OXFORD United striker Franny Green paid a glowing tribute last night to Keith Alexander, calling his death “a really sad loss for football”.

Green, who played under Alexander at three different clubs, got to know him as a close friend, and he said the Macclesfield manager’s death this week at the age of 53 had left him stunned.

“It’s a massive shock, you don’t expect someone who you know so well in the game to pass away while you’re still playing,” he said.

“When I left Derby, I played for him at Ilkeston and he turned me into a player and taught me everything I knew.

“He recommended me and sold me to Peterborough, and I had four or five good seasons there, then he bought me and made me the record signing at Lincoln City and I played for him for three seasons there.

“And I was at Macclesfield when he got the job there and we linked up again.

“But I’ve known him outside football as well for 15 years.

“We had our ding-dongs on occasions, but that never affected the relationship we had. The lads would take the mickey out of me because of the friendship we had.

“He would be my biggest admirer and my biggest critic because we were close.

“But in his man-management he was fine. If you had any problem you could go to him and he would always make sure the family came first.

“Over the years there were many times that I’d gone in to see him, and he would always have time and listen to you and help you.”

Green, 29, who joined the U’s from Kettering this season and scored a spectacular goal in the 3-0 FA Trophy win at Chelmsford, admits he learned so much from Alexander, who himself was a useful centre forward for Grimsby, Stockport and Mansfield, and also played for his country, St Lucia.

“I owe him everything as a player,” Green added.

“As a 15-16-year-old, I was very raw. He taught me to hold the ball up and said to me, whatever you do, you’ve got to work hard.

“I based my game on workrate, especially in Leagues One and Two. If it wasn’t for him getting me to knuckle down and work hard, I wouldn’t be where I am.”

With Green and Gary Taylor-Fletcher banging in the goals under Alexander’s tutelage – Green got the winner at the Kassam Stadium when Lincoln did the double over Oxford in 2004-5 – the Red Imps reached the play-offs three years in succession.

Alexander, who suffered a brain aneurysm in 2003 when manager of Lincoln, felt unwell as he returned from Macclesfield’s game at Notts County on Tuesday night. He was taken to Lincoln Hospital after he had collapsed, and died shortly after.

Green said: “I spoke to him after he’d had that first brain haemorrhage (in 2003) at Lincoln, and he was adamant he was OK to carry on.

“I think he knew, and his family knew, with something like that there was always going to be the possibility of a complication at some time in the future.

“His death is a really sad loss for football,” said Green, who will attend Alexander’s funeral.

“I’m sure his death will make me, and other people, get on with things he had told us to do.

“He was always badgering me to get on with a coaching career and do my badges.

“I’ve done my Level 2, but I’d put off doing the next one. Now I’ve got to do it.”