I think this is nicely written:
PLYMOUTH Argyle have added their own tribute to Michael Foot, who died on Wednesday, aged 96.
As well being a lifelong fan of the Pilgrims, Michael served on the Argyle board at the beginning of this century, his directorship spanning two promotions.
Argyle chairman Sir Roy Gardner said: “It is with great sadness that the club learnt of the death of Michael Foot.
“Michael was a highly valued director of the club, helping to pave the way for the success that Argyle has enjoyed since 2001.
“Much more than that, he was a much-loved member of the Green Army, who stood on the terraces in the days of legends like Sammy Black and Jack Leslie, and was passionate about spreading the Green gospel.
“I know I speak for Argyle supporters everywhere when I say Michael will be fondly remembered and sadly missed.
“He was many things to many people, but, to the Green Army, Michael was simply a fellow Pilgrim.”
The club’s players will wear black armbands at Saturday’s Coca-Cola Championship game against Preston North End as a mark of respect
Michael was so passionate about the Pilgrims that he persuaded residents near his Hampstead home to change the name of the street in which they lived to ‘Pilgrims’ Lane’, and he even achieved every Argyle fans’ dream by being taken on as a ‘player’.
Michael joined the Argyle board on the eve of the 2001-02 season.
At the time, he said: “I’ve been supporting Argyle since the 1920s. It’s taken a bit longer than I’d hoped, but I now believe everything’s in place to make the club the success the people of Plymouth and the surrounding area deserve.”
By the end of the campaign, the Rt. Hon. Pilgrim was celebrating along with his fellow members of the Green Army as Argyle won the Nationwide Third Division with a record 102 points.
Two years later, for his 90th birthday, the club gave him a present of a place in the first-team squad.
Michael was registered with the Football league as an honorary player and given the shirt number 90. This made him officially the oldest registered professional player to date in the history of football.
He even had his ‘Player Profile’ on the club’s official website, alongside stars like Paul Wotton and Graham Coughlan. It read: “Evergreen left-winger in his first season with the club that he has supported all his life. Unlikely to stray out of position and drift towards the right. Brings with him plenty of experience.”
The celebrations of Michael’s 90th birthday, and the club’s Centenary Season, continued for the entire 2003-04 campaign, at the end of which Argyle were promoted to the Championship, though Michael was never called upon to play.
In 2005, Michael and his close friend on the Argyle board, vice-chairman Peter Jones, resigned.
At the time, Peter said: “We have both enjoyed the experience of being part of the Argyle board, but we have always seen ourselves as short-term custodians.
“We both did our bit in helping enable the changes that came about in 2001 and we are immensely proud of the progress the club has made since then.
“However, neither of us are now in a position to devote the amount of time to the club that it both needs and deserves. Michael is occupied writing a book and I have many commitments, so we’re happy to pass the reins on.”
Michael, of course, remained a true Green after leaving the board, and was a frequent visitor to Home Park on match-days, and often joined the Green Army on their travels.
Born in Plymouth on July 23 1913, Michael went on to become Labour MP for Devonport in 1945 - party workers remember him canvassing every day except Saturday afternoons, when there was an obligatory lull to watch Plymouth Argyle play - and was leader of the party from 1980-83.
He first came to Home Park in 1921, with his father Isaac and brother Dingle, and was hooked for life from the first whistle.
Asked later about his most memorable match, he selected two games six decades apart.
“Christmas Day 1935, at White Hart Lane,” was the first, “Argyle beat Tottenham by 2-1, with Sammy Black scoring the first goal. The next day, Argyle beat them 2-1 again, back at Home Park.
“Also, at Easter 1997, when we went to Portsmouth, and beat them 1-0.
“As we drove back up to London, we genuinely believed that we were on our way into the First Division.”
Stories of Michael’s passion for the Greens are legendary.
One has him visiting Tony Blair in his Sedgefield constituency. The future Prime Minister was excited that Michael was dropping by to see him, but rather disappointed when Foot stayed only a few minutes. His real reason to go up to the North East had been to watch Argyle.
That may or may not be true. What is a fact is that he took another future leader of the country, Gordon Brown, to see Argyle play at Brentford during the 2002-03 season.
“I was a bit nervous about it,” said Michael, “because, you see, I thought we were doing very well, but we slipped up the week before.” Argyle drew 0-0.
He was also once chaired out of Euston station by West Ham United fans on their way back from Birmingham, where Argyle had been playing West Bromwich Albion.
Others can say what they like about Michael, his career and achievements, of which there were many – but to thousands of Argyle supporters, he will be remembered as one of the global Green Army.