LEN Weekes, who has died aged 84, was loved by Oxford United supporters and students alike.

The father-of-four spent the majority of his life in Oxford and was known to late-night revellers as a taxi driver and Blackbird Leys residents as a city councillor.

But for U's fans of a certain vintage he was the bar manager at the Manor Ground during the glory years of top division football and Milk Cup success.

Len Weekes was born on November 6, 1934, in Iffley.

His mother Violet was a housewife and his father George helped run Oxford Jazz Club.

Len had a younger brother, Andrew, and attended several schools in Oxford, including Singletree, which was located near Iffley Turn, Donnington and Cheney.

Growing up, he was a member of Iffley scout group and Neptune Rowing Club, for whom he won several trophies as a teenager.

Aged 18, Mr Weekes enrolled in an apprenticeship with the General Post Office, before joining the Life Guards army regiment in London.

He became a horseman in the horse-mounted regiment - despite never having ridden one of the animals - but he became quite fond of them.

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Mr Weekes was married four times and had three children - Lorraine, Sarah and Ian - with his second wife, Marlene.

Once he left the Life Guards, Mr Weekes stayed in London and became a Chelsea FC fan, attending games until his later years.

He returned to Oxford to work in the pay office at the Cowley car plant, before taking the first of several bar roles at Oxford United.

Mr Weekes managed the supporters’ club bar at the Manor, United's old home, working evenings and Saturdays.

He was a part-time taxi driver, which is how he met his fourth wife, Debbie, in the mid-1970s.

The Headington resident would give his future wife and her friends lifts to Bogarts nightclub in St Clements and they started dating, before eventually marrying in 2009.

In 1984, their son David was born and they rented a flat on Windmill Road, Headington, moving to Abbots Wood, off the Slade, in 1993.

Mr Weekes lived there with his wife until his death.

He remained a popular figure at the Manor in the 1980s and even became friends with United legends Jim Smith and Ron Atkinson.

Mr Weekes was a staunch Conservative up to his final years and spent time as an Oxford City councillor for Blackbird Leys.

He was hugely proud of representing his ward and retained a love of politics, taking great interest when David was the Conservative candidate during a mock election at school.

After leaving the Manor, he managed pubs until the end of his career, starting with The Friar, on the corner of Marston Road and Old Marston Road, which was demolished in 2013.

His next bar manager placement was The British Legion in Marston, where David would spend plenty of happy hours with his Dad while growing up.

The industry took him across the country, with Mr Weekes covering for other pub managers while they were away through relief work.

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It even returned him to rowing, with Mr Weekes managing the bar at City of Oxford Rowing Club, where his brother Andrew remains.

In 1997, he became bar manager and porter at Oxford University's Pembroke College, where he was adored and respected by students.

Into his 70s and a father figure to many, he was so well-liked that the bar was affectionately known as 'Len's' until he retired in 2012.

He passed his love of football onto his children and they spent years as season ticket holders at the Manor, watching United home and away.

Len fell ill just before Christmas and died at the John Radcliffe Hospital on Monday, January 7.

He is survived by his wife, his brother, and children Sarah, Ian and David.

His funeral is tomorrow at the Oxford Crematorium at 10am.