TRIBUTES have been paid to a football hero and former PE teacher who has died at the age of 75.

Barry Storey, from Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham, won two Amateur Cups playing for Crook Town at Wembley Stadium in 1962 and 1964.

Such were his skills that he was even talent spotted for Sunderland Football Club in his youth but his parents encouraged him to pursue a more academic career path.

Mr Storey left Crook in 1965 to join the team’s bitter rivals, Bishop Auckland. He later played for Scarborough.

John Phelan, of Durham Amateur Football Trust, said: “I always thought that Barry was a grand lad and one of my favourite players.

"When we started the Football Trust Barry came along and supported one of our first film evenings and talk-ins which was in the Clayport Library in Durham.”

Mr Storey’s former Crook Town teammate Allan Brown added: “Barry had a good engine and always gave 100 per cent on the field. He was also a nice lad and easy to get on with.”

Born in Bowburn in 1941, Mr Storey was an intelligent child and did well at school, especially at sport. He attended Wellfield School in Wingate, where he met his future wife, Ada. The couple began courting while attending the sixth form and enjoyed many happy dates to Durham Ice Rink before tying the knot in 1963.

By this point, Mr Storey had trained to be a teacher at Bede College and he secured a job as a PE teacher at Boldon Secondary School. This was followed by a managerial position at Boldon Community Centre, where he worked until he retired.

However, football and his family remained his true passions. He and Mrs Storey had two children, John and Ingrid, and two grandchildren, Imogen and Frankie.

As well as sport, Mr Storey enjoyed making models, playing computer games and DIY

To Mrs Storey he was more than just her husband, he was her best friend. She described him as caring, intelligent and dependable, adding: “We would argue about everything because we were both bossy but we were good companions and we allowed each other time and space.

“Most important of all, we were really good friends. We went biking, played tennis, went to the cinema. He was the best of husbands and my very best friend.”

Mr Storey died at Sunderland Royal Hospital on March 5. At his funeral, the Match of the Day theme tune was played as mourners left the church.