​Tributes have been paid to former Gloucester City FC manager Brian Godfrey who has died at his home in Cyprus after a long battle with leukaemia.

Mr Godfrey, 69, an esteemed inside forward who captained Aston Villa to League Cup success in 1971 and won three international caps for Wales, had two separate spells as City manager.

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He took over in June 1987, spending four years in charge and guiding them to promotion to the Southern League Premier division to years later.

Remembered

Tigers chairman Dave Phillips said that Godfrey had “played a dramatic part in the progress of the club.”

“He took us out of the doldrums during a period when we weren’t doing that well,” he said.

 “He will be remembered mainly for wining the Southern League Midland Division Championship as manager in 1989.

“From my experience, he spoke it as it was, and he was a great favourite of the fans because of that. He was football through and through.”

As well as leading the club to promotion, Godfrey also gave the Tigers fans one of their greatest ever days in the FA Cup securing a famous 2-2 draw with Cardiff City in December 1989.

He was sacked in 1991 after the departure of a number of the first-team players that had taken City to the brink of promotion to the Conference but returned in 1992 to succeed Steve Millard. He was unable to replicate the past successes and departed the club again in 1994.

 He made a brief re-appearance as assistant to former City midfielder Chris Burns before retiring to Cyprus.

 Current Gloucester City manager Dave Mehew said that he had noted a number of things from Godfrey during a brief encounter back when he was a player with Bristol Rovers.

 “I only recall meeting Brian Godfrey once. It was when I was at Bristol Rovers in the late 1980s and a lot of the Gloucester players used to meet us for a drink after games.

“One time Brian was with them, having a pint but keeping his distance, so he came over to speak with me.

“I was in the process of agreeing a new contract at the time and he told me ‘only ever sign a one-year deal, as it means you are still ambitious to go higher’ the advice stuck with me.

 “It was good that he was out socialising with the players, as it helps engender a good team spirit, and I certainly hope to follow his lead in doing that.”