By Will Tillotson

Published at 14:15, Friday, 04 January 2013

THE funeral will take place on Monday of Carlisle United stalwart John ‘Jacky’ Notman.

Lifelong devotion: Jacky Notman watched his first match in 1927

Mr Notman, who watched his first Blues match in 1927 when he was just six, died on Christmas Eve aged 91. A retired bookmaker, he only missed a match when he was visiting family at Christmas.

Mr Notman’s love of Carlisle United has passed to his daughter Linda Whalley, who lives in High Wycombe, and her son Joseph.

“We always plan our holidays to Cumbria to coincide with the Blues’ first home game of the season,” she said.

BBC Radio Cumbria’s Val Armstrong was Mr Notman’s friend and neighbour for 10 years, accompanying him to many matches.

“He was a lovely, kind, gentle man who loved his football,” she said. “He had a wonderful dry sense of humour.”

In his 85 years as a fan, he saw United rise to the top of the Football League in 1974 – and drop out of it altogether in 2004. He also saw more than 40 changes of manager.

His funeral will be held at Carlisle Crematorium at 2.20pm.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk