SALE Sports Club said goodbye to one of its finest servants at the funeral of former club president Glyn Roberts last week, following his death last month at the age of 72.

He made a major contribution to the club as a competitor, coach, official and administrator over the past 50 years.

Glyn joined the club as a cricketer in 1968 and was an outstanding all-rounder.

Over 27 seasons he scored 6,651 runs and took 432 wickets in 1st XI cricket, his run scoring is a post-war record.

He also captained the club over seven seasons between 1976 and 1984. When asked about his captaincy he stated, “well when nobody else wanted to do it I stepped in”.

The highlight of his playing career was the H C Smith cup final played at Old Trafford in 1974, a game that Sale won by one run.

Glyn took 1 for 22 off 10 overs. He was also a member of the division two championship teams of 1980 and 1990.

Glyn topped the 1st XI batting averages in 1969, 1972 and 1981.

His best season was 1985 when he scored 667 runs, including his highest score for Sale of 111 not out against Earlestown (one of three centuries he scored).

As a bowler, his most successful season was in 1982 when he took 36 wickets, including his best return of 6 for 21 against Bury, although in 1992 he had the remarkable figures of 3 for 1 off 8 overs against Flixton.

At the club’s 150th anniversary dinner where Glyn spoke about the great players who had represented the club, his great friend Russ Wyatt described him as “a better player than he thought he was”, perfectly reflecting both his humility and his talent.

Glyn was also a qualified cricket coach and for more than 10 years coached and organised the junior cricket section on a voluntary basis.

Upon retiring from playing, Glyn qualified as both a cricket and hockey umpire.

He was well respected and was appointed to the elite Premier League panel of the Cheshire County Cricket League and served as their secretary.

As an administrator, Glyn was a committee member for countless years, including 13 as an active President of Sale Sports Club.

In his time the club made significant progress as a community sports club including major investments in the cricket and tennis facilities as well as achieving Clubmark accreditation for the first time, assisted by Glyn who has added the role of Child Welfare Officer to his long list of voluntary posts over the years.

His retirement from the presidency coincided with him winning the Trafford Unsung Hero in Sport award for 2009 in recognition of the major contribution he had made over the previous 40 years.

Glyn’s three children all went on to represent the club at cricket and hockey, unsurprising given the countless hours they would spend at the club in their early years.

A spokesman said: "Glyn will be missed by everyone at the club ­— a true gentleman".