Former Longest Serving Manager In World Dies Aged 90

Tributes person been paid pursuing nan decease of Roly Howard, whose 33-year tenure successful complaint of nan Merseyside nine Marine AFC saw him summation a world grounds astatine nan clip for being nan longest-serving shot manager.

He managed nan Crosby-based squad for 1,975 games betwixt August 1972 and April 2005 and moreover worked arsenic a groundsman for nan club.

The existent team, which competes successful nan National League, held a minute's soundlessness earlier Saturday's crippled aft Howard died astatine nan property of 90.

Marine president Paul Leary told BBC Radio Merseyside: "He was a leader because for 33 years of his life, he gave 100% of everything to Marine and he was successful."

During his clip astatine nan club, he won 5 convention titles and 15 cup competitions.

He besides nurtured shot stars including Liverpool and Republic of Ireland subordinate Jason McAteer, who started successful Marine's younker set-up.

In summation to his nine work, Howard was besides a model cleaner, whose clients included erstwhile Liverpool leader Sir Kenny Dalglish.

Speaking earlier his last crippled arsenic manager successful 2005, nan past 70-year-old said: "When you are doing it, it doesn't consciousness for illustration that magnitude of time. But for illustration life itself, erstwhile you bespeak connected it you wonderment wherever nan clip has gone."

He was inspired to go Marine's groundsman aft seeing nan past Stockport head Eric Webster mowing nan writer astatine their ground.

"I asked him what he was doing and he said 'They ne'er sack nan groundsman'. So I looked aft nan crushed for 5 aliases six years arsenic well."

He earned a spot successful nan Guinness World Records arsenic nan longest-serving shot manager.

At his last Marine crippled arsenic manager, he said: "The engagement and nan craic pinch nan players is what I'll miss most. But I ever said I would cognize nan clip is correct and it is."