Celebrated PE teacher Charlie Tuck, who taught former Saints stars Kevin Keegan and Steve Moran, has died aged 81. 

After his move to Hampshire, the proud Yorkshireman drove the 270 miles back to his home county to ensure his son would be eligible to play cricket for Yorkshire as was the requirement back then. 

A young Charlie played cricket for the Yorkshire Academy and was a gifted rugby flanker. 

(Image: Newsquest)

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After teaching England footballer Kevin Keegan at St Peter's in York, Charlie had a mention in his autobiography.

When he moved to Fareham in 1968 to teach at Price's School, Steve Moran was in his class.

Charlie was hugely respected there, as cricketer Simon Whitby recalls.

"You soon realised you’d got lucky when Mr Tuck arrived - and transformed so many sporting lives.

"His reputation preceded him. A piece of Yorkshire grit determined to sharpen up us southern softies, with the use of a dreaded slipper (called Sebastian) if needed.

"Team Tuck grew sports success at Price’s in football, hockey, basketball and particularly cricket.

"All this driven by ambition, which some saw as Charlie’s ‘hard’ side. But this was a man who dispensed first aid to boys stricken by sea sickness, played the violin in the school orchestra and sang in musicals. He was a tough nut certainly, but one with a ‘soft’ centre.

"Charlie was a skilled sportsman and a successful businessman, husband, father and grandfather too."

(Image: Newsquest)

Charlie was keen that his son Richard would be eligible to play for Yorkshire, which until 1992 insisted that its players must have been born within the county boundaries.

So, in April 1970 and with the birth imminent, Charlie and his wife Sue drove to Harrogate. The story made the national papers.

Richard became a decent batsman, and represented Hampshire at schools level.

In the mid-1970s, Charlie set up his own sports kit clothing company business Allez, producing high quality cricket/rugby shirts and benefit ties.

A founder member of the Hampshire Cricket Society and a passionate Saints and Wasps rugby fan, who regularly attended matches, alongside all the tennis grand slams, he led a rich sporting life. 

Following his funeral next week, Charlie's ashes will be scattered 22 yards from the grave of Thomas Lord, the founder of Lord's Cricket Ground, in West Meon.