FORMER West Riding County FA president and chairman Peter Marsden has paid tribute to Oxenhope Recreation official Duncan Frazer, who passed away last week at the age of 83.

Duncan was president of the Worth Valley club and had been a stalwart there for over 70 years, having played for them and been their manager.

Marsden, a former referee and long-serving Craven League official who had also come up against Duncan as an opponent on the field, said: “Everyone always had the utmost respect for Duncan, both as a player and a gentleman, who led by example and always had a handshake for his opponents at the end of a match.

“I hope Oxenhope can go on to win the County Challenge Cup this year – it would be a fitting tribute.”

A minute’s silence was held before Oxenhope’s County Cup fourth-round win over Howden Clough last Saturday in honour of Duncan.

He was the victorious captain who collected the Keighley Cup for the team for the first time in 1966. Oxenhope defeated Keighley Central 1-0 in the final at Lawkholme Lane and, in the same season, the team became Craven League Premier Division Champions for the first time.

In 2006, Duncan – who was a partner for a joinery firm in Haworth – was awarded the prestigious 60-year Football Association Long Service Medal for his work at grassroots level.

He started playing for Oxenhope Minors at the age of 15 in 1946. Five years later, he was called up for military service and became a physical training instructor at RAF Cosford, but he still managed to get back to Oxenhope at weekends to play for the team.

He had trials for Grimsby Town in 1953 before becoming player/coach for the Worth Valley club. He captained the Craven League representative side and, after Oxenhope's league and cup double in 1966, he became manager the following year and held the position until 1981.

In nominating Duncan for the FA long-service award back in 2006, club secretary Ray Broadbent wrote: "He still takes an active part in the day-to-day running of the club - marking out the pitch and any general maintenance of the clubhouse.

"More importantly he represents all that is good about football, proud and enthusiastic about his village side as well as being a thorough gentleman."

Broadbent added that Duncan was one of the best footballers ever produced by the club.

Duncan's funeral takes place on Monday, January 26 (11am) at St Mary's Church in Oxenhope.