Thursday 13 January 2011 14:25, UK
Macclesfield midfielder Paul Bolland says Richard Butcher's shock death has left the club's players in a "state of shock".
The Silkmen midfielder was found dead at his home in Manchester on Monday morning having passed away in his sleep overnight aged just 29. Macclesfield's League Two trip to Burton on Saturday has been postponed as a mark of respect to Butcher, whose squad number 21 has been retired as a tribute. Bolland said: "To be honest we are all in a state of shock. We realised something might be wrong when Butch didn't turn up for training but never thought it would be as serious as it turned out to be. "You couldn't ask for a better team-mate. He was as professional as you could get, always working hard both in training and during games. "Trying to understand why this has happened is the hardest part. Why? It just doesn't make sense and certainly isn't fair. Our heart goes out to his family. Heaven knows what they are going through."