A football-loving man who organised and refereed games across the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston areas for six decades has died.
Peter Payne has died at the age of 88 and had watched the Lionesses triumph over Spain in the Euros quarter final the night before he passed away.
The father-of-six started his love affair with the beautiful game in the 1950s by becoming involved at Gorleston FC.
Mr Payne helped in the youth set up and also often acted as linesman for reserves and first team sides.
In the 1970s he moved onto Shrublands Youth and Adult Centre on Magdalen Way in Gorleston where he was a youth leader.
He ran football teams on a Saturday afternoon for many seasons, with his sons Paul and Peter regularly playing for his teams.
Mr Payne then went on to be very actively involved in the running of the now defunct Great Yarmouth and District Football League for more than 25 years as well as being a member of Norfolk County Football Association.
He was secretary of the league.
He organised at least three cup finals a year, usually at the Wellesley Recreation Ground in Great Yarmouth.
In the 80s he became a referee, officiating in both adult and youth football, including arduous day long five-a-side tournaments in the summer.
He refereed until the early 2000s.
Mr Payne was married to wife Elizabeth for 67 years and the couple lived in Gorleston and then Bradwell.
The couple had six children - Paul, Peter, Patrick, Philippa, Matthew and Michael.
Mrs Payne died at the beginning of the year.
Mr Payne had worked as railway ticket clerk and as a transport manager for Long Dairies.
He also loved keeping canaries.
His son Paul said ironically his father had never played football for a team and never supported a side, but had a "passing interest in Norwich City".
He said: "He was a strong character and a family man.
"The love of football never left him as even the night before he died he was watching the England Lionesses 2-1 win against Spain in the quarter finals of the Euros."
"And he knew all the players."
Mr Payne died on July 21 at Broadlands Care Home in Oulton Broad, where he happily spent the last four months of his life.
His funeral was held on Thursday, August 4.
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