Ex-footballer collapsed outside Sainsbury's

Sep 30 2009 By Tammy Hughes

Denis Pacey during his football career in the 1950s

An ex-Millwall footballer has died at St Peter's Hospital after collapsing in the car park outside Sainsbury's in Chertsey.

Denis Pacey, 79, was outside the store in Heriot Road at about 8.15am on September 23, when he collapsed from an aneurysm.

A Sainsbury's worker said: "A bystander saw he was in difficulty and tried to help. The ambulance was called. He wasn't unconscious, but he was unresponsive."

Former county councillor, Ray Lowther, 85, was a friend of Mr Pacey who had played for Millwall and Leyton Orient during his career.

Ray said: "It was a shock when I heard. Denis was a quiet, modest and unassuming man. In his first cup title he scored a hat trick, it was in all the papers. He was a role model for youngsters in the area.

"He took an interest in world affairs and unusually for a footballer he used to do The Times crossword."

Mr Pacey lived in Chertsey his whole life. He attended Strodes College and started his football career at Walton and Hersham FC but was signed to Leyton Orient in 1951.

He made 120 appearances and scored 46 goals until 1954 when he went to Millwall.

He made 133 appearances during his time for The Lions and scored 34 goals until 1958, when he transferred to Aldershot for a short spell until 1959.

His son Julian Pacey said: "He was a local celebrity, everyone who lived in Chertsey who was over a certain age, idolised him. I remember him as being incredibly gentle and generous, and very funny with an incredible sense of humour and a wonderful father to Nicholas, Val and I."

Mr Pacey's other son Nicholas said: "He really was a nice man, his friends all say the same thing. There was something about him, he'd do anything for anybody and never said a bad word about anyone."

Denis Pacey was married Joan in 1952 and was widowed in 1993, together they had two sons Nicholas, 52, Julian, 43, and one daughter Val, 60, he also had two grandchildren Victoria, 29, and Louisa, 28.

A service of committal will be held Monday October 5 at Woking crematorium at 10.15am. There will also be a remembrance service at St Peter's Church in Chertsey at 2pm later that day.

The family have requested that no floral tributes be made but that the donations go to The British Heart Foundation.