IT’S exactly 20 years today since former AFC Bournemouth managing director Brian Tiler died in a road crash just outside Rome.

He had been in Italy watching the 1990 World Cup, and was returning to his hotel in the early hours in a minibus that was hit by a car speeding on the wrong side of the road.

Three young Italians in the car also died, and ex-Cherries manager, Harry Redknapp, seated alongside Mr Tiler, suffered serious injuries.

“Brian understood me better than anyone,” said Mr Redknapp, before setting off for South Africa, where he is working as a pundit on the 2010 tournament for the BBC.

“I’d bumped into him a few times during our playing careers – he was a few years older than me, and we’d met up when we were on pre-season tours in America and so on.

“But it was only when we started working together at Bournemouth that we became such good friends. He never interfered. I’d identify players, and Brian would go and do the deals.

“He’d take players down the beach, wine and dine them, and that was it – they’d sign up.

“He was great with people, knew what made them tick.

“I used to get very down when we’d lost, but he’d put an arm round my shoulder and say, ‘Come on, let’s go to Sandown races’.”

It was Mr Tiler that pushed for his friend to be appointed manager, in 1983.

“Brian really shook the place up,” said Mr Redknapp.

“He was larger than life, a great guy, and I still think about him, and miss him a lot.

“My wife Sandra regularly meets up with Hazel [Brian’s widow] for coffee.

“As far as the crash goes, I remember stopping to chat with some Ireland fans – we’d been to see them play Italy – and we were talking about our goalkeeper, Gerry Peyton.

“After that, I got back on the bus and fell asleep.

“Brian was sitting next to me.

“The next thing I remember is waking up in hospital.”

After a playing career that included spells at Aston Villa, Carlisle, Wigan and his native Rotherham, Mr Tiler led Zambia to the African Nations Cup finals and also coached in San Deigo and Miami before moving to Bournemouth following a take-over by Anton Johnson.

Michelle Heap, Brian’s daughter, remembers an exciting childhood: “One sports day, for example, my dad turned up, and all the other kids were jumping up and down.

“I had this very unusual upbringing, and I took it a bit for granted, I suppose.”

Mrs Heap is head of pastoral care at Ringwood Junior School, and took a group of pupils to Dean Court last season.

“It was the first time I’d been back since the testimonial match following the crash, and it was very emotional.

“Although there was a new stadium, I closed my eyes and the fans were still chanting the same things – it brought it all back to me.

“My dad was 47 when he died.

“If he were still with us, I can imagine him being just the same, but with a silver beard, a bit like Kenny Rogers.

“My daughter Briony was born the year after he died, and we often talk about my dad.

“Football meant a lot to him, but especially Bournemouth.

“He cared a lot about the place.”

Hazel Tiler, who still lives just outside Ringwood, has donated a trophy in Brian’s memory, awarded annually at Michelle’s school.

“That’s how we remember him,” said Mrs Tiler.

“It seems appropriate.

“There would have been no point putting up a bench, for example, because he just couldn’t sit still.

“Nor did I think it was a good idea to plant a tree somewhere, as he couldn’t tell a beech from a birch.”

Mrs Tiler recalled: “Win or lose, Brian didn’t let it affect him – and he would jolly it out of Harry.

“When he walked into the boardroom, the place would come alive. It was buzzing.

“He had a real sense of fun.

“I remember him going up to London to fetch George Best back to play for Cherries, and when he got to the Barbican, where George was living at the time, there was no sign of him.

“So Brian was driving round with Mary Stavin, ex-Miss World and George’s girlfriend, looking for him.

“They tracked him down to one of his favourite pubs, but George escaped through a toilet window.

“Then Brian caught up with him at another pub, but by this time it was obvious George was in no fit state to play the following day.”

Former Cherries director Brian Willis was also on the bus: “Brian was a good friend, and we had a lot of laughs together.

“I remember one time we dressed up in gorilla suits and went to a department store in Bournemouth town centre.

“Because it was hard to see where we were going, a clothes display came crashing down – the girls in the shop cracked up laughing, but I don’t think their manager saw the funny side!”

A CHARITY golf tournament in memory of Brian Tiler is taking place at Dudsbury, near Ferndown, on Wednesday July 28. It costs £150 to enter a team of four. The event will be followed by a dinner with Harry Redknapp and guest speaker, with tables for four to 10 people at £37.50 per person.

For more information, or to enter, email hilary@ bewillis.com or fax 01202 294538.