A football club have renamed their main building in honour of a loyal pair with more than a century of volunteering between them.

Buckley Town FC have recognised the loyalty of two longest-serving volunteers by renaming the pavilion after Mike Williams and Jeff Bradshaw.

The pair have volunteered for 108 years between them, 

Buckley Town FC’s chairman Allan Botterell said: “We discussed various ways of acknowledging their association and long unstinting years of volunteering at the club and in the end felt that it would be most suitable to acknowledge their support by naming the main building in their honour.

”They have never sought any reward for their work at the club over the years and we felt that recognition for their service was long overdue.

”In this day and age where it is so difficult to attract young volunteers they are a shining example of being unsung heroes.”

It has been more than 50 years since the two men first played for the club before they continued their association by volunteering their services becoming active committee members.

Club president Mr Bradshaw has been involved for 52 years, while match secretary Mr Williams started out as a goalkeeper and has helped out for 56 years.

Mr Botterell added: “From ground maintenance to cleaning the facilities during the close season and then manning the gate and running match days during league competitions they have ensured the continuation of the club. 

“Without these two the club would have folded many
years ago.”

The long-established club, which previously came close to folding due to a lack of funding and volunteers, recently announced it had agreed a sponsorship deal with Shanghai-based company Koomax as the major sponsor for the forthcoming season.

The deal was reached after work with Chester-based Complete Sports Solutions, which has been helping the club cement its future.

Last year, the club – which dates back to 1887 and has existed in its current form since 1977, when rival clubs from the town merged – warned it could have to fold due to a lack of finance and help.

But the work of the local community, as well as businesses from the area, has helped secure its future.