FOOTBALL in the Wyre Forest has "lost a true gentleman" as Kidderminster Lions Football Club chairman Jim Tyler loses his battle with cancer.

After being diagnosed in May this year with mesothelioma, the 76-year-old lover of football sadly lost his life and passed away in his sleep on November 30.

Kidderminster Lions Football Club paid tried to their "stalwart" chairman who had been involved with youth football through most of his life, originally being involved with running a boys league while he lived in London.

Before he was chairman of the Kidderminster club, Mr Tyler first joined the team's committee more than a decade ago - he watched his grandson Joe Donkin progress through the Lions soccer school from the age of four years old, all the way through to the under 16 team. He was elected club secretary and loved running the club and the administration side of things as well as watching the games every weekend. Mr Tyler then became club chairman where he has overseen the football club meetings and organised training schedules and pitch allocation.

Getting stuck in and involved in the role, club committee member Mark Hodges said both he and his wife Chris supported every event, from quiz nights to race nights, and he was always at the centre of the clubs presentation days at Aggborough to see all the players get a game on the Harriers' ground and an award after.

The chairman also went on tour to Amsterdam to watch his grandson playing for his Kidderminster Lions team against Dutch sides where they finished runners up in the Amsterdam cup.

Mr Hodges said: "Jim loved his football and was an avid Chelsea fan from his London roots.

"Jim tyler has been a valuable part of Kidderminster Lions Football Club's continued growth and will be sorely missed by everyone at the football club. Local football has lost a true gentleman and everyone who has been fortunate enough to have met Jim will know what a true loss this is."

Mr Tyler's funeral was held on Tuesday (December 15) at Wyre Forest Crematorium.