BOLTON Wanderers manger, Neil Lennon, has used his paid moving tribute to late Whites chairman, Phil Gartside, during his weekly press conference.
Mr Gartside died yesterday, aged 63, following a short battle with cancer.
Speaking to gathered press at the Macron Stadium, Neil Lennon said: “He was a fantastic family man. He was very close with his kids and his grandkids.
“Any spare time he had was spent at home with the family, or pottering about the garden.
“His family have handled things fantastically.”
He added that despite people at the club knowing about his illness, it had still come as a ‘huge shock’.
Flags at the Macron are flying at half-mast and a memorial book has been set up at outside the ground.
Mr Gartside, who joined the board at Wanderers in 1989 and became chairman in October 1999, was born in Leigh and attended Leigh Grammar School.
Under his chairmanship, the Whites gained promotion to the Premier League and reached the UEFA Cup for the first time in the club's history.
Feel free to leave your tributes below.
Lennon facing the media pic.twitter.com/De4Pogx5WF
— Andrew Bardsley (@ABardsleyBN) February 11, 2016
Lennon says he spoke to the players yesterday and said they were very sad
— Andrew Bardsley (@ABardsleyBN) February 11, 2016
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