Warm tributes have been paid to a great servant of football after he received further recognition from the Watford Sunday League.

It is 60 years since the league was launched and the driving force behind it, Eric Hand, was presented with a commemorative salver at their annual meeting.

The former chairman of the Herts FA went on to hold most positions within the league and is now its honorary life past president.

Former Watford Observer assistant editor Oliver Phillips said: “It is good to see a pivotal figure from yesterday is still remembered for his pioneering work in bringing Sunday League football to the locality.

“Those fortunate enough not to have lived through the first decade after the war will not know how dire were those Sundays. The cinemas opened well after 5pm and the Lord’s Day Observance Society held sway.

“In fact a kick-around in the park would be frowned upon as it was contrary to regulations and against such a tedious, repressive backdrop emerged Eric Hand in 1954 – dubbed a pariah who was catering for the irreligious with his sacrilegious launching of the Watford Sunday League.

“They played friendlies that first season but the following year the league was launched on a competitive basis. Eric was not alone for he had Ray Morgan and Ray Cook in support as they brought down the ire of the Government, the Football Association and religious bodies.”

This newspaper’s former sports editor continued: “Eric broke the mould of local Sundays, steering the league to unprecedented heights, catering for thousands of local footballers down the years. He ran the league with an iron grip but his control was justified by the incredible success it enjoyed.

“The ultimate irony is that Eric became the go-ahead chairman of the Herts Football Association – the organisation who dubbed him the unwanted maverick all those years ago when Sunday football locally was all but an undergound organisation.

“Eric should have been nominated for New Year’s Honours for his services to the game locally and at county level. Locally we lived a better life thanks to Eric’s pioneering. An honour fully deserved.”

Sunday league chairman John Rowbotham added: “Football in the Watford area owes a big debt to Eric Hand when you consider he rose from establishing a small local league to become chairman and president of the Herts FA. He continues to attend many meetings and is always ready to offer words of advice.”