THACKLEY will rename their main stand in honour of club legend Mike Smith.

Smith took the helm as chairman in 2007 and played a key role for the Dennyboys through his fundraising.

His volunteering and charity work saw him nominated for a Community Stars award (run by the Telegraph & Argus and Bradford Council) in 2012.

Thackley posted this statement on their website: "Thackley AFC are pleased and honoured to announce that our main stand will be renamed in honour of the late Mike Smith.

"Mike held a number of roles at Thackley AFC including chairman, and president, a role he held until he passed away in December 2019.

"Mike's commitment to the club and charitable causes in the local community was monumental and he continuously raised money for charities including the Cardiac Risk in the Young charity, Help for Heroes and Manorlands Hospice.

"He was instrumental in the club's initiative in 2011 to team up with club sponsor Specsavers to donate spectacles to the Gambia Schools Trust, which the trust said made an enormous difference to the people in Gambia.

"He received a nomination as 'Community Champion' in the 2012 Community Stars awards, in recognition for his charity work and efforts in organising Thackley's celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

"The club wanted to show its gratitude to Mike and ensure that his legacy was remembered. The main stand will now be known as 'The Mike Smith Stand.'

"There will be a small private ceremony to formally mark the renaming of the stand in due course for club officials and Mike's family."