FOR more than half a century he has been manager of a football team in the heart of the community.

Tony Witt has been running the Brendon Youth Football Club since its inception in 1966, when he was just 16-years-old.

Now the 66-year-old campaigns to get better facilities installed throughout Hampshire and has been nominated for a St George’s Day award.

The Daily Echo has helped launch Southampton’s City Council’s St George’s Day awards, which celebrate the people who make this city what it is.

The nominations have now closed and more than 20 people and groupswho go out of their way to improve people’s lives in the Southampton city region have been nominated.

The awards will be presented at a special St George’s Day festival to commemorate the national day on April 23.

The Daily Echo has been launching the Southampton St George’s Day Festival and Daily Echo Community Awards, which celebrate the people who make the Southampton City region better through their selfless work.

Mr Witt has been nominated for the award of Local Unsung Hero for his work with the club.

He said: “It is absolutely brilliant to be nominated, I am over the moon.

“I had just left school when I started and someone said to me would you run the club.”

Mr Witt grew up in Millbrook and it was while he was there that he started running the club as a teenager and still does, all as a volunteer.

Now retired, he has seen the introduction of the club uniform, seen them through financial difficulties and now even has his own grandchildren playing for the team he started 50-years-ago.

He said: “I just wanted to give the kids something to do and keep them off the streets - Millbrook isn’t the best area in the country and there wasn’t a lot to do in those days.

“Just want to give the kids something some sort of interest so they’re not sat on the computer all day, years ago we had nothing so had to go out and play football.

“The football keeps them fit and off the streets and gives them a bit of discipline and character building.”

Matt Medus, 32, runs part of the Eastleigh & District Mini-Soccer League, and used to play for Brendon FC and Mr Witt when he was a youngster.

Mr Medus, from Southampton, said: “If it was not for him the club would not be where it is now. A lot of people Tony’s age would have given up by now but he is still putting in in the same effort and even more.

“He lives for Brendon FC and he has got nothing to gain from the football team except for his love of the game.”

The winners of the St George’s Day Awards will be announced during the St George’s Day Festival on the day itself, Saturday, April 23.

The festival is taking place at The 1865 in Brunswick Square, Southampton.