Tributes have been paid to a football club's ' legendary figure' following his death at the age of 85. 

Peter Gilmour, former player, manager and honorary club patron at Prestwich Heys, died on Saturday, officials confirmed. 

He played more than 500 games and then managed the team in the late 1960s when Heys blazed a trail of glory, both locally and nationally, in the FA Amateur Cup.

Stephen Howard, club spokesman, said: "Peter will be remembered as a legendary figure at Heys whose achievements as a player and then manager were a huge part of the club’s success and dominance of the swinging sixties as they emerged as one of the country's leading amateur clubs.

"It is unlikely we will see Peter’s like again. A man who was a huge part of a golden age for the club and whose achievements will never be forgotten or are unlikely to be matched. Even more importantly Peter was a thoroughly nice man, always time for a chat, particularly if it was about his beloved Heys. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew him and had the pleasure of spending time with him.

"Our thoughts at this sad time are with his wife Denise and his family and friends to whom we extend our sincere condolences. Rest in peace, Peter."

Peter joined Heys in 1959, signing from Stand Youth AFC, where he was recognised as “a dynamo of the side with a flair for goal-getting”.

He was soon to make his mark with 23 goals in his first season as Heys swept to the South East Lancashire League title. Heys continued to be successful and in 1961-62 entered the FA Amateur Cup for the first time reaching the fourth qualifying round. It was a competition that was to propel Peter and Heys to greater heights over the years that followed.

In 1963 they moved into the Manchester League, a competition that included sides from the likes of Macclesfield, Wigan Athletic and Stalybridge. Peter and Heys continued to prosper. Peter remained among the goals, becoming club captain, while around him key components in the side he was to later manage were emerging, such as Tommy Kaye, Harry Kynaston, Geoff Gardner and Andy Povall.

Heys were also making their mark nationally. In 1964 they were to reach the 1st Round proper. On the way, they beat one of the strongest sides in the country, Guinness Exports, after a replay, with Peter scoring a goal in each game.

That set up a tie against Yorkshire Amateur that gave the club television exposure via BBC News coverage. Over the following years, Heys continued to make headlines with famous wins over the likes of Finchley, Ferryhill and Highgate United, a match which still holds the record for the highest home match attendance of 4,000. It came with coverage in the national newspapers and popular magazines of the day like Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly.

Stephen said: "Peter remained at the very heart of this, with off-the-field involvement as a member of the club’s executive council and a club auditor. By now the club was the beating heart of the community, anything that was happening in Prestwich revolved around the club, whether it be football related, social events, the club even had its own theatre group."

In 1968-69, Peter became player-manager, a move that coincided with the step up to the Lancashire Combination that would see Heys coming up against the likes of Lancaster City, Marine and Radcliffe.

It represented a huge step up in standard but in their first two seasons under Peter’s leadership, they finished fifth and second. Amateur cup runs continued and, after famous wins over Sutton United and Southall, Heys reached the quarter-finals before losing out to Enfield.

Under Peter, the team continued to prosper and in 1970-71 they reached a peak no other team had reached. Heys dominated the Lancashire Combination season and were to win the League, Challenge Cup, League Cup and George Watson Trophy.

Stephen said: "They remain, and will forever do so, the only side to win all four available trophies in a season. Oh, and Peter also chipped in with five goals!"

The football world was beginning to change, however, with the onset of semi-professionalism, and at the end of the season Peter announced he was leaving to take up the Managerial reins at Lancaster City.

He did so having played more than 500 matches during which he scored 270 goals, standing only behind Tommy Kaye (293) in the all-time scorers list. As a player and manager, he shared in 22 trophy successes.

Stephen added: "Peter did return to Heys for a brief spell in the mid 1970s as manager in the Cheshire League but times had moved on, both on and off the pitch, and in Prestwich too. The club no longer the beating heart of the community."

Throughout all this time Peter also practiced as an architect establishing his business Shepherd Gilmour, which as well as property projects was also a leader in establishing city centre living, long before the current waves of high-rise dwellings began to rise.

Peter continued to keep an interest in the club as a visitor and organiser of events, particularly those marking club anniversaries where his vast collection of archive material, formed the centrepiece of many successful evenings.

In 2018, he was on hand to cut the cake on the club's 80th anniversary and also accept the role of honorary club patron.

The club remained undoubtedly close to his heart. Whether it was a phone call to check how things were going or to see when the next match was taking place. He regularly attended matches, up until 12 months ago, before illness prevented him from doing so.