Norman Matthews, the man who founded the Hellenic Football League in 1953, has died, aged 78.

One of Oxfordshire's most respected and long-serving officials, he had been ill for some time.

In April, he received a long-service award from the Football Association for his services to football at a special presentation.

Mr Matthews had football in his blood, first getting involved in the game as a referee in 1949. He made swift progress into the Football League, and officiated at the 1961 Charity Shield match between Tottenham and England.

It was while he was in charge of a Pressed Steel game in 1952, that he thought about forming a senior football league for clubs across nine counties and, after several meetings, a new league was born, which lives to this day.

It was Mr Matthews's enthusiasm that brought about the birth of the Hellenic League which he served as secretary, chairman and president.

Hellenic League chairman Michael Broadley said that his legacy would be the league's strength.

"Norman had a great deal of enthusiasm, and to put together a new football league as he did in the 1950s required incredible dedication," he said. "The fact that the league is still going strong to this day is very much down to the committment he had, and the way he laid the foundations.

"He was respected by everyone in football, both locally and at the FA, and as a league, we are very saddened to hear this news.

General secretary Brian King added: "It is very sad, even more so as we were about to enter the 50th season of the league that he created. He will be greatly missed, and is going to be a very difficult act to follow."

Mr Matthews, who lived at Steeple Aston, leaves a wife, Eileen, and son, Adrian.