TRIBUTES have been paid to a giant of the Vale of Clwyd football scene.

Tudor Jones, a former Llandyrnog and District Summer League chairman and committee member, has died at the age of 74.

Leading the tributes, Ruthin Town FC general secretary and former Rhewl player Bryn Jones described Mr Jones as "Mr Summer League".

He said: "Tudor Jones was my hero.

"It was 1972, I was 13, and he was captain of Rhewl FC.

"He, along with players like Hef (Ging) Roberts and Dick the Golf they swept all before them and won the double in that year’s Summer League.

"Forget Leeds United all I wanted to do was play for Rhewl.

"I got my wish and four years later Tudor was still captain and very much the man in charge.

"He won two titles and three Shields with Rhewl and had the respect of his own players and opposition players alike, tricky in Summer League.

"I think he will always wish to be remembered, first and foremost, as a top class centre half who was very quick and could play a bit. In many ways he was ahead of his time."

Tudor Jones also played for Ruthin Town during the 1960s and 70s, twice winning the North Wales Amateur Cup.

He was part of the team of local people that built the clubhouse and changing rooms at Ruthin, and later became the chairman of the Ruthin Memorial Playing Fields Association.

"He was instrumental in raising the finance to build the original stand and to extend the clubhouse for a kitchen and separate changing facilities for referees," added Bryn Jones.

"This meant that the football club could enter the Cymru Alliance in 1992. He was pivotal in that process.

"His first love, Summer League, came calling and he was recruited to help run summer football in the Vale of Clwyd.

"He became chairman as far back as 1984 and when Robert Emlyn (Jones) died he took over his mantle as Mr Summer League."

Henllan FC manager Chris Brown said: "Tudor Jones was a committed Summer League man and made a massive contribution to ensuring it carried on, often in difficult circumstances, but always acting with dignity and respect.

"(He is) a great loss to the wider community as well as the Summer League."