TRIBUTES are flooding in for Bob Crompton, president of the Southampton Divisional FA, who passed away yesterday aged 84.

As well as being SDFA president from 1988 until he died, Bob – one of local football’s larger than life characters – was a one-club man with Netley Central Sports FC.

Known as “Mr Netley”, Bob still lived in the house he was born in, in Station Road, and started out as a goalkeeper with his beloved local club, going on to become secretary, treasurer, chairman and president.

He was an honorary life member of the Hampshire FA, one of the founder members of the old Hampshire League 2004 and was also heavily involved with the Netley Central Sports & Social Club and Woolston & District Bowling Club.

Bob and his late wife Molly had two daughters, Hazel and Angela, and five grandsons.

Paying tribute to his good friend, Dave Smith, who sits on the SDFA Cup Committee and is the Hampshire Area Benevolent Officer, said: “Bob was a larger than life man who had been associated with Netley Central for 60-odd years. He was Mr Netley.

“He’d been ill for a long time. His legs were bad and he couldn’t walk at all. He had a mobility scooter which he couldn’t drive properly and kept crashing it into the greenhouse when he was parking it! That was Bob for you, he was full of fun!”

Mike Harvey, secretary of the SDFA and former Netley Central Sports FC secretary, said: "Bob was a real character.

"He put a considerable amount into the club just to keep it going. Netley Central was his life. He lived between the ground and the social club, which was perfect for him!"

Sholing FC secretary Greg Dickson, a former referee and now assistant secretary/media secretary of the SDFA, added: "Bob had a wicked sense of humour.

"From a refereeing point of view, he was very quick to let you know if you'd made a mistake. But after the game you could have a drink with him down at Netley Sports Club. Any issues you had with football, Bob was your first port of call."

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