TRIBUTES have been paid to a former football club director and prominent businessman who died this week.

Brian Hadley, vice-chairman of Darlington Football Club for almost 15 years, died from a heart-attack at his home on Tuesday, aged 74.

Darlington-born Mr Hadley was part of a consortium of businessmen who took over the club in the summer of 1976.

He stayed on the board until the spring of 1991, and his tenure included the appointment of former Manchester United star Brian Little as manager, relegation from the football league and promotion the following year.

A lifelong Darlington fan who cheered the club on from the terraces with his sons, Mr Hadley was a hands-on board member, who was known to climb up the floodlights to replace bulbs.

Fellow board member Derek Mason said: "Brian Hadley took over the responsibility of looking after the ground. He was so devoted and spent many many hours looking after the pitch.

"As far as the man was concerned, he was an absolutely 100 per cent super guy. He never let anyone down and was an absolute gentleman."

Mr Hadley was also well-known in the business world. He joined his father's motor mechanics business, CN Hadley, after leaving school in the 1940s.

The company made munitions during the Second World War, and expanded to a site in Middleton St George in the 1960s, where it remains.

Darlington Football Club will honour Mr Hadley with a minute's silence before tomorrow's home game against Luton Town.

Club spokesman Luke Raine said: "We are very sad at the loss and our thoughts are with his family. Brian Hadley was a great servant to the football club and he will be sadly missed by all."

Mr Hadley's funeral service will take place at St Peter's Church, Croft, on Monday, at 2pm, followed by cremation at Darlington Crematorium.