Non-League football has been paying tribute to local legend Tony Lee, who died at the weekend at the age of 75.
Middlesbrough-born Lee played in the Football League for Bradford and Darlington but it was as Northern League manager that he made his mark.
He took Whitby to the FA Cup second round proper in 1983 only to lose to a late penalty at Wigan, then at Billingham Synthonia in the late 1980s he built one of the great Northern League sides.
Under him, Synners won the title twice, the League Cup twice, the Durham Cup and also reached the FA Cup first round proper twice before being edged out by first Halifax then Lincoln.
That Synners side played an important role in Middlesbrough’s liquidation crisis of 1986 as they loaned their ground for Bruce Rioch’s side to train on at a time of Summer uncertainty then stepped in to play Boro’s reserve team fixtures for a spell in 1986-87 as the cash-strapped club battled back.
Popular Tony was a personable, dynamic and infectious man with incredible knowledge of local football and a keen tactical nous.
Lee, whose son Graeme was a former coach and Under-23s manager at Boro, also had spells at the top end of the pyramid with Bishop Auckland, Durham, Gateshead as well as at Newcastle Blue Star, Celtic Nation and Billingham Town in the Northern League.