Paddy McCormack will be fondly remembered after making his mark in the Luton sporting scene

The 67-year-old, of Mountgrace Road, Luton, died on Saturday, April 18. He had been diagnosed with cancer in October but had fought it head on and was in good form.

Paddy was a well-known man in the local football leagues, where he gained many friends along the way.

He started his footballing path playing for Harps and St Joseph’s before taking the reins at his beloved Sacred Heart, where he made his name.

He was determined to create a family club, where partners and their children were just as involved as the players, and he succeeded.

In the early 1980s Sacred Heart won their first title in the South Beds League. They then went on to join the North Home Counties Sunday league to mix with the big guns of Celtic, St Joseph’s, Luton Way, Sporting Chiltern and Ebony.

They fought their way up to the Premier League, winning a couple of Whitbread Cups along the way. They won their first county cup in 1988 against Celtic after coming runners-up in two previous ones. They did the double that year too, winning the Premier League trophy.

This was all achieved with a team put together with unknown players and Paddy’s ability to get the best from them.

One of the best stories was when they beat St Joseph’s in a Whitbread Cup replay at Kenilworth Road, when a crafty con trick inspired his team to victory. Striker Paul Neufville had told him he could only play the first half as he was on the night shift at Vauxhall.

Neufville scored and had an outstanding opening half, but Paddy gave him a tongue lashing at the break to the disbelief of the other players.

He said at the time: “They thought ‘if he does that to a man who has played so well, this bloke will kill us if we don’t win’, and they went out for the second half, tore into St Joseph’s, and were four up in the next four minutes.”

Sacred Heart had their most successful year in 1993-94 when they did the treble. Paddy was rewarded for his success by being asked to manage the county representative side. He was manager in 1990 and again in 1993-94 where he got them to the Inter Counties final against Hampshire.

When the football finished, Paddy found a new love in golf. He gained a whole new group of friends here too. He was due to be captain of the Luton Irish Golf Society this year and was looking forward to taking them all back to his beloved Kilkenny in Ireland on tour.

A family spokesman said: “He was a very caring and gentle man. Nothing was too much trouble for him.

“He never said a bad word about anyone, and if there was ever a problem it could always have been fixed. He was always smiling and doted on his family.

“The messages the family have received are testament to the great man himself.”

Paddy is survived by his wife Ann, daughters Charlotte and Michelle, and his four grandchildren.

He will be reunited with his daughter Lindsay whom they sadly lost in 2013.