A MAN who played a pivotal role in earning his home village a notable treble in the late 1980s has died at the age of 66.

Michael Noble won the award for most of the matches during the 1988-89 season when Corbridge United cleaned up by scooping the Hexham & North Tyne League, the Hexham & North Tyne League Cup and the Clayton Charity Cup.

A team leader at Northumbrian Water held in high esteem, Mr Noble was well regarded as a good footballer throughout Tynedale.

He started playing for Corbridge Juniors in 1968, and he remained at the club as he made the move into senior football with Corbridge United in the mid 1970s.

He joined Prudhoe East End in the mid 1980s but the pull of United saw him return to Corbridge after three years.

Mr Noble stood out as a top performer as Corbridge enjoyed treble success, and he played at the team until blowing the final whistle on Saturday football in 1992.

He kept playing football in Corbridge though as he represented the highly successful Hexham and District Sunday League team Corbridge Blue Bell, who were the last team to win the league and two cup competitions until Haltwhistle Jubilee achieved the feat recently.

After hanging up his playing boots, Mr Noble went on to manage the Blue Bell team and guided them to success in the John Pickworth Cup. On the odd occasion, he would get the boots back out and share the pitch with sons Robert and Paul.

After football came golf for Mr Noble as he became a member of Hexham Golf Club for 20 years, his biggest moment seeing him win a doubles competition alongside good friend George Wilson.

Mr Noble is survived by his wife Carol, two sons Robert and Paul, and grandchildren Sam, Beth and Frankie.