“Give it to Ivor,” the fans used to say. And half a century later, you’ve still got to hand it to him.

Ivor Powell, the world’s oldest working football coach, has finally called it a day at the age of 93.

The former City player-manager has brought the curtain down on 37 years of service coaching at the University of Bath.

But his legacy with the students will live on with the formation of the Ivor Powell Sports Scholarship Fund to assist future undergraduates. It was only unveiled this week but already the fund has topped £30,000.

Bantams supporters of a certain age will remember the Welshman for his influence in midfield. Hence the cry which came up whenever his team won possession.

Powell had two spells in City colours, the first as a guest during the Second World War.

He joined for good in 1952 and went on to make 82 appearances before his playing career was cruelly cut short by a knee ligament injury.

Powell was playing and managing by that point – one of the pioneers to combine both roles – and remained at the Valley Parade helm until February 1955.

Capped 14 times by Wales, Powell had graduated from the mines to be picked up by QPR. Spells with Blackpool and Aston Villa followed before he arrived in West Yorkshire.

Powell’s management career continued at Carlisle in 1960, leading the Cumbrians to promotion, before he headed abroad to Greece to coach PAOK in Salonika.

He first linked up with the University of Bath in 1973, beginning one of the longest associations with any football team.

Four years ago, Powell’s feat was acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest working coach in the sport. And in 2008, just days before his 92nd birthday, his life-long devotion to football earned royal approval when he was made an MBE.

Powell said an emotional farewell with a special reception this week. But students won’t have seen the last of him just yet – he still plans to help out once a week on a voluntary basis.