AN INSPIRING football coach has been fondly remembered by his family, colleagues and players as a true gentleman.

Vi ctor “Vic” Reginald Arthur Standen, who was 80, died on June 21 after an eight-month battle with lung and bone cancer.

He was born in Glynde Road, Brighton, on September 4, 1937.

He moved to Maresfield Road with his family a few years later.

Vic attended Whitehawk infant and junior schools, and then Varndean College where he passed his 11-plus.

At school, he enjoyed playing sports, particularly football, cricket and swimming.

He was a regular at his local swimming pool and also swam in the sea.

Vic was not only a lover of sports but he also enjoyed art and reading and was a keen a member of the library.

He was always very popular at school and his classmates remembered him as a likeable and very sociable person.

When he turned 18, he was called up to do his national service.

However, Vic deferred for one year to continue his plastering apprenticeship.

At 19, he did his national service and was stationed at Cyprus for two years.

He returned to the country at 21 and finished his plastering apprenticeship.

In January 1960 he got married and had three children, Gary, Andy and Debra.

The talented football coach built his own home in Swanborough Drive, Whitehawk, where he lived for most of his adult life.

He started and managed his own plastering business, Standen Plastering.

The business was a success, in no small part due to Vic building lasting relationships with his customers with his amiable personality.

He worked at his business until he retired.

During the 1980s, Vic coached the under 18s at Whitehawk Football Club.

The boys he taught paid tribute to him, describing their former coach as a true gentleman who inspired them play their best even when they felt down.

The players said Vic was a tough but fair coach who had a wonderful dry sense of humour that never failed to entertain everyone.

They said he had inspired a “very average” team to win the under 18s Sussex Cup in 1986 and 1987.

A football club colleague, John Ansbro described his success in the club as legendary and phenomenal.

After he finished coaching, he moved to Spain in 2005 with his son Andy. He moved back to England in 2009.

He lived at Homeridge House in Saltdean during his later years.

Vic had a good social life there and residents remembered him as a kind and generous gentleman.

He always offered to help everyone and looked after his neighbours.

In his later years, his granddaughter Lori Standen, 28, was particularly close to him.

She would visit him regularly and enjoy spending quality time talking to him about his life.

She fondly remembered him as an absolute gentleman. They would share fish and chips and, most of all, making memories together.

Ms Standen said he was not only an outstanding coach, but also someone she looked up to.

When he turned 80 in September last year, he was diagnosed with primary lung cancer and secondary bone cancer in November.

Vic had to move to a nursing home in Hove, but his health deteriorated in April.

He spent his last two weeks at The Martlets Hospice in Hove.

He died peacefully in his sleep.

Vic had set up a donation for Martlets Hospice to thank the staff for looking after him.