A WOMAN who became a familiar sight to thousands of football fans has died at the age 87.

It is Mabel Neil’s final wish to have her ashes scattered on the pitch at the home of her beloved Darlington FC, The Northern Echo Darlington Arena.

For more than 20 years, she sold programmes at the Quakers’ home games and also clocked up thousands of miles to watch the club on its away travels.

Mrs Neil died last Tuesday following a heart attack. She had lived the last 27 years of her life with only half a heart, following a triple bypass.

Family and friends have spoken of their shock and sadness at her death.

Peter Cook, ticket office manager at Darlington Football Club, had worked alongside Mrs Neil.

He said: “Mabel was a longterm servant of the club and will be sadly missed.

“She used to sell more programmes than anyone else because she was held in such high regard by the supporters.”

Her son, David, said she was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother – but her passion was football.

He said: “She was Darlington through and through and would follow them anywhere.

She wasn’t happy with what’s going on at the club now.”

Mrs Neil was also a familiar figure to former chairman George Reynolds who “would stop his car if he saw her in the town”, said Mr Neil.

He also said his mother was a very independent woman, who had lived in her home in Estoril Road, Darlington, for more than 50 years.

He said: “She had a very hard life. She became a widow and a mother within 11 months. She struggled to bring me up on her own, but she did it.”

Mrs Neil’s husband, Allan, was killed when his ship was torpedoed during the Second World War. Her son was born shortly afterwards.

Mrs Neil later worked at Greenbank Maternity Hospital in Darlington, and at the town’s Memorial Hospital.

Her funeral will take place in Grange Road Baptist Church, at 11am on Thursday.