A FOOTBALL legend who dedicated half a century of his life to the game has died aged 75.

Mick Browning, chairman of Horsham YMCA Football Club and an ex-England amateur international player, lost his battle against leukaemia on Monday.

The club's flag is flying at half mast as a mark of respect and a minute’s silence will take place before Saturday’s home league game against AFC Uckfield Town where players will wear black armbands in his honour.

Tributes poured in this week for a man described as an "absolute gentleman" who lived for football and his family.

The club's first team manager Peter Buckland said: "The relationship between a first team manager and a chairman can be fragile but this was never the case with Mick over the three years I worked with him.

"We always had his 100 per cent support and backing. This grew into a great friendship. When I needed advice he was always there.

"He would be the first person on the phone to give me a lift when we had a bad result.

"He was a real football legend. He always had time to talk to everyone and never turned his back on anybody.

"He really was an absolute gentleman."

The Horsham-born player started out at the YMCA FC back in 1954, before spells at Horsham, Reading and Tooting and Mitcham as well as an England amateur international. He was also offered a professional contract with Tottenham Hotspur.

After spells in management he took up a number of administration roles in Queen Street for Horsham Town, before taking over as the YMCA chairman.

Despite his illness, he continued to be heavily involved in football and earlier this month was hosting an event at the Gorings Mead clubhouse looking back on his career.

A memorial service and a fundraising game to donate to Mr Browning's chosen charity Cancer Research UK will be arranged in due course.

The YMCA club's physiotherapist Princess Goodwin said she was indebted to him for supporting her through her Football Association exams, adding: "He was warm and charming. The game and his family were his world."