Portadown manager Matthew Tipton says he "couldn't have wished for a better chairman" as he paid tribute to Ronnie Stinson.
Mr Stinson, 70, passed away on Tuesday following a long illness.
Tributes have been pouring in for the hugely popular Shamrock Park figure.
Ports boss Tipton said Mr Stinson played a "massive part" of his career in Northern Ireland.
"We are all saddened by the news that we received last night regarding Ronnie passing away," Tipton told the club's website.
"For me personally Ronnie was a massive part of my time in Northern Ireland, firstly getting me involved with coaching the youth players at Portadown during my time here as a player and obviously bringing me back to the club as manager.
"I couldn’t have wished for a better chairman to support and guide me over the past three years and though to the outside he might have looked unhappy he was always full of jokes with me about football and would pick me up after a bad performance or defeat."
Meanwhile, Mr Stinson's funeral will be held on Saturday morning, stopping at Gary’s Bar at 10:45am and then Shamrock Park at 11am before a private service at Milne Funeral Services at Seagoe at 12pm.
