Saints fans are mourning the loss of lifelong fan Frank Love, whose life bookended the club’s greatest wins.

Love passed away last Saturday at the age of 93 following head injuries sustained in a fall a few weeks earlier.

His death was just hours before his beloved Saints defeated Sunderland 8-0 at St Mary’s.

Love was born in 1921 as Saints posted their biggest previous winning margin - 8-0 against Northampton - and in between came a life dedicated to football and family.

He worked and played football and cricket for Southampton City Bus Corporation for about 20 years before ending his working life as a quay supervisor for Townsend Thoresen (now P&O ferries) at Southampton docks.

He was also a local referee, once sitting in the middle of the pitch to officiate after refusing to stop a game despite damaging the cartilage in both his knees.

Love saw his first Saints game in 1928 after being taken to The Dell by his uncle and dad and his last was against West Brom this season.

In between that time he travelled the country following his team and also served as a steward at The Dell, first in the player’s tunnel and then in the West Stand.

Allegedly he was the steward who handed Brian O’Neil a bowler hat which he wore running onto the Dell pitch in order to win a bet.

One of his sons, Martin Love, remembered: “As a 15-year-old dad nearly signed for Saints. His dad was disabled so he had to work and so couldn’t sign on but he was never bitter about that.

“His highlight was of course the 1976 FA Cup final. He also went to the 2003 FA Cup final in Cardiff where there were three generations of the Loves, his sons Graham and Martin and his grandson Kevin - this was later to be eclipsed at the 2010 JPT when Josh was to become the fourth generation as one of 31 great grandchildren.

“Looking back one of his favourite players was Charlie Wayman.“He travelled the length of the country to follow Saints, from games in Plymouth to Sunderland. In fact, he once managed to sleep in a cinema in Sunderland so he could go to the game the next day.

“He also knew a lot about the game and, though a Saints fan, was very good at analysing matches and didn’t just look at things through red and white tinted glasses.

“It’s fair to say he had a great life supporting his passion and there was only one other person that could match it and that was Grace his wife who he was married to for 73 years.

“He leaves behind some great memories and will be sorely missed by everyone that knew him.

“Frank was a loving husband, a great dad and grandad and above all he was, and it says it in the name, he was just a lovely man.”