SAD news to report that three former Hammers - Eddie Lewis, Derek Parker and Eric Parsons - have died recently.

A former 'Busby Babe' at Manchester United, Eddie Lewis was signed from Preston in 1956 and made 31 league appearances (12 goals).

He played seven times (three goals) in Hammers' promotion-winning side of 1957-58.

Soon afterwards, Eddie was transferred to East London Leyton Orient, where he successfully converted from centre-forward to left-back and was a regular member of the O's team that won promotion to the top flight in 1961-62.

After he retired as a player, Eddie moved to South Africa in 1970 and established himself as one of the country's leading coaches.

Tributes to Eddie poured in, especially from South Africa where he made such a big impact on the game.

The South African Football Association (Safa) joined the SA football fraternity in passing its condolences to the family and friends of Eddie.

Among his outstanding achievements, Lewis coached Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows and Wits University during his outstanding coaching spell in the country and was also a member of Jomo Sono’s technical team that reached the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso that eventually lost 2-0 to Egypt.

When he stopped coaching, Lewis joined pay-per-view channel SuperSport where he again endeared himself to soccer lovers with his incisive analysis and commentary.

“This is a massive loss to the South African football fraternity and, on behalf of Safa, I would like to pass my deepest condolences to the Lewis family and friends. We join them in this hour of need and sorrow,” said Safa president Kirsten Nematandani.

“Lewis made a massive contribution to South African soccer and as an individual, was a friend, brother and colleague who mentored present and past Bafana stars as well as some of the current top coaches. His contribution to soccer in this country cannot be easily quantified. Hence, the void he leaves will not be easy to fill,” added Nematandani.

Moroka Swallows, a club he last worked for as a technical advisor, said: “It is with enormous sadness that we put up this eulogy to Eddie Lewis, who in his final years was a great mentor to all of us at Moroka Swallows.

“Eddie had a huge passion for football, but also for life and he was never short of a joke to tell. Eddie had a passion for Youth Development, and had significant impact in bringing young players through to the Swallows squad.

“His legacy to South African football goes without saying, but from a personal perspective I'm very sad at his passing, and I'm grateful that he did not suffer for too long. What is amazing is that he was active in his duties at Swallows until just the past few weeks. He was a tough guy and always passionate to support those he was close to. We shall miss him greatly and we salute the fact that he touched the lives of many in SA football and of all of those close to him.

“The one nice thing that we did for him at Swallows, was that when we appointed him as an advisor to us in his later years, he told me that he felt like a racehorse who suddenly smelled the racetrack again,” said Swallows chief executive Leon Prins.

The mark of the man is that he would be embarrassed by too much fanfare at his passing, and would just like to be remembered as a man who loved football, Swallows added.

Upon hearing of the death of Lewis, Orlando Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza said it was great loss for South African football.

"The passing away of Eddie Lewis is great loss to Moroka Swallows and to South African football as a whole. Eddie joined the old National Professional Soccer League when it was not fashionable and when it was not clear in which direction the country was taking."

“His presence gave the confidence to sponsors at the time to back the league and he was already there when the NPSL went multi racial in 1976.

“It was at personal risk for him and others like him to come to the townships where whites needed permits. They had to try and beat the system and at times were detained at Langlaagte station. He was an influence on the direction of the game in the country. It’s a big loss. We thank God for the gift of his life.”

Kaizer Chiefs, a club he simultaneously coached with Wits University in his early coaching career, also expressed their sympathy to his family and friends while also listing some of the man’s achievements in their eulogy.

"He had three spells with the team as a coach. He actually coached me back in 1974 when we beat Hellenic 2-1 at Orlando in the final of Chevrolet. I remember when there was a dispute in that game and he had come along with his friend. Out of generosity, his friend offered the team more money if we won the cup. Eddie said, 'Guys, we got to go out and play this game'.

"He is the only coach I have known who coached two teams at the same time. Wits were campaigning in the NSL while we were campaigning in the NPSL so he managed to coach both teams," said Kaizer Motaun.

The 76-year-old, who has been ill for over a year, recently moved into a care home, but when his condition deteriorated the family had no alternative but to admit him for specialist treatment.

Lewis has been receiving many visitors, especially from the Ex-Pros organisation which takes a special interest in former footballers, and a month or two ago he even received a phone call from Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

“Eddie was thrilled with the call from Sir Alex,” his good friend Greg Jacoby told KickOff.com. “He said: ‘Greg, you won’t believe who phoned me - Sir Alex Ferguson!’

“Fergie had heard through the Ex-Pros that Eddie was not well, so he phoned him up to wish him all the best. Eddie’s a good soul, you know.”

It was in Johannesburg's Linksfield Clinic on Monday (May 2) where he lost his year-long battle with prostate cancer.

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Tributes to Derek Parker and Eric Parsons appear in the latest issue of EX (issue 59), which went to press this morning.