Fond farewell for stalwart Hoyle

Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Lancaster City have 'regrettably announced' that long serving director Mick Hoyle is stepping down from his thirty year involvement with his hometown club.

In statement released on Wednesday night, the First Division North's Dolly Blues said that Hoyle has decided to step down from his 'onerous role' as a director of Lancaster City Football Club Ltd after much soul-searching to devote more time to his personal life and other business interests.

City said Hoyle, who has been involved with them in one way or another for more than thirty years, has worked tirelessly for the cause in varying capacities at Giant Axe including commercial manager, assistant manager, caretaker manager, director of football, Director, Chief Executive and Chairman.

He was elected Chairman of the club shareholders in 2006 and was part of the group that rescued the club from administration and kept it in existence for the start of the new First Division North campaign in 2007.

Lancaster City Secretary Barry Newsham paid tribute to the the Dolly Blues' veteran stalwart. He said: "In the last couple of seasons Lancaster City wouldn’t even have had a team if Mick hadn’t sacrificed his summer break to put one together. The Club owes Mick a huge debt of gratitude. He has been caretaker manager on several occasions and looking back on his time at the club, has many fond memories, especially of the 1995-1996 team that won the championship.

He added: "Mick would like to thank those he has worked with keeping Lancaster City afloat, as well as all those over the years from the early 1980s. He said the club would always have a special place in his heart and wished it every success for the future."