The Grimston pensioner is life president of The Linnets and can trace his memories of supporting the team to the days he stood alongside his grandfather on the terraces as a seven-year-old.

Reporter Richard Long met the 91-year-old to discuss his life in football – both as a player and the years of loyal service he has given to the game's administration.

JIM Chandler made his debut for The Linnets in 1934 at a time when football really was a man's game.

As a goalkeeper he came up against robust forwards who were more than willing to barge him into the net in the pursuit of a goal – but he relished the challenge.

His efforts between the posts helped the club to Norfolk Senior Cup titles in 1936, '37, '39 and '47 and he played around 100 games in a career which was disrupted by the Second World War, when he joined the Royal Artillery.

After serving with such distinction for his home town club he later played for South Lynn, winning the Peterborough and District League in a season when every player in the team scored – including Jim from the penalty spot.

Speaking at his Grimston home he recalls the many happy days spent playing the game he clearly loves and the decades he has devoted to The Linnets.

He told the Lynn News: "I have been an amateur all my life and never took a penny from football.

"The passion is something I inherited from my father, he played football, but things have changed so much now.

"In my early days we got shoulder-charged to the back of the net. We used heavy balls and heavy boots and The Walks was a heavy pitch to play on. It was a man's game."

He played his first game for the club as a 17-year-old in 1934 and quickly progressed from the A team to the first team.

But his association with The Linnets did not end on the day he hung up his boots. In the 1950s he became club secretary and is now the lifetime president who never misses a home game.

He has also served as secretary, chairman and president of Lynn and District Saturday League and has been a member of the Norfolk County FA since 1965, where his roles have included chairman and chairman of the cup and youth committees.

Jim said: "The friends you make in football are outstanding. You make so many friends who meet every now and then, it has been my life.

"Football has been very good to me, my family has been involved along the way and I would not have been able to do all I have without the support of my wife."

Mr Chandler could easily be described as Mr Football, but his family is also a key feature in his life.

He visits wife Catherine (88) on a daily basis at her nursing home, with daughters Carol and Gillian helping with transport.

His son Barry – who also played for The Linnets – then takes over on a match day, picking his father up before taking him to the club's home matches.

And it is the family who have now turned Mr Chandler's attention to other sports.

His grandson Joseph Chandler is part of the academy system at Leeds Rhinos, in Rugby League's Super League, and he has two great grandchildren who have represented Norfolk at youth level hockey.

Mr Chandler said: "The first result I always look for is The Linnets, then Norwich City.

"The players now are more skilful than in my day, the game is quicker, but you never got the yellow and red cards you get today. I never got a yellow card in my life.

"I'm not sure if that was the referee letting things go, and heavy charging was permitted. I always look at the goalkeepers and I think they have got it easy these days."

Mr Chandler includes Jack Howe, Paul Todd and Terry Ryder among the many great players he has seen represent The Linnets over the years and also rates the current team very highly.

He added: "They are struggling a little bit at the moment but the potential is there. There is a possibility they may go up but whether that is this year, I do not know.

"They will eventually go into the Conference and that is something I would love to see in my lifetime. It is what I look forward to."