The grassroots football scene is built on the dedication of volunteers and club members.
There's no money to be found in the game at that level, with people turning up and pitching in purely for the love of the sport.
Those that take part are passion personified, and none more so than Dave Fear, who passed away last weekend at the age of 72.
One of the lads, a family man and a people person whose charity work raised hundreds of thousands of pounds, his passing has affected many across the Bristol sporting community.
The businessman, who founded David Fear Electrical Services on Gloucester Road, spent years of his life involved in local sport, becoming most well-known for his time at Old Georgians FC.
Fear grew up near Kingswood and lived in Stoke Bishop, playing as a centre-back on the Bristol Downs as a teenager before joining Old Georgians and enjoying success as a player.
After spells at Cadbury Heath and Keynsham, Fear enjoyed a brief - but memorable - stint as a rugby player with St Marys Old Boys before moving back into football and becoming Old Georgians manager in 1982.
His time in charge of Old Georgians became the most successful period in the club's history as they won the Gloucestershire County League, the Gloucestershire FA Challenge Trophy and also reached the quarter-finals of the national FA Vase competition in 1983, with the club raking in over £500 from their game against Essex side Stansted, despite adults being charged just £1.
Described by friends as "a bit of a ducker and diver, with a heart of gold" he went on to manage Bristol Manor Farm before another stint at Old Georgians, eventually taking up positions of chairman and president of the club.
Former Old Georgians boss Paul Williams, who led the team to the County League title in their centenary year in a side that also included former Rovers players Vaughan Jones, Wayne Noble and David Mehew, said Fear played a big part in his personal life as well as sporting one.
"A true gent," Williams said. "Dave was a massive figurehead to all that knew him, he played a huge part in my life with football, family and work.
"He remained a true friend and we became closer in recent years. I will sorely miss our little chats."
In a statement, Old Georgians declared Fear as the most influential person in the club's history.
They said: "No man in the Old Georgians' 73-year history has achieved the feats accomplished by our beloved Dave Fear.
"Experiencing success as a player before overseeing Old Georgians' most successful era in the 1980s as manager of the club, he led the club to the Gloucester County League title multiple times. In the 1983/84 season we reached new heights under his leadership, reaching the quarter-final of the FA Vase.
"Dave later went on to become chairman and then eventually Club President, bringing his decades of experience to younger players.
"He was revered by all at the club, not only for his footballing contribution but also for the man he was.
"Dave gave a speech at our end of season presentation in 2019 that captured the heart of our club perfectly.
"He explained to all in attendance that Old Georgians is more than a football club: it is a family. Whilst on the pitch success is of course a key goal, the true success of our club is our bond as teammates and friends.
"We are all saddened to say goodbye to Old Georgians' greatest teammate and friend, but everything that Dave stood for will continue: passion on the pitch, and warmth off the pitch."
A lifelong fan of Bristol City since attending his first match in the 1950s, Fear was also close to the Robins, having helped to raise funds for the club's Centre of Excellence.
He also donated his time to help run testimonials for Bill Athey, Brian Tinnion and Louis Carey and was involved in fundraising for the Children's Hospice South West, raising £270,000 from the golf days he organised at Henbury Golf Club with his wife Hillie.
Fear's children, Tom and Liz, paid tribute to their father's love of sport, admitting that he revelled in the sense of community that came with it.
They said: "Looking through his old articles and photos you can see how much he loved being involved in football and rugby over the years.
"He was so successful as both a player and manager, there are many photos with him with trophies and so many articles in the Evening Post paper it was like he had his own press officer!
"Most importantly for Dad though was the friends he made in sport.
"There was rarely a time when we were out with him, when he didn’t bump into old friends that he'd played with, or against where they would share stories and laughs from the many good times from the past.
"Dad was a very special man who will be missed by so many and will leave a big hole in all our lives."
One of Fear's closest friends was John Norman, who said he will remember his former teammate's sense of humour.
Norman, who played with Fear at Old Georgians, Cadbury Heath and Keynsham, was three months younger than his friend, who never let him forget it.
He said: "Once we had a reporter ring up from the Post when I scored two and we won, and Dave tricked him and told him 'I played very well but he was surprised I can still do it at my old age.'
"Then the headline was, 'Goals scored by aging player' or something. We all laughed.
"Another time on my 40th birthday he put up loads of poster signs around Downend, where I live, saying happy 42nd birthday to John. He was always a wind-up merchant and always happy.
"We had more than a football relationship. I went to see him before he died and he even joked about it then. My birthday is on May 7, and he got ill around then, but he was joking about me being older than him."
Fear's funeral will be held on Tuesday, 9 June, but restricted to family only. His family plan to hold a memorial service to celebrate his life with friends as soon as possible.
