A stalwart of Brighton and Hove Albion's glory days has died at the age of 78.

Scotsman George Aitken was manager Jimmy Melia's right-hand man during the glory days of the early 1980s when the Seagulls reached the FA Cup final.

Born in Midlothian, Scotland, in 1928, Mr Aitken was thrust into the spotlight with Scouser Melia after manager Mike Bailey left the club in 1982.

Mr Melia was previously the chief scout and Mr Aitken the reserve team coach, and they combined to propel Albion to the famous 1983 Cup Final against Manchester United.

Mr Aitken, who lived in Hove, was eclipsed by Mr Melia's media persona, but was happy to take on a backroom role, helping to mould, without the credit he deserved, a team which came very close to lifting the FA Cup.

Ex-player Jimmy Case told The Argus: "He was a great character, a great friend and coach right the way through my time at the club.

"He was invaluable, very encouraging. I was an older player but you still looked up to people like that.

"Jimmy Melia was in the front line with his white shoes, but George was very much part of everything going on.

"He was right there in terms of the workings of the club and picking the team. He was well respected for his knowledge of the game."

Mr Case added: "His house overlooked the Goldstone ground and he could sit in his bedroom and watch the match."

Albion legend Mark Lawrenson said: "When I first met him it was an extremely vibrant time for the club.

"But George never got carried away. He had seen it all before. He was a very wily old fox.

"He was from the old school, a good, honest, true, loyal man.

"He knew his football, knew his players and liked a laugh. He had one of those infectious laughs."

Former Albion secretary Stephen Rooke said of Mr Aitken at his testimonial dinner in 1988: "He may never have reached the dizzy heights attained by many of his friends and acquaintances over the years but he represents a rare breed, in fact the very lifeblood of our national game.

"Deep down George is a very private person but his reliability and honest, down-to-earth approach has, quite rightly, earned him enormous respect throughout the football world."

Mr Aitken, a hard but fair centre back, played for a number of clubs including Hibernian, Middlesbrough and Workington before moving into coaching.

He joined the Albion in 1976 and remained with the club for a decade.

Mr Aitken said on his dismissal: "It came as a total shock to me to be sacked without any reason."

His son, Bruce, played for Albion Reserves and Worthing.

Eric Eggleton lived next door to Mr Aitken and his daughter Elizabeth in Goldstone Villas.

He said: "His death came as a complete surprise. He wasn't 100 per cent fit but then who is? He certainly didn't seem ill.

"He was one of the best neighbours in the world. He was wonderful and we're missing him already."

John Vinicombe, The Argus's former Albion writer, said: "George Aitken knew the game inside out while preferring to leave the mucky world of club politics well alone.

"He wasn't a limelight man. The boot room was his milieu, not the office."