Tributes have flooded in for East Kilbride YM and amateur football stalwart Les Goodfellow, who died suddenly last night.
Described by the club as 'Mr YM', Goodfellow was a player for the town's oldest club, a committee member and past president, as well as a former president and life member of the Caledonian Amateur Football League.
The 78-year-old from Brancumhall was also a mainstay at the club for over 60 years and in 2007 he was presented with a services to sport award from the Scottish Association of Local Sports Councils at the EK Sports Personality of the Year awards.
He died suddenly at home last night watching football with his family.
EKYM chairman and Caley League side manager Graeme Robertson has been left devastated by the news, which comes in the club's centenary season.
But he says they will go ahead with this weekend's matches as a tribute to Les, who hated it when the YM didn't have a game on a Saturday.
Graeme told Lanarkshire Live Sport : "It's terrible news. Les was just down at the park yesterday. We've had a couple of issues with foxes getting into the park and we were just fixing a couple of wee gaps around the perimeter fence.
"Les was down helping and working away around 4.30pm and then he went up the road and he passed away suddenly last night watching the Rangers game with his family.
"My first reaction when I heard the news he had passed was shock and I was going to phone the leagues we play in and tell them we couldn't play this weekend, because I couldn't think of anything worse than getting involved in football this weekend.
"But the more I thought about it, Les hated a Saturday if a YM game wasn't on. He would moan like hell if we didn't have a game on.
"If we didn't have a game and we arranged a friendly that would make his really happy.
"We haven't played for the last two weeks and I know he was really looking forward to Saturday.
"So when I phoned his family, they said it would be a greater mark of respect if we could make sure if the games went ahead.
"We will hold a minutes' silence as well."
Born in 1944, Les lived in the town his entire life and first joined the YM as a player for their boys’ football team.
In the early 1960s, a knee injury ended his playing career at the age of 18.
However, Les — whose dad George was the village policeman — started to work for the club and continued to assist them in various capacities throughout his life.
Les also worked for pacakging firm Signode and College Milton paint firm Stewart Wales Somerville until he retired at the age of 65.
Graeme added: "Les kept meticulous records of results and goalscorers every season which we were in the process of digitising as part of our centenary.
"He is highly regarded in the Caley League and I don't think there is a team there that doesn't know Les because he was still going to every single game, every week, to watch the Caley team.
"If they weren't playing he watched our GGPL team or our 35s.
"He was Mr YM."
Close friend and fellow YM stalwart Eric Gunning said: "Les has done everything at the YM and has been on the committee for most of his adult life.
"Even at his age, he never missed a game. I used to pick him up on a Saturday with Angus McConnell, who passed away 18 months ago, and we had a lot of years together. He will be missed."
A statement by the club on social media read: "The family of club legend Les Goodfellow have asked that we pass on the devastating news that Les passed away suddenly last night.
"Les was at Kirktonholme daily and never missed a 'YM game.
"He will be sorely missed by everyone. Our thoughts are with Sylvia and the family."
The EK football fraternity and those further afield have also paid tribute to Mr Goodfellow, who regularly kept the town abrest of East Kilbride YM's fortunes with regular reports in the local newspaper, East Kilbride News.
EKYM striker Cammy McCulloch posted: "Man was a legend. Totally gutted. Club won’t be the same."
Former East Kilbride Thistle manager Gary Hamilton posted: "Not many people dedicate the amount of time Les has put into amateur football. A sad day for the football family in EK."
A message from Doune Castle AFC's account read: "So sad to learn Les has passed away. Genuinely one of the Amateur Game's nicest, and most sincere, men.
"As President, it was Les who welcomed Doune Castle to the Caledonian League. Everyone at our club sends their deepest sympathies to Les's family and to all at the YM."
Mr Goodfellow even witnessed the club win their first trophy in 1961 when they conquered Clyde Paper to lift the Coronation Cup, recalling in an interview with East Kilbride News : “That's my first memory of the YM winning something and it was a prestigious one to win at the time.
“Clyde Paper used to win things quite regularly so it was a bit of coup to beat them. I was just a teenager but I remember being there as a fan and watching a good game.
“I remember Alistair McCartney, who played outside left for us, broke his leg in that game but we went on to win 3-2.
“As a 17-year-old, seeing the team win a cup was great and you hoped that you could do it one day yourself, so there were lots of the boys from the team cheering the guys on.
“It was a massive moment for everyone involved with the YM and, being our first big trophy, it will always be a special one for the club.”
Funeral details for Mr Goodfellow will be announced by the club in due course on social media.
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