Baggies barge fan dies of cancer
The man who dreamed up a scheme to ferry scores of West Bromwich Albion fans to and from home games using canal barges has died aged 53.
Lifelong Albion fan Richard Healey had organised the popular Baggies Barge, a narrowboat service which transports supporters to selected home games from the Gas Street Basin, Birmingham, to the Navigation Pub, in Middlemore Road, West Bromwich, since 2007.
The voyages have been such a success that Mr Healey planned for boats to run from either Oldbury or the Black Country Living Museum, on the border of Tipton and Dudley.
Mr Healey, a finance director, died on Thursday after a short battle with cancer. The club today vowed to carry on with the expansion plans in his memory.
Wife Kay, who had been married to Richard for 10 years and lived with him in Stratford, said: "Richard was a wonderful husband, a fantastic father and everybody's friend.
"Richard had a great zest for life and especially loved the Albion and canals.
"We talked recently about our best achievements and one of the things he was really proud of was the Baggies Barge because it brought his two great passions - the waterways and the Albion - together."
