Long-serving Marine AFC manager honoured at game
BBCMarine AFC has paid tribute to its late manager Roly Howard at a match where family members were guests of honour.
Howard, who died last month at the age of 90, gained a world record for his 33-year tenure at the club in Crosby, Merseyside.
His family, including daughter Tracy Howard and grandchildren Matty and Jonathan Howard and Sarah Mulligan, were guests at the game against Spennymoor.
Fans carried a special Roly Howard's Black and White Army flag and there was a minute's applause to celebrate his era, which ran from August 1972 to April 2005.
The home game was also attended by former players at the club.
Howard's family brought with them a framed certificate for the longest-serving league manager presented to Howard at Manchester United's Old Trafford ground in April 1997.
It was awarded to him by the Northern Premier League to mark what was then 25 years at the helm of the club.
Marine FC players held a minute's silence in tribute to Howard before their game on 22 November.
Howard was in charge at Marine AFC for 1,975 games and won 28 trophies.
Marine chairman Paul Leary previously told BBC Radio Merseyside: "He was a hero because, for 33 years of his life, he gave 100% of everything to Marine and he was successful."
Howard nurtured football stars including Liverpool and Republic of Ireland player Jason McAteer, who started out in Marine's youth set-up.
Reflecting on his time with the club before his final game as manager in 2005, Howard said: "When you are doing it, it doesn't feel like that length of time.
"But, like life itself, when you reflect on it you wonder where the time has gone."
Howard's funeral will take place in Ormskirk on 15 December.
In a statement on the club website, his family have requested those attending to wear black and white.
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