Mourners turned out in Arsenal football shirts to mark the passing of life-long Gunners fan John Barry Hook.

Mr Hook’s funeral was held at Stockbury Church on Tuesday and attended by family, friends and representatives of Maidstone and Mid Kent Sunday League.

A Sunday league referee since the 1980s, Mr Hook lived in Stockbury for many years and passed away on April 15, aged 69.

Daughter Kristine Batten said some may still remember him as the owner of Hook’s Taxi Firm in Maidstone in the 1970s. He became a bus driver in the 1980s and went onto drive for Serco, transporting prisoners.

She said: “Football was his main interest really; he loved football and having us eight kids he drummed Arsenal into our heads - it was football, football and more football.

“He was well liked; he was quite a bit of a joker and always mucked about with the grandchildren.”

She said his request for mourners to wear Arsenal shirts had been widely honoured – even by son Jeffrey, a Tottenham fan.

He leaves behind eight children, Kristine, Martyn, Jeffrey, Beverley, Anthony, Gregory, Donna and Ashley, and 19 grandchildren.

Wife Yvonne, who Mr Hook married in 1964, died nine years ago.