecil Duckworth CBE, who helped transform the club into a Premiership side, has died at the age of 83.

The Warriors benefactor was actively involved with the club from 1997 to 2015, when he stepped down as chairman to become club president.

He funded the development of Sixways and inspired Warriors' rise to the Premiership for the first time in 2004.

Sport-loving Duckworth also served as club president with Worcestershire CCC.

"Everyone at Warriors is deeply saddened by the news of Cecil's death," said Warriors owners Jason Whittingham and Colin Goldring.

"His rugby legacy is an immense one and one that we are proud to have inherited.

Cecil Duckworth was delighted to get his hands on the Championship trophy when Worcester beat Bristol to return to the Premiership in 2004

"Cecil has been a tremendous help to us over the last two years and a source of invaluable advice and guidance in his role as president.

"It says much about Cecil's vision that the plans for the development of the Sixways site that we are working on at the moment are based on a masterplan that Cecil drew up 25 years ago.

"Cecil was respected throughout rugby. He was a superb ambassador for Warriors and for the city of Worcester and Worcestershire.

"He was much loved by players and staff, past and present, at Sixways and he will be missed by us all."

Born in Macclesfield in 1937, Duckworth first moved to Worcestershire in 1958, before starting the Worcester Engineering Co Ltd four years later, helping to invent the combi-boiler.

He sold the company to Bosch in 1992, after which he became involved with Worcester.

Warriors will hold a minute's silence in Cecil's memory before next Saturday's opening Premiership match of the season against London Irish at Sixways.

Worcester marked Cecil Duckworth's 83rd birthday at Sixways in January

Analysis

BBC Hereford & Worcester's Dave Bradley

I first met Cecil many years ago when he first got involved with the old Worcester club and helped to develop the clubhouse at Sixways.

He was a lovely man. He always seemed so very calm and collected. I could never imagine him shouting at anyone.

He built a great legacy at Sixways but was also involved in so many other local charities (chiefly the local Acorn Hospice). How he never got a knighthood is a puzzle to me.