RON Atkinson has led the tributes to former Witney Town chairman Aubrey Oakey, who died on Thursday aged 81.

The former Manchester United, Aston Villa, West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday boss, who was Oxford United's captain when they won promotion into the Football League in 1962, first cut his coaching teeth at Marriotts Close. He always had a special relationship with the ex-Witney Town chief, who also played for the club and Oxford City as a goalkeeper in the 1940s and 1950s.

"I'm incredibly sad to learn of his death," said Atkinson. "He put his heart and soul into building Witney Town from a Hellenic League club into a Southern League one."

Atkinson said Mr Oakey would always have a special place in his heart, and he remembered fondly how persuasive he was in the early 1970s when he joined Witney's coaching staff.

"I remember that I agreed to help him out with some coaching for one night - and I ended up staying there for 18 months!"

Atkinson brought several top-flight teams to Witney over the years - and his most memorable was when he was boss of West Bromwich Albion in 1979.

His side played a friendly against Brian Clough's European Cup winners Nottingham Forest at Marriotts Close - which drew record crowds to Witney.

"My thoughts and sympathies go to his wife Colleen and his family," he added.

Former Witney manager Andy Lyne said: "People never really realised the amount of work that Aubrey put in. As a chairman, he was a very hard task master, but he was always fair, and wanted Witney Town to be successful.

"He was very good to me, although he expected me to work very hard at the job.

"Once we moved to Downs Road, he made money available to help me build a really good team - and twice in two years we challenged for promotion."

Another former boss, Malcolm McIntosh, echoed Lyne's sentiments.

"He was a big character - Mr Witney Town if you like.

"He was brilliant to work with - very fair but very strong. He helped put the club on the map and if it wasn't for him, the move to the new ground would probably never have happened." When the move to the new stadium was complete in 1992, Mr Oakey stepped down as chairman, and the new ground was named Oakey Park in his honour.

This was later changed to Marriotts Stadium, named after the family who originally sold the old Marriotts Close ground to Witney Town's members.

This was a bitter pill to swallow for Mr Oakey, and he eventually drifted away from the sporting limelight.

But when Witney Town collapsed in the summer, a band of supporters set up a new club to rise from its ashes.

Witney United Football Club was formed, with the aim to put senior football firmly back on the map.

And it was no surprise when club chairman Philip Webb invited Mr Oakey into the fold.

"Aubrey accepted our offer of becoming honorary president of Witney United, and we were looking forward to welcoming him to our opening game," said Webb.

"It's very sad to hear that such a prominent local figure, who did so much for football, has died.

"I hope now that we can carry on the tradition that Aubrey made his life, and bring senior f