Tributes have been paid to a 92-year-old who founded a Blacon football club with his brother.

Len Evans, of Auckland Road, Blacon, died this morning.

In 1964 Mr Evans, also known to many as Lenny, and his brother Bob founded Blacon Youth FC and entered the team into the Chester and District League.

Mr Evans was awarded the Joe Rose Lifetime Achievement Award at the Blacon Community Awards in 2015, presented by ex-Blacon councillor Reggie Jones, a former Lord Mayor of Chester. He received a standing ovation.

At the time of the ceremony Cllr Jones described Mr Evans as a “very modest man” and a “special” person in the community.

He said: “He is a man who never seeks to be given accolades for his significant contribution he has made to the sporting life of Blacon and decades of Blacon youngsters, both boys and girls.

“He didn’t just start a football team – he started a dynasty.”

Cllr Jones thanked him that evening for “making Blacon Youth Football Club what it is today”.

Today, Cllr Jones paid tribute to Mr Evans and said: “I am saddened by the news that Lenny Evans has passed away.

”It was in February 2015 that footballers past and present, friends, family and supporters of Blacon Youth Football Club celebrated 50 years since the club was formed.

”On that night we reflected on our memories of shared laughter and tears in the dressing rooms, of victories and defeats, but more importantly we paid tribute to Lenny Evans by saying thank you to him for his vision of all those years ago.

”Lenny started with a desire to be positive about young people in Blacon.

”His legacy is the common bond and single love for the game and all that is good about football and BYFC.”

At the club’s celebrations two years ago, led by Mr Evans and featuring a number of guest speakers sharing their special memories, Peter Barnes, a former Blacon Youth Club FC coach, player and chairman, also raised a glass to the club’s success.

Mr Barnes said he had “a tear in his eye” when he heard the news about Mr Evans, a man he had known for more than 50 years. “People are devastated to hear the news.”

He added: “Lenny was a legend. We used to take him out once a month and it was always so great to see him.

”He made Blacon [Youth Club FC] what it is now. He started the club over 50 years ago and carried on until he retired. I think that was about 20 years ago now.

”I know there will be a lot of people at his funeral. Everyone new him in Blacon.

”I worked at Blacon [Youth Club FC] for 35 years. It’s still going strong today, thanks to Lenny.”