Tribute to '˜fantastic' McInnes

Alan McInnes and Colin Clarke with the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 1985

The pair were joint-head coaches of Wigan between 1984 and ‘86.

Clarke, a former Wigan captain, said: “Alan was a fantastic person. He had great people skills, he was an excellent coach and he was very organised.

“A lot of people over the years have asked us how it worked being joint-coaches – all I can say is it just did.

“We were slightly different in our approach but we had the same mind-set on discipline and how the game should be played.

“Years later, we both served on the RFL disciplinary panel, so we used to see each other regularly and we kept in touch socially. He was a great friend and I was sad to learn he had died.”

After succeeding Alex Murphy, they guided Wigan side to third and second-placed finishes in the league, and also won the John Player (Regal Trophy) and Lancashire Cup together.

But the highlight of their tenure was undoubtedly the 1985 Challenge Cup Final, when Wigan beat Hull FC in an epic Wembley decider lit up by the brilliance of Brett Kenny, two-try John Ferguson and a young Shaun Edwards.