Tributes following the death of record-breaking football coach Rollie Howard

The honors were made following the death of Rowley Howard, whose 33-year spell in charge of Merseyside Marine AFC saw him hold a world record at the time for being the longest-serving football manager.

He officiated the Crosby-based side for 1,975 matches between August 1972 and April 2005 and even served as a regular starter for the club.

The current team competing in the National League held a minute of silence before Saturday’s game after Howard’s death at the age of 90.

“He was a hero because over the course of 33 years of his life, he gave 100% of everything to the Marines and he was successful,” Marine Chief Paul Leary told BBC Radio Merseyside.

During his time at the club, he won five league titles and 15 cup competitions.

He also sponsored football stars including Liverpool and Republic of Ireland player Jason McAteer, who went on to groom Marine’s youth.

In addition to his work at the club, Howard was also a window cleaner, whose clients included former Liverpool manager Sir Kenny Dalglish.

Speaking before his final game as coach in 2005, the 70-year-old said: “When you do it, it doesn’t feel like it’s taking so long. But like life itself, when you think about it, you wonder where the time has gone.”

He was inspired to become a Marine groundsman after seeing the then Stockport manager Eric Webster mowing the grass on their land.

“I asked him what he was doing and he said, ‘They never fire the groundsman.’ So I took care of the grounds for five or six years, too.”

He earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-serving football manager.

“The involvement and enthusiasm with the players is what I will miss most,” he said in his final game at Marine as coach. “But I always said I would know the time was right and it is.”