ROY PARKER, a great character among Maidstone referees, has died at the age of 67. Mr Parker, who lived at Aylesford, officiated in the Maidstone League and Maidstone and Mid Kent Sunday League for 35 years and developed a style which enabled him to referee much of the game from the centre circle.

He was affectionately known as Pencil Parker. This was because of his famed collection of pencils used when booking players. He stashed these away in his pockets, in the top of long socks and sometimes behind his ear.

Mr Parker, a tall man with glasses, wore knee-length shorts supported by a belt - perhaps reflecting the era in which he started refereeing. In the earlier years Mr Parker used to arrive at matches in his milk float and West Farleigh chairman Peter Baggott recounts the story of being relieved to hear the drone of his milk float as it struggled up the steep hill at Charlton Lane when he was late after his milk round.

Over the past few years referees secretaries for both leagues have been grateful for his willingness to turn out for late appointments. An honest and forthright person, he was extremely passionate about the game he loved.