ISLE of Wight football stalwart, Harold Roper, has died aged 80.

Harold, who many will know as Roger, was born in Wigan, Lancashire, on December 30, 1940.

He was the second of three children to Harold and Mary Roper, and had siblings Mary and Brenda.

Growing up, his parents owned a greengrocers. He later told his son he did not do much at school, preferring to collect milk bottles for money and visiting the local chippy before closing time to get cheap scraps to eat.

Finding time to play football, by the age of 17, Mr Roper was making his first team debut for Wigan Athletic.

An injury at work cut short his Wigan career, just as professional scouts came calling.

Mr Roper went on to make 135 appearance for Wigan Athletic, scoring five goals.

He played between 1959 and 1965, and later joined rivals Wigan Rovers. His daughter Carol was born in 1963.

If he hadn't broken his toe after a trial with Liverpool, his fame might have gone even further.

Mr Roper worked in several industries including Central Wagon, British Leyland and British Rail.

By the early 1970s, he was working in Wigan pubs, demonstrating his skill for controlling a coin flicked onto his foot.

In 1970, Mr Roper was among several Wiganers who came to the Isle of Wight to work and enjoy the weather. They liked it so much, they decided to stay.

He met his future wife, Jonquil, on a night out in Sandown.

His love of football also returned, signing for local side Shanklin and forming a great friendship with fellow player, Gerry Oulton.

On October 1, 1977, Mr Roper married Jonquil at the County Hall registry office, arranged neatly before Saturday’s local football fixture he went off to play in.

A meal was held afterwards, with the party carrying on late at Colonel Bogeys nightclub.

Son Roger was born in 1978, and daughter Louise followed in 1982.

Mr Roper worked in Sandown’s seaside hotels and the Transmetric factory, before finding employment at Temperatures in Lake.

He also moved into football management, first with Sandown and then Brading, where he formed excellent partnerships with Brian Maughan and John Jupe.

It was at Brading he had most success. In 1980, he helped save the team from relegation, and they won ten out of 12 games to stay up.

One of his greatest footballing highlights was planning and beating red hot favourites Newport in the semi final of the Senior Cup in 1985.

Mr Roper later took voluntary redundancy at Temperatures and the family moved to Denness Road, Lake.

He enjoyed the simple things in life, and was known for wearing shorts on a Friday night out, all year round.

He liked watching Roger play in the Wessex Football League for Brading Town and enjoyed walks with Louise, plus trips to the Fontwell races.

Mr Roper leaves behind his wife Jonquil, his three children, and grandson Jude.