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Fred Nugent, who died recently at the age of 84, spent more than 50 years at Stanningley as a player, coach, committee member and president.

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"He was a massive influence on a lot of people and commanded respect from everyone," said his son Gary.

"It is not often you get somone who was a player, committee member and president of one club.

"He was someone to aspire to and everyone will miss him tremendously."
Fred was born in Burley, Leeds in 1924. He worked as an engineer in Leeds and because of his skilled profession, was excused from active service in the Second World War, serving instead with the Home Guard. He married his late wife Doreen, also from Leeds, in 1956.

He played rugby for a number of clubs, including Hall Park and Hawkesworth, before being asked to play for Stanningley. Playing mainly as a hooker, he won the Yorkshire Cup with Stanningley in 1957 and 1958, and was in the team that played Rochdale Hornets in the Rugby League Challenge Cup in Feburary 1956.

He continued to play the game until he was 50, his final match being a friendly against Dewsbury in 1974. "I remember he came home from that match with a black eye," said Gary. Perhaps then he knew it was time to call it a day."

Fred continued to be involved with the club, first coaching and then becoming a committee member in the 1970s. In 1993 he succeeded Arthur Miller as president and in 2005 a suite at the clubhouse was named in his honour.

He had two children, Gary and Lorraine, and six grandchildren.

Mally Banks, also involved with the club, was a close friend of Fred who lived in Ganners Rise, Bramley. He said: "Fred always had time for anybody and was a great steadying influence on the club.

"If we ever needed something doing, a presentation for example, people would say 'ask Fred to do it' and he always would. He had immense pride and passion for Stanningley.

"He was a diamond, a true gentlemen in every sense of the word."
Fred's funeral took place on Thursday at St Peter's church in Bramley.